Busy, busy, busy!

Thank you to those out there who faithfully still check to see if I do updates. We have just been BUSY since the school year started and I began working. I thought I would give you an update on our family starting with the oldest and working down to the youngest...so, here we go!

Scott:
Daddy Scott works his tail off at Carpetmill Outlet (anyone need new flooring?) almost every day. His schedule changed recently so that he is picking up 10 hours of overtime every 2 weeks. Now his days off have changed and he never has 2 days in a row off. We miss that! Unfortunately, I always have things around the house that need to be done when he is off work, so I keep him too busy. He's a trouper, though, and keeps marching forward. The Packers being 4-0 is helping quite a bit! No one call our house Sunday night. It the BIG Packers/Bears game! GO PACK!!!

Me:
Ah.....where to begin? Having a 3rd child has thrown my life into a whirlwind. Not that I wasn't busy before, but 3....yes, its just a different kind of crazy now. I began working through Burpee Museum September 17th as a program instructor in their after school program at Westview. This job is Monday-Friday from 2-5, but I have the same days off as Riley & Shelby do, so that's really nice. My wonderful, wonderful, giving Mother has been watching Miss Avery and then picking up the big girls at their bus stop and watching them until I get home. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU Mom! Yesterday I woke up with a terrible headache on the left side of my head only to be diagnosed with an ear infection! I thought those were for little kids! No wonder they get so grumpy when they have them - they hurt! The doctor thinks its from my wonderful (grrrrr) allergies. I'm ready for the first frost.

Riley:
Uh...I think Riley is already smarter than her parents. She is amazing in school and sometimes you forget that she is only in 2nd grade until she throws a very age-appropriate temper-tantrum over something very minor then you are snapped back into reality. She is still devouring books and has taken up "teaching" Shelby in math and reading skills. She is awesome with Avery. She asks if she can change her diaper and Avery adores her! It is going to be a lot of fun watching their relationship over the years.

Shelby:
Shelby is enjoying being a Kindergartner. School seems to be going really well for her and she is reading some simple books already. She so wants to be like Riley! She does have a fear of dogs that has really escalated out of control so on Friday we are taking her to Chicago to speak with a psychiatrist that is very experienced in dealing with children with health issues, especially surrounding transplant. Shelby's fear has spread into a fear of being around people she doesn't know and bees. I think her fears are really her becoming more aware of her health situation and they are just manifesting through dogs, crowds, and bees, but we'll see what the good doctor has to say about all this. On the health front, she has dealt with an infection in her foot that required a visit to the ER, a shot in her foot (ouch!) and a round of antibiotics and, most recently, intermittent tummy pain that has doubled her over. That, too, required a visit to the ER. Nothing has been found, but there is concern with the cysts on her liver, so we are just keeping a close eye, as usual, on her. She, too, loves her baby sister so much. Avery just lights up when she sees her.

Avery:
My fat, chunky baby is doing wonderful! Last week was rough as she was getting ready to get her 1st tooth. Thankfully (for her and us) it came through on Friday. She also rolled over for the first time on Friday. BIG DAY! She is a very happy baby, quick to smile and laugh! We just love her to pieces. She is a cuddler, a lover, and....what did we ever do without her!?!?!?! We still haven't started solids, but maybe after her 6-month check-up we can try to begin rice cereal. The longer you wait to start solids with someone with allergies, the higher the chance is that they'll outgrow them. Let's pray and keep our fingers and toes crossed. Allergies can be such a hassle, especially food allergies. We gave her infants motrin last week for her teething pain only to have her break out in hives. It was a pretty tense hour or so around her while I watched her like a hawk to make sure the reaction didn't progress into anaphylaxis.

O.k., I think that's the end of the line....oh yeah, our beta fish Dash:
He's doing well despite having a very swollen eye for about 2 weeks. Anyone know how to take care of that?