Webster Family Update

Well, we survived the weekend only to have the irritableness follow us into this week. Aidan is still teething, loading his diapers and generally miserable. He is still up most of the night, not wanting to sleep. I finally got him to sleep with me last night by laying him on his stomach and gently rubbing his back. His poor little tummy is beyond sore. Chloe is surviving. We had a blow up a few days ago. We are working on our listening and obeying skills right now. Thank you for your prayers in this area, I greatly appreciate it! I am teaching at a local Fine Arts Summer Daycamp this week. I am enjoying it immensley. Although any time I get to teach theatre to kids it is a HUGE blessing.

I hope you will vote on the website. I don't know how many people are actually reading this thing since no one leaves comments, so I thougth the weekly polls might be a fun way to tell. So answer them and see if you are right, you may learn some fun trivia about our family. ;-) Have a great week!

Teeth and Tears

What a day! Aidan has been cranky, irritable, fussy, whiny, and just plain frustrating today. Well, I guess the same can be said about Chloe, she seems to be suffering from the same affliction today. At least Aidan has an excuse.

He is teething! He now has his right, side front tooth, by tomorrow he should have the left one. This has been a long and painful time coming. I was worried about these teeth. Aidan has a large gap between his top front teeth and I was concerned that these new ones could be growing into the front ones. There seems to be enough room for them to come in (not much but enough). Hopefully we will get the next tooth sometime tonight and be done for a while. I don't remember how many teeth he has left but anymore is too many. :)

I am not sure what Chloe's deal is today but all I can say is "AAAAGGHHHHH"! She has not been listening, pouting, whiny and so much more. Maybe her incredibly good behavior earlier in the week was too good to be true, I am not sure. But she has certainly made up for it today. Don't get me wrong she is a wonderful little girl but she has her moments. Can you tell it has been a long day? When is Daddy coming home again? Not soon enough I am sure. I am counting down the minutes until I can put them both to bed and enjoy a little bit of piece and quiet.

Brotherly Love! Sisterly Love!

I have been blessed by two incredible children. I have also been blessed by how well they play together and get along. Now I am not naive, I know this will not always be the case but I am enjoying it right now. We had a fun movie night this evening, I actually got to see "Charlotte's Web", Chloe already saw it with Aunt Lisa at the movie theatre. It is not often I get to sit down with the kids and watch a movie but tonight I did. It is an awesome movie! We had so much fun! Aidan was fairly mellow for about half of it than he decided he was ready to move around and play. Chloe of course was the perfect person to pick on. She was very into the movie when he decided she needed to be climbed on. So he climbed onto her back and started jumping. Chloe was a great sport about the whole thing. The picture opportunity was too good to pass up!

That time of Year Again!!

I ordered some new curriculum this year for school. I didn't think that I ordered that much but as the pile on my desk keeps growing I am beginning to wonder. . . Keep in mind these books are all for the classes I am teaching, none of Chloe's curriculum has made it into the pile yet. But I am having fun mining through all of the books for new ideas, techniques and projects for my students. This year I am teaching Beginning Sign Language, Advanced Sign Language, Elementary Theatre, Theatre Productions (my older theatre class), Creative Movement (a dance class), Life in the Middle Ages, and Passport to the World (a geography/social studies class). Whew! I am exhausted just thinking about it. I have more than doubled my class load this year but I pray that it will be an incredible year, for myself as a instructor and my students.

I am getting Chloe's curriculum ready for school this year as well. She doesn't need any huge, thick text books. Oh to be a Kindergartener again . . . well, maybe not. Her school work will be a lot of workbooks and hands on learning, her absolute favorite. She will be taking Soccer, Music, Science, a PE Class, Scrapbooking, Sign Language and her Kindergarten class. She will also be in Ballet, Tap, Jazz and Tumbling next year! And she wants to join Girl Scouts. I think she is taking after me! Yikes! As busy as our fall schedule sounds we will have lots of down time too! With Chloe being in her classes I will have a lot of one-on-one time with Aidan which I plan on enjoying to its fullest.

And . . . yes, that is my laptop sitting on the desk . . . and yes, it is PINK!! Way too cute, I know. But I couldn't resist getting the cover, plus it is awesome anti-scratch protection for the computer while being fun at the same time. I even ordered a blue cover for Matt's computer.

Rain, Rain, Go Away!

What a week! We have been incredibly busy this week. I received my final paycheck for the school which went almost completely to a new set of tires for my car. My old tires were so bad that I was afraid to drive in the rain. Not really an option since we live in the Pacific Northwest. Because of the odd size of tires that my car needs they were way more expensive than I thought they would be. But a huge blessing was that I do not need new brakes (another expense I was dreading), mine were just dirty but are perfectly fine. Whew! I so excited to hear that. So now we are out and about driving in the rain with no hesitation. The new tires are fabulous and my car handles better than ever.

It has been raining pretty steadily all week. I am so grateful for my tires. Chloe has a case of cabin fever since it is too wet to play outside. It wasn't even suppose to rain today but it did. Hopefully it will dry out next week so the lawn (well all the dandelions) can be mowed. I have been trying to keep both kids busy as we are stuck inside. Chloe has been working hard on her new Kindergarten workbook and loves doing schoolwork. Aidan is steadily getting braver on his feet and will be walking full time in no time. We have only made it to the pool and beach once this year which is usually unheard of this time of year. I hope to get the kids back outside next week.

Chloe received an egg of silly putty on Sunday at church, no big deal. She has been having a blast with it all week. She's has been making sure to put it away and keep it out of Aidan's reach. Apparently she has fallen so in love with the silly putty she was playing with it in bed last night. She must of snuck it into bed after I tucked her in because there was no silly putty in her bed when I kissed her good night. As you can imagine she woke up this morning with a head FULL of silly putty. Just so any of you know for future reference, all the tricks that we use to get gum out of hair, DO NOT WORK ON SILLY PUTTY. Ice just makes the putty stickier. So I had to tediously comb out her hair. For those of you who know how much Chloe loves having her hair brushed you can imagine what a screaming episode that was. Once the majority of it was out (almost 40minutes later) I lathered her hair up with canola oil, let it sit and than washed it out. She still has some of the putty residue in her hair and will for a while but at least hte worse of it is over. What a nightmare!

1st Year Check-Up!

Aidan's 12-month check up was today and he was incredible. He had a hard time waiting but that is to be expected. He now weighs 20lbs, 13oz, he hasn't really gained much weight in the past six weeks but he is holding his own so that is all that matters. He is 29 3/4 inches long, he definately has some long legs. After we met with his pediatrician we headed down to immunizations. Not fun especially since it took a good 30 minutes for us even to get in. He didn't cry for the TB skin test or the first two vaccines but screamed for the last two. He stopped as soon I picked him up and cuddled with him a bit. Than it was off to the lab for a quick finger poke and some blood just to test and see if he is anemic. He was a sport for that one as well but got tired of having to sit still. Once we were on our way home, he decided he had enough and crashed. He took a three hour nap!

All in all he is healthy and happy. He is progressing normally even though he is not quite walking yet and has not said his first word the doctor is still very impressed. Boys generally take a little longer so I've been told. I think I am just used to Chloe who goes a full-speed for everything (who was saying words and walking by 10mos).

1 Year Old Today!!

One year ago today I was so excited that I was finally done being pregnant and holding my precious little, well not so little, boy in my arms. Today I look at the bubbly, vivacious, mischievious, wonderful boy that he has become and I am so grateful to God for such an incredible blessing my "fiery, gift from God"*** is. (***That is what Aidan Matthew Arren means). While I cannot wait to see what the next year's growth will mean to Aidan, I plan on enjoying each and every moment. Matt missed Aidan's birthday due to the military once again, but I know that his heart was with us all day.

Okay enough sappy, sentimental stuff from Mom. How did we spend Aidan's first birthday? At the zoo of course. We had so much fun! Aunt Kim, Uncle Randy and Cousin Levi drove up from Portland to spend the day with Chloe, Aidan, Nana and I. Aidan is very comfortable in his stroller and was content to roll around and take everything in. He is still very easily overwhelmed and I am sure that all of the crowds, noises and animals was a bit overstimulating. He was a trouper and took it all in stride. He also spent some time practicing his walking skills, he is not quite ready to just take off yet (personally I am praying that he will wait until Daddy is home) but he has started taking a few hesitant steps on his own. He loved the butterfly house and couldn't get enough of the beautiful creations flitting by. Chloe was a bundle of endless energy, as usual. She was here, there and everywhere. She loves animals and especially loved the monkeys, jaguar, and the bears. Chloe had so much fun and enjoyed playing with her cousin Levi and Aunt and Uncle.

On our way home we stopped at Red Robin for dinner. Aidan got a bunch of balloons and he got a huge kick out of everyone singing for him. Chloe and him enjoyed his birthday sundae. All in all it was a very long day. The kids are absolutely exhausted and were asleep even before their heads hit the beds. Aidan won't remember this day but the rest of us have precious memories we can share with him as he gets older.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AIDAN!!!!!

Just for Daddy!

A Rare Sight

Aidan is in constant motion from the time he gets up until he is forced to take a nap or go to bed. That is why he is our little "Monkey". Well he must of been tired this morning. I was rounding up stuff for the beach before I left for our walk. I walked out of the kitchen and this is what I saw. He had been eating goldfish right before this. I removed the tray so I could get some good pictures. I don't think he ate even one goldfish, he must of gone straight to sleep in about five minutes. Aidan staying still, a rare sight indeed.

Beating the Heat

For those of you who don't live nearby, we have been experiencing a heat wave. You know that it is hot when the nice ocean breezes that usually keep us cool and fresh, were blowing hot air today. I went on a walk today, I am trying to get back on schedule from the holiday last week and helping out Lisa. Becca and I decided that it was just too hot to walk in the heat around the track. So we took the trail that goes by the water and through a park, it is nice and shaded for about half of it and we really appreciated it today. It is a beautiful trail, a bit of a challenge for my ankle which was pretty swollen by the time I got home. We made it all the way to the end and back to the track, I don't know how far it is but it was almost 6,000 steps on my pedometer.

Chloe has been in Vacation Bible School all week at our church. It has been a welcome break for both of us--her from boredom and me a bit of relaxation. She has been playing with old friends and making lots of new ones. She is busy singing, making great crafts and playing games. She can tell me what her Bible lesson is each day also thanks to Jenny's excellent teaching. After VBS was over at 3pm we went straight over to our City Park to the outdoor kiddie pool. Ahhh, sweet relief. Even Mom got into a swimsuit and got in just to cool off.

Chloe loves the water and had a blast. One of her friends from school was there and a friend from her dance class. She was splashing anyone and everyone. Going under by herself. Playing with her water wings and just having fun. Aidan was so excited that he could barely sit still long enough for me to finish blowing up his toy. All that water! This was his first time in a pool and he had so much fun. He was squealing and laughing. He didn't even mind it when he got splashed in the face by other kids. He soon figured out that he could walk in the water using the inflatable toy as balance. Once he figured that out he was off.

It was such a nice afternoon spent with the kids. If the weather holds we may even go tomorrow!

Aidan's First Haircut

Aidan got his first haircut on Sunday. Definitely an adventure to say the least. His hair wasn't that long, just around the ears and the back. So Jenny, Aunt Lisa and I thought, no big deal, we can cut it while he is sitting contentedly in the high chair on the back deck. That worked for a while than Jenny held him so Lisa could get the back of his head. He was a monkey in her arms climbing up her shoulders, trying to hang upside down and being very hard to keep a hold on. When he saw me he dove into my arms so Lisa manage to finish the haircut while he laid across my lap. Aidan is constantly in motion and never seems to sit still for even a moment. At least we don't have to cut it again for a while. Maybe by then he can sit still for a little longer . . . maybe.

Helping Out

Hello, I am down at Children's Hospital again, this time I am helping out Lisa and Claire. Claire had her final surgery today and no longer has an iliostomy bag. She is a whole little girl. She made it through the surgery with flying colors and is resting comfortably right now. It is so exciting to see God's hand in her life. Her recovery will be a long one but I know that God will continue to heal her little body and soon she will be running, jumping and swimming just like any other little girl. If you could pray for Claire over the next few months as she recovers that would be wonderful. Claire has become Chloe's "sister" of the heart (they fight like blood sisters but would also defend one another at any cost). Mom and Dad are taking care of Chloe and Aidan while I am down here supporting Lisa. I am so grateful for all their help and I know the kids are having a blast being spoiled by their Nana and Poppa.

New Haircut & Fun

Aidan and Chloe are playing around with a big box. Loads of fun. Here is Aidan with his new haircut, the final result.

Spaghetti Face

Well, I did it. I finally let Aidan go at it with the spaghetti. I guess I just wasn't feeding it to him fast enough because he kept screaming at me during dinner. So I stripped him down and let him go at it. As you can imagine, he had a blast. He tried to use the fork at first but promptly threw it on the floor and dug in with both hands. Aidan loves spaghetti, not as much as bananas, mac and cheese and hot dogs but pretty close.

4th of July

What a busy day! We walked so much that I logged over 20,000 steps on my pedometer. Chloe, Aidan and I walked in the 4th of July parade today. Our church, Church on the Rock, was in the parade singing praise songs and songs from our upcoming Vacation Bible Study. Chloe got to ride on a trailer that was stacked with bales of hay. She had a blast singing and waving to everyone. Aidan was sound asleep in the stroller for most of the parade. He looked so cute in his red hat and blue striped romper. It was a fun parade, it was nice to be in it this year, but I don't know about next year. I ended up walking the parade route twice by the time we parked the car walked to the beginning of the parade, did the route and than walked back to the car. My legs were burning by the end of all that hiking.

During the parade Lisa got a little too close to one of the trailers and crushed her left foot. She toughed it out through the parade but towards the end the swelling was so bad she couldn't stand it any longer. Jenny got her into her car and made plans to take her to the Emergency Room. So we scrambled at the end of the parade to round up kids, send them home with Jace, and get Lisa to the ER. After that craziness passed Aidan and I went home to rest a bit before heading down to the beach for a picnic (Chloe went with Nana to get the rest of the picnic stuff). Lisa is all right, her foot is not broken but is badly bruised. She is on crutches and has a pretty blue shoe she has to wear. She decided to tough it out and come to the picnic anyway.

We all headed down to the the park for an Independence Day Picnic. Jenny and her kids, Lisa and her kids, Curt and Susan and Nana, Chloe, Aidan and I had quite the set up. A pavillion offered us plenty of shade. Curt cooked hamburgers and hot dogs up a storm. We had an awesome dinner, lots of great salads and dishes. The kids played at the playground nearby for hours on end. It was nice and sunny but there was a pretty strong breeze that kept it from getting super hot. We walked through the carnival and the booths (we didn't ride on any rides but had fun anyway). Chloe got her cotton candy and her kettle corn. She was pretty excited just to look around and see all the hustle and bustle.

Both kids were absolutely exhausted as we waited for the skies to darken for the fireworks. Aidan took a catnap right before the fireworks so he watched them through a sleepy haze. He jumped a little when the loud ones boomed but did remarkably well during the show. He did fall asleep halfway through the display deciding that the fireworks weren't interesting enough to stay awake. Chloe loved the fireworks and oohed and awed through the entire show. Both kids crashed in the car on the way home. It has been a very long day. It might take us a day or two to recover.

Hydrated and Feeling Much Better

Chloe is doing much better today. She woke up at 7:00am ready and racing to go. She has been very good about drinking lots of juice and staying hydrated. She is back to her bubbly, talkative self. Thank you so much for all your prayer it has meant so much!