A great week.

It's been a good week. The weather until just a couple of days ago was park-worthy. One of Lexi's favorite words: outside. She loves it--the slides, the swings, although you may not believe it by this picture:

We even got a bit of basketball practice in.

Both boys came home on Monday with great report cards. Alexis had a great eye doctor appointment that day too. No need for a new prescription yet. And all 3 kids had great dentist appointments on Tuesday. Thank GOD they seem to have their father's enamel.
And we signed Alexis up for a second day of the Parent's Day Out program. She now goes every Thursday and Friday. She had her first Friday today. She loved it, as we knew she would.
And now the cold and the snow have arrived. Bring it!

Bedazzled is better.

Lexi's physiatrist found that her left leg is a half inch longer than her right. A half inch may not be much on an amazon like me, but on a shorty like her, it's a mile. So we had to have half-inch lifts put on her right shoe. From here on out, I'm calling them platforms. Sounds more glamorous.
Lexi currently has a pair of old beat up sparkley pink light-up shoes. She loves them. (They were $3.50 at Payless. So I loved them too.) She will walk around chanting "stomp, stomp" and pounding her feet to get them to light up. When she's sitting down, she'll smack the bottom of her shoe to get them to light up. She'll even smack the bottom of other people's shoes, most of which don't light up. We spend a lot of time washing her hands.

Anyway, for the platforms, I got her new shoes a half size bigger hoping that they'll continue to fit next time we're due for new orthotics. I picked out boring white Nikes, hoping the platform would be less noticable. Alexis of course, prefers the crazy bright glittery bedazzled light-up Sketchers.

We put them on her for the first time today. Talk about a growth spurt! Of course the skinny p.j.'s only make her look longer. She seemed a bit unsteady in her adjustment to platform walking, but yet she seemed...even. And faster.

I wasn't sure if adding the lift, er, platform to the shoe would allow the lights to still work. You'll be relieved to know, she can still "stomp, stomp" and smack her shoes to her hearts content.

She still hyperextends that right leg, but hopefully that will be corrected the next time she gets new orthotics.

Wonder how big a fit she'll throw when I try to put the white shoes on her.

I did learn today that it hurts like a...it really really hurts when she steps on your hand.

Holiday Recap!

The holidays were busy and crazy and exhausting and chaotic, and I loved every minute of it. The boys were in school through the Thursday right before Christmas. On Friday we headed up to Elkhart to celebrate the Kattau Christmas.

It's become the tradition (calling it "tradition" seems so much more festive than calling it "routine") to celebrate Christmas Eve in Elkhart with my side of the family, and then wake up in Elkhart Christmas morning to open Santa's gifts before heading to the Smith Christmas in Kokomo.

We headed back home Christmas night. Then, the day after Christmas, the kids spent the day playing with all their new toys while I packed. We headed to Florida the night of the 26th and drove all night, arriving at our destination on Tuesday morning. Gainesville Florida. Home of the Gators and, more importantly, the Geras. Jason and Deb were good friends in highschool. He was even one of her bridesmaids. (Jason looks really good in taffeta.) And we love them like family.

Their son Eric is the same age as Nick. Both my little guys were in video game heaven. We didn't see much of them that week.

And they all love Lexi. I love anyone who loves my kids. They seem to love her a lot. Can't say I blame them.

Their daughter Trisha is 11 (going on 23) and Alexis pretty much attached herself to Trisha's hip for the duration of the week. Or maybe it was the other way around. They have the same pretty blonde hair color and look like they could be sisters. And I could about shoot myself for not getting a picture of the 2 of them together.

It was a nice relaxing week. We did a lot of catching up, eating, watching movies. I got a bit of pampering with a hair cut and pedicure. There was lots of laughing and silliness. Lots of movies, lots of music and dancing...I guess the boys weren't the only ones in video game heaven...

Dance Central, baby.

Matt and Eric patiently waiting their turn. Chin on fist. Yep. They're related.

We've known Cameron since he was about 4 or 5. I can't believe he's now 18 and close to graduating from high school. We adore this kid. And we got to meet his girlfriend Brittany. Cutie Patootie! Love her!

The week ended with the yearly New Year's bash. Good friends, good food, and just a weeeee bit of alcohol.

Blake didn't quite make it to see the New Year, although he is adamant that he did because he did NOT fall asleep. My evidence proves otherwise.

Nick made it to midnight for the first time ever. Barely.

Hope your holidays were wonderful and wishing you a blessed 2012. Going to start working on my Christmas cards now...