4 going on 14 and first play!

We are still finishing up summer here since preschool doesn't start until the 9th. Nick has been asking when he can go back so that is a good sign. He starts speech up again tomorrow with the public school district. We have the same therapist as last school year and we love her and are looking forward to big progress this year as he will have a full school year of therapy.


We attended Nick's first play on Sunday and he did great! We were a little worried at first because it started with alot of dialog but once the kids started singing and dancing, he really enjoyed it and sat still! His cousins were a part of the cast (Sebastian the crab and a shark). They did a great job! Our camera shutter got stuck so the pics of the kids did not show up.

We ate dinner at a renovated old time drugstore. It was yummy! Nick would eat ice cream 24/7 if you would allow him which would just horrify the baby house Doctor....NOTHING COLD! He was loving the swirly chairs at the counter and the man behind the counter was quite amused at his energy and enthusiasm for life (that's our Nick!)

We have had several good playdates lately and Nick is really starting to actually play with his friends. He has forever done his own thing but as his english skills and social skills have improved so has his interactions. He loves to pretend pirates and swashbuckle, run from ghosts, lifeguard, put out fires, and cook. We played with his friend Libby today at a huge indoor play place. They had a great time climbing and playing games and even set up housekeeping with a little "house" in the toddler area with big foam blocks. His big accomplishment today was going down the "fire" poles without help and without falling! I am so amazed at his ability to learn physical tasks so quickly. He is very coordinated!

They played a mean game of air hockey and Libby squashed him quickly as Nick thought it was fun to put the puck in his goal so he could get it out the bottom hole. Libby did have some smashing shots though! :)

Nick, ever the character, was impressing Libby with his standing flying skills. She of course thought he was hilarious especially when he chose to just step out of the plane in mid-flight....not sure that one will work for ya in real life bud! ;)

Nick is constantly making me laugh at the goofy things he does (gets this from his father!) and he decided that his rabbit hat was a ghost hood but he still needed his glasses to see. LOL!

Pat and I are amazed that somehow 4 is the new 14! He is a teenager way before his time. His attitude lately is so hard to discipline because we usually are laughing our heads off.

His new phrases as of late are:

- roll eyes...."OK "sigh "what-eveh!

-I guess he has heard us say I told you "X" times that you may not do that so now he tells us...

"I told you 3 "days", I in charge!" We are not sure where the days comes from but it is hilarious!

- I may have mentioned this before but when he wants us to do something and we say no.....he sighs real big (think teenager disgust) "you're not listening to me, I told you "insert demand"! So funny.

It scares me that some of his inflections may be learned from that person with which he spends the most time with.....ummmmm, Amigo? ;)

On our bad days, I get so discouraged that I am not "parenting" perfectly....All those books I read before and still read give such great speeches for such and such occasion. ( I am not convinced these people are really parents!) I want to so badly say all the right things so that he will not be scarred for life AND I have been able to pat myself on the back most days because I always go to the bible first for my not so perfect reactions......"Thou shalt not Kill!" Yes, that is about all I can muster in those moments.......especially when he has decided that after a year and 1/2 of no interest in writing that he wants to try making "letters" with a permanent marker on the sofa. Yeah, book learnin did me no good on that day! ha! I think I said something to the tune of "you are killing me, child".....of course this probably made no sense to him but he understood the attitude as later that night at dinner he proceeded to say to his father after daddy said no to something....."You're killing me child, dad!" with such exasperation. We just cracked up!

Our pastor just finished up teaching on James and one week he spent talking about our "tongues" and the dangerous tool that they can become....oi! have I got some work to do! :)

A day in the life of a future Olympian.....AKA "My first dive"

Preparations started early as team USA warmed up in the practice pool. Fellow team mates helped Nick prepare for his Gold medal day. (Matthew reminds me of a famous statue in Belgium.....the name in belgian was something related to boy peeing! hee, hee!)

Nick continues his pre-dive rinse down with giggles all around!

Tension is high as the diver prepares his platform and directs "the coach" to get out of the way...he wants to do it "all by myself"........

Silence abounds as the diver prepares for the jump. Notice his concentration, his attention to the end of the board.......

The crowd gasps as his perfect leap off the diving board takes him one step closer to the gold!


Perfect lines as he performs the feet out, bottom drop Kitzman......Wow!

Look at that entrance into the water.....barely a splash....could this be the one? It looks like Gold for the youngest diver to ever prepare for the Olympics!

Celebration abounds! Who would of thought........the perfect Olympic story......a diver who barely one and a half years ago hated to take a bath now wins one in the water for his New country!

The Olympian returns to Olympic village but is shadowed by adoring fans who sleep outside the compound just waiting for the diver to rise for another day........

First Movie, First trip with Mom only, and First "real" doctor's appt.

We finished off July by going to our first movie....."The Pirates who don't do anything". Pat took off work as it was a free movie offered by one of our theatres during the day. We thought the movie would be a crazy fun event because of Nick's love of pirates AND veggie tales. As all of our first usually go, not so much.......crazy yes, fun ......well, you decide. Nick was super excited to go in the theatre as seen below pulling dad to get inside.

He was adorable with excitement and amazed by the big seats and big screen and wow, popcorn too!? Things were going well at first......

The previews started and the boys were hilarious at their immediate attention to the large screen. The picture below doesn't do justice to their AWE! The parents were also equally awed but for a different reason. Whispers abounded at the "older" theme of the preview cartoons?? Well, come to find out, they started the wrong movie and previews were for an "older" audience...OK, accidents happen. I don't think Nick's brainpower is forever stunted but apparently the movie theatre personnel's were.....they decided that it would be easier to move the whole packed to the max theatre instead of simply changing the reel????? They said it would take longer? Oi!

So we finally got into the other theatre and the appropriate movie started with big happiness from all and Nick proceeded to get up and leave and state that he wanted to "turn it off" and upon realizing that you could not do this....then "I want to go home". Yes, he was not liking the movie experience whatsoever. If we had not had plans after the movie then we would have gone home. We proceeded to stand in the doorway for the next hour as he thought he would watch it and then he was scared again. Peek and Run were the words of the hour. He would listen for no scary music and then walk up to the front of the aisle and then if scary music came on he would run down the walkway to the door and beg to go out. No, this was not disturbing anyone as the movie was loud and no one could see us unless they were actually going out to the bathroom.


We finished up the movie day with a picnic lunch at the park and had it not been way too hot, the boys would have had a fabulous time but the mom's had maxed out their ability to "just deal"! :)


The picture below is for Aunt Julie! He took out this bunny hat the other day and just played and did the funniest thing with this hat that she gave him. I didn't get the funniest pics of him because he would run away but this was a calm moment looking at flash cards!

We ended the month with a trip for Mama and Nick to St. Louis to visit some high school and former Ky friends and their families. I was horrible with the camera (too busy keeping up with Nick) and did not get but one picture from the whole weekend. We visited my friend Christine and her family and did a big swim date and then pizza from my most favorite and memory laden pizza place, Pirrone's! We had a great day and the boys had a great time.

We stayed all night with Pat's PT school friend Laura and her family. Their daughter Olivia (and Laura and Heath) were amazed and awed at Nick's ability to never sit still and talk all of the time! ha! We had a great Saturday at the Park. It was a new all wheel chair accessible playground which was awesome. It had a huge castle, pirate ship, swings, water feature, and really great mushy comfy turf to walk on (or fall on)!

We spent the remainder of the long weekend with my friend Michele and her family. She has two teenagers and a 4 year old. It was a fun mix. Nick was especially enamored with Michele's sweet 13 year old daughter. She was his "girl best friend"...he could not remember all of the names of everyone that he had met. He would wake up and say, "Where's my girl best friend".....too cute. Two other close family friends came to dinner one night. I spent many an hour at my friend Karen's house growing up and it was good to play games and talk about the good old days......"the 80's!" Karen's mom even joined in on the Wii at 75! too fun! We have all decided that the fact that Karen's son is 17 means that we are officially middle aged ...BUT somehow when we are all together it still feels like the same high school chums that drove around north county for hours on a Friday night singing to Kool and the Gang and The Bangles......

Driving around my old stomping grounds brought back so many memories. I could have never ever in a million years imagined that I would be in Ky married to a professor with a sweet sweet kazakh born son! God is the God of adventures and definitely the Unknown!

Now back to the sweet Kazakh son who has grown soooooo much this year. We had his first real doctor visit for his 4 year old check up. All his other ones were so adoption related or catching up on immunizations related that they didn't even count....well, Nick probably remembered them but for me, it was a joy just to have a 4 year old annual before school check up like everyone else. And, he is very normal! Praise God! Growth has been crazy and our clothing and shoe budget took a big hit this last year. I took the picture of his shoes just to show again how much he has changed in one year......from size 7 1/2 to 11w is quite a jump!

We were in St. Louis 2 years ago on the same exact weekend as Nick and I were this year. We had just started the adoption paper chase and we were picking up some documents in St. Louis to start the process.

1 year later, we had a cute sweet boy who loved to swing......

AUG 2007

another year later......we have a cute kazakh boy who continues to grow and has already lost his sweet baby face from the previous summer. "sigh" But, he now takes on the exuberance (boy does he) of boyhood with a passion and fervor that keeps us laughing, active (always active) and always ready for the unknown.

AUG 2008

pics for Grandma Martha

Grandma Martha is itching for swimming pictures so here are a few. I am still too paranoid to take the video camera to our public pool so we may have to wait until we get back to a private pool setting before I will venture out with the vidcam.

Nick swimming towards the ladder.


Then back to daddy..........



then back to the ladder.......


His new thing besides hurling himself off the edge of the pool (sorry, mr. lifeguard) is to climb "down" the ladder underwater and sit on the bottom or do assisted flips underwater. I worry about his ears since he has never told us when he had ear infections.....fever is our only symptom but he seems to have no trouble at all with the underwater experience. Now, I am thinking Navy Seal or Blue Angel....he says Blue Angel but we shall see....hate to see all that underwater prowess go to waste! ha!


We had a great time at our Kaz family party! By the look of things, we shall have many more Kaz cuties this time next year. Lots of waiting families here in the area! But for now, the current cutie pie kazakhs.....Nick (doing his yo-ho pirate), Wyatt, and Brenna! They had a great time playing together and we had a great time visiting with everyone. Wyatt's and Brenna's families are in the process of adopting a sibling for them! Exciting times!

The Merman from Kazakhstan!

One of my favorite shows in the late 70's, early 80's (can't remember when) was the man from Atlantis.....loved Patrick Duffy! So, now I have my own minus the webbed hands and feet! The Merman has taken to the water like I have never experienced with other kids. For Pat and I, it is the "he took his first steps" experience. We have just beamed with pride for the past 48 hours. We knew he loved the water but my 'just let go of him in the water and let him teach himself ' theory has really given him such confidence and independence. He doesn't just do a doggy paddle......he pushes off and swims under the water with a mighty good flutter kick! And, he was holding onto the side of the pool and launched off backwards just like the back stroke folks do. Pat and I just looked at each other because we don't know where he learned that one! Such a Natural.....I don't have any pics yet because I am always in the water with him but soon.....maybe even video! We are thinking the Olympics 2016! He could swim for Kazakhstan as he is a dual citizen until 18....how cool would that be!





We just had a great week with my Sister and her family. Nick loved having Zach and Lyndsay here. If we heard Nick calling for Zach once, we heard it a MILLION times. I loved it at first because he wasn't saying Mom all of the time but after a while, any name repeated over and over gets old! :) We visited the city pool, the aviation museum, the park and back to our cousin's house for a final swim. My cousin Susan, my sis and I are all within 4 years in age. Our grandmothers were sisters and the best cooks in Ky! We finally got a pick of all of the next generation of cousins! So cute!


We swam and swam and then Dad and Nick had to have a break on the big lounge.....all they need now is someone feeding them grapes and fanning them!




Nick has been talking so much more grown up lately. Full sentences that most can understand and such manners. It cracks me up because I really don't focus on them too much but he says them with such sweetness.......I just melt.

Typical things he says on any given day.......
Nick do you need to go to the bathroom......" No Thank You"
"Thank you for making this food for me" or "Thank You for playing with me"
"I love you so much, Mommy or Daddy"
"Thank you for buckling my carseat"


"weeeee, I love this car, I love those trees!"
The funnier things he says have to do with "repeating" all of the lectures that I must give ad nauseum.....because he knows them by heart not necessarily by action.
"I be nice boy, not screaming or hitting or pushing"
"I being quiet in car not "fustating" mommy"
" I hold hands with mommy so no one grab me, mommy and daddy be sad and I stay close so they can "patect" me."
''not so hard mommy, I just keep trying and never give up"

He is just so sweet. The not so fun but still funny part of his speech development this month is the WHY questions......Why I sad? (because you got in trouble) Why I got in trouble (because you did XYZ) Why I do XYZ?.........AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!
Why does the car have wheels (to make it go) Why does a car go? ( to get to another place) Why I go another place........AAAAAAHHHHH ! You get the idea. We usually turn the questions back to him because he generally knows the answer!


Even though he is still his crazy active self, he continues to love, love books! He will sit at the table or in a chair and just "read" the books and look thru the pages. I tried to get this while he was still reading but he gave me a big cheese smile......Adorable! He looks so grown up these days. Makes me sad but we are also enjoying this stage so much! He has such a passion for life and "loves" everything. I have been guilty of being a glass half empty type and it is a blessing to have him remind me daily to see the joy and excitement in EVERYTHING.





We are headed to a Kaz family dinner tonight with our local Kaz friends. Several of them are getting ready to adopt again so we are excited to hear about all of their plans.
If you need to find us, just look for us at the YMCA with the Merman! Enjoy the remainder of the summer!

You might be a Kitzman if................

If your fourth of July includes a parade with a Hodag, a bagpipe band from Canada, and the possibility of seeing logging gear and/or a snowcat on a float, You might be a Kitzman.....

If you haven't even been born for more than 7 weeks and you have already experienced your first bats, crazy groundhogs, chickens, and now the ever popular ladybugs, You might be a Kitzman!

Yes, Uncles Mike, Pat, and Brian, I do understand the importance of flaming balls of fire!

If you learn to paddle a Kayak before you learn to swim, You might be a Kitzman.

If you are able to get big air underneath your tube or twister being pulled by a Pontoon, You might have had the pleasure of riding with a Kitzman driving!

If you giggle and Grin Big while being bounced and tossed to and fro like a ragdoll, You are definitely a Kitzman ( GO NICK!)

If you begin collecting fireworks for next year as soon as this year is over and your display is so big that folks request to come over and watch, You might be a Kitzman.

The finale alone had over 100 blasts in it!

If your passage into manhood is not hunting, football games, or shaving but moving up the chain of fireworks from lighting driveway poppers to Boat dock flaming balls of fire, you might be a Kitzman!

Dakota made the big move this year..........Julie, I am sure I will need your support when my time comes! ;)

NICK"S FIRST FIREWORKS...JULY 2007

NICK'S SECOND FIREWORKS.....JULY 2008

(The Kitzman "gene" has kicked in!) :)

We returned home yesterday with all of our toes and fingers, and can still see, hear, and smell. A successful fourth was declared by all. We had a great time up North and already miss the wonderfully cooler weather and most of all we miss Auntie Rhino and Uncle Brian. I have never seen two people play longer with seemingly unlimited supplies of energy and imagination for Pirate Stinky Pete. I am sure they will have the Argh!! sound ringing in their ears for weeks!

With the distance now great between Nick and his "best Friends", we anxiously await the arrival of my Sister and her family at the end of the week. Auntie Rhino, we won't tell you if someone else becomes his "best friend"! :)

It's a PIRATE'S life for me!

As legend has it, every few years the ghost of Jean Lafoote, the peg-legged pirate
returns to leave a map to guide another generation of Kitzman pirates to their portion
of the stolen treasures from the isle of Dol Larstore!



Pirate Stinky Pete McGillicutty prepares his crew!




Ahoy, mates, the isle is ahead......Heave, HO! or as the alter ego, speed racer would say.....start your engines!



We set foot on the isle and began the search. First mate to the Captain, Auntie Rhino was close behind!


Look! "X" marks the spot!



Captain orders 2nd mate, Paddy Boy, to Dig, Scaliwag, Dig!


Captain, I think we got something!!





Treasure! Treasure!






Mates, Back to the boat! I see Pirate Seadoo''s ship approaching......Raise the motor, Push Back.....GO!GO!

Pirate Stinky Pete and Crew returned safely to the Island of Sodor (I know, I know....another story....but he is convinced that it is on the other side of the lake!)



We hope you all have a "Booty"ful Fourth of July and a great time "treasuring" all of the blessings of being an American!
Pat, Karen, and Stinky Pete