Merry Christmas from Team Gramkow!

We became Kansans halfway through the year, and it has been a whirlwind ever since. A good whirlwind.

Ben has thoroughly enjoyed the start of his new Engineering career at Garmin. He still is working in Avionics, but it is quite a different than working for a government contractor. He has had to learn a whole new set of ways to do business, but he loves learning so it has been a win-win for him. I love how he's so fascinated by new, intricate, technical things. He did have his yearly review the other day and said he really feels like he's where he wants to be right now career-wise. So that's good, because remember...we are never moving again. :) He still has his hobby of photography, but that has been put to the side due to being a homeowner. Yep, we are realizing the to-do list just never ends.

Ellie, is now 5 going on 15. Yep, she is going to be an emotional, sensitive girl. Little dramatic. Sounds about right based on her genetic pool, right? ;) She has loved going to preschool two days a week, and wishes she could go everyday. I think she will be ready for Kindergarten next year for sure, and our elementary school is just a couple blocks away! She is reading paragraphs, and probably has more of a vocabulary than her mom! She's even pretty good at math. We are trying to work on how to be a good friend. She's pretty shy at school. I think it has been an adjustment social wise since we've kept her home the past few years due to bringing sickness home. Ellie used to countdown until the weekend when "Daddy didn't have to work", but now it's to Monday, when she and dad go to "work." I just chuckle when she and Ben (who usually eat breakfast together) part ways in the morning, and she says "Good-bye, Engineer." I so wonder what she's going to be when she grows up. However, currently she can't get past being a princess. Everything is princess around here. She even prays for princess dreams. A highlight was going to ride in the Cinderella carriage (dressed up as Cinderella of course) at the Plaza. She was in heaven! We've also grown to really love the new princess movie, Frozen! Last weekend she got to go see Beauty and the Beast, the Broadway musical. She thought that was pretty neat too, and is ready to see Cinderella in the "people version." Ellie's hair still looks like Cinderella. It has come a long way since the great hair cutting tragedy of February 2013 which left her looking like Tinkerbell. Now we're trying to grow it out like Rapunzel. This in-between princess hair growth stage has been hard. Ah, but Ellie just has the sweetest heart. She is such a great helper with her brother (when they're not fighting), with cooking, and anything Ben is fixing. She took gymnastics and is memorizing Bible verses in Awana. I think she may try dance in the future. I think she likes the fact that she can watch herself dance in the mirror at dance class. ;) I can't believe my Ellie is already 5. I do think the years could slow down, please and thank you.

Beckett (aka Bman) is now 27 months (23 months adjusted age). He is just so blasted cute. This is such a fun stage. He's starting to jabber and talk more and more each day. His recent development was saying his own name "Beckett" which sounds like "Bucket," with a British accent but it's super cute. He also just a couple days ago started making the smooch/kiss sound, and leaned in to kiss my cheek. Talk about making mama's heart melt. He hasn't repeated that as much as I'd like, but we're working on it. :) We continue to do speech therapy with Infant Toddler Services of Johnson County every other week. Physical therapy...we are seeing again after the first of the year, but I think we may be discharged soon! For the most part he has animal sounds down (still working on sheep not saying moo) and body parts (still working on ears not being eyes). His favorite words as of now are: cheese, Ellie, Mama, Dada ... OH, and actually he is really good at saying Bye, Bye Dada. Yep, that's a phrase! boots, shoes, socks, coat. Milk is still "ilk" and light is still "ight." I was hoping those would be quick fixes maybe after his ear tubes were put in, but no change yet. I'm happy to report that I think (fingers crossed) we have an asthma action plan in place that Beckett's lungs and airway are responding positively to when he gets a cold virus. We haven't had to visit the ER in quite a while, and we are SO thankful! We actually even these past few colds have not had to use an oral steroid either. Praise Jesus! We shall see how the "rest" of cold and flu season pans out. Beckett is our silent destroyer. He's into everything, but just doesn't make a peep. Man, I'm so thankful that he's a climber, and so curious...but this mama is tired! ;) So fun to see the differences between a girl and a boy! Bman isn't the greatest eater. He's super active, and super picky. He hasn't gained any weight since August, so the doctor has recommended weigh gainer (aka pediasure) to try and help this. So far he is drinking it. We'll see if he's gained any at our next doctors appointment in January. 

I've been trying to get settled, but feel like life just needs to pause so I can actually catch up! We have things on the walls, so that's a plus. But we've found that since we live closer to family...we've been even MORE busy on the weekends. What a great problem! We even made plans to see both sets of family for both Thanksgiving and Christmas this year. That's a first in many years! Unfortunately that was spoiled by a stomach bug that hit all four of us at once. Yikes! That is a story in itself, but suffice it to say we will not soon forget it. So now we are back in Kansas City really having ourselves a Merry little Christmas ... just the four of us.

We have met some great neighbors, and have found a great church and weekly small group Bible study. I've also gotten to attend MOPS. I was thinking I would sit back and just take the first semester here off, but I'm actually helping teach Ellie's Awana Cubbies class, and I've already helped start the NICU Helping Hands NICU Mom's support group in Topeka (Topeka is the NICU where Ellie was born). I'm also planning on becoming a licensed day care provider, so the doors of Mandy School will reopen hopefully by next school year, if not sooner. I'm not sure how long all the paperwork will take me. I'm continuing to sell Rodan+Fields Dermatologists skin care products on the side, and still do have my long term eye on going back to school to become a NICU nurse. Just of course not sure when that will actually become a reality.

We have been so blessed by so much this year. We continue to marvel at the ways in which the Lord provides for our family. We are so thankful that God sent His Son for us, as a baby. May you celebrate His birth with true joy and gratitude from the heart.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JESUS!