Kyson's "House"

A few weeks ago when we went to visit my parents, my dad had saved the packaging of their new jetted tub. He thought, "Kyson would love it." Well Grandpa understands Kyson well. It started as innocent fun at my parent's house with my dad and Kyson bonding in the foam tub, but then the innocence left when Grandpa decided to bring it to our house. Since that time, Kyson refers to it as his house and he is crazy with it. He dives in the little hole in the middle, he drags it around the house, he tries to hide under it and drag Frannie in with him, and he curls up and goes to sleep in it. We've had to take it into the garage to try and calm him down a few times, but the fact is - he loves it.

It's Official!

For a long time my niece, Chelsie, had a hard time with a father figure in her life. Her biological father left my sister and his children 9 years ago and has had no contact with them since, except to insult or argue. He was never around before he left, and since has only confirmed our negative views of him.

However, five years ago a new man stepped in to fill that void for Chelsie. Bill Madsen married my sister on September 17, 2005 and has brought so much happiness to my sister and her family in a way that I'm so grateful for. He has been an amazing support to Jennifer and her children and has loved and treated them all as if they were his biological children. Last week, on March 16, Bill officially adopted Chelsie. Even though she has been calling him "Dad" since he entered her life, now it's official, it's finally official.

Our New Nephew

Things have been extremely busy lately with missing out on my mornings to get work done. The kids are back to full health and since Kyson has been able to get out of the house, the destructive behavior has decreased tremendously. He's back to the typical two-year-old behavior. While life was being all crazy, a new spirit has joined our family.

Kris's brother and sister- in-law adopted their 4th son a few weeks ago. Drew Terrance was born on February 20 from an emergency C-section. The biological mom went to her doctor for a routine appointment, but her blood pressure was dangerously high and they took the baby that day. He was born 6 weeks early and was in the NICU until March 4. For most of that time, Rusty and Amy were not allowed to hold him, and they couldn't even touch him until he got off a ventilator. Drew is a tiny little baby. He was born at 4 lbs 8 oz and 17 1/2" long. After a week in the NICU his weight increased to 5 lbs 3oz and was pro- gressing well.

This last weekend we finally had the opportunity to go meet our little nephew for the first time. Boy he's cute and so itsy bitsy. to give you some perspective I had them place Drew next to Kodi who is an average 5 1/2 month old girl. She looks gigantic! He was so sweet, but didn't wake up the entire time we were there. We'll see those beautiful eyes soon enough.

Kyson really enjoyed being able to play rough with his cousins. Not may kids like to play as rough as Kyson, but his cousins are just like him. It was soooo wonderful to watch them all play. Kris was a good sport too. Kyson is getting better and better about warming up to them. We need to go over there more often. Hopefully with Kyson being in Blake's preschool class it will help a lot.

Operation Breakdown

Well, Kyson is at the end of his antibiotic and is back in action full force. His first plan of attack now that he's gained his energy is to send his parents on a short vacation to a psych ward. So far Operation Breakdown is working. Today while I was at work, Kris was taking care of Kodi when phase one began - coloring. Kyson took a black crayon and went through the house coloring on the walls and doors. Kris called be right after he discovered it and was able to let out the anger by talking to me instead of taking it out on Kyson. Kris said, "I know what we're going to do for our next Family Home Evening!" After our conversation on the phone Kris was able to take Kyson through the house and help him understand that coloring on the wall hurts. So he kept looking and pointing at the marks saying,"Ouch!" When I got home from work, I gave him a Magic Eraser and said,"Get to it!"

Phase two of Operation Breakdown happened in

an isolated area. He broke the curtain rod in our bedroom. He bent the thing terribly. I don't know how he did it without ripping it out of the wall.

I'm so glad to have my little boy back, but I'm afraid Operation Breakdown may be a powerfully strategic plan of attack. Kris and I will have to come up with some defense.