The Munhollands: April 2012

March came and went - a month of birthdays, visitors, sickness and finally some time outdoors.

I think Dexter was sick the entire month, plus some: strep throat (undiagnosed after 5 days & 2 doctor visits), 3 day flu, then a cold, now we've realized he's getting his 2 year molars. He was pathetic. Including being pregnant with Kellan, I'm going on 9 years without sleep (I know Jim agrees) and honestly, it's showing big time all over my face. Now, when Kellan makes any "old" references about me, I tell him he's done this to me. He looks very confused. I don't explain. I'd rather him think long and hard about that and maybe provide money for a good surgeon in the future once he takes responsibility.

Uncle Mike came out to celebrate the March month of b-days (Papa Frankie's, G-Ma Chloe's and his). We had a great old time. The kids love the physical attention which Jim refuses to give them as it never ends well. Well, let's just say him and Kellan are both competitive and neither one likes to lose. Zoe got to practice a lot of gymnastics on Mike's shoulders. I think Mike had one of the three of them in the air 50% of his stay.

SPORTS! We couldn't have been more excited for the month of televised spring training games. One of these years we'll make it out to AZ to watch the Roxs. It seems so long ago now, but Tebow, oh Tim Tebow. We were sad to see him go, though there's a lot of hysteria here now over a guy named Peyton Manning. Within hours of the trade - "Can I get a number 18 jersey?" - Kellan. So much for loyalty.

My Aunt Sheila (mom's younger, in much better shape, sister :) ) came into town for two weeks to stay with mom while we went to CA. We got to spend some time with her before and after our trip. It was the first time we had seen her since our wedding. She got to meet the kids and witness the "pre-trip anxiety kids" as well as the "post-trip exhausted kids" - makes for great first impressions. I'm not sure if we will ever see her again, but we sure hope so (more about her time here, next blog).

Kellan and Zoe had parent-teacher conferences before their break. Our thoughts go something like this - Zoe will most likely be at the top of her class, but we get worried about her attitude, and Kellan, well, we worry about Kellan, not for his attitude (we know he's mastered being good at school), but his grades & grasping things. If doing his homework is any indication of how he's fairing in school, we didn't have high expectations it would be a good conference. Not to mention, right before we left for the conference I noticed he had his pants on backwards - his conference was at 7:45 p.m., that was a good 12 hours of his pants being on backwards (he had school that day). Zoe's conference went as expected, thankfully. She's ready for 1st grade and is reading and spelling beyond kindergarten level. She's moved on to cursive writing to compete with Kellan. The teacher says she's as sweet as can be, helps with the kids that need extra help, doesn't tattle, etc. Kellan, I was more than pleasantly surprised by. His teacher says he's just the greatest kid ever AND he's doing fine academically, in some areas, better than fine. He even led the class that day in fractions (granted G-ma worked with him for a good 1.5 hours the night before).

We'll continue to worry, fret and at times want to strangle our children & hopefully continue to be reassured they are different people, we don't know, outside of our home. Hopefully some day we get to meet those kids. I'm willing to wait and continue to love them (I won't answer for Jim)...I guess it's better than them being sweet at home & hellions in public