Monday, May 16, 2011

We're Alive!

And 6 months later...I still contemplate whether to keep this blog going or not.  Facebook has connected me with so many people that I feel like no one reads this when I do write it...But, I have an idea for a new blog, and if I'm writing in it, I may as well write some here.  Thoughts anyone?!

Quick Update: Kadynce is 18 months, walking/running/CLIMBING, and generally getting into everything.  She loves playing with her big brothers (though they are not always tolerant of that) and her cousin, Drew (though he can be a bit rough - she's learning to tough it out with all these boys).  She and her cousin, Caylin (2), are learning to tolerate each other.  Yesterday was the first time they have played nicely together...um, EVER!  They both have trouble sharing when they are together.  Kadynce loves to help me around the house.  She loves putting the clothes in the wash - I have to lift her up so she can each.  She also likes helping me unload the dishwasher.  Once I remove all the sharp knives, she hands me the silverware and puts up the bowls or hands me plates.  She's really good when we tell her to clean up - something her brothers still have trouble with!  She had her 18 month check up last week - she is 23 lbs. 5 oz. and 33 1/2 in.  Tall and skinny.  She was on target for everything, but she is not in a hurry to speak.  So, we are working on that and attempting to remove paci as much as possible - which is hard when she is teething (cutting those "I" teeth).  But today, I heard Kadynce say, "Yes!" for the first time - in response to if she wanted breakfast.  The girl NEVER turns down food! 

 
Kadynce with Nathan and Elijah in the bluebonnets last month

Elijah, Cousin Caylin (2), Kadynce and Nate with Baby (Cousin) Ellie (4 mos)

Elijah, Caylin, Nathan, Kadynce and Ellie

Elijah is still huge, as you can see from the above pictures.  He's as tall as most of Nathan's kindergarten class.  He still has a year and a half to go before he starts kinder, and I fear how much he will tower over his classmates. LOL  He tries so hard to keep up with Nate and considering that there are only 3 inches between them, it is hard for us to remember sometimes that he is *only* four.  He had a big accomplishment today - he learned to pump his legs on the swing at the park.  He swung for a very long time all by himself - without any help from me.  I also heard Elijah say my first name almost perfectly this afternoon.  I didn't know he knew it!  (And he didn't call me by it - he was playing and said, "And this is Krisinda..." LOL)  He is still very active, and he still keeps me on my toes.  It is such a blessing, though, to see his independence growing daily.  He is not AS attached to my hip at all times.

Elijah Cade (4 years)

Nathan is just 12 days away from finishing kindergarten.  It's hard to believe that my little "baby" is almost a first grader!  He has done incredibly well in school this year.  He is already reading and amazes us daily with the things he has learned.  We love his kindergarten teacher and will be sad when he no longer has her.  Nate is turning into quite the young man, and I am amazed daily at how big he is getting.  He adores his baby sister and is a great help in taking care of her; his brother is his best friend.  Nathan is still very active...he plays coach pitch baseball ball now and does very well.  He rarely strikes out - almost always hits the ball.  He is learning how to field now also...instead of playing in the dirt. LOL  His favorite things to do after school are playing on his Nintendo DS and playing outside with friends.  Just a typical, all-American, 6 year old boy...

Nathan Isaac (6 years)

Sean and I will celebrate 12 years of marriage in a few weeks...hard to grasp that we have been together for 17 years.  On one hand, it feels just like yesterday; on the other hand, it feels like ions ago - as if we've been together forever.  I'm more in love with him as I was the day I said, "I do."  Sean will celebrate 2 years at his job in August.  He really loves what he does now (project manager for commercial real estate co.), which makes it easier to go to work in the mornings.  He is also now worship leader at our church on Sunday mornings.  He has a real heart of worship unto the Lord.  I am still at home with Kadynce and Elijah - and here for Nathan after school.  Although trying at times, there is NOTHING else I'd rather do.  This fall, I am taking on a new position in my MOPS group; I will not only be Prayer/Care Coordinator, but also over the Discussion Groups.  Should be interesting.  I also try to stay involved in Nate's school as much as I can.  I was his room mom this year, and I will try to do the same thing next year.  We stay busy, but I don't think either of us would trade this life for anything.

The Lingenfelters (Easter 2011)

Thursday, November 18, 2010

All Pics Blue Snowflake 2010

Noir Stars Christmas
Shop Shutterfly.com for elegant Christmas photo cards.
View the entire collection of cards.

Thursday, November 11, 2010

1 Year Old Toy Recommendations

I always hear questions about what to get kids for Christmas, and even moreso, what to get the young toddler crowd that is too big for infant toys and not big enough for older kids' things. I thought I'd share a couple of things that Kadynce got for her birthday that she loves:


My Pal Violet
My Pal Violet by Leap Frog (My Pal Scout is the boy version.)
*We just exchanged a duplicate toy for this yesterday, and she LOVES it! It comes with a USB cable to connect it to your computer. Then, you enter in the child's name (and correct spelling), favorite food/color/animal, etc. The dog will say phrases and songs personalized for your child. And the dog can say Kadynce so I'm sure it won't have a problem with pronouncing names right. Target has it on sale for $17.99 right now.

Princess Cozy CoupeĀ® 30th Anniversary Edition
Princess Cozy Coupe 30th Anniversary Edition (Red/yellow one for boys)
*My parents got Kadynce and my nephew this for their birthdays, and they both LOVE it. The difference in this one and the one my boys had (fire engine) is the "floor" that you can put in until they are big enough to move it on their own - Elijah used to always get caught under his b/c he would fall off the seat and slide down. There's also a cup holder behind the seat for sippies to fit into. Theres a cut out part on top to be used as a handle to push them - much better than trying to get your arms around the bulky roof! Kadynce LOVES being pushed in hers, but she also likes just sitting in it and going "rooooom!"


Fisher Price's Brilliant Basics Stroll-Along Walker/Brilliant Basics Baby's 1st Doll (Baby's 1st Bear is blue and could be for a boy, but I've only seen the pink stroller)
*Kadynce got her doll for Christmas last year as a newborn and has just started to show a little interest in it. She's so soft and has a sweet rattle inside. (My mom recently gave me my doll like this - pretty sure it's the newer version of it. Mine was pink and white plaid and Mom said it was called Lolly.) When I saw the stroller, I was in love with it (and still am). It's ideal for a first stroller because it is sturdy enough for those not-so-sturdy walkers (like my daughter ). Kadynce loves putting her doll i it and playing with all the little gadgets on it. It's a great walker for her to push around too. All of the other strollers I have seen are not sturdy and would fall with the child, but since this one is more like a walking toy, it won't fall. LOVE it!!!

Anyways, those are my reviews and recommendations. Hope they help someone!!!

Thursday, November 4, 2010

Christmas Cards

Since we just entered November, my attention has now turned to the greatest task of the season...dum, dum, dum...Family Christmas Cards!  It has been a tradition for us - almost since Sean and I got married - to do photo Christmas cards.  It gives people an updated picture of the family - though I know they are more concerned about the kids than Sean or I - and in my opinion, is more fun to receive than a simple card with someone's name in it.  So, I already have our photography session booked with a friend in downtown McKinney for next Saturday morning.  The attire was picked months ago.  And so, I have now begun to search for holiday cards with that information in mind.  My first pick was Shutterfly, and I was amazed at how easy it was to find what I was looking for.  I went to the photo cards section and found a preference column along the side to narrow my search.  This was particularly helpful this year because our photo attire is gray and black with Kadynce and I in accents of hot pink.  Obviously, a typical card with brown or lots of red will clash.  Also, I want a card with a spot for a family photo as well as a spot for individual shots of each kid.  As always, Shutterfly delivered exactly what I needed.  While I don't want to give away the final product (which has yet to be created), I can give a preview of the card I found, which I believe will work perfectly for us:


(The name of the card is Snowflake Wishes Noir Holiday 5x7 Photo Card.)

I have ordered a few products from Shutterfly within the past year, and I have been very, very pleased with the products I have received.

If you are looking for Christmas cards like I was, you can visit: http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/christmas-cardsYou can also find more generic, holiday cards at http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/holiday-cardsAs I mentioned, they have a wide variety of cards, and the sidebar to help narrow the search is quite helpful if you know what you are looking for. 

Last year, I ordered my dad a wall calendar for Christmas.  I had so much fun putting it together, and the quality of it was wonderful!  It has hung in my dad's office all year.  If you are looking to do something similar for the holidays, visit http://www.shutterfly.com/calendars/wall-calendars .

I guess I'm singing the praises of Shutterfly this year! (Oh and hey, 50 free cards for this blog post isn't too shabby either!)

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Mommy and her boys

When I was pregnant with Kadynce last year, I decided to implement "Mommy and Me" dates for each of the boys.  I knew their lives were about to drastically change by us adding a third child into the family.  I wanted to share one on one time with each of them before the big day arrived.  But, then Elijah broke his leg and put a kink in the plans.  A few days after Elijah's break, Sean told me to go ahead and take Nathan on his date because a lot of focus had been on Elijah and Nate really needed his time.  So, we went to do some pictures in Plano for his birthday invites and had lunch at The Purple Cow.  I remember that we also went to Target to purchase Elijah his red wagon so that he could be transported places easier.  Obviously, Elijah and I didn't get to do much of a date since he was in a spica cast and I was 8-9 mos. pregnant...and we couldn't go anywhere together without assistance.  Elijah and I did go to a local popcorn place called Mom and Popcorn (yum), but Sean and Nathan were with us.

One year later, the need for more Mommy/Me dates arose as Nathan started kindergarten - another huge change for all of us.  Nathan and I had our date the Saturday before school started - Aug. 22nd.  He got all spiffy with his new haircut and even picked out my shirt to wear:




Excuse the sun spots - Sean was in a hurry and not paying much attention.  He also didn't pay attention to my hair and the wind - LOVELY!

We made our first stop to our best friends' house...Nate's best friend started school the same day that he did so we dropped off a "First Day Survival Kit" for his mommy and a "First Day Celebration Kit" for Grant. Nathan thought that was really fun. Then, we headed to one of the local new McDonald's. He loved playing on the new play area. After lunch, we went for his surprise - Lunar Golf at Collin Creek Mall, which he has been begging to play for some time now. He was beyond thrilled! He was even happier that you get to play 3 rounds. Following a quick stop to visit my mom, we went to Mardel and found Nate a new Bible and a Christian tee to wear to school. That evening, I had a Scentsy party to attend in Plano so Nathan accompanied me to that as well.  I greatly enjoyed my time with my little man...who has grown up so fast and started kindergarten just a few days after our date.

Nathan has been in school for 2 weeks now...he just started his 3rd week.  We are all finally getting used to the new routine, and I decided it was Elijah's turn for a real date with Mama.  Our date was this past Sat. (9/5).  The first order of business was Mommy's haircut in Frisco - where Elijah sat very quietly on the couch watching (I was shocked).  From there, we went to Target in Plano and had our pictures done together.  Elijah did sooooo well during the pictures.  I really wanted to share them on here, but Target has changed their website and I can't figure out how to download them.  If you are interested in seeing the photos, please email me (krisinda@sbcglobal.net) your email address and I will share the album with you.  Once the photos were finished, we went to Elijah's surprise - seeing "Nanny McPhee" at the Studio Movie Grill (where we shared coconut chicken and sweet potato fries - yum!).  Afterwards, we went across the street to Yumilicious to get some frozen yogurt.  I was greatly impressed (pina colada - yummy!); Elijah was less than impressed.  We then went to US Toys, where he picked up a few goodies and I found some goodie bag stuff for the kids' birthdays.  We stopped by to see my mom since US Toys is around the corner from their house.  Finally, we met Sean and Nathan at Sean's mom's house in Frisco - they had been with family for a garage sale that day.  All in all, it was a good day - Elijah acted really good when he wasn't egged on by his brother.

Lest anyone feel that she is being left out...Baby Girl and I have a Mommy/Me date planned for next Sat. 9/18.  We are going to get Mommy/Daughter pictures taken around 1 p.m. and then she has a 1st birthday party to attend for a friend.  We might even stop somewhere for a snack in between. :)

Daddy said he needs to plan dates with the kids soon.  But, he takes the boys to Home Depot and Lowe's and then to breakfast most Sat.  He and the boys like to go to the dollar theater for movies, and I know that Karate Kid is there right now so I foresee a Daddy/sons date there soon.


Thursday, September 2, 2010

One Year Ago Today

Most of you probably don't remember where you were on Wed., Sept. 2, 2009.  But I remember exactly where I was and vividly remember the horrible details of the day that still cause my chest to tighten. 

The morning started off with the potential for a fun day: I had a research study to do in Plano, and the boys were going to go play at McDonald's while my sis-in-law watched them.  Then, we were going to my mom's house for lunch and the boys were going to stay with her while I went to my 31 week OB appt.  Unfortunately, that's not how things came down, and the day was the complete opposite of fun!

From my diary one year ago...

Around 12:20, we were talking when we heard Elijah scream and saw him lying on his back in the middle of the play area. He was lying on his back with his foot/knees facing the basketball area. I am not a mom who typically jumps at every fall, but I immediately jumped up when I saw his leg. His left leg was bent to the side, and his left foot was up between his left elbow and shoulder. Once I got to him, I knew he was in pain. He did not have tears, but he was screaming and shaking holding his left knee/leg. I didn’t see what happened so as I headed back to the table to check him out, I asked the other lady in the play area if she saw what happened. She told me he tripped/fell over/with the basketball that he was carrying. I sat him on the table and tried to access his leg. He continued to scream and would not let me touch his leg. I did notice that he was not moving it at all. Since I am pregnant, Emily gathered him up in her arms while I got Nathan and the rest of our stuff. I could tell that people (other customers) were looking at us as we left because Elijah was screaming quite loud. We headed to the car, I got him buckled in his car seat, and he was still screaming and shaking...

I then took him to my parents' house, which was right around the corner, and called our pediatrician.  Elijah had an appointment at 2 p.m.

Our pediatrician, Dr. Newton, was not available to see Elijah so we saw his new partner, Dr. Wiser. Dr. Wiser came in shortly after we were taken to an exam room. She asked the details of the injury and then accessed his leg. Everything looked fine until she asked us to remove his shorts. Once we took his shorts off, it became evident to all three of us that his left thigh was swollen. Dr. Wiser felt around his leg for a moment and then informed us that he definitely had a break because she could feel it popping. She left the room to get us the info for the orthopedic doctor and returned shortly thereafter with the name of an ortho office just one medical building over.

I'm not sure why we were not given a wheelchair or anything....because my mom was carrying my very heavy 2 1/2 year old who screamed with every step she took because it jarred his leg.  That walk seemed like it took forever!!!

The (orthopedic) doctor came in shortly and immediately took my mom and Elijah to the next room for x-rays. (I could not go with them since I was 31 weeks pregnant.) They returned shortly thereafter, and the nurse pulled the x-ray up on the screen in the exam room. We waited for Dr. Diehl to come in to read the x-ray. At this point, I noticed that the x-ray on the screen was one from the knee down, but I assumed it was just one of a couple of pictures taken. When Dr. Diehl came in, I realized that this picture was the only one they took. I could tell that he was studying the x-ray trying to figure out where the break could possibly be. So, I simply said, “Now, you know that is not where they believe the break to be.” He then asked where the pediatrician thought that the break was, and I told him that they thought he broke his left femur. It was then that he said, “Ohhhh…well, we’ll have to take another x-ray then.” So, off they went again for another picture.  Once they finished the x-ray and pulled it up on the screen in the exam room, it became obvious that there was, indeed, a break in the femur. Dr. Diehl showed it to me and said that he was on the verge of needing surgery. It did not look like he’d need surgery but he would be in a spica cast from his hip down and rendered immobile for 4-6 weeks. This was, of course, alarming to me, since I was almost 31 weeks pregnant and could not lift Elijah as it was…moreless with a cast on half of his body! Not to mention the fact that my husband was in his third week at a new job and did not have any personal time yet to take off. He informed us that Elijah would have to be sedated to have the cast put on. Dr. Diehl then left the room to see when we could get this done. He returned noting that Centennial Medical Center (where they are located) did not have any operating rooms open until morning. Therefore, Elijah would be admitted overnight and the procedure would occur first thing in the morning. Shortly after this, Sean (my husband) arrived at the office, and Dr. Diehl filled him in. Since the permanent cast would not be put on until morning, they put on a temporary cast/splint with gauze and an Ace bandage.

I remember the room seemed like it was beginning to spin at this point.  The whole idea of him being in a spica cast while I was 31 weeks pregnant was almost inconceivable to me.  This is NOT how I wanted to spend the last few weeks of pregnancy.  Elijah was in better spirits once his leg was splinted, but he was still not a happy camper.  We got him settled in at the hospital, and he kept asking - "Where's Nate?"  Soon, family members arrived to see him...and my sister and brother-in-law FINALLY brought Nate up.  Nate laid in bed with Elijah and comforted him so sweetly.




Elijah’s procedure was scheduled for 7 a.m. on Thursday morning. Sean said that they came in to get them shortly after 6:30 a.m. Elijah refused the “cocktail” to calm him down so he was pretty upset when he left Sean’s arms. Mom and I arrived at the hospital around 10 after 7 and found his room empty. Sean walked in just a few minutes later to get dressed for work. He then walked us into the waiting room and headed to work around 7:30-7:40. We were in the waiting room probably about 10-15 min. when Dr. Maurer came in to report. He showed us the x-ray where they set the bone back in place and said that everything went fine. A few minutes later, the nurse from recovery called to let us know that we could come back to see him. As soon as we walked into recovery, I could hear him crying and yelling for “Mommy.” He was quite agitated at this point. I walked over by his head to calm him down and assisted in giving him oxygen. (tube blowing on face) They gave him some meds in his IV, which helped calm him and he was soon fast asleep. His cast began right under his ribs, went down over his hips, down to his ankle on his left leg and down to his knee on his right leg. We were back in his room by 9 a.m. The rest of the day was spent cuddling and spending time with him. He ate a grilled cheese sandwich for lunch without any reservations. We kept trying to get him to pee in the bottle (since he is potty trained), but he had trouble going at first. He finally couldn’t hold it anymore and peed on himself. Luckily, though, we had a towel handy that I threw over him (he told me that he was going). Two nurses came in to help change the pad he was lying on and assist in cleaning him and making sure that the cast did not get wet (it did not). The nurses were not any help, though, in telling us how to make him go in the bottle, how to properly hold the bottle when he went, positions to put him in to go in the bottle, etc. It felt like the blind leading the blind at some points. The nurse did show us how to properly use the bedpan so that was beneficial. Before leaving that morning, Dr. Maurer had come by and told me that once Elijah peed, he should be free to go home. So, he was discharged between 3 and 4 p.m.




And thus began the longest 6 weeks of my life...

Some of the "joys" we encountered:

- Needing a sitter anytime I needed to leave the house whether it be for a dr's appt. or just to go to the grocery store - I was pregnant and could not lift him so we were home bound.  I cannot express how thankful I was (and still am) for all of the friends and family who offered prayer/support, brought meals and helped watch Elijah during this time.  I would have fallen apart without you (I was quite a mess as it was).

- Keeping a 2 1/2 year old BOY still and entertained was NOT fun!!!  And yet again, we had friends and family who brought games and toys to keep a little boy still and quiet.

- Trying to figure out a way to cover Elijah's "private" area, which was left exposed with the cast.  Because of the cast's positioning on his hips, we couldn't get normal shorts up him as his legs were too far apart.  I praise God for my one of my best friends, Amber, and her mother who took measurements of my man's cast and constructed some make-shift shorts and undies for Elijah to wear - big boys' shorts/undies with the side seam ripped out and velcro or snaps in place.  I don't know what I would have done without them!!!


- Dealing with continual potty issues for a 2 1/2 year old who had recently potty trained and was now having to learn to pee in a bottle and poo in a bedpan - he peed on his cast too many times to count.  So gross!

- Refusal to eat the first few days in a cast - Can you say protest???

- Lack of sleep those first few days/week as E dealt with the pain and side effects from the medication - I remember sleeping on the couch during the week since S had to go to work (remember, I was 8 mos. pregnant; S took the weekends) with the TV on because Elijah would wake up in the middle of the night and not able to go back to sleep.  At least I got to sleep this way!


- Dragging around that big plastic Little Tikes wagon because there was no other way to transport Elijah once we got somewhere - he was quite heavy, esp. once we had to get his cast reinforced



- Planning/cleaning for Nate's birthday parties with a toddler in a cast...on top of being 9 mos. pregnant!


And then, six VERY LONG weeks later, he was free of that thing...but so skinny and unable to stabilize himself well to sit in the tub that first night.  It took him a few weeks to learn to walk again, and he limped for a few months.


But, here we are one year later, and he shows NO SIGNS of the injury.  To be honest, I'm not even sure he remembers it.  When I ask him which leg he broke, he doesn't know and often points to his right leg (he broke his left).  He was shocked when he saw pictures of himself in the cast the other day.  I think the only "memories" he has are from pictures he has seen and stories he has been told.  Now, big brother can tell you every detail of the day...  But, I suppose that for Elijah, it is best that he does not remember.  His 1 year check up is on the 13th.  We are believing for a positive report from the ortho and hoping that this will be our last time to see him ever.  Will give an update after that appt.

Photo courtesy of Bella Mia Portraits


Wednesday, September 1, 2010

First Day of School

Yes, I am about a week and a half late in posting this, but this new schedule is kicking my booty!  I think we are finally starting to fall into a routine, but I know it takes a month to form a habit...I guess we are halfway there. :)

The day before school started, I had my sister take a family picture at church.  It turned out really nice.


I needed it for Nathan's lunchbox.  See:


I know that some parents put notes in their kids' lunches every day, but my kindergartener can't read yet!  I thought this would be a nice reminder of how much his family loves him.  But, I wasn't sure if it would embarrass him, because, you know, he has a reputation to maintain.  He put all my fears aside, though, when the first thing he said upon entering the van after school was, "You put a picture in my lunch!" with a big grin.  Whew!  He even checked the next morning to make sure that I had left it there.  One and a half weeks later, it's still there and will probably remain there until we decide to replace it, it becomes ruined or I am asked to remove it.

I had a friend recently start an embroidery business so I asked her to make a "Kindergarten Rocks" shirt for Nathan.  It turned out AWESOME!  (Even Daddy liked it.)  Our little man was HAPPY to show it off the first day of school...after he had hoped right out of bed, scarfed down breakfast, and gotten dressed.



We got Nathan to school a bit early - around 7:30-7:40 a.m.  Because it was the first day, we were able to walk him in...and yes, we all 4 walked him in as Sean went in to work late that day so he could go.  Nathan was most impressed by his locker.


He strutted into class, and Sean helped him find his seat.  I snuck in for one last glimpse of my baby and a picture of he and his teacher, Ms. Cone.  Oh, yeah...and that one last glimpse...I was hoping for a hug, kiss...something!  I had to ask for a hug, and it was quite forced.  My baby is growing up!


I didn't think to get any pictures of he and I or he and Sean.  Let's just say that I was not quite myself that day.  I didn't cry...BUT when we went to the Coffee and Kleenex breakfast for new parents, one of the PTO moms asked me how it went...I felt the tears well up, and I couldn't speak there for a minute.  I was pretty much that way during the entire breakfast...heck, I was like that the entire day!  All someone had to do was get me talking about my baby growing up.

For dinner that night, we went to Chuck E. Cheese to celebrate OUR first day of kindergarten.

A week and a half later, Nathan is thriving.  His teacher told me that he makes friends with everyone - yep, that's my boy. (my politician)  He jumps out of bed in the morning and gets ready for school without too much prompting.  He gets in the van every afternoon talking about how much fun he had at school.  Nate is an older kindergartener - he will turn 6 next month; he was so ready to start school this year (but was definitely not ready last year).  As for me, I am getting used to the routine.  I LOVE hearing his excitement about school and becoming a big kid...and yet, I also love seeing his face light up and seeing him wave when he sees me in the carpool lane.  He might have made his first flight of independence, but he still holds my heart!