William is a very smart, thoughtful, inquisitive boy. That is the side of his personality that most people recognize. Most people don’t guess that he has this wonderful, surprising sense of humor. He loves to read the Sunday funnies, he gets all my sarcastic jokes, even when none of the other kids do, and he comes up with the funniest wise-cracks. Here is an example of his funny side:
On our last camping trip of this year, we went for a walk around the campgrounds. Along the side of the road were lots of trees and large rocks. He asked me if I would take his picture while he posed on each of the rocks. Of course, because he is such a cool big brother, Rebekah followed right behind him, doing her best to copy his poses. Here are those pictures:
I wish the pictures showed the shaky-hip action and funny themes songs he was humming while he did the poses!
I have been a slacker in my blogging! Emily got her hard cast on Wednesday, October 15th, but I am just now posting the pics. The worst part about the change from the post-op temporary cast and the hard cast was that Emily was completely grossed out by seeing the pin sticking out of her arm. A kind secretary at the orthopedic surgeons office walked by and saw that she was upset and offered her some chocolate covered raspberry sticks. “”Chocolate makes everything better!”
Emily will get the cast off and the pin out on November 3rd, but no gymnastics for 6 months 
I couldn
On Sunday, we were all spending the afternoon at John and Nancy’s house. The kids were playing outside, and Emily decided to jump out of the swing, but changed her mind at the last minute and fell out onto her arm instead. Her elbow and her wrist both started swelling up right away and she was in a lot of pain. We did the best we could to help her feel ok with Ibuprofen for the night so that we didn’t have to deal with the ER. She didn’t get more than 3 hours of sleep, she was so miserable.
I took her to our family doctor Monday morning, and sure enough she had a broken elbow. The bone basically just unattached from the elbow joint, twisted and moved more than 30 degrees from the angle where it is supposed to attach. She also has a cracked growth plate in her wrist, but that injury will heal itself. The one the docs were worried about was the elbow.
This is Emily pre-operation about 5:30 am
Tuesday morning I and John Sr took her to the hospital for surgery, while John Jr stayed home with the other kids, and tried to get some work done (it didn’t happen, though). The surgery went well. They did place a pin to hold the bone back in the proper place. However, Emily had a rough time coming out of the anesthesia with lots of nausea and pain. And all she kept begging us was “Just take me home, I just want to go home” and “I am never EVER coming back to this place again.” Poor girl. Within about an hour and a half we were finally able to bring her home.
Emily Post-Op with her Fur-Real Pet from Grandma Finlay
Today she is doing much better. The pain is under control with meds, and she got a visit from her best friend Brinlee to help cheer her up. Next week she will get a hard cast in *HOT PINK* and is looking forward to having everyone sign it. We will be sure to post pictures of that!
Rebekah and Kathryn finally broke the 20 pound barrier!! HOORAY HOORAY!! Those little infant carseats have served them well for over 2 years. But our little toddler girls are so ready to move to forward facing carseats. So, adieu, adieu, you old carseats!!
Rebekah age 2 years 4 months 3 weeks 5 days weight 20.0 pounds
Kathryn age 2 years 4 months 3 weeks 5 days weight 20.8 pounds
Rebekah and Kathryn just after Kathryn came home from the hospital August 2006
The girls in their infant seats for the last time
The girls in their new *PINK* carseats (Rebekah chooses EVERYTHING pink)
Well, folks, we have definitely entered a new phase of our parenting years… the TWEEN years. Yes, that is right… My Little Pony and Strawberry Shortcake, and even Barbie have given way to Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus, the Jonas Brothers and everything Radio Disney. And even though Emily is the “official” tween in our family, she is bringing her brothers right along with her. Now only the twins appreciate the “baby shows” that all the kids used to adore.
I was trying to ignore it, or downplay it, trying not to admit that our little girl is growing up. But then, one day I couldn’t deny it anymore. I had asked Emily to help me make a batch of something (don’t remember what now). But, it involved measuring out flour and other ingredients into a bowl for me. I gave her instructions and left her to the task while I ran upstairs to help the twins with something or another. When I came back, I found a flour coated, COATED, girl.
I asked “WHAT HAPPENED!” and she sheepishly replied, “The flour just puffed out of the bowl, or something.” Well, seeing how she was reacting to the situation, I took pause for a moment, and I think I figured it out. She had been watching Disney channel’s “Camp Rock” movie with the Jonas Brothers over and over for the weeks before this, and I am pretty sure she was acting out a scene from the movie… although I am sure she would never admit it. If you haven’t seen it, you will have to watch it; you will be sure to know what scene I am talking about.
CUTE, and FUN, and OH-MY-GOODNESS-MY-LITTLE-GIRL-IS-GROWING-UP!!!
