Last night as I got in bed, I could not believe it was only Wednesday! Every day has seemed like a week in itself. Needless to say, I'm looking forward to the weekend and having Pete around more to share in the joy of parenthood:)
Here's a little update on each kiddo:
Austin weighs 22 pounds, a weight he's maintained for almost a year. This kid does not grow (especially his little legs). I can't believe he'll be 2 in March! I say this not because he doesn't seem older, but simply because the time has flown by. Ithis so fun as he is learning new words everyday and communicating his opinions. Now the trouble is dealing with him when he doesn't get what he wants. He's a stubborn guy. If Parker asks for "Daddy's Cereal" (Honey bunches of oats), Austin needs it to. One day I ran out of the cereal after Parker's bowl and so I gave Austin cheerios. When Austin saw I had tried to give him something different, he pushed the bowl away and crossed his arms. It's not unusual to see this stance several times a day, usually followed by him saying, "Mad!" In order to try and curb his stubbornness, I try not to give in as often as possible. So I told him that was the only cereal I had and he could eat it or have none. He sat there a few more minutes in a huff, but eventually pulled the bowl back over to him and started eating. If he and Parker are eating together but Parker finishes first and wants more, Austin will not take another bite until you add more to his plate.
He wants to be just like his brother. It's really the sweetest thing. The boys love playing together, thankfully. They play trains, planes, cars, paint outside, build with blocks, and of course watch Mickey Mouse together. Oh and singing, these kids sing ALL day long. They make up their own songs and perform for us. Austin also loves singing "Popcorn", "Twinkle Twinkle," and "Happy Birthday."
Austin has a lot of words now. Some of my favorites include: "Mama, where are you?", "Come here!", "Shhhh.... Parker sleeping", "More please", "Daddy and apple please" (translation... Peanut butter with apple please... he thinks jelly is called daddy and he thinks peanut butter is called jelly... follow?), and "Bye Daddy... hug and kiss!"
He is still a cuddler. He currently sleeps in a pack n play in Parker's room during the night, while Parker sleeps on the couch. Parker feels very strongly about being woken up during the night. Don't blame him. Austin still wakes up usually once a night and requires a bottle to calm down.
He is so delightful, charming, and uses his cute little voice and blue eyes to get whatever he wants.
Parker: Parker has really progressed in the last few months, except for some reason he's had a tough week. He is still on the very active side, and has some pretty impressive soccer skills. He is proud of his left foot kicking and loves to play with Daddy. He is a very imaginative child. He loves to pretend (Pete has taught him some very elaborate fighter pilot dialogue) and loves to include Austin in his games. He is a fast bike rider at school. Tuesdays are his favorite day. He never ceases to amaze us with his extensive vocabulary, often noting that something is "hilarious" or "appropriate." He catches on to things very quickly.
He loves preschool. Grammy is an awesome teacher and he really looks forward to going on T/Th. He loves everything there. Bikes, sand, art, dramatic play, singing.... He's a real leader in the class and well liked. But as a leader, he can also lead the children in getting silly and off track. We're working on what it means to be a good example. Since the start of the new year, I've been asking him a question at the end of each school day, "What did you do that was kind for someone else?" He looks forward to this question and reminds me in case I forget to ask. He is very sensitive to others, and desires to be a good friend. We are also listening to stories on tape called "Alexander's Amazing Adventures." These stories focus on a certain value. He LOVES these stories. It seems like he is not listening in the backseat of the car, but then he'll ask a question or repeat a funny phrase. I love that we are in a phase now where I can teach some things deliberately. I am certainly not as good at behavior mgt, but when it comes to teaching about the gospel or values or role playing about friend relationships, it is so exciting to see what he absorbs. Last week at church, the kids were broken into groups and asked to illustrate and present what kind of example Christ gives us and what we can learn from Him. I was pleased to see him very involved in the discussion and then when his group was asked to present, HE was the one that got up on his chair and talked about how Jesus taught us to be kind. Wow. Can't believe he'll be four next month.
We definitely still have our challenges with him: He's very physical and can get aggressive quickly (usually just with me), he is very fast moving and doesn't always take others into consideration when he is zooming past them, and he loves to talk back and negotiate with me. But I see glimmers of hope when he tells me he loves me and I'm the most beautiful mama, and when he calls his brother his best friend.
He does this thing where his behavior and body start spinning out of control and it's almost impossible to get him to stop or to hear you. It's very frustrating. He was telling my mom that when that happens he feels like something is spinning in his brain and it is shooting off ideas (I forget how he said it). And everyone has a brain that can make them make good choices or naughty choices. God told him that he should use he brain for good choices. So basically my kid is a genius and understands neuro-pathways and synapses.
We try to stay very active during the week, as 1000 sq ft is not a lot of space to release all their energy.
We went to the trampoline park.
Aussie went for the first time. He was hesitant in the beginning but quickly warmed up to the idea.
This guy...
