As Another Weekend Comes To a Close

We reflect on all the great things we did this weekend.  Swimming and playing, riding bikes, a mini Straub reunion.  Oh my!

There was also bubbles

Tug A War!  Plus a sneaky tactic to get the ball back

  

Frozen Non-Alcoholic Drinks

There was flower sprinkler playing.  Mommy and Daddy enjoyed a few rounds through the water too!

Most of all  there was love and laughter!   

Oh Mother Nature!!

We were all super excited this weekend to attend Mr Blue's Event!  Unfortunately, Mother Nature had other plans as the temperature went from 80s to low 60s in approx 10 mins.  Very windy and a lot of rain doesn't equal a fun outdoor event.  Kylie was disappointed but can't wait til the rescheduled event. 

Luckily there were still cake pops.  Of course Kylie loves her Mr. Blue  and was nervous to eat him.  She kept saying Oh No but enjoyed every bite!  Po Po the frog she enjoyed as well!  We are huge fans of the cake pops!  

Until the Whole World Swims and Mother Nature is nice!

New Beginnings

There have been so many new beginnings in our lives these last few weeks I don't know where to start.  I guess one at a time!

This past weekend, Kylie and I went to Richmond, Virginia on a regional jet for my brother Leo/Lenny/Leonard's wedding to Jacquelyn.  The trip went well although we did have a minor roadblock in the beginning,  Kylie and I made it to the Miami Airport and well left our suitcase in the garage at home.  Back home we went and Take Two went much smoother and we arrived in Richmond about 8 hours after the original flight would have gotten us there.  

It was great to meet Jacquelyn's family and share in this joyous occasion of a new beginning for Mr. and Mrs. Leonard Straub. Kylie happened to be the flower girl although stage fright got the best of her and she made it down the aisle with her own escort ME! It was also great to be with the Straub family once again and it of course involved some food fights and some dancing!

 Here is Kylie and I just starting 

to walk down the aisle.  

She was very worried about throwing the flowers on the floor!

Mr. and Mrs. Leonard Straub

Uncle Leo and Kylie Dancing the Night Away

The Flower Girl

 Two Girls having a drink at the bar

Hitting the Dance Floor

On Tuesday was Kylie's  New Beginning as she started at Park Spring Elementary.  Due to Kylie's hearing loss and her deficiencies in speech and language she qualifies to attend preschool through our local elementary school.  We have been working since October and our prayers were answered with her being included in this program.  She attends Park Springs (where she will go to Kindergarten one day) five days a week for three hours.  There are approximately 10 kids in her class ranging from 3-5.  The setting is that of a normal preschool and mirrors the lessons for her age.  The difference is that the teachers both have degrees in speech therapy and work with the kids on their verbal communication.  Kylie also has a teacher that comes in three times a week for thirty minutes that is part of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Group that works with her to train her ears to listen for the sounds.  We are truly blessed!  

Here are some pictures of Kylie on her first day of Park Springs.  For those of you saying okay, well what does she do for the rest of the day?  Well, the school bus picks her up and takes her to her preschool/day care that she has been attending so she gets a half day at each!  The school bus is the highlight of her day!  She gets to wear this cute little harness (looks like she is going zip-lining) and she goes on the bus with the friends from her class the driver as well as a assistant that rides along with them.  I wonder if they sing the Wheels on the Bus?? 

Kylie and Daddy ready for school! 

Kylie's Classroom - Mrs Gail and Ms Patti's Class 

President's Day Weekend

It was another busy one always filled with fun and excitement. The biggest event overall was Mommy's A1A Marathon, where she ran the half-marathon. This year mommy's goal was to help push our neighbor and friend to  run the half marathon in less time than her previous race. As Mommy went her distances, so did Kylie with new adventurous foods. We introduced her to the Japanese edamame beans! Although she ate them with her favorite Chinese noodles, we were still very impressed with her eating these green beans. 

 Yes, I  know probably not the best manners to tell someone to show how proud they are eating!

Another one of Kylie's favorite activities is dancing! We finally got a chance to play Xbox Kinect Just Dance for Kids 2 that Grandma got her awhile back. While Mommy was out doing her half marathon, Kylie and I got our exercise in too! Now besides reading one of her favorite books, she can dance to it as well!

Lazy Sunday??

While I aimed for a Lazy Sunday, Kylie had other things in mind. We had another GREAT day!  We hit the stores and did some grocery shopping, which she enjoys especially pushing the cart around and using my credit card!  We came home for arts and crafts time and cooking time.  Kylie made some rice krispy treats with my help of course!

She cleaned up some spilled water.  Interesting way to clean it up with towels on each foot.

Showing off her Valentine's Toy from 

Gung Gung and Po Po

 

Jam Session Saturday

Kylie and I got up today and decided that we were going to have one amazing Saturday. Well not originally when she woke up at 2:45am screaming and then wanting to watch a movie.  However, when she woke up at 6:00am yes!  

We had a Dance Party this morning.  Kylie's favorite song right now is On the Floor by Jennifer Lopez and she has a whole dance routine to it.  I wasn't allowed to tape the dance but here she is after smiling in her PJs.  (By the Way she now has to approve the pictures after you take them and if she doesn't like she asks for another!)

We went to Starbucks for Tea and Apple Juice and one of those cute little doughnuts.  They were out!  Did they not get the memo it was Lum Amazing Saturday?  So we left with our drinks and stopped at Dunkin Donuts.  Here is Kylie enjoying her Heart Doughnut!  

We did some Yard work, Cleaned the Garage, Painted our Toe Nails, Played with our Car, Bike, Scooter and Football with our neighborhood friends. 

We did have a mighty Jam Session.  It started with Aaron and Kylie on their Paper Jamz Guitars but Andy joined in as well!  Aaron also brought out his drums and we all got jamming! 

We also recently added two new additions to our family.  Kylie simply calls them her Frogs.  Introducing the Lum's Frogs.

We did so much today what will we ever do tomorrow?  Sleep in, rest on the couch.. Just a few wishes from me!

Punxsutawney Phil shadow means 6 more weeks of winter

Oh no Six More weeks of a Florida Winter!  Does this mean that maybe we will be cooler than 75 in the upcoming weeks?  Here is Kylie facing the cold winter temps at the park! 

 

Kylie's class celebrated Groundhog Day today and she was very excited to show me her new hat tonight.  

She also thought Mac should check out the Groundhog.

Now for an update on Kylie overall.....Kylie has been doing great with her princess ears and although she isn't speaking the vocabulary of a Harvard Grad yet she is starting to communicate more.  It is hard to believe that it has only been a little over a month since she get her princess ears.  They are such a part of our normal routine now it is hard to imagine things without them.  We have gotten looks and stares and apologies from strangers about her "disability".  We truly don't see her as having a disability at all.  She functions just like anyone else and puts her pants on one leg at time too!  

She has been learning some sign language and it is amazing how fast she picks up on it.  I have to admit some of the signs are funny!  She never stops smiling and truly enjoys every moment of life.  Just the way a three year old should be.  Thank you for all of your well wishes, thoughts and support.  We have a meeting with the pediatric cardiologist on Valentine's Day and Audiologist appointment on the 16th.  We are excited to learn how her levels are of her hearing with and without the princess ears.