Another Family Update

Ok - so I am going to quit saying I have no excuse for not updating the blog - so here is what I consider my semi-valid excuse - I'm a pregnant mom with five kids at home and a full time job - I am tired, worn out, achy and although every night I tell myself I am going to update the blog - when push comes to shove by the time I am done tidying up, putting away dinner, making lunches, cleaning the kitchen, setting out breakfast, packing up school stuff, putting away laundry and setting out little boy clothes I'm wiped out and bed sounds better. And then I guilt the next day that when memory loss kicks in I'll wish I had this blog - about as close to a journal as I have right now ....but so far every night the desire to roll my aching body into bed has outweighed everything else. Pregnancy is wiping me out - clearly I'm not the spring chicken I was when I was carrying Alexandra 15 years ago!!! Speaking of pregnancies - all is going well, the echo's and blood tests we had done all came back very positive. I chose to not have the amnio - and optimistic that all is progressing well. We did get confirmation the baby is a girl - much to the excitement of John and the kids. He's had the name picked out for many years waiting to be used - so our little girl will be Gretchen Anne Krause.....eta January 7th 2010..... however I intend on willing her into the world on December 31st 2009 - no! not for the tax credit, but because I have a PPO plan and I don't want to have to meet my deductible all over again!! Here's that latest pic of Gretchen Anne.

Working our way up the kid list - Peter. Little man looks like a unicorn right now. We don't know what happened - but he snuck away from Grandma to fight the table and lost some how. All of a sudden we hear his "I'm really really really hurt cry" - I was fighting Alexandra's hair and a curling iron - and could hear Grandma comforting him. By the time I saved Alexandra and me from being burned, poor Peter had a bump literally the size of a golf ball in the middle of his forehead. I seriously don't know how he could of done it!! However, once dinner was served he was distracted and on to new things. Our picky eater who survives on little has found an appetite in the last week or two. He must be getting ready for a growth spurt because I have never seen him eat like he has recently. He can now down a whole toasted cheese sandwich which is amazing for him - and tonight ate about a bowl and a half of mac-n-cheese!! Still will only have yogurt for breakfast - but we are going through it a lot faster lately!! He's still not walking - hints at being interested and then goes right back to bear crawling. He has however picked up quite a few more signs lately - we suspect he's doing more than we realize. Still slow on the vocalizing - but has a few times made animal sounds when we talk about animals - and has made ba sounds when signing book. So I am stretching but we have "da" for dog, "ha" for hi, "taya" for tired, and now possible "ba" for book. I am still very optimistic that one day I will hear him whisper "I love you" in my ear as he gives me his already world famous bear hug!

Tommy and Jack - well - I have to lump the dynamic duo together. They really are best buds like buds should be! They have so much fun together...... Jack is loving 1st grade and is coming along with his reading. He is doing flag football this fall - and much to my embarrassment I have to admit he's the hyperactive unfocused but extremely excited little kid on the team. He doesn't lack for energy - but is clearly lacking in focus..... just need to keep working on it. Tommy is at Corpus Christi with Jack and now has his own little group of friends. Of course he claims Jack's friends as his own too - and loves to see his big brother at school with him. Tommy has amazed his teachers with how smart he is - he was recently tested for letter recognition. While the other kids recognized 5-6 letters in the alphabet - Tommy had well over 20 almost nailing the whole alphabet. He can tell us how to spell his name and is constantly pulling out letters that others' names start with. He fights wanting to write or color or draw - but I think is ready to start working on sounding out letters and early reading skills. Tom-Tom did turn 4 just a few days ago - and we have his party tomorrow. Here is the Jack-Tommy team during one of their many play sessions.

Michael switched schools - and while I was very hesitant I must admit I have never seen him happier. He was mad about the move until about first day of school - and has since embraced the new setting. He's very excited about what he's learning and the style of teaching. Amongst his subjects is Latin which he is picking up so fast. Of course he loves to bring his book to the dinner table and test our latin skills..... thank goodness for my background in Spanish or I think I would flunk out of Michael's grilling us!!

Alexandra just called me to check in..... she's headed over to a friend's house for a sleep over following her first Homecoming Dance in high school. She too is really enjoying school this year - her group of friends - and playing softball. She's really picked up the sport - and we enjoy watching her play when we can make it (not always easy with conflicting schedules). She did get asked by a boy to the dance - which made her feel special. He's new to the area - but she considers him a FRIEND. All my brainwashing techniques are paying off as she let John and I know that she is not ready to date - doesn't want to date - but hopes to have a group of friends girls and boys that she can hang with. She's definitely on her way there. Here is is getting her corsage...... she looked beautiful. She reported in to let me know she was exhausted, headed over to the sleepover and will tell me ALL about it tomorrow.

Anyway - I'm pooped. John is up in the mountains fishing this weekend - and after homecoming, a softball double header for Alexandra and having a birthday party to organize tomorrow, I think Gretchen and I need some rest.

Love to all -

catherine