Ella tries to re-create a science project from school in her room. When mom is helping clean her room, she discovers this chick hatching project. Never a dull moment in the FunHouse.
Sneaky Ella trying to hatch a chick at home
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The summer of 2013
We are back with an update of our 2013 summer. The five of us had so much fun going to the hill country to start the summer.
Good family time in the hill country
Then, Emily and I were able to get away by ourselves to San Diego for a long weekend.
Amazing view at La Jolla
Nana and Pappy did an amazing job taking care of them while we were gone. And finally, we spent a great time in Galveston with my brother Jamy and his family along with my mom and dad.
Thankful that our extended family are some of our favorite people.
I put together a short video to capture the memories. We hope you enjoy! Feel free to sing along.
Now we are waiting for baby Jackson to come anytime between now and the end of September. We are so excited to meet him, but Emily said she would be more than happy to wait until Seth starts kindergarten and Ella begins second grade in just one week. My how time flies! Until next time…
Video: The Kids Find Out About Baby #4
Watch this video of the kids finding out about baby #4 (who we now know is Jackson) for the first time on Valentine’s Day. It was back in February, but it’s an unforgettable moment that we wanted to share. Ella was blown away. Seth and Kyle took it in stride.
This news drew happy tears from Ella.
We can’t wait for September to welcome another little one to the Fun House.
Video: Seth Turns Five Years Old!
Happy birthday to our Seth!! Time does indeed fly by, as we can hardly believe that we just celebrated his fifth birthday. What a journey these years with him have been. I say it each time- we wouldn’t trade what we’ve learned these last five years for all the world.
Seth is a treasure I wish the whole world could know.
It’s funny how Seth can be both our easiest and our most difficult child all at once. Let’s start with easy: he is the most content child I’ve ever known. His favorites are easy: Jesse and Woody (Toy Story) dolls, monkeys, bubbles, outside, Sports Illustrated football, basketball and baseball encyclopedias, Finding Nemo, Mary Poppins (mainly for Burt), watching replays of A&M football games, playing tackle, dancing, macaroni and cheese, pancakes, chocolate and DADDY. Everything else I think he could give or take, but those are clearly his favorites and truly a win-win every time. What makes him the most difficult? Seth is by far the most stubborn of all our kids. He will refuse to do even the simplest or most necessary of tasks (for example, go to the bathroom and wash your hands) just because he’s made up his mind that he doesn’t want to. Forget bribery, forget pulling out the list of favorites. If he’s decided no, we figured out finally that we’d better decide to put on our patient hats. Seems we don’t have enough of those around here some days. 😉
Celebrating Ella’s 7th birthday
Ella was born on November 28, 2005. She is currently the only girl out of eight nieces and nephews, all of who are shown in this video. November is a big month for her as we usually celebrate her birthday three different times. In this video, you’ll see that we celebrated her birthday with her friends, one time with Joel’s family, and once with just the Fun House. Ella is getting taller every day as you can see by those long legs in the video.
She’s really growing up
Video: Seth playing with the trains
Seth is enjoying the wooden train set this year here the FunHouse. It’s hard to turn this guy down when he asks you to play. How can you?
Nothing like two boys playing with trains
Celebrating Kyle’s Second Birthday
Kyle is probably the baby at the Fun House with the most nicknames….I could probably count past twenty in no time at all. One of our favorites is “Cowell,” given to him by his big brother and it kind of stuck with everyone. But I call him “Coco.” Not sure how that one came about, but it’s fitting nonetheless. Again, I could reiterate everything I wrote from his post about his first birthday: he is the ultimate baby, we spoil him to death unapologetically and he is truly a joyful little guy.
Kyle is truly a joy!
Not much has changed in a year other than mobility and the word “NO!” But even the ultimate of all toddlers has to test authority with the word “no,” I guess. We celebrated his second birthday in early October and Joel put together this video.
Here’s a list of Kyle’s favorite things, in no particular order:
1. Pappy. If Pappy is in the room (Em’s dad) nothing else seems to matter. It’s a funny thing, because out of my three, we think Kyle looks most like my dad. Even one of my best friends growing up calls him “little Clarence.” Too cute! Kyle talks about Pappy constantly and everything we read in books or discuss at home somehow seems to come back to Pappy for Kyle. Like the other day we were out in the yard and saw a big helicopter fly by. He saw it, pointed and yelled, “Pappy!!!!!” What on earth!?!
Kyle loves his Pappy
Video: Emily Reads for Seth
Seth has really been making progress with his speech. He’s been going to speech therapy once a week since March and is now back in his half day pre-school program since school started back up.
The kids are loving school and so is Mom
We are working really hard on shapes, colors, and ABCs. Regular readers remember my feeble attempt to make a video for Seth singing the ABCs. Emily stepped up the game big time this week by making a longer, more comprehensive, video where she reads several books. We figured someone else might benefit from this other than Seth so we are posting the video Emily made for Seth. We try to keep learning fun here at the FunHouse.
I also created a video in the past for Ella where I read “Where the Wild Things Are” for her viewing pleasure.
Potty Training Success!
After unsuccessfully cajoling Emily to write about Seth’s potty training success here at the Fun House, I decided to give my shorter, less compelling recount of that experience.
History
Many of you may remember a post back in July of last year discussing our potty training attempt with Seth. Seth wasn’t ready then and he made that quite evident through his vehement opposition to even the thought of sitting on a potty upon request. (This stubborn defiance, we believe, is about 50% a uniquely Down syndrome characteristic and about 50% Seth just reflecting the personality of his wonderful parents!) Additionally, we weren’t sure he was putting together the bodily output and the feeling that came right before it. Finally, our frustration and expectation levels were way out of sync with where they should have been. But, this is not unusual with Emily and me both being “bottom line” achiever personalities. We aren’t the type of people who typically just “enjoy the process” or “ease our way into things”. We like formulaic (A + B = C) answers and will carefully follow the process to ensure we get to the result on time and under budget, so to speak. I confess that I naturally fall into that camp even more than Emily. Continue Reading…
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If you've been at our house at bedtime any night within the last 10 years, you would know that Seth HATES going to bed. And trust me- in 10 years, we have tried it all. We have made lists, visual schedules, sticker charts, rewards, phone calls from special people, videos from special people, role playing, modeling and force. I mean it. We have done it.
To say that bedtime is usually stressful at our house is an understatement, and the fact that Seth is 12.5 years old and hasn't yet thrown in the towel and decided to go with the flow is proof at how stubborn- I mean determined- that extra chromosome really is! (Just kidding...kind of...)
Last night was no exception. He fussed and barked at me, and I barked back. He threw toys at me and said unkind things and I started taking away privileges. It finally ended in him losing his most prized possessions- his pink and green "punkeys" (monkeys) and also losing the opportunity for dad to come lay in bed with him and read him to sleep (this is the ULTIMATE loss). It was brush teeth, lights out, good night for him and a big deep breath in silence for me downstairs.
This morning, I expected him to remember and be grumpy about things. Sure enough, he started off that way. However, he got in the groove as we talked about going back to school and seeing his friends and oh how they have missed him, won't it be fun to sit together at lunch?
As he finished his morning routine of getting ready, and I was busy cleaning up the kitchen from hours of serving breakfasts and making lunches, he walked over to me, grabbed my hand, and said, "Mom, I need to talk to you special. Sit down. I want to talk to you."
<INSERT CHRISTMAS MIRACLE>
"Mom," he said, "I am really really sorry I have bad attitude at bed. I am so sorry mom. Hurts my heart. Ok mom?"
<CUE THE TEARS IN MOM'S EYES>
I told him I forgave him and it hurt my heart too. I told him how proud I was of him and how much I know he can do it, just like all the other big boys his age.
His sweet little hand brushed my cheek and he said, "Mom, you deserve a chocolate. You are....a SHINING STAR!" and proceeded to hug and squeeze and kiss my cheek over and over. He then asked if he could have his punkeys back, and of course, I obliged. His world was right again, and my heart was EXTREMELY encouraged!
Seth took responsibility for his attitude and actions without being prompted by me or his dad or siblings. He wanted to make things right again, and his whole demeanor shifted once that was off his chest. For Joel and I, this is a HUGE step in the right directions...something we have been praying about for, well, 10 years. I don't expect him to be perfect again tonight, and I don't expect things to be fixed every night from here on...but we are making baby steps. Well, maybe this was more like an almost-teenager-step today. Either way, I am spending time today reflecting on the power of forgiveness and thanking God for this precious gift!
"Be kind to one another, tender hearted and forgiving each other, just as God for Christ's sake has forgiven you."
Ephesians 4:32
1 month ago
Huge! What an encouragement. James is 10, and I pray for these things in him. He will show contrition, but mostly because he doesn’t like to make mom mad, not because he knows he did the wrong thing (I think...hard to know sometimes with limited speech). I pray for his heart always.
Thank you so much for sharing your heart. What a sweet blessing. 😀
What a wonderful boy with such a kind heart. ❤️
Ella’s freshman team highlights. A lot of fun especially for the year 2020.
2 months ago
Seth is rocking out his braces and we have had a very successful first three months! I would have never thought he could wear braces considering it took YEARS to get him comfy just sitting in a dental chair, but as I’ve always been told, “keep the bar high and he will exceed it!”
So proud of you, Seth! You are one handsome dude! 😁
5 months ago
Awesome... Just look at that smile!!!
Emerson can not wait to see his sweet face next week!!!
Can’t imagine that smile even getting better!!!
Whoa, looking good handsome!
Great Seth!!
Love you Seth!! You are amazing!!😘
Way to go Seth. You are handsome!! Joyce
Awesome! ❤️❤️❤️❤️
Way to go!!!
way to go yo got this
Way to go Seth!!!!