Family Time- 17 months

Easton is a full fledged toddler these days. He talks non stop and is into everything. He has a strong need to be independent but is still the best "hug giver" around! He definitely knows what he wants when he wants it and will let you know loud and clear :) He now says everyones name at daycare; asks "this?" (which means whats this/that); he calls my dad Papa (or says Papa anytime he sees a picture of my dad); loves ring around the rosie and old McDonald; "E I E I OOOOOO" is heard constantly at the Kalasek household. If we ask him to do something for us he understands and majority of the time follows orders. He knows how to put things back, shut doors, give hugs and kisses, wave and say bye bye, and when we ask for a book he goes and picks one out for us to read to him.

We've had lots of opportunity lately to spend time with family. My cousin Carrie and her son Cameron came to visit us while they were in IA staying with my Uncle. Cam and Easton are so funny to watch. They are both little peanuts and have the same little boy interests: throwing things on the wood floor to make loud noises; running around crazily; climbing stairs; and throwing balls at anything and everything!  



Cam and Easton reading together



story time with dad

 This is my new favorite piece of jewelry. I had a charm created and has Easton's fingerprint on it. I wear on the same chain as the diamonds that Brian gave me on our first Christmas together, and the charm of Easton's birthstone that my parents gave me after he was born!

Mom had her first cycle of chemo last week. She did great! She went into to have it given through the port that was surgically implanted in her upper chest/shoulder area on Tuesday, and then Wed and Thurs she received a second type of chemo through a satchel type device that she wore constantly for the 48hrs. She went to work and even gave a speech at a work function with it! She is one strong woman. They say the two days following the cycle are the worst and she definitely felt bad on Friday. Mostly it was being tired and a bit nauseous. It also mentally hit her during this time as well. Sitting in a room with others getting chemo (most were very sick) was emotionally draining. It definitely became real. But she feels the positive vibes and energy that all of our friends and family are sending her. She continues to have lots of visitors and lunch/dinner dates which is so great for her! 1 cycle down 11 more to go. Ive always respected, admired, and adored my mom...she's such a source of strength to us all and this just reiterates that! She doesnt let one second of this keep her from doing anything! She is one tough cookie XOXOXOXO

Kicking cancer's butt

 Brian, his mom, and his brother have been planning a surprise 60th birthday party for his dad for months now (Angie and I have been helping quite a bit too :) We plotted and schemed and somehow managed to pull it all off without him having any clue as to what we were up to. His mother (Easton's great grandma) and Dennis's sister and her husband all drove in from Ohio (2 day trip). He was in Ohio to visit literally the week before and still no one slipped or spilled the beans. There were a few close calls but it went off without a hitch.....we were holding our breath literally up until the last minute. We held it at Tanner's sports bar. Literally the day of the party we received a call that they double booked the party room.....YIKES! Luckily they blocked off a different area for us and compensated us in other ways as well. The theme was mustache's if you cant tell by the pictures below. It was wonderful to see the surprised and over joyed look on his face, and to see the area filled with so many people that love and adore him as much as we do!

the cake

life size photo of him on his wedding day

Brian, Easton, and Patrick...sporting the mustache look

E was less than thrilled with flash of the camera and his new pacifier

SURPRISE

awesome shirt...Thanks Angie for getting that for him

Buddies

 Tomorrow Brian and I are off to Hawaii for a week. The first part is for Brian's work. He won the sales trip so we will be heading to Kauai tomorrow through Saturday. We have some incredible dinners and a day of snorkeling and seeing the island on a catamaran. Sunday we take a small plane to Oahu to spend 4 days in Honolulu just the two of us. We figured we wont be back to Hawaii anytime soon so why not extend the trip and make a mini vacation getaway for ourselves. Vacations for just the two of us are a rarity and will become even more so when we decide to expand our family even more! Im dreading having to say goodbye to my little monkey but I also know that this will be so good for me and Brian to spend some serious quality time together in an amazing place! My parents are watching Easton until Sunday. My brother and Halley are coming up this weekend to hang out with him too which will be so fun for him. Brians parents will be with him Sunday through Thursday when we get home! He will have a week of being spoiled, snuggled, and probably playing way past his bedtime :) Lucky for us we have technology on our side so we can get pictures texted to us daily and talk to him via facetime as well!!!!

SMOOOCH!