Hey guys! It’s been about a year since I’ve done a “life lately” post (not really, but it’s been too long), so I’m back to share a little about what’s going on around here. So here goes:
jeans ($16.94 and fit like a dream) | striped shirt | cardigan (feels and looks high end but only $13.96)
Our big summer trip is coming to a close. The kids and I left Hawaii at the end of June and have spent most of the summer at Fripp Island, SC with my parents. We had lots of family stay at Fripp in different rentals on the island for a couple weeks and it was wonderful to see everyone and watch Jack and Caroline develop relationships that I hope will last a lifetime. We met up with Tom and went to Maine for a week to see his family, then we came back to Fripp for a couple days all together. Then I went to West Point for a week for my Reserve job (I work for the USMA admissions department) and Tom flew back to Hawaii the day I flew back to SC. We seriously missed each other in the airport by about 30 minutes. I’m now back at Fripp with the kids and my parents and my mom will help me fly back to Hawaii at the end of the month. Oh but first Caroline, mom and I are taking a short trip to Charleston (on our way there today, actually), so follow along on Stories if you want to see some of that pretty little town all of America loves. (Here is an old post on on of my last Charleston trips from when Jack was a baby, and here is Julia Engel’s Charleston guide which I really enjoyed using the last time Tom and I went there together.)
My beloved gold sandals broke in the airport on my trip to New York. I’m heartbroken because these shoes have been my go-to for a few years now (I was on my second pair) but now I’m looking at it as an opportunity to try out something new (I’m wearing the sandals in pretty much every photo in this post). I’m leaning towards these metallic rose gold Birkenstock sandals (I saw a girl at the airport wearing them and thought they were so cute). The white bottom part makes them look a little dressier (and preppier?) than regular Arizona Birkenstocks, which makes me like them even more. I bought my first pair at the beginning of summer (this hot pink waterproof pair) and I’ve been living in them ever since. What do you think of Birkenstocks? I was hesitant to get on board but am a believer now because they’re so comfy. I’m also considering this pair of Jack Rogers that is a different style than any of my other Jacks. What do you think?
Jack’s vocabulary has grown by leaps and bounds this summer. I attribute it to him getting older (he will turn three on November 2nd) and him being around lots of people all day long most of the summer. He now will put 2 or 3 word sentences together and he will repeat things he hears which he’s never really done before. He tries to say new things all the time, but because of the fluid in his ears the words are still very hard to make out (since he is likely hearing us as if he was underwater). I find myself translating for him a lot but I’m so proud of him. He still babbles incoherently a lot of the time but the progress has been so good to see. I’m praying his upcoming hearing test results in the ENT referral we so desperately need, and that we won’t have to wait long to get tubes put in. I’ve heard so many stories about how tubes made such a huge difference for other kids with speech delays and I’m so hopeful that it’ll be the same story for Jack. I’ll keep you posted! For now, Jack is still very strong willed but I think him being able to communicate better has helped lessen the dramatic meltdowns.
Jack learned to swim! My dad took Jack’s puddle jumper off about a month ago and turns out Jack knew how to swim just from watching other kids do it. He swims with his face under the water and comes up to breathe and then puts his head back down. It’s incredible to see! We work with him every time we swim and he continues to get better and better. I’ll enroll him in swim lessons eventually but want to wait until he is better at listening and taking instruction…which will likely be once he can hear better after the fluid is gone.
Caroline is almost a year old. How on earth did that happen? She turns one on September 4th and it seems like just yesterday that she was a tiny little newborn. Time sure does fly the second time around. She has 2 teeth and is on the verge of walking. I bet it’ll happen around 13 months or so. I’m not rushing it because I know walking = trouble 😉
Marathon training should start today. Not sure I announced it here but I signed up for the Honolulu Marathon on December 9th. Most marathon training plans are 16 weeks long…and today I am officially 16 weeks out. Guess I’d better choose a training plan. I’m torn on whether I want to try for a PR (personal record) or just run for completion. My PR is 3:40 so breaking into the 3:30s is going to take a significant amount of work. I’m sure I can do it, I just know that it’s going to be tough to manage with two toddlers at home and a husband who works insane and unpredictable hours. I need a challenging training plan but one that is actually sustainable with this current phase of life (does one even exist?). If you have a great plan that sounds like it fits the bill please share!
Ok well that’s it for now and it hits a lot of the big things that are going on with us. I’ll try to be better with these updates this fall once we’re back to normal life and Jack is in school 🙂
I am on week 8 of my marathon training and I'm just ready for Chicago to be here. I know you can make it happen!!! I had to break down and buy a treadmill because of my husband's unpredictable schedule, ugh.
Hey Katie! I’m a new follower (and Army wife) and just wanted to say hi! My older son just turned two and we’ve started the speech journey with him. Still early days in the hearing testing but he had fluid in his ears the first go, so going back in a few weeks to see if it’s still there. SO happy that Jack’s speech has started to take off! It’s been hard to wait for Jay’s, but every word or attempt is such a gift! I will never take it for granted. Thanks for sharing the process; it definitely makes me feel less alone!
Hi Madeleine, thank you so much for following along and it's wonderful to "meet" you! You are so right, the whole speech delay thing can be incredibly isolating. It's especially tough around the 2 year mark when all of the other kids are really starting to take off language-wise and you're over here desperate for a "momma" or any single word. I'm so glad you all are pursuing speech. Is that through your state-early intervention program? That's what Jack has been enrolled in for nearly a year, and he will likely end up in special ed preschool once he turns 3. Praying the tubes help him catch up quickly but for now I'm just thankful for these free resources. Thanks for taking the time to comment and best of luck with figuring it all out for you little one. Feel free to reach out if you ever need to since we are about a year ahead in the process 🙂
Girl I know what you mean, sometimes to train up seems to last FOREVER. Best of luck with training these next 8 weeks and then I know you'll do great! Crazy you had to buy a treadmill but totally understand about the unpredictable schedule. Gotta do what you've gotta do!
For the marathon training, I’ve had success with Jeff Galloway’s Run Walk Run method. Currently, I’m preparing for Soldier’s in late November. Best of luck with the tubes for Jack. I love your pictures & videos of the kids swimming!
He’s gone through a referral process with his doc. We take him to the pediatrician on post and he referred Jay to an outside therapy center that serves our post community. We just had our first session this week and so far so good! The therapist is terrific. Our hearing follow-up is in a few weeks. We had started the process with EI but he came off the waitlist at the other center before we got too far. EI is amazing. I’m so glad you’re loving the services. I’ll definitely reach out with any questions, but know that I’m rooting for Jack out here in NY. Take care!
I am on week 8 of my marathon training and I'm just ready for Chicago to be here. I know you can make it happen!!! I had to break down and buy a treadmill because of my husband's unpredictable schedule, ugh.
Hey Katie! I’m a new follower (and Army wife) and just wanted to say hi! My older son just turned two and we’ve started the speech journey with him. Still early days in the hearing testing but he had fluid in his ears the first go, so going back in a few weeks to see if it’s still there. SO happy that Jack’s speech has started to take off! It’s been hard to wait for Jay’s, but every word or attempt is such a gift! I will never take it for granted. Thanks for sharing the process; it definitely makes me feel less alone!
Hi Madeleine, thank you so much for following along and it's wonderful to "meet" you! You are so right, the whole speech delay thing can be incredibly isolating. It's especially tough around the 2 year mark when all of the other kids are really starting to take off language-wise and you're over here desperate for a "momma" or any single word. I'm so glad you all are pursuing speech. Is that through your state-early intervention program? That's what Jack has been enrolled in for nearly a year, and he will likely end up in special ed preschool once he turns 3. Praying the tubes help him catch up quickly but for now I'm just thankful for these free resources. Thanks for taking the time to comment and best of luck with figuring it all out for you little one. Feel free to reach out if you ever need to since we are about a year ahead in the process 🙂
Girl I know what you mean, sometimes to train up seems to last FOREVER. Best of luck with training these next 8 weeks and then I know you'll do great! Crazy you had to buy a treadmill but totally understand about the unpredictable schedule. Gotta do what you've gotta do!
For the marathon training, I’ve had success with Jeff Galloway’s Run Walk Run method. Currently, I’m preparing for Soldier’s in late November. Best of luck with the tubes for Jack. I love your pictures & videos of the kids swimming!
He’s gone through a referral process with his doc. We take him to the pediatrician on post and he referred Jay to an outside therapy center that serves our post community. We just had our first session this week and so far so good! The therapist is terrific. Our hearing follow-up is in a few weeks. We had started the process with EI but he came off the waitlist at the other center before we got too far. EI is amazing. I’m so glad you’re loving the services. I’ll definitely reach out with any questions, but know that I’m rooting for Jack out here in NY. Take care!