It's Been A Very Long Time!

I know! I know! It's been a very long time!

Now that school has begun, I feel like I have fallen off the face of the earth. So... I've decided to do what so many of you have done recently. An update on the Wood family!

School is going along fairly well. We have now been in school for almost a quarter now. This new year has brought about some amazing challenges but many awesome rewards. I have some great students in my class this year, and they are now beginning to understand the routines and procedures of the classroom and school now. Our principal kept stating that September 23rd was the magic date where something finally clicks in the students' heads to where the routines and procedures have become ingrained into their brains. We anxiously awaited that date! :) (The date has now come and gone. So what's the verdict? We are doing better! Thank goodness!)

Richard's health has been a challenge this summer, but we feel that we are getting to the bottom of it all. (He has another doctor's appointment tomorrow, so we shall see.) So hopefully, his health will be much improved very soon. Other than his health, his practicing of optometry continues to go well. It is so nice to see your spouse enjoying his profession and waking up each morning eager to start the new day!

Alex is doing very well in the fifth grade. He is enjoying his teachers, school work, and friends. I can't believe how quickly children grow up! He is anxiously awaiting the start of Oceanography. Alex is quite the trooper! Why you ask? He is continuing with his piano lessons and has started up with the violin at school. This means that he continues to practice thirty minutes a day of piano and an additional twenty minutes of violin every day except for Sunday. And... he doesn't even complain (too much)! Are we mean parents, or what?

Addison is also doing very well in second grade and loves that her mommy is just next door to her in school. She is quite the social butterfly and has made so many new friends. She has even become very good friends with a blind girl in her class. I love the many learning and teaching opportunities this brings to her. (She has even learned to type in braille!) She is also doing very well with her violin playing. It is so surprising to me how quickly she can learn the instrument and play her songs!

Aidan is growing into a happy and healthy young lad! He is now nine months old (today!) and reaching each and every milestone WAY too quickly. He is already crawling, cruising (walking) along furniture, and climbing up stairs (We've already had a tumble down the stairs last week.). Boy! Are we in trouble! He is a very happy baby! Aidan is always smiling. We are just working on laughing more. We were a little apprehensive about finding a new sitter this school year (We miss you, Amiee!), but he loves his new sitter! So much so that he is saying her name already but not so much with the "MaMa". How dare he?! Does he not know that I am his mother and that I carried him in utero and gave birth to him? :(

We hope that this helps those of you out there feel a bit more connected to our family. Keep checking us out! I'll continue to do my best at keeping things updated.