Shiloh playing the piano

The two older children have been taking piano lessons for a couple months. Shiloh is especially enjoying it and making good progress. She's such a sweet girl!

Salem on the move

She's creeping out of infancy into toddlerhood. 9 months old today.  I wish the video wasn't so dark, small oversight. We tried.

August 2013

Salem is getting so big, she is now 8 months old and has become proficient at sitting up.

 Cheeks, just love em!

 Smiles

 Beautiful Baby

 I was trying to take Salem's picture sitting up and Aggie kept getting in front of me saying "Cheezzz".

 Shiloh was coordinating her outfit with the fan Mema and Papa got her from Spain.

 I asked the kids to go cheer Aggie up, I was cooking.  This is what they were doing, Hosea was hoping on his ball, Aggie loves this and Shiloh was letting her hop on herself.  Sweet little lady. And it worked. I find this scene often, but in different configurations, it almost always involves someone hoping, jumping or bouncing.

 We have accomplished 2 weeks of school!  Hosea is officially a kindergartener and Shiloh 2nd grader. So far we are all enjoying our new schedule, and chipping away at some great goals along the way.

 This is what our kitchen table looked like one day. I can't say it is a rare occurrence. It really captures this season of life for us. Note the portable Dvd player to distract Aggie while we attempt to get her to eat, the iPad, my laptop, mike's bible, Aggie's Mic-key connector, Salem's puffs, bill binder, random cup, 2 kids smoothies, and 2 baby trays (yellow and white). I think i see Shiloh's schedule cards too(no wonder she can never find them).  It is amazing we manage to eat 3 meals a day at this exact same location, I'm guessing this was a Sunday evening b/c of the smoothies? But may be not?

A little practice.

Fort Pickens Photo Shoo

Early in the summer we took the kids out to Fort Pickens to get some shots of them.  We got some nice ones, of course things hardly ever go as my idealistic self would prefer, but all in all, I'm pleased.  I've even made a photo card to send out to friends and family. I have them printed sitting in a pile somewhere. :/

I got the most good ones of Hosea, I guess he was feeling most cooperative.

 Best one of them all together.

 That lil nut of ours.

 She's getting hard to photograph, she's mastered all the poses and fake smiles.  But she has such a beautiful real smile, I just want the real smile. 

 This was an action shot that turned out.

 What a little doll, love her!

 I feel like this captures a lot of our family dynamics, uncensored. 

 Bright eyes.

Diet Up date

Hey Friends,
If you think of it pray for us. The diet isn't going the best. It is causing some serious constipation, and thus causing Aggie to not want to eat. So all this food weighed to the precise gram in a perfect ratio of 1 gram carb/protein to 4 grams of fat, and calculated to the exact calorie amount is not being consumed. :(

I wake up in the morning to cross multiplication of fractions in order to make scrambled eggs and bacon. The recipe looks like this:

11.8 grams of 36%cream
7 grams of "10% fruit" (we've been using orange and strawberry)
4.6 grams of bacon cooked crisp (oscar meyer)
10.1 grams raw egg mixed well
3 grams MCT oil
7.3 grams canolia

Then do your best to mix it all up and make it look delicious so a 3 year old who acts like a one year old so she might consider swallowing it instead of throwing it onto your pantry door and floor.

Incase you aren't familiar to how much a gram is, off the top of your head, b/c I had no tangible comparison until this past week, this recipe makes up a meal that could fit in the palm of my hand. It equals 175 calories, I know this b/c I did the math to ensure it. Basically 2 adult bites of egg/bacon combo and 1 bite of fruit. On a positive note, if she's not eating I don't have to cook. :/

Additionally Our Hosea has an ear infection, he is a little pitiful. We needed to reorganize a couple rooms in the house to Aggie proof them, that's mid task.  And our back yard has 3 trees laying in it that were cut down 2 days ago.  All the while trying to provide somewhat nutritional meals and do the maintenance cleaning required to sustain lives and run the home.

I'm carrying these verses around in my pocket;
Isaiah 43
"But now, this is what the Lord says- he who created you, O jacob, he who formed you, O Israel:  "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.  When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you.  When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.  for I am the Lord, your god, the Holy one of Isreal, your Savior; I give Egypt for your ransom, Cush and Seba in your stead.  Since you are precious and honored in my sight, and because I love you.  I will give men in exchange for you, and people in exchange for your life. Do not be afraid, for I am with you."

 Amen

Quick brain unload

 We were on a month long road trip June 18th to July 14th ish. We went to MO to see my family then to OH to see Mike's then up to Cleveland where we were able to speak with a Doctor who had recently done research on children with PDCD and how the ketogenic diet affect them. The diet has had nothing but positive effects on these children according to the study. The Dr. spent an hour and a half answering our questions, it was so helpful!! We also learned some good news.
1. Aggie looks very well for a female with the disease. That she has any form of mobility at all is remarkable. We are so thankful, and hopeful that she may someday walk.
2. If a female with the disease lives to be 4 years of age she will likely live into adulthood.  Since Aggie is 3 and well, things are looking good for a longer life. Good news to us.

Mike is out of the Marine Corp, he has applied to the Navy Reserves and once he is in; he is hoping to apply for a full time job with in the reserves. He is currently unemployed and the paper work for this transition can take 1-6 months.  He's getting a lot done around the house now that we are home.

We went to a parent practicum for classical conversations, our home-school group, for 3 days in July.  I did the tutor training, as I'm going to be a "tutor" (aka teacher) in one of our children's classrooms when we all meet on Tuesdays.

We started Aggie on the Ketogenic Diet 4 days ago. She is officially in ketosis, which is the goal.  It is suppose to supply a more useable form of energy for her.  She won't eat much(which is not the goal), but is drinking her new formula well.  Her temperament is relatively the same, which has large fluctuations on a normal day, so it's really hard to tell how she's feeling.

Salem is starting to roll all over the floor to get to what she wants. She is nearly 7 months old. It's nice to see her progressing. She's pretty cute and sweet. We love her!