Kazak Tradition

Somewhere along the way, I read that traditionally Kazak boys are circumcised at 3, so wanting to keep with his culture, Nick had his man snip yesterday! ( we had some other reasons too but the Kazak thing sounds the most manly online!) He was quite a trooper and was excited to go to the doctor and take moose with him.

He changed clothes, talked with the doctors, took his sedative to ease his transition to the OR, and then got to ride a cool car up to the pre-op area. The surgery was very short and we didn't even get time to read or enjoy our first minutes alone without having to watch or chase Nick during daylight hours. They called us up and told us how great he did and he had just opened his eyes when we got up there and then just like in the exorcist, his head started spinning and he didn't stop screaming, hitting, biting and did I mention screaming until we got him into our house and up to his room. I think the nurses were a little overwhelmed. We had of course experienced these fits but not too this extreme. Pat and I were both exhausted. We were worried that the hospital security was going to come after us thinking we had stolen him from his parents or something. Poor little guy was so mad and disoriented....I am sure all the guys out there can identify or at least empathize! ;) It was so sad. We felt so helpless...there was just nothing we could do until we got him home. He calmed down quickly at home and was our sweet boy again. He walks like a cowboy sometimes but otherwise he has done well. He was not happy about the clear liquid diet they said to give him post surgery and demanded "eat, eat, pancakes!" so he did and was fine. He has been good today and says "be ca-ful and no touch"

Hopefully, this will all be a distant memory although I may push his dentist appt back again to avoid a repeat situation at least until Pat and I have recovered! ;)

We went and bought him some more sandals and tennis shoes today. He has grown a full shoe size in 3 months. Everyone kept telling me that he looked like he has grown when we got back from vacation so I guess they were right. We bought a height chart in Wisconsin and look forward to marking his growth as our big boy gets bigger.

We finally took a big step and went back to church last week and he did pretty well. He played for the first part of his class time but when they went to big group the teacher said he went to a corner and just started crying. Of course, they got us out of church and I went and sat with him for the big group and small group until Papa got out of the service. He did fine and I think he will understand soon that we will always come pick him up in a little bit. We are also going to start practicing at the gym where they have a childcare area so I can exercise and visit him in shorter increments to get him used to being away from us. And, hopefully, soon we will graduate to getting babysitters too. We could sure use a night out. We have not been able to do something together since he became ours in March. Very much like having a newborn in that way although people don't really treat you as if you are new parents when you get a toddler. It has been kind of a weird experience for us. We are probably going to have to find a toddler specific support type group to be involved with just so we don't feel like we are alone. We have some great online groups that we are involved with and can email many like-minded families but sometimes you just wish they were here in town.

We are having some great weather this weekend so I look forward to doing some outside activities with my boys and we may finally get Nick's real bed ordered. I think he is ready to move from the big mattress on the floor. He was so excited when we told him that we were looking for a new bed. We couldn't get him of the subject for hours! ;) He is grasping so many concepts now that I can't keep up and will gladly send him to preschool in the fall for two days. He loves to talk about over and under, open and closed, big and little and is definitely enjoying the educational tv shows that we watch now that he understands more english. He is so fun to talk to now because his comprehension has improved so much in the last month or so.

We hope everyone is having a nice summer and would love to hear from you! Much love, K-Pat and Nick

BYE FOR NOW, COOL and BEAUTIFUL WISCONSIN!



We were given these great boxes by the Good Friends and Neighbors across the street...Mama and Grandma were quite handy with the scissors and tape....it even has seats to sit inside!

Nick and Moose on a journey to who knows where.....maybe gazing at the Canadian Rockies or the Washington Cascades or could it just be a long ride across the Kazakhstan Steppes.

My first Jet Ski....papa powered and fast as lightning!

We went to a wildlife park with lots of deer, bear, fox and wolf but I liked the parking lot train that went round and round and round in a little circle....Papa loved it! Chuckle, Chuckle!~

Grandpa Bob helped me feed the black bear some bear juice!

Papa was very pleased that I wanted to ride in his blue kayak and then this double kayak of Uncle Mike's especially after I found Cousin Dakota's oars and could help navigate!

Don't I look like I was always meant to Kayak the lakes of Wisconsin! Scotty, we are starting him early so get us another tour ready!

Uncle Mike and Aunt Julie took me on a long paddle around the end of the lake and then on a little Island hike out in the middle!

My first Fourth of July parade! Drums and firetrucks were my favorite!

My first parade with Auntie Rhino (Erin) and Uncle Brian....the Newly marrried, Mr. and Mrs. Alft! Woo Hoo!

It is not a family fourth without fireworks starting with the driveway kind and moving on to a huge display of noise and lights off of the dock!

This is how I started the evening but thanks to Auntie Erin's enthusiasm, I ended the evening yelling More Fireworks!

I got to hold Aunt Erin's new Kitten, Zoe, who came home with her from the wildlife park....if it would have been me, I would have brought the train.

Vacation is over and we are heading home. I was an awesome rider in the car and loved watching the world go by through the windows. My favorites were bridges, silos, and trucks, and a-nudder truck, and a-nudder truck.......

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Fun was had by all on our annual trek up north. We had the addition of the wedding this year which added the extra fun. Nick did amazingly well with all the new people and places that we visited over the two weeks. He is glad to be home with Amigo and his toys but I know he will miss all of the great evening read-a-thons with Grandma Ruuf (Ruth) and Ata Bob. We had a great journey home and thought we had gone the entire way without incident until we hit the comfort inn. You never know when a 3 year old is going to get fixated on something but ours chose the motel microwave and fridge and proceeded to almost fall asleep and then get up and go over to the objects for the next 2 1/2 hours and when we blocked those he moved on to the air conditioner/heater unit....why are those units on the floor....well, about 3 am we decided that we were getting no sleep so we just packed up and caffeined our way home....of course, he fell asleep as soon as we got back in the car and we were both so jazzed up from the battle that we had plenty of adrenaline to go on and of course I was stressing over getting charged $90 dollars for 3 hours of non-restful time. But we did make it home safe and sound. I will say going from carefree couple vacations to vacation with a 3 year old is quite a shock to our system but we enjoyed watching Nick with his new extended family. He truly loved everything he did and everyone got to spend good quality time getting to know our little Kazmanian Devil. The next few weeks will be busy as we finally have our first pediatrician visit so this means Vaccinations...ugh and then keep us in your prayers as he goes in for his male snipping on the 19th. These visits plus additional visits including a cavity filling and another eye appointment promise to make a very busy and not so pleasant but necessary activity filled July!

From Nick....My Uncle Mike was determined to teach me how to Rap like a really good Northern Wisconsin Banker so here is my Ode to Uncle Mike.......

My name is Nick and I'm here to say.....

that I'm proud to be in the USA....

My new family is great and when they congregate...

They hug and kiss me at every turn...

and told me the one thing I would have to learn....

Fireworks, Fuh, Fuh, Fuh, Fireworks....

Crazy Groundhogs, SkyJacks, and Mortars a plenty.......

If it doesn's say flaming balls of fire, it will be wimpy, that's right, wuh, wuh, wuh wimpy!

I will eat my brats and fish fry too...

and when the Packers play, I will yell woo, hoo!......

I'm proud to be a Kitzman and a part of this crew....

so I'll see you at Christmas and I love YOU!

signed, the Rappin' Kazak ( and his Mama)

Happy July to everyone......stay cool and keep in touch! k-pat and Nick