Wasserbahn Waterpark!

We had a great time over the weekend having the Duncan's visit and going to the Wasserbahn indoor waterpark! What a great time for the boys...and the parents! :)

It was VERY evident that Zay has a love for the water! We did the kiddy slide more times that I could count! And he got so excited when the BIG bucket would dump water...and if he could be under the big splash, that was even better!

One of the Duncan boys...Leyton I think?

The other Duncan boy...Riley (I think).

Both boys with their mommy!

And Zay with his mommy!

And afterwards...the daddy's did a good job entertaining the boys while the mommy's got ready!

Fun Family Night!

The other night we happen to be in Coralville when they were having "free night" at the children's museum. We have been there before, but not with Daddy...so we showed Daddy all around the museum! It was a lot of fun...for all of us!

Daddy giving Zay some money at the drive-up bank.

The airplane room...lots of fun to be had here!

Inside the real airplane, playing with all the buttons.

The music room!

Having a ball with all the drums!

Zay really enjoyed the piano...maybe some lessons in his future?

Inside the mirrored box!

The train room...what a hit for our little guy who LOVES trains!

The garden room...showing Daddy some of the plants he was growing.

After the Children's museum, Zay was fascinated with the carousel. Since it was free, we decided we'd let him go on it...he thought it was great, UNTIL it started moving! Ha!

This is how we spent most of the ride...since Zay didn't actually like the horse to MOVE!

Shoveling Snow!

Snow means...shoveling! No worries at the Austerman house...we've got plenty of volunteers to help!

Goodbye AEA!

I thought I would do a quick update on Zay's AEA Early Access progress! I'm sad, but also thrilled that we won't be seeing the AEA teacher anymore. I've been so spoiled having our teacher come about every other month since Zay was born to 'observe' him and make sure he's where he needs to be developmentally. And they've been so helpful giving me ideas on everything from the pacifier to educational activities! They've calmed my worries many times and overall just been a big help to me as a first time mom!

When we moved we met a new teacher and after she came a couple of times and worked with Zay, we both decided that he just didn't need to be observed anymore. She was giving him activities for 3 and 4 year olds and he was whizzing through them. Not bad for a little guy that just turned 2! I was surprised when she told me how far advanced he was, and of course so thankful that Zay is progressing so well! :) We can call her at anytime if we have questions, etc. Although Zay still qualifies for this service because of his PKU, we are thankful that he just doesn't need it. I'm happy to free up our teacher's time to go work with other children that need the extra help.

With that being said, we have started meeting with a Speech Pathologist. They tell me that Zay's speech is borderline on needing help, but since he qualifies for the service I feel strongly that I want the extra help for Zay (really the help is for me...teaching me how to work with him!). We've let go of one service and added another!

It's funny, because it's only Zay's speech that suffers...his language and vocabulary are amazing! We can teach him a sign and he only needs to be shown once before he immediately starts using it! I've met multiple speech pathologists through various situations and they all have highly encouraged sign language! This helps with a lot of things, but it keeps the communication flowing and helps kids not get frustrated!

Our speech pathologist was also mentioning that there have been studies done that show babies that have been taught sign language are more likely to develop larger vocabularies and become better readers. The signing stimulates the synapses of the brain by using both the right and left hemispheres of the brain, whereas learning spoken language by itself only uses the brain's left hemisphere. Now, I haven't read these studies, but I thought it was interesting!

It's a bummer that Zay's little mouth just doesn't want to make all the sounds we want him too, but I know it will come with time! We already are hearing more and more words! Shane and I laugh, because we know that one day Zay is going to just start talking away and we will REALLY know everything that he's been hearing!

I always remember my mother-in-law's words..."you work so hard trying to get your kids to walk and talk and then you spend the rest of your parenting years trying to get them to sit down and be quiet"...Ha - so true!!

Anyway, we were happy to hear some great news on Zay. Always happy to have a good report on our little guy! :)

Nearly as good as the sandbox...almost like building a snowman...

Yesterday Zay and I made some 'cloud dough'! And boy was it fun...and messy! Basically it's mold-able dough. Zay was entertained for at least 45 minutes, however there was need for constant supervision since we were inside and trying to keep everything in the tub!

Recipe= 8 cups flour, 1 cup baby oil...EASY!

At first Zay didn't like it on his hands...he kept trying to clean his hands off!

Scoop and dump...scoop and dump...

Our little snow man...much warmer than going outside in the wind!

Overall it was a ton of fun...

And when it was all over...we needed a complete change of clothes! And as you can see, Zay is changing his tune about being without clothes...he's turned into a shy little guy now!

Photo Wall

I've done some more Pinterest projects...this time I did an easier version of the canvas pictures! They were a bit challenging to take a picture of them on this gloomy day...but you get the idea!

(source)

I just received an order of pictures from Zay's 2 year old shoot. I'm excited to make some more of these! Can't beat having some adorable pics of our boy all over our house! :)

Ah...how we love 50 degree days!

It's so nice to get outside...in January...in Iowa!

We've been so blessed with so many warm days this winter...we LOVE it!

Today we played in the sandbox...

We went down the slide...

We climbed the rock wall...

We chased Bailey...

We kicked the ball...

And we took a break when we got tired!

Then...we weren't so happy when it was time to come inside. :(

Learning Colors!

Isaiah has been working on learning his colors! I'm amazed at how much he LOVES to do activities like this! He's growing into such a little learning machine!

An up-close look at our activity!

Let's go shopping!

But not without...Scout!

Sometimes it's hard to get Scout's feet just right to get in the cart...hmmm, this doesn't sound familiar at all!

Hang on, Scout...you are about to go for a wild ride!

What a great day!

A little different...

I've realized for some time now that our family is different. Well...besides the obvious reasons, like Shane and my personality quirks, which were passed on to our little boy...we are forever going to be different, because of a little word called phenylketonuria.

A couple of weeks ago I decided to grab lunch at the food court at the mall. Looking at all the options I decided on Chik-fil-A. This was because I knew I could get a 'meal deal' which came with french fries for Zay's lunch.

Upon sitting down to enjoy our meal, I realize that Chik-fil-A has waffle fries. Normally very tasty, however...they leave the skin on the potatoes. Most people wouldn't know this, but there is A LOT of Phe in the skin of potatoes. Example...the skin from one potato has 115 mg Phe. To put that in perspective - right now Isaiah is only allowed 100 mg Phe per day!

So, I solve this problem by eating the skins off the waffle fries before giving the fries to Zay. Now...we are completely surrounded in tight quarters by all the last minute holiday shoppers, and I undoubtedly could see 2 different tables of people staring at me! I continued to shoo Isaiah from just grabbing the fries strait from the container and would take a couple of bites of each fry before feeding it to him. All I could think is...I am just sure I look like a mama bird pre-chewing food before feeding it to my baby bird!

I had to chuckle at this entire situation...but it was also humbling.

And then yesterday another incident happened. I've been blessed to attend MOPS at a local church that Shane and I have started attending. As always, I pack Isaiah a snack to have while he is in the nursery. Being the 3rd or 4th time Zay has been in the nursery, the workers are starting to remember Isaiah with his special diet.

When I went to pick Zay up afterward, one of the workers asked me if Zay had an allergy or if I just brought his food so I could control what he was having. I started explaining PKU, etc.

Bless this lady, she felt so bad for Isaiah, because while they were having snack, Zay was looking around at all the other kid's eating their popcorn and vanilla wafers, and had a sad look on his face. She even offered to bring pretzels and raisins so Zay could eat with the other kids. If it were only that easy!

I had to explain that his pretzels aren't just any pretzels, but if she wanted to bring fruit or veggies, he can have most of those.

I also explained that it has taken me a long time to come to terms with Zay's reality, and that he will be different for the rest of his life.

Shane and I have been told by other PKU families that feeling sorry for him isn't going to help him thrive. Instead, Shane and I have learned to take on the attitude that EVERYONE is different and has special things. Some kids need glasses. Some kids can't eat nuts. Some kids need a wheelchair. Zay just happens to eat differently than most kids. And that's ok...because he is THRIVING right where God has placed him...even if it appears his mom chews his food for him before he eats it...Ha! :)

Thoughts on discipline...

I thought I'd copy down and review a few of the ideas discussed at MOPS today, mainly because this is the easiest place for me to keep track of good ideas...the piece of paper with all my scribbled notes is sure to be lost and then recycled because it's causing too much clutter. So...online it goes, where it will never be lost or forgotten...well unless somehow something happens to blogger, in which case I'd be heartbroken for not getting my 'blog' printed into a book yet! Ahh...oh well, sooner or later! :)

So...some thoughts on disciplining our children...

James 1:20 says: For a man's anger does not produce the righteous life that God desires.

1. Think about when you get angry with your kids - can you identify the true source of your anger? Usually our anger is triggered by our own agenda or schedule being interrupted...

2. Sometimes our anger is rooted by our lack of faith...little whispers of discouragement. (ie: this child will never listen and obey the first time I ask, is he EVER going to pick up his toys, why do I have to fight with him to brush his teeth, etc)

3. God isn't getting stressed out by our kids not obeying the first time we ask...therefore should we be all up in arms about it? Rather consider it an opportunity for us to grow in faith...trust that God will help us have grace, patience, and a loving attitude to parent our child.

4. Think outside of being a mom! It's important for us to have perspective on things other than just mothering our children.

5. Your job is not to make your kids happy! Your job is to train (love) them and when they are trained, they will be happy!

6. Don't nag your kids to stop doing something - just hand out the consequence! They will learn that you are in charge and they need to obey.

7. Make sure the consequence is a whole lot worse than the crime - if it's not harsh enough, they won't care.

8. Think of natural consequences - make it hurt a little. (ie: if a child fights you to put on their coat before they go outside, maybe let the go outside without their coat on...they will surely be cold, but will have to wait until it is convenient for you to put their coat on for them. Most kids aren't going to be endangered by a little cold for a short time)

9. When God disciplines us, he isn't mad at us, he loves us and is showing us He is in charge and wants what is best for us. Our kids need to know the same.

10. Where is your faith? Do you believe the better mom you are, the better kids you will produce? Or do you believe that God is in control? Don't fall for the lie that YOU are the 'be all' and 'end all' of your children's outcome. Put it in God's hands and ask Him for guidance! (highlighted because this was my favorite take away from the discussion today...so often I try so hard to be the BEST mom I can so that my child will 'turn out' ok...I'm realizing I need to put my trust in God. He's guiding me and showing me how to raise HIS child!)

11. Get the word of God in your children's head...it will naturally sink in! (This can't happen unless it is in your head as well!)

Some key verses:

Hebrews 11:6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him

1 Peter 4:12 Dear friends, do no be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you.

James 1:2-4 Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of you faith develops perseverance.

Hebrews 12:11 No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.

Galatians 5:6b The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.

Romans 15:13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Romans 10:17 Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.