christmas baking

today was a wonderful day. marlee, naomi, levi and i went to my mom and dad's for some baking. my sister in law and her kiddos were there too! it was great to bake with the cousins. it did bring on its challenges with a 4 year old with diabetes who likes to lick the batter and try a piece of everything we were making. i can't even remember how many shots i gave her for whatever she put in her mouth. thank heavens she doesn't complain about the shots. i tell her "you will need insulin if you want to try this" and she looks at me and says "just give me more insulin, i want another cookie." the pump will be easier when we get started the end of the month. i then will just have to push a button!

intro to pump...

today was our intro to pump day for marlee. we have much information from kev's mom about the insulin pump and know that it is a much easier way to handle insulin so we have been moving as quickly as possible with the goal of getting marlee on the pump. levi has been pointing to this day on the calendar saying "pump". marlee came with us to the appointment. we talked through much of the information with our nurse and then she attached the pump to marlee. she showed us how to place the port in her and then how to attach it. for now it is empty. this is just a trial to see how her skin does with the adhesive and also how she does having it on her all day and nite. when she first got the needle put in she did great. a few seconds later she looked like she was going to start to cry and said she didn't want it on anymore. we then talked to her about how this is a practice one and her real one will be pink and sparkly or however she wants it to look. when we got home getting her down for a nap with it was a little hard at first. she came out crying saying how she didn't like it (i thought it was the whole thing) but she only wanted it to be pink... you gotta love her fashion sense:) she has never liked sticky things on her-especially in the ER. so, i hope she will start to have some understanding that having this will help us stop doing shots every time she eats something. so, after swimming and time for shower marlee wanted the port off again and naomi totally took her mind off it by talking about princesses and fairies and they played in the shower. in that time together naomi also talked to marle about how the pump works and how it will give her the insulin a little at a time (as naomi learned how it works from grandma). naomi just floored me tonite as to how much she loves and cares about marlee. it is one of those moments when i looked at naomi and was so thankful for the wonderful little girl she is. she knows how to comfort marlee and is a natural caretaker. so, we will do the pump but now until october or november as they want you to wait about 6 months after diagnosis. marlee also starts preschool and we don't want to many new things at once. so we will keep doing what we are doing and take each moment as it comes...

collin the teenager

i love this kid. our kids adore him. marlee calls him "caghee" and talks about him all the time. he is a smart kid and fun to be around. he is an oosterhouse kid magnet. he turned 13 today. wow! we love this little man. and i love these photos i captured of him. especially the first one-my favorite.







collin and his sister anastasia

at the campground with Jori, Jadon, and Aunt Maria

The kids all have a great time riding on Grandma's golf cart. They are quite spoiled with rides to the little store and crazy rides in the woods. Always a good time with Grandma.

It was Easter here this day. The kids got to make and decorate their own eggs.



Sweet Levi tagging along wherever we go.

last day of school photos

The front tree has become tradition to take beginning and end of school year photos by. The kids were all willing to let me capture them. I love to see how much they have grown over the school year. I love these great kids.


Noah at the end of third grade

Naomi at the end of first grade.

Max is so sweet at the end of first grade.

but this one is more Max's personality.

campground time

We love hanging out at the campground when it gets warm. Finding frogs is a big hit and the playground is wonderful fun to run off all the energy. Marlee was daring and went on the swing. She has not liked to swing for quite a while but now loves it as long as she is not going very fast. Levi also found a happy place on the swing. Noah, Naomi, and Max are all a bunch of little troopers going around the ponds looking for frogs. It is just great to be outside.




Marlee got into deep thoughts on the swing. She was jello.

Easter

Marlee, Leah, Audrey, Naomi

new bikes

Noah and daddy went shopping for a new bike for his birthday on Saturday. He was incredibly proud of his purchase and is such a goofy little show off. He was busy chopping rocks with the goggles on this week and now thinks he looks pretty cool wearing them riding his bike. All I have to say is he is pretty creative with his look. Gotta love the boy.



Naomi finally fits on her bike that she got two years ago for Christmas. She is so excited to be on her girly bike and we love to see her on it.

sweet smell of spring

The beauty of spring is in the air. Naomi ran in the house on Monday excitedly telling me about the first purple flowers of the year. I have to take a picture every year because no matter what weed killer Kev puts next to the shed this one little bunch of crocus always shines through. We welcome the swinging, bike riding, and all the neighborhood kids that come to play in our yard. It is a breath of fresh air to be out of the house for all the kiddos.

My big baby Naomi here being a goofus loving the baby swing.

Marlee finally figured out the slide all by herself! (and very proud of it)

Love Noah cheering Marlee on her way down.