Wichert Christmas Letter 2015

I won't be sending out a traditional Christmas letter in the mail this year, but I still wanted to document our year. So if you're interested, continue reading what 2015 has brought us and the changes that means for 2016. 

Brent: Brent continues to work with The Eye Doctors in Salina and Herington, but had a change to his work in September with the purchase of an optometry practice in Hutchinson. So in addition to working Tuesday-Saturday with the Eye Docs, Brent has been working in Hutch on Mondays. The goal is that this will become his full-time practice. Starting in January, he will add Fridays to his schedule in Hutch. As patient demand increases, he will hopefully add more days to his schedule. The office is called Wichert Optometry, LLC, so if you're in the area he'd love to see you! Brent also enjoys playing basketball with many of his high school buddies in McPherson, and heading up the Sunday afternoon ballers at our church. He continues to help with the youth group at our church on Wednesdays. All while being the best daddy to 2 little boys, he stays busy. 

Cindy: I have been staying busy with church activities. My favorite is being a part of the worship ministry in choir and on the worship team. This has kept me quite busy on Sundays, but it truly is a blessing to me. I also enjoy Tuesday morning Bible Study (Women of the Word). We just finished up Kay Arthur's study on Covenant and it was transforming for me. I also helped plan VBS this year. These activities along with keeping up with the boys and being very pregnant have kept me plenty busy. We like to go to high school activities (youth group kids and Wertenberger-coached activities) when we're able and I continue to enjoy working on projects around our house. 

Eli: Eli just turned 4 and is our steady one. He is predictable, particular, and calm most of the time. He likes to play dump trucks, tools, farming, crafts, is obsessed with counting things, and is starting to show some interest in reading. He is not reading, but he will see signs and want me to read them to him. He loves to be read to and will listen as long as time allows. He doesn't show much interest in writing, but has started coloring. He really is a sweet boy and often, out of the blue, will say "mom, I sure do love you". Melts my heart. We attempted swimming lessons this summer and they went terribly, but we may try them again this summer. This was our first attempt at anything "organized". He doesn't go to official preschool, but we've been doing some things at home and he seems to pick up skills quickly. So thankful for this boy and his personality.

Micah: Micah just turned 20 months and is our little entertainer. He has a mischievous look about him that even strangers will comment on. He LOVES to play with his brother and is very thoughtful of Eli. When Eli is upset, he will sometimes go get his George (Curious George monkey) and bring it to him. He loves to play rough, has little fear, and likes to play catch. His favorite game is when mom asks for kisses he shakes his head "no" and then I tickle him. We play it several times a day. He really is a sweet boy and we are so thankful for his role in our family. 

Our family took a trip this past winter to visit our friends in Colorado. There were 4 couples total. The men went skiing while the ladies manned the kids and home front. We had a great time in March in Hutchinson for state basketball as both Ben's and Josh's (Cindy's brothers) teams made it to the tournament. For my birthday Brent surprised me with a trip to Oklahoma City for a Thunder game. He arranged it so we met our friends from Bixby there. It was wonderful. The summer brought the McKim family reunion (Cindy's mom's side of the family) at Rock Springs 4H Ranch. September, when we purchased Wichert Optometry, I went to work with Brent for several weeks. He trained me as a pre-tester and although I enjoyed being with him, I was glad to be fired once he found a replacement. :) While we were at work, the boys spend some quality time with Brent's parents on the farm and with our friend Misty. They had such a great time and I don't know that they were as thankful when mom got fired. :) Any day now, we are expecting the arrival of our 3rd baby and first baby girl! We are so excited for "baby sister" to arrive and are praying for her delivery. 

We would be amiss if we didn't include our Savior in our letter. He is our Sustainer, Deliverer, and Comforter. We have witnessed several dear friends and family endure unthinkable tragedies this year and we know that He is still on his throne. We know that someday He will make all things right. And until that day comes (we hope it's soon) we will continue to trust in His plan and in His timing. We won't understand it all on this sin-filled earth, but we DO trust in the ONE that created it all. 

Merry Christmas to you all,

The Wicherts
Brent - Cindy - Eli - Micah - Baby Sister

Christmas 2015

We are so blessed to be close enough to our families to spend a portion of the Christmas break with both sides. 

On the 20th, we had Christmas with Brent's mom's side of the family and the next day had our Christmas at our house.

The boys with their presents from us. Eli got a barn, hot wheels track, and Bernstein Bears book. Micah got a zebra backpack, a little Curious George, and a farm train.

Micah wearing Dad's new shoes.

Then we went to Sabetha with the Wertenberger side on the 22nd. We were all there for 2 nights, so we stayed up too late and made the most of our time. There are 12 cousins ages 10 and under, so there was a lot of fun to be had! We also got together with my mom's side (McKim) one evening and it was nice to catch up with those that were able to come.

Craft time with cousin Trey.

That's a full room of sleeping cousins! 

12 jammied cousins. :)

My grandma and I on Christmas morning.

Then on Friday, we headed to Buhler for the Wichert side Christmas. We had our Christmas that night and then the rest of the weekend had Christmas with the large Wichert family. Family traveled from near and far for this occasion so it was nice to do some catching up between trying to wrangle the kids.

Aunt Estey wraps pretty presents.

Eli and his cousin buddy, Nathan.

Wichert family BINGO!

Micah was bingoed out.

The two ladies behind the whole Wichert family Christmas this year. They did such a good job. Plus, they look a ton alike in this pic. Something was pretty funny! :)

Eli is 4

4 is just crazy old and I can't believe my first baby just had his birthday. He is such a sweet boy that is generally quite serious. Even in his seriousness, he is very entertaining. He loves his brother and is very patient with him. He really likes to watch tv, wrestle daddy (especially with the Hulk hands that Uncle Eric got him for his birthday), puzzles, work in the garden (he takes his dump truck out to our garden spot and puts dirt in it), do crafty things like painting, play dough, cutting paper, and a little coloring, and work with daddy at the farm (with Uncle Eric and Grandpa Wichert). We are still trying to coax him to learn how to catch and play ball, but he really shows very little interest in it. Surely those Wertenberger genes will come through sometime. :)

This is a picture of Eli's class singing one song on Sunday morning. He is behind the little girl in red in the front. He is making his classic mad face. We tried to record it, but I was laughing so much it is really shaky.

Eli often phrases things out of order or differently than we normally do. For example, I'll say, Eli it's time to wash your hands for lunch. He'll respond with "how do you think it's time for me to wash my hands?" 

Eli has had some health concerns with his tonsils, so we will be seeing an ENT soon after the new year. We are hoping to give him some relief as he snores all the time and really has a lot of throat-related sickness. 

We had a little birthday party for Eli on the day before his birthday. Brent's side of the family came along with Cody, Misty, and Grace. We swam at the Y and then had supper and opened presents at our house.

Look out for the HULK!

Eli & Grace

 Eli has a brain like his daddy. If he's heard it once, he remembers it. Nice for him, tough for mom as my brain doesn't really work that way. 

Birthday morning cinnamon rolls.

Presents from Mom, Dad and Micah.

He is an independent player mostly, but will surprise me and occasionally will be very social. As a socialite myself, I try to push him to interact more with his peers but he will do it out of the blue when I have nothing to do with it. He really is full of surprises for us. 

Ready for church (we left the Hulk hands at home).

Eli loves his church teachers on Tuesday morning (at Women of the Word), Wednesday night, and Sunday morning. He can usually tell us in detail what they did or learned about, but has very little to say about the other kids in his class. He has a group of church friends that we see several times a week and he usually can tell me about them. They are quite the crew! 

Attempt at a normal picture with my 4 year old on his birthday.

We sure love our little 4 year old! I just recently looked back to our pictures with him after he was born, on his first Christmas, and I just feel like it was moments ago. I know time goes quickly, but I think it speeds up every year. 

The aftermath- the day after.

4 year stats
Height: 40.5" (55th percentile)
Weight: 35.6lb (48th percentile)

Party in Sabetha.

Micah- 20 months

Micah turned 20 months a few weeks ago and I feel like quite a bit has changed for him in the last 2 months. He has added many words to his vocabulary and is just better at communicating to Brent and I. Eli often tells me, "Mom, Micah just said _____"! Eli likes that brother can talk more too. 

These two are quite the pair!

He continues to be very mischievous in the most lovable way. He really likes to be the center of attention and turns up the cute when he's being funny. His favorite activities include wrestling brother, wrestling daddy, playing ball, and watching "George".

Helping dad put up the Christmas tree.

He is also fiercely stubborn. When he doesn't want to do something, he will lay across the floor until he thinks he's won. (haha, little does he know mom is pretty stubborn herself)

He has become more independent, holding my hand into stores instead of me holding him, picking up toys when asked, and putting his clothes in the laundry. He tries to do other things that brother does, but just isn't quite coordinated/ big enough (like taking his dishes to the kitchen after eating). 

Flannel Sunday

He has moved to a big boy bed and after 2 weeks of not-so-much-fun, he has finally adjusted. He is loving the new-found independence and as soon as he's awake, he gets right off his bed and heads downstairs - much to brother's dismay. (Eli still doesn't get off his bed until we go get him.) 

Last nap in his crib.

First night in his big boy bed. It's now pushed up by Eli's bed.

We sure love our little Buster and are excited to see how he adjusts to life with a baby sister. I know it will be entertaining, but we're mainly hoping for gentle. 

Watching Looney Tunes

Micah loves doing whatever Eli is doing.

Working on our mad face. :)

Silly kids- Grace, Micah, Eli

Halloween 2015

I have been not very good at blogging the last half a year or so. Thanks to my friend Jenna for posting about her girls' Halloween, otherwise I don't think I would have even thought to do it! 

Here is Bob and Larry from Veggie Tales. Aunt Erin made these costumes for cousins Rhett and Leah several years ago. 

Larry the Cucumber

Bob the Tomato

At a local trunk & treat...we are a one-stop and done kind of Halloween family. 

And just for kicks...baby girl at 30 weeks. 

18 Months - Micah

This boy keeps us on our toes! He is our sweet Buster.

I can't believe Micah is a year and a half, but in some ways it feels like he's 3. He is a climber, and get-into-stuff-er, and an instigator. BUT he is also, the life of the party, a charmer, an entertainer, and a sweet sweet boy. At church he is the snuggler and he is almost always successful in finding a sweet lady (or girl) to hold him the entire time mama's gone. Micah loves to be around his brother and this morning, when Eli was still sleeping, Micah snuck upstairs to wake him up. It was hard to be mad at him when he really just missed his brother. And really, that's Micah in a nut shell. Most of the time when he's supposed to be in trouble, he somehow gets out of it, because I think if he could talk he would have a valid reason as to why he did what he did. 

Micah still doesn't have a lot of words, although can communicate very well. He says "ut oh", "night night", "all done", "mama", "dada", I think he tries to say "brother" but it comes out as "bo", "bye", " ball", "papa", " ty ty" (congratulations Tyler), "no", he nods yes when you ask him questions and uses his eyebrows too (it's just too cute), "uh-huh" (meaning no), and he woofs (for dogs) and moos (for cows and occasionally horses). :) 

We love this little boy SO much. He adds some spice to our lives and we are so grateful the Lord has entrusted him to us. 

With Daddy at Tabor on his 18 month birthday

Blurry brothers :)

Sitting on a booster seat! (too many close calls climbing in and out of his high chair when mom wasn't near)

Stats
Height: 32" (30th percentile)
Weight 23lb 2 oz (34th percentile)