Susie's Leaning Tower of Chocolate for 2017 October

Dalton begged to go to Legoland for his birthday. There was no school that day, and we didn't have a party last year, so it was hard to say no. I took him and one friend from school and we had a great time. We did some coasters, then the boys played in the castle play place for an hour, then built and raced cars for an hour. They held and official race, and they both won! We went on the new Ninjago ride, where we shot our powers at the bad guys in 3D. We also got to explore the aquarium. It was great birthday fun.

I write about this all the time... but I came home from getting Sienna from school, and my Costco order was sitting in my garage. This is the life! I felt a bit silly earlier this morning, walking over to Tressa's with three bags of glow sticks, strawberries, and dollar store snack deals, but our Village makes my life so much easier.

I took Arthur to the beach early one morning. It was about 8:30 and 58 degrees when we got there. Which seemed surprisingly warm in the sun. The low tide was quite high, so I only found a few pieces of sea glass, but he found lots of shells, and we were able to climb on the rocks and explore the tide pools. Arthur learned the word “anemone” and learned how to touch their tentacles to make them think you’re food. They are sticky, and close up and try to eat you. He thought it was hilarious! I love my beach buddy.

Yesterday was a busy day, planned down to the minute, so of course Maggie woke up sick and missed school. I shipped Arthur off to the neighbors for the whole day, left Maggie at home for one errand and dragged her on another. I had a meeting at school, and then Dalton had cooking class. Which was cancelled, though no one informed me. I am quite used to getting phone calls that whatever Dalton signed up for has been cancelled. So 45 minutes was wasted driving around town with four grumpy kids in the car. Poor Dalt was so sad. This always happens to him.

Sienna’s school had a fundraiser at McDonald’s so we went to pick up food. They wrote down her name and class, so opedully she’ll get some credit for going. The principal and teachers were there bringing out trays of food. It was pretty fun.

In between all that, I made a Rapunzel dress for Sienna’s second Halloween costume.

By the time Arthur was 6 months old, we began to suspect his wandering left eye was not normal. The pediatrician referred us to a pediatric eye surgeon at 9 months; she didn't notice anything unusual but showed me how to take flash pictures to see if the eye was misaligned.

A year and several dozen flash pictures later, I took Arthur back to the eye doctor. He has intermittent exotropia, a kind of strabismus. She noticed it right away, flipped through two of the pictures, and began talking options. She ended up prescribing glasses for his minor near sightedness, and we are hoping that makes it easier for him to control his eye, and we can avoid surgery.

So now Arthur wears glasses like mom and dad. He adjusted to them surprisingly well. I say, as he takes them off and throws them at me.

Dalton William Chadwick

I have a little sister Sienna, baby Arthur is super cute, mom and dad are super nice, big Sister Maggie plays with me a lot.

Favorite scripture story: The one when they lower the man through the roof because it was so crowded. Because it’s funny they went through the roof.

Favorite song: Gethsemane

His unique talent is swimming.

Special qualities that prepared him for baptism are that he’s kind and forgives right away.

Maggie and I argued about whose life is harder. She said “I have to follow Arthur around and clean up after him” and I said “…” She said “you finished college already!” and I said “so I have a college degree to follow Arthur around and apparently it only takes a fourth grade education.”

Arthur’s reached the point where he’ll sit for and enjoy a picture book, which opens up a whole new world.

Arthur finally got his wish, and helped himself to a bullion cube in its shiny wrapping. Told ya, kid.

Today was pajama day at school for red ribbon week. I thought it was fun that the kids thought nothing of ever actually getting dressed and had dinner and piano lessons in their pajamas. Dalton got out clean pajamas to change into after showering, but showed up wet in the same PJs. I told him to go put on the clean ones and he never did. He couldn’t find them. They were in the dirty laundry basket.

He also got himself his own bowl of ice cream for dessert. Arthur got out a spoon, climbed up on the chair behind him and started poking his spoon in. His giant plastic serving spoon. Also, Arthur didn’t actually want any ice cream because he doesn’t eat food.

However, I only let him have one squeezey this afternoon and he eventually ate a yogurt tube, and then had four chicken nuggets and tasted a tater tot at dinner time. Unbelievable.

Also, unbelievably hot. We get random hot days in October from the Santa Ana winds every year, but this year was ridiculous. Car said 109° today. Melting.