Updates on the mini units

At Halloween. . . I can't remember what Liam wanted to be.  But a few days before Halloween he wanted to be a ghost.  A "scary ghost" he said when I asked.  I scrambled around, found a pillow case and some white face paint.  He got one look at his face painted and wanted it off! 
So he wore a tigger sweater and was Tigger...sort of...this last year.

Nathan for a long time loved to waive bye bye to mommy in the morning when she leaves for work.  He still doesn't have any more teeth.
He says many words.  He'll try most things, but the fun ones are when he calls out for Liam or Miriam...sometimes it is hard to tell which one he's hollering.  But today he said, "Liam, Miriam, where are you?" 
He loves to push toy lawn mowers or ride little cars.
We are having a little trouble with hitting with this one.
His favorite foods are blueberries and strawberries.  He says "Bees!" but it means berries.  He also likes beans and olives, but he calls olives beans.
He's gotten pretty determined and knows what he wants.  He's a strong boy.
Only in the last month or so has he developed a bit of separation anxiety.  He cries in nursery even when I am there.  All of a sudden he wanted to go with me to work and was telling grandma "bye, bye!"  from my arms instead of running to the window.
He says "amen" when I put him to bed with a prayer.


Liam...has not yet potty trained.  He was doing really well with pee pee, but after a few weeks just decided not to do it.  I'm not sure what to do yet.  It's been quite a while since he would go regularly.
Liam loves his brother.  One morning I caught him throwing balls into the baby's crib so the baby could throw them back out.  And they were loving it.
Liam loves to color. 
He is an amazing listener, and really looks out for Nathan.
That said he's gotten to the age where sometimes he really doesn't want to listen/obey!  When he gets upset at you for not understanding him, or doesn't want to do something, he crosses his little arms and says,  "Humph!" while pouting.  It's, unfortunately for me, very cute.
He still has one of the best smiles ever!

Miriam.   I can't believe she is 7 1/2.  She is almost done with 1st grade. 
She is improving with reading all of a sudden.  Just starting to take off!
She seems to like math.
She loves drawing and painting and making.  She is a very innovative person!  If she doesn't have what she needs she makes it out of what she has.
She has plans for her next 2 or 3 birthdays, hello kitty, my little pony...
She is super excited about being the friend invited to her friends next birthday, which is going to the theatre and going out to mcdonalds.

I love these memories. 

Updates on the parental units

I know I can never keep up with everything that has gone on in the last year. This post is adult recaps:

 I really struggled July - October.  The very short version of this story was that I wasn't taking care of myself or dealing with my stress very well.  I went on an antidepressant in October, which helped.  I learned that I clench my jaw and occasionally grind my teeth, so I go back and forth wearing a mouth guard at night.  Basically I wear it until I start having headaches again, then I quit wearing it...until I get headaches again.  It's all trial and error, and it's odd, but really helping. 

Hubby went back to work in late November. I don't think that the job is quite everything he hoped for at that time.  But him working is good.  And hopefully he will find a path.   My grandmother has been helping us with the boys.  She is amazing. 

Hubs has also been having some struggle with his neck and has been getting some steroid shots and PT.  Someone suggested to him that he work with the VA and also consider asking about veterans disability.  We will see.