The Valencic Family Newsletter

January 10th, 2007 edition

Big changes, I guess... The biggest being that Timothy David Valencic was born on November 10th at 9:44 am.  We chose a scheduled induction for several reasons, the first of which being concerns about a safe, uncomplicated birth.  He came safe and sound (and quickly) and is our largest baby by far!  (Not huge news that he's a HE though, hehe)

After Timothy was born we figured we had a little while to find a larger vehicle so we'd all fit... or at least a second one so we can all make it to church.  We have all been to church for 3 weeks now but we have to get one person a ride, because, surprise, noone has a large enough vehicle to sell in our price range!  So that's on the back burner while we now try to find simply a second vehicle.  It IS kind of fun telling people we are looking for a 12 or 15 passenger van :)

Tom is doing well, work is going fine, his calling is great as well.  Our ward meets at 11 am again.  Timothy was blessed on December 31st and we were able to have some of Tom's family in attendance, which was nice.  They came for an after-Christmas visit, postponed from one planned earlier.  What was really nice was that they were here for Tom's and my 11th anniversary, and we actually went out on a date without any children!

The kids keep me busy with homeschooling and just all the regular Mom stuff, as well as my Primary calling and anything else I might be thinking about doing.  We love the library and our new neighborhood (we moved this summer) and our new house.  It was very fun decorating for Christmas.  Still working on Christmas cross stitch stockings for the kids, 3 down, more to go, sigh.  I don't know where all my free time is going, folks!  Odd...

Michael is now 10 and in the 4th grade officially (though working at well beyond grade level in some things).  He just started Webelos and has already earned several of the activity badges.  He loves going to scouts again with his friends who are a little older than him.  He likes to write, read, build with Magnetix, Legos, or anything else, or draw, plan, imagine, write letters, and sometimes just think.  I can't believe he is double digits!  His site is here. He did a lot in designing it.  He is enjoying reading the Chronicles of Narnia, though I think his favorite movies are still the Harry Potter movies as well as Star Wars.  He really enjoyed spending time with his grandparents and aunts while they were here, including beating his aunt at a Battleship tournament and winning a banana split.

Benjamin is now 8 years old and in 2nd grade and a Wolf scout.  He hasn't earned his Wolf Badge yet but is working hard on it.  He still loves being a big brother, especially to Timothy and Samuel and is a great help keeping one of them happy if Mom's attentions are required elsewhere in the house (Nathanael).  He loves Legos, Transformers, Star Wars, Harry Potter, and is trying to read Chronicles of Narnia as well.  He is proud that he could read almost all of "How to Eat Fried Worms" late this summer and he and Michael really enjoyed the movie when we checked it out.  Homeschooling is going well with Benjamin and some days he gets started before he even eats breakfast.  He is very talented at Math.  His website is here, updated just after his birthday in October.

Emilie is 6 1/2 or more, in 1st grade, and looking forward to turning 7 and then 8 so she can be baptized and go to Activity Days.  She knows it is now next year.  Not long ago she figured out that she had a birthday that matched the year... i.e., turning 3 in 2003, 6 in 2006, etc.  Now that we're in 2007, she knows she will be baptized next year.  She loves being in a new Primary class with the same teacher as last year.  She can ready very well now and her math skills are growing as well.  She is looking forward to doing ballet and tap again in the spring.  She was very disappointed that Timothy was not a sister, but likes him anyways.  At least that is what she tells him.  She is a great big sister and looks forward to when Timothy can move his bed to her room, now that Samuel is with the big boys.  Her page is here, and I will update it closer to her birthday.

Nathanael is nearly 4 and knows it.  He asks everyday if he's 4 yet.  He knows his birthday is after Samuel's and that there is another month involved in there somewhere, but he checks just in case.  He is trying hard to be a big boy, but sometimes can't help whining, talking like Samuel (baby talk) or throwing tantrums.  He still speaks very clearly when he chooses to do so, and repeats himself quite a bit.  He loves numbers, counting, letters, reading, new books, being read to, and homeschooling.  He's not really fond of following directions and wasn't very nice to his new teacher at church.  He's now in BIG Primary and out of Nursery, which he's thrilled about.  He's not too happy that his class is all girls.  He is also a good big brother and loves playing with Samuel and holding Timothy (or just talking to him while Timothy is in his swing, car seat, bouncy seat or even just on the floor)  Nathanael's page is here, and will also be updated nearer his birthday.

Samuel will be 2 next Saturday.  I took him to get his 2 year old pictures with a "BIG 2!"  He asked if we were going to church, as we put him in his church clothes.  For a while he was refusing to say the number 2 at all.  He would instead insist on saying 1 or 3.  (fee!)  He is definitely a personality in our home.  His favorite word is no, but he is a big tease and his grin is super cute.  He loves animals, Pooh, Elmo (it comes out sounding more like "bobo"), and Bob the Builder lately.  He also asks to watch the Wiggles now and then.  He loves coloring at the table and "hoe-cooling" with everyone else.  He knows his colors and letters and numbers.  As we drove up to Sears he said BIG S.  And then in the portrait studio, he said "D, Dad!" which was on a block in the props.  He loves Nursery, but other than that, hates seeing or talking to people outside our family.  Including the photographer.  His site is here, and is very up to date.  He LOVES anything to do with Cars the movie, or cars themselves.

Timothy is the newest addition to our family.  He doesn't seem to have many preferences yet, other than to be clean, dry, fed, and not too sleepy.  He loves being held by any sibling or Mom and Dad.  He is starting to smile, wave his arms a little less randomly, and almost laugh.  He is very large for his age, gaining at least an ounce a day since his birth 2 months ago.  As of Monday he is 13 lbs 10 oz.  That was right after a diaper and clothes change.  He will have his 2 month appointment later in the month and we'll get an "official" weight and height.  We can almost see him growing.  He is wearing 3-6 months clothes, size 2 diapers, no shoes but loving his Christmas socks, and gaining weight as we speak.  I don't know how he does it.  He isn't quite sleeping through the night but can go 6 hours at a time which Mom and Dad both appreciate.  He has very little hair but it looks very light colored, blue-ish eyes still (where Samuel's eyes were already turning brown at this age).  We are all in love with him and I think we'll keep him.  :)  His new page is here.

Please call, write, email, and/or visit anytime.

Love, Tabitha, Tom, Michael, Benjamin, Emilie, Nathanael, Samuel, and Timothy

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