Tuesday, October 11, 2011

You wouldn't know she was a preemie by looking at her.

Devon had her 18-month check-up last Friday. It went well; the doctor said she looks healthy. Here are her stats:

Length: 31 1/2 in.
Weight: 24 lbs.

I asked the doc if there's a certain point where she has fallen too much. He chuckled and said, "Well, children at this age do that a lot." Yes, true, but Devon falls a lot... and more. She is more of a monkey than Micah was at her age. She tries climbing everything! All of that falling doesn't seem to have affected her mental development, though. I can tell that she understands quite a bit, even though she doesn't talk much right now. I have had several comments on how much my two girls look alike. I guess I never really noticed it before, but they do look quite similar. My two beautiful princesses.

Saturday, September 17, 2011

Fun Times With the Family

Lately, I have felt as though my life has been getter better and better. At the center of my existence is my family whom I love so much. We are learning and growing together, and that's what it's all about.

Micah is doing well in Kindergarten. I can see his progress, and there are a few things we are working on at home such as learning his lowercase letters, writing his name, and memorizing his address and phone number. He loves using his scissors to make projects; he even got an award for his cutting skills. (Yeah, that's right, my son has skillz.) He is making new friends. When we went to a Family Fun Night at his school last Thursday, there were a couple of kids who went up to Micah to say "hi". Micah tells me stories of playing with his classmates during recess. And, he went to a birthday party today! He played so much that he missed the food and face painting. Luckily, he got to take home some cake.


Paige is learning like crazy right now! I have more time to dedicate to her now that Micah is in school. She really knows her alphabet, upper and lowercase letters. Chris told me that while I was picking up Micah from the birthday party today, she cuddled with Chris and told him all of the objects in this butterfly toy with wings that flip like pages of a book. She told him all of the shapes at the end, and she even spelled triangle! Chris was impressed when she corrected herself after saying a letter wrong. Wow! That is impressive. And, Paige runs now. Yes, I said that right. Paige (until now) would not run to get somewhere. If we were racing in the backyard, she would just walk. It was like she was saying, "Nah. If I run, I'll be going too fast." She is definitely a unique child. The new commercial for Dr. Pepper says you can only describe Dr. Pepper as tasting like  Dr. Pepper. How would I describe Paige? Paige is like Paige. There is just no one else like her.


Devon is such a little monkey! I put an exclamation at the end, because I think she is even more active than Micah was at her age. Maybe I should put more. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  There. I hope that tells you how active and all over the place she is. Devon is constantly getting up on chairs, couches, and tables where if she fell off, it would not be good. So, I'm now on the Devon lookout, not getting much done unless she is asleep or in her bouncy toy. I limit how much time she spends in that, though, because I want her so run around and play. That means I have to make sacrifices to make sure she is safe. That's ok. Who really wants to do the dishes anyway? Devon is also learning words and trying to talk more. Her smile is so contagious, too.


If you follow Chris' weight loss blog, Heavy Steps, you know how well he is doing. He has come such a long way in such a short amount of time. He has lost almost 90 lbs.! Running is becoming an addiction. He is training 4-5 days a week for a half marathon in November and is constantly improving. Today, he ran the ADA Stop Diabetes 5k and finished it in 32:59! That's at about a 10 min per mile pace! That's a huge improvement from his first 5k time, 43:50.  The healthier lifestyle he is implementing in our home has definitely been and will be a positive influence for our family. We eat healthier meals, do more activities together, and have more fun! Chris is my best friend, and I will love him forever.


As for me, same ol' same ol', lol. No, that's not true. I am also training for the same half marathon in November. I unexpectedly registered for another half last Labor Day. The weather was gorgeous, sunny and cool. The course had some incline but wasn't really hilly. It was located on a trail surrounded by trees and was both paved and dirt. I have to say that I liked running on the dirt trail a little better than the paved area. It seemed a little softer, like I was on a cloud. Physically, I was feeling a little high, floating around. I love it when the adrenaline kicks in, and I get the "runner's high." I felt great and smiled big as a sprinted fast the last leg of the race. I finished in 1:46:16 and got first in my division! It was pretty darn cool!



Before Micah started school, I decided I was going to become involved in his school activities and parent organizations. I wanted Micah to see my desire to help out with his education at home and at school. I also thought it would be a great way for me to get involved in the community, which is something I've been wanting to do for awhile. So, I decided to become a homeroom mom! We are already planning a carnival to raise funds for the school's teachers and needed resources. Not long after that, we will be having a Halloween party planned for the students. Another homeroom mom and I will be planning that plus a Christmas party, Valentine's party, and Teacher Appreciation Week. It sounds like a lot of work, but thankfully, I am not the only one planning for our class. It will be a lot of fun, and I am already meeting several cool moms and making new friends myself. It's a win, win!

Needless to say (but I'm going to say it anyways), life is good, and I have so much to be thankful for.

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Micah's First Day of Kindergarten

I woke up this morning around 6:00, thinking that there was something important going on. A few seconds later, I realized what it was. Micah's first day of school! Oh shoot, I should have woken up earlier! So, I rush to get myself ready. Before I can get to Micah's room, he walks in our room. I asked him, "Do you know what day it is?"

"It's my first day of school!"

He puts on the clothes I set out on his bed last night while Paige and Devon wake up for breakfast. I hurriedly make their morning meals and Chris' lunch, hoping I don't miss the bus. Micah comes out of his room dressed handsomely, and here's the proof.



Micah eats his oatmeal and gets his school stuff, his backpack and lunch box.



We walk out the door after breakfast, around 7:30. I'm hoping we didn't miss the bus, and after 15 minutes, I'm wondering if it will come up our street at all. The transportation director told me it would come up here, right? I'm kind of stressing, thinking of a plan if the bus doesn't come. But, silly me, I stressed over nothing. The bus showed up around 7:50, and Micah was eager to get on. Here's a picture of his backpack boarding the bus. (I almost forgot to take a picture at all. I guess this is better than nothing.)


I introduced myself to the bus driver and stepped back as she closed the door. I can't say I didn't get emotional as I waved to Micah, heading off to school. But, I'm so excited for him! Although he has a teacher and is at school most of the day, my job to teach him is not over. I still have a responsibility to see that he learns what he should to progress and (eventually) leave our home to be on his own and raise his own family. I know, that point in his life is a long time away. But today, I reflected on how much ALL of my children need me to nurture them. It was a fresh start for both Micah and me.

Friday, July 22, 2011

My Oh My, How They Grow... And Scream

Both Paige and Micah had check-ups at the doctor's office recently. Paige is 3 feet tall and weighs 27 lbs, tall and skinny. Only one shot, and she actually handled it pretty well. Micah, on the other hand, was a different story.

I decided to be truthful from the start, when he asked me if he was getting shots that day. From that point on, Micah was very concerned about it. He would ask over and over again, "Am I getting shots today?" After the doctor took his measurements and so on, Micah anticipated that the shots would come next. For about 15 minutes, he screamed, "I WANT TO GO HOME! I WANT TO GO HOME!" (My apologies to the doctors and nurses who had to hear that.) I tried to calm him down, but the only way to do that was to go home. He needed those shots for his health and in order to attend school. A male nurse came in and held Micah down while another nurse gave him his immunizations, FOUR of them. Both were very nice, telling Micah how brave he was. After all was done, they even gave him a couple of certificates to Taco Bell and Incredible Pizza. So, after that, he decided that the next time he got shots, he would be extra brave. :) I'm just glad he won't need them again until he is 12.

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Paige's 3rd Birthday

On June 26th, Chris and I had family over at our house for Paige's birthday celebration. It was fun to host dinner that Sunday. Paige wanted brinner (breakfast for dinner) for our evening meal. We served pancakes, eggs, and bacon. And then, she opened her gifts. She received books, a puzzle, and clothes that she needed. Of course, there was dessert (even after our really sweet dinner): Mickey Mouse cake and ice cream.

Micah, Me, Paige, Aunt Sarah, and Uncle Joe

PAPA! (He's her favorite.)

Paige loves to read. It's a good thing she got more books!

Madi, the fun and very active cousin

Grandma and Devon


Devon loves cake... to be on the wall as well as in her mouth.

Aunt Jeni, Madi, Grandma, and Devon watching Paige open her presents.

I'm sure Paige enjoyed spending time and playing with her family. We always have great times together.

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Feelin' SO Good

The cameras flashing reminded me of glitter shimmering in the sunlight. The screaming threatened my ears... and my own throat. I didn't think that these moments would happen. I didn't think that I would be able to listen to his voice live and in person. But, it happened, and I was there. I watched Michael Buble perform at the JQH Arena in Springfield. What an amazing experience!


Yesterday, my mom-in-law and dad-in-law (with a couple of their friends) went with me to the concert. I had been waiting for this day since we bought the tickets a couple of months ago. I felt like a giddy teenager as I walked through the arena doors.

The warm-up act was a group called Naturally 7. They are an acapella group, and they performed amazingly. Each person was able to imitate an instrument like drums, harmonica, scratching records, and the bass.




Around 9 pm, one of my favorite songs, Cry Me A River, started playing. And every song after that was so enjoyable. The live band was superb! Michael Buble is such a great entertainer. He not only has an awesome voice; he is also really funny! Everyone in the crowd was eating out of the palm of his hand.



When he went through the crowd, there were several of his security men (in the orange shirts) there to protect him. 




It was a dream come true. If he comes in town again, I will definitely be trying to attend another of his concerts.

It's Hard to Hold On to Her

Devon has really brought out more of her personality lately. She has a dramatic temper, and it's hard to hold her, because she is so squirmy. Devon loves to climb. A few days ago, she used a step stool to climb up onto the couch. Then, she went from the couch to the fish tank stand. What a monkey! She copies her sister quite a bit; she does the same hysterical laugh Paige does. Now that she's seen how to clean up from her siblings, she has started doing that more on her own. She can pick up her spoon from the tray and feed herself. Devon is also so close to walking; she will walk with me a few steps only holding one hand. Just in this last month, I've seen her grow so much.

Last Friday, she had her 15-month doctor's appointment. Here is how she measured out:

Length: 30 in.
Weight: 20.6 lbs.
Head Circumference: 18 in.

I have thoroughly enjoyed watching Devon grow. She sometimes reminds me of Micah. For example, today she was walking around the house as she was pushing the laundry basket. I remember when Micah did that in our little apartment in Idaho. Lots of fun memories!

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

Learning In The Classroom

Well, summer is here, and for Micah that means school. He is attending a Pre-K Summer School, and three days into it, he has had a lot of fun. He still doesn't know his teacher's name, and he's not sure if he has made any new friends. But, he is still really enjoying it, and I have to say that I'm enjoying it as well. The house is so much more quiet in the mornings. :)

On the first day, Micah got a time out. His teacher gave him several warnings not to run away from the class when they are in the hall. Well, he obviously didn't listen, so it should be no surprise that he was crying about it when I picked him up. When I saw him crying, I thought, Oh no, Micah doesn't like school! Thankfully, he likes school, just not time out. It's kind of funny what he did, because he also liked to run away from his Primary teachers as well. They were able to bribe him with candy to help him be reverent. Man, oh man. His behavior is something else. I blame Chris. His mom has some similar stories she has shared with me.

On a positive note, Micah tells me of the times he plays in the playground, colors and cuts out pictures, and listens to stories read by a teacher. He gets to eat his lunch in the cafeteria with his classmates. Overall, he is adjusting really well. I'm so happy for him! Below are pictures of Micah showing off a frog he colored and cut himself!




Since I'm down one child during his school hours, I'm trying to take the opportunity to focus more on potty training Paige. I didn't realize how hard training a middle child could be with two others needing my attention at home. Especially since Paige hardly wants anything to do with the potty right now anyways. My goal is to have her using the potty consistently by the end of the year, before she will graduate to the Sunbeams class in Primary at church. Wow. I'll have two Primary children next year. Devon will be able to go to the Nursery class in just a few months. That's just crazy.

Saturday, June 4, 2011

Cox Medical Mile

All of us woke up at 5:30 this morning... No doubt an unusual thing that happens here. But, we woke up excited to participate in this year's Cox Medical Mile. Micah trained for this race, and he was really looking forward it. We started out strong, and Micah kept a good pace with us. He jogged the whole way! He finished the race in 13:29!

Chris and I ran the 5K afterwards. Mentally, it was a tough race for me. I really had to tell myself to keep going. But, I ran the whole way and finished it in 25:20, a personal best. Chris finished it in 40:41, doing a one minute run/walk. We had a ton of fun! It was so cool doing this together. We didn't get any pictures at the race, but here we are post-race.




Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Bored in Bed and Other Kid Stuff

"Mom! There are diapers in Devon's crib!"

"What?!"

I jogged down the hall and through the door to find out that Paige was bored in her bed. Or, she just wanted to be a little stinker. She decided to throw all the diapers she could into Devon's crib. It wouldn't be so bad except Devon chews on them. Not exactly the teething toy I was looking for.




The kiddos are a handful, but I have discovered their imagination. Micah decided he wanted to help with vacuuming without the huge noise, so he made his own vacuum. He took one of the legs from his workbench and attached it to a separate container that usually holds bolts and screws. How creative! The funny thing is that even though he doesn't like the noise, he will make sounds while he is "vacuuming."


The children are growing up so fast. Micah is starting summer school next week, and Paige is getting pretty tall.


Micah had his last running class today. The instructors had their students run another mile, and whoever improved their time the most won brand new running shoes. Chris and I had our eyes on the prize. Micah didn't, however, and he decided that he didn't want to put a lot of effort into running today. Granted, he did feel sick and throw up earlier today. Ugh. Poor boy. He didn't improve his time, but he did finish the mile as all of his classmates cheered him on at the end. Chris and I made sure to tell him how proud we were of him for doing well in the class. After all, that's the most important thing: finishing the race. What a trooper!

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Bring It!

A few weeks after Chris started running this year, I decided to start the P90X program. For those who are somewhat fit, it is an excellent program to gain more strength, balance, stamina, and overall fitness. I finished the 90-day program a couple of weeks ago, and now I've started it back up again. I love it, because it gives such a variety of workouts targeted on different parts of the body. As I start the program up again, I'm doing chest and back, plyometrics, shoulders and arms, yoga (my favorite), legs and back, and kenpo in one week.




This stuff works! I feel as though I'm in the best shape of my life. But, the journey doesn't end for me. I have goals to improve my strength. There is more definition in my arms, but I would really like to be able to do more push-ups and pull-ups. It's been really cool to see improvement, though, and I'm so glad Chris decided to get in shape. If he didn't, I would still be kind of doing the same ol' routine maybe a few days a week. Chris is such an amazing leader in our family!

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Life Has Many Beautiful Colors

Many exciting things have happened and are going to happen for our family. Last Saturday, Chris and I ran our third 5K, the Lacy's Hope 5K! It was lots of fun for me, mainly because I ran in the rain. I enjoyed the feel of each drop splashing my running suit, drenching my skin. As I focused on moving forward, the fact that I was soaked didn't bother me. I finished it in 26:29, and it was only after I stopped and rested for awhile that I felt cold from being wet. I was hoping to make better time, but it is a personal record, and I placed third in my age group.

Chris finished this 5K in 42:57, a time he was also hoping would be better. He was going through a difficult phase to stay motivated, but he has now found a program to give him the structure and support he needs, the Jeff Galloway Program. Chris is really excited to be preparing for the Bass Pro Marathon. The American Cancer Society is involved in this marathon, and Chris will be fundraising and running on behalf of his Grandpa Crosby. I am extremely proud of his decision to get healthy, and in the process, be involved in the community. Chris and I have had an awesome time working together to be healthy.

On that note, Chris and I volunteered to work a station for the Frisco Railroad Run, passing out water and food to the runners. The biggest race in this run is 50 miles! Holy crap! I thought a marathon was crazy enough, and that's only about half the distance! Amazing what people will do.

Micah had his Kindergarten screening last Friday. He did well, scoring in the 94th percentile in motor skills, 64th in concepts, and 58 in language. The school would like to see the students be at least average, which he is. He is super excited about starting school. Chris and I are considering signing him up for summer school. For the month of June, Micah would be in class, meeting his future classmates and getting to know the school and the school rules. It sounds like a no-brainer to me, and Micah would love it.

Life for the Crosby's has many beautiful colors. We are truly blessed.

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

STAND Fit for 5K

Last Saturday, (as I'm sure some of you may know) Chris and I ran our second 5K. It was surprising. Chris ran it in 40:53, which is about 3 minutes faster than his last race. That is not what was surprising. I knew he would improve his time.
 Chris crossing the finish line.

What was unexpected was my time, 26:42. That is also 3 minutes faster than my last time. As I was running, it didn't seem as though I was going any faster. I actually thought I was going slower because of the several hills.
Me crossing the finish line. Steven (my bro-in-law) was only 2 seconds behind me.

This race was a pace race. When I registered, I had to guess what I thought my time would be. I decided to challenge myself and write down 29:00, which is about 40 seconds faster than my last time. Whoever finished in the time closest to the one he or she guessed won. Needless to say, I was quite surprised when I ran much faster than I thought I would. Even though I didn't go home with a medal or donuts (yes, they were giving out donuts as prizes), I was happy about my accomplishment that day.
The race crew (starting left): Katie, me, Steven, Paul, and Chris

I am so proud of Chris for beating his last time and finishing the race strong. He's come a long way and has accomplished a great deal. Losing 57 pounds is not easy. I want to be there for him all the way.
 Chris and Paul (his running mentor and friend)

My girls and I after the race.

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Blessed

That is exactly what the Crosby family is. Blessed. In this year, we have seen positive changes in our lives. More are coming our way...

Last Sunday, our stake presidency announced to the Springfield wards the addition of a new ward, and we are within its boundaries! We are really excited for this change! The Church is growing! We loved 5th Ward, but now we are starting fresh in our new ward, Nixa Ward. There will be several members from our old ward with us, and it will be fun getting to know the new ones as well.

Yesterday, Chris had an interview with a company called HealthMEDX. He will use his degree with the position he applied for (Training Specialist.) He rocked the phone interview last Friday, because they called him back maybe a few hours later for a second interview (which was yesterday.) He must have really rocked that one, because they called him half an hour later for a third interview on Friday and e-mailed him some forms to fill out. We hope that this job works out for him. He would be so much happier there than where he works now.

On Friday, I am going to call the elementary school to set up an appointment for Micah's Kindergarten screening. I'm not sure what the screening entails, but Micah is looking forward to starting school. He seems ready to me. He knows his alphabet. Today, I tried to teach him simple math using blocks and the magnet numbers on our door; he did pretty well. He knows his numbers. He can spell his name with upper and lower-case letters. He knows how to cut with scissors. And he needs to find some friends. He and Paige get along well enough; they can play together. But, he needs a boy to play with often. He used to play with a boy I babysat for awhile, Enzo, but now they only see each other every couple of months. So, it would be great for him to find some new friends.

Joey and Tashio are the family's cat-dogs. They are cats, but they act somewhat like dogs. They are needy for attention. They will come to us when we call their names. Tashio will eat almost any people food we leave out. (I caught him licking tomatoes a few days ago.) It's pretty funny.

Tashio loves to sit on Chris' lap when he relaxes on the couch after work. It's their daily thing.

Tashio trying to find some fresh water. I guess his bowl isn't good enough.

Joey is one of the most beautiful and friendly cats a person can meet.

In this picture, you can see his awesome tiger stripes.

About a week ago, I fed the kids ravioli. Paige took it to the extreme and decided to smear the sauce ALL over her face (and a little in her hair.) I couldn't resist getting a picture of it. She is too cute!


 Until next time... This is Jenn saying, "Good night."