On January 15 Joey took his first two steps while he and I played in the living room. A little more than a month later, we finally pulled out the video camera to capture our new little toddler. He still has trouble making it more than the distance from one couch to the other on his own two feet, but he sure does love to try.
This act of becoming a walker has truly shown us how independent our little guy is. While we spent weeks trying to encourage him - standing the little man up and holding out our hands to him - he constantly plopped down on his rear to begin his crawl - every time. I finally decided he has his whole life to walk, so he might as well take advantage of the hands and knees approach as long as his knees are still padded enough to handle it. Because goodness knows that goes away all too quickly.
As with all things in life, it was at the moment of our surrender that he finally decided it was his time to shine. Within days he began to toddle the four steps between Mommy and Daddy (as captured in the below video) all on his own and only days after that he now regularly pushes himself to his own two feet, taking the halting steps in whichever direction he chooses. True, he still often gets over excited and quickly loses balance, and crawling his still his preferred method of transport, but let it be known our little guy can walk.
Which brings us to my big milestone - our youngest child can walk and I'm NOT currently incubating another. Such a big step for us all!
(Note: My favorite thing about this video, other than the evidence of his newest ability, is how encouraging his wonderful siblings are. These kids are my greatest gift.)
1,000 Steps:
1101. What once was a curse now is a blessing
1102. A sign I was made for this
1103. First (and second and third) steps
1104. Giving away and still having plenty to give
1105. Quiet times with kids
1106. Her enjoying the music
1107. A little boy offering to help (and doing it well)
1108. Fat flakes in our hair as we get groceries
1109. Grocery shopping with one kid at a time
Showing posts with label Child Development. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Child Development. Show all posts
26 February 2013
18 January 2013
Of Dentists and Haircuts
After having watched "The Berenstain Bears Go to the Dentist" innumerable times in our house, the announcement to Micaiah that she, herself, would be visiting the dentist this week was met with much glee. Honestly, I hoped she wouldn't be terribly disappointed, because I believe she was under the distinct impression that visiting the dentist would bring her to the rite of passage of a loose tooth. I didn't really have the heart to explain she would receive little more than a glorified brushing.
No worries, though, this girl was simply excited to be going. And we, as her parents, were pretty excited, too. It's a big step for us - yet another in a long line of firsts.
We were so proud of her, too, the way she marched right into that office with a smile that needed no brightening. She climbed into the big chair, grin still in tact, though slightly wavering as the reality of the room sunk in. Our hygienist was fantastic (as always, we're big fans) as she explained every tool to our little girl before she even tried to touch her mouth.
And the whole while, as though she's done this her whole life, our little girl leaned back, mouth wide open, waiting for the event to start. We could see signs of worry, the clenching of the fists, the pointing of her little toes, but she held a brave face the entire time and came out a champ.
And as if going to the dentist weren't a reward in and of itself, the fact that she walked out of there with a Princess toothbrush, pink floss, new toothpaste and a hot pink timer to keep her on track when brushing would all have been enough to guarantee a repeat visit. This girl is sold - the dentist is totally where all the cool kids go.
And, of course, ice cream is where they go next (And we'll try to forget she opted for Mint Chocolate Chip ice cream . . . and liked it. If it weren't for her Daddy's eyes, we might have to question if she were really ours.).
In other firsts so far this year, Joseph had his first real haircut - Momma was tiring of the shaggy mullet. (Unless you had seen him personally, it would be hard to tell a difference - all the change came from the back, where the party was happening.)
And, getting jealous of her little brothers having all the hair-cutting fun, Micaiah continued to beg for her chance under the scissors. I finally agreed it was her time. She might have been super excited.
Before:
It's gone!
All snipped up.
All her precious curls - the ones she's been growing since birth:
She did not seem sad to see them go (and, no, I did not have to tell her to pose for this - this is her 100% genuine reaction to the haircut, running into the bathroom and twisting to see her new look).
(If you wish to see what the dry result is, you can check out the dentist pictures above, once again).
And that's it, folks. Our little ones are growing daily. Sometimes it's hard to believe, but we're always so proud to see them move forward.
No worries, though, this girl was simply excited to be going. And we, as her parents, were pretty excited, too. It's a big step for us - yet another in a long line of firsts.
We were so proud of her, too, the way she marched right into that office with a smile that needed no brightening. She climbed into the big chair, grin still in tact, though slightly wavering as the reality of the room sunk in. Our hygienist was fantastic (as always, we're big fans) as she explained every tool to our little girl before she even tried to touch her mouth.
And the whole while, as though she's done this her whole life, our little girl leaned back, mouth wide open, waiting for the event to start. We could see signs of worry, the clenching of the fists, the pointing of her little toes, but she held a brave face the entire time and came out a champ.
They even let her use cool shades for the bright lights - so jealous.
And as if going to the dentist weren't a reward in and of itself, the fact that she walked out of there with a Princess toothbrush, pink floss, new toothpaste and a hot pink timer to keep her on track when brushing would all have been enough to guarantee a repeat visit. This girl is sold - the dentist is totally where all the cool kids go.
And, of course, ice cream is where they go next (And we'll try to forget she opted for Mint Chocolate Chip ice cream . . . and liked it. If it weren't for her Daddy's eyes, we might have to question if she were really ours.).
In other firsts so far this year, Joseph had his first real haircut - Momma was tiring of the shaggy mullet. (Unless you had seen him personally, it would be hard to tell a difference - all the change came from the back, where the party was happening.)
And, getting jealous of her little brothers having all the hair-cutting fun, Micaiah continued to beg for her chance under the scissors. I finally agreed it was her time. She might have been super excited.
Before:
As another before, this was earlier the same day, as the kids, not understanding the length of the process, awaited apple chips from our new dehydrator:
So, of course, we sat her down with some Netflix (she opted for "My Little Pony," rather than her brother's stand-by of "Blue's Clues") and marshmallows (those are a necessary ingredient to the process), and I went to work.
All snipped up.
All her precious curls - the ones she's been growing since birth:
She did not seem sad to see them go (and, no, I did not have to tell her to pose for this - this is her 100% genuine reaction to the haircut, running into the bathroom and twisting to see her new look).
And that's it, folks. Our little ones are growing daily. Sometimes it's hard to believe, but we're always so proud to see them move forward.
01 October 2012
Of Weekend Growth
- On Friday, Joseph began crawling on hands and knees. Like a big boy. A full two months earlier than either of his siblings.
- On Saturday, he hurt my finger with his brand new tooth.
- On Sunday, Micaiah decided she will be using the quarter and nickle she recently found on our bathroom floor to purchase herself a car for her sixteenth birthday (since I told her she couldn't have one for her next birthday - we figured she should be able to drive a car before she owns a car). It will be big like Mommy and Daddy's and she will paint it like a rainbow - because Mommy and Daddy won't let her paint theirs.
- Emmett is now tall enough to push the buttons on the elevator at church, including the tippy top one to go to the first floor. As little as two months ago he was only able to reach the Door Close and Emergency buttons - so it's much less worrisome now that he can push something useful - but when did he get so big?
- Micaiah told me she had a squash and she was going to put it into the washing machine because it was a "clo." I was confused for a second (beyond the idea that an imaginary squash was going in our washing machine), until I realized she had just singularized the word "clothes" - smart girl, that one.
- On Sunday night at dinner, Emmett said he wanted to pray "A,B,C" - so we said ok - which usually leads to him deciding he can't do it on his own and passing over the job. Last night, though, he did it. He sang the whole prayer. We were thoroughly impressed.
Playing Mario Party on Saturday night. These three are my favorite kids in the world.
1,000 Gifts:
929. New teeth
930. A little hand reaching the top button
931. Impressing me with her English language generalizations
932. His memory improving
933. A husband who does what he says
934. Dating my mate - without even leaving the house
935. A family that doesn't mind waiting in the car
936. Raindrops falling on my head
937. Chicken Noodle Soup
938. A new month
- On Saturday, he hurt my finger with his brand new tooth.
- On Sunday, Micaiah decided she will be using the quarter and nickle she recently found on our bathroom floor to purchase herself a car for her sixteenth birthday (since I told her she couldn't have one for her next birthday - we figured she should be able to drive a car before she owns a car). It will be big like Mommy and Daddy's and she will paint it like a rainbow - because Mommy and Daddy won't let her paint theirs.
- Emmett is now tall enough to push the buttons on the elevator at church, including the tippy top one to go to the first floor. As little as two months ago he was only able to reach the Door Close and Emergency buttons - so it's much less worrisome now that he can push something useful - but when did he get so big?
- Micaiah told me she had a squash and she was going to put it into the washing machine because it was a "clo." I was confused for a second (beyond the idea that an imaginary squash was going in our washing machine), until I realized she had just singularized the word "clothes" - smart girl, that one.
- On Sunday night at dinner, Emmett said he wanted to pray "A,B,C" - so we said ok - which usually leads to him deciding he can't do it on his own and passing over the job. Last night, though, he did it. He sang the whole prayer. We were thoroughly impressed.
Playing Mario Party on Saturday night. These three are my favorite kids in the world.
1,000 Gifts:
929. New teeth
930. A little hand reaching the top button
931. Impressing me with her English language generalizations
932. His memory improving
933. A husband who does what he says
934. Dating my mate - without even leaving the house
935. A family that doesn't mind waiting in the car
936. Raindrops falling on my head
937. Chicken Noodle Soup
938. A new month
16 September 2012
Of a Big Weekend (in the Little Things)
On top of turning four this past week (a fact she shares with everyone she meets) and starting pre-school (she loves it!), our little girl hit another new milestone this weekend - playing her first video game. She has held the Wii remotes in her hands before. She has pretended to play Sonic the Hedgehog and she has dabbled with Dr. Mario, but this weekend, as the four of us old enough to push buttons with intention gathered in the living room to play Mario Party, this was the first time she was actively involved in playing the game - clicking "Yes" or "No" (after asking Mommy), punching the little dice block and even playing the Mini-Games. Granted, she played like a four-year-old and won't be schooling Daddy anytime soon, but she's hooked.
Emmett's weekend milestone was his first haircut without screaming and crying (well, his first since he's figured out what a haircut is) - and he did it without even being able to watch Blue's Clues (thanks to a lack of functioning Netflix), though Kermit and his pals seemed a suitable substitute. It may have required Daddy sitting in front of him and offering one marshmallow at a time so long as he wasn't crying, but the important thing is I was able to clip his hairs as close to his head as possible (so as to extend the time between trims) without him jerking away or endangering his ears (though there was one unfortunate snip along his forehead that leaves him looking "like he got in a fight with a weed-eater," as his Daddy put it). There were limited tears and few screams. We all count this as a win.
For his part, Joey has learned to sit up all on his own - from tummy to bottom. When he performed this task earlier this week, Philip and I just looked at each other asking, "Is this new?" Because sometimes the milestones pass and we just don't notice. It's not exactly like little Joseph is announcing, "Hey, world, I can sit up now!" But we're taking notice as best we can and we're pretty proud. Of course, he remains on the precipice of being able to crawl on hands and knees (he's SO close), but he's also expressing an interest in walking as he'll take very determined steps if Mommy and Daddy hold him up enough to try. Again, a marked difference between he and his brother, who simply tucked his feet up under him if ever we tried to hold his hands up - even at the point when he was twice his brother's current age. That's our Joseph - he's taking this world by storm.
And that's how the cookie crumbles.
1,000 Gifts:
888. Ditching the excess
889. Re-prioritizing
890. Being challenged to use discipline in our Spiritual Gifts
891. Transparency
892. A wealth of resources at my finger-tips
893. Her giving her brother kisses and him all smiles because of it
894. Being the High-Flair Pair and Tomboy Trouble with my girl
895. High-Fives on every turn
896. Her helping Daddy make pancakes
897. Corn popping fresh for movie night
Also, this guy turned seven months old this week!
Emmett's weekend milestone was his first haircut without screaming and crying (well, his first since he's figured out what a haircut is) - and he did it without even being able to watch Blue's Clues (thanks to a lack of functioning Netflix), though Kermit and his pals seemed a suitable substitute. It may have required Daddy sitting in front of him and offering one marshmallow at a time so long as he wasn't crying, but the important thing is I was able to clip his hairs as close to his head as possible (so as to extend the time between trims) without him jerking away or endangering his ears (though there was one unfortunate snip along his forehead that leaves him looking "like he got in a fight with a weed-eater," as his Daddy put it). There were limited tears and few screams. We all count this as a win.
For his part, Joey has learned to sit up all on his own - from tummy to bottom. When he performed this task earlier this week, Philip and I just looked at each other asking, "Is this new?" Because sometimes the milestones pass and we just don't notice. It's not exactly like little Joseph is announcing, "Hey, world, I can sit up now!" But we're taking notice as best we can and we're pretty proud. Of course, he remains on the precipice of being able to crawl on hands and knees (he's SO close), but he's also expressing an interest in walking as he'll take very determined steps if Mommy and Daddy hold him up enough to try. Again, a marked difference between he and his brother, who simply tucked his feet up under him if ever we tried to hold his hands up - even at the point when he was twice his brother's current age. That's our Joseph - he's taking this world by storm.
And that's how the cookie crumbles.
1,000 Gifts:
888. Ditching the excess
889. Re-prioritizing
890. Being challenged to use discipline in our Spiritual Gifts
891. Transparency
892. A wealth of resources at my finger-tips
893. Her giving her brother kisses and him all smiles because of it
894. Being the High-Flair Pair and Tomboy Trouble with my girl
895. High-Fives on every turn
896. Her helping Daddy make pancakes
897. Corn popping fresh for movie night
Also, this guy turned seven months old this week!
12 September 2012
Of Schoolin'
Philip and I have tossed around the idea of homeschooling since before we had children. It was always a nice idea. Until I realized my daughter was about to turn four, the year in which most children enter Pre-School, and I still had no idea how to even begin teaching my little girl the formal learnings of life.
Of course, I understand Pre-K is rather an optional thing and not entirely necessary for success, but as far as I'm concerned from my home-schooling base zero over here, I have an entire year now to figure out how to do this thing before it becomes for real.
Which means establishing routines so she won't be completely freaked out by the idea of a schedule which requires her to do Mommy-orchestrated activities other than her own agenda of playing house or Uno Moo.
It means me putting a system into place for how, where and when work and lessons are completed and learning to multi-task so the as-yet un-schooled children don't feel neglected.
It means figuring out how to lesson plan for someone under the age of thirteen (the youngest age with which I have real-life teaching experience) and how to select and implement a curriculum (even if it's self-designed).
Thus, we started yesterday morning, bright and early, trying to fill two hours with Pre-School activities before her littlest brother's well-baby check-up (he's 18lb 2.5oz and 26 inches long, in case you're wondering). And for this girl, Tuesday, the day she would start school, has been right there under "Birthday!" since I first mentioned it to her. Doing school at home?! This was going to be amazing!
And it was quite wonderful for both of us. Until I expected her to complete a few activities on her own. Then suddenly her joy turned to tears and success to frustration and she may have become the first home-schooled pre-schooler to actually get time-out on her very first day (leave it to my girl).
So, we're learning. Together.
But right now we have tomorrow's work all laid out and ready for action. And, hopefully, by next year, we'll have this thing down. And her first day of Kindergarten can maybe not include disciplinary action.
Our work station for now. It kind of makes me happy to see it all together. The ice cream cone concept was something Philip remembered from growing up (adapted together with a few other ideas I've found). As she completes the work in a basket, the scoops go on the cone and when she's done, she chooses a bonus activity as a cherry on top. I might be kind of proud of that.
1,000 Gifts:
871. A little girl on her first bike
872. New school supplies
873. A work station all decked out and ready
874. Late nights at IHOP
875. Energy to face the day
876. Impromptu naps
877. Princess balloons
878. A little boy in a purple tiara
879. Big Boy pants
880. A memorization partner
881. Voicemail
Of course, I understand Pre-K is rather an optional thing and not entirely necessary for success, but as far as I'm concerned from my home-schooling base zero over here, I have an entire year now to figure out how to do this thing before it becomes for real.
Which means establishing routines so she won't be completely freaked out by the idea of a schedule which requires her to do Mommy-orchestrated activities other than her own agenda of playing house or Uno Moo.
It means me putting a system into place for how, where and when work and lessons are completed and learning to multi-task so the as-yet un-schooled children don't feel neglected.
It means figuring out how to lesson plan for someone under the age of thirteen (the youngest age with which I have real-life teaching experience) and how to select and implement a curriculum (even if it's self-designed).
Thus, we started yesterday morning, bright and early, trying to fill two hours with Pre-School activities before her littlest brother's well-baby check-up (he's 18lb 2.5oz and 26 inches long, in case you're wondering). And for this girl, Tuesday, the day she would start school, has been right there under "Birthday!" since I first mentioned it to her. Doing school at home?! This was going to be amazing!
And it was quite wonderful for both of us. Until I expected her to complete a few activities on her own. Then suddenly her joy turned to tears and success to frustration and she may have become the first home-schooled pre-schooler to actually get time-out on her very first day (leave it to my girl).
So, we're learning. Together.
But right now we have tomorrow's work all laid out and ready for action. And, hopefully, by next year, we'll have this thing down. And her first day of Kindergarten can maybe not include disciplinary action.
1,000 Gifts:
871. A little girl on her first bike
872. New school supplies
873. A work station all decked out and ready
874. Late nights at IHOP
875. Energy to face the day
876. Impromptu naps
877. Princess balloons
878. A little boy in a purple tiara
879. Big Boy pants
880. A memorization partner
881. Voicemail
05 September 2012
Of a Confident Little Man
I would just like to announce that it has taken Emmett five days to get to the same point it took Micaiah two years to reach. Now, I'm not comparing children. I know they are both equally intelligent and capable, but one of them had an older sibling going potty and is now awfully proud to be "big like 'Caiah"!
This new status, that of a potty trained boy, has added a little swagger to his step. I kid you not that he is noticeably more confident now that he knows how to stay clean and dry. And we had an accident-free day, even after going to church twice. He didn't go while we were out, but he went immediately after getting home and has only needed a diaper to sleep (but I'm not too worried about that, yet).
Oh man. And they said boys were harder. Psht on them (whoever they are).
1,000 Gifts:
839. Spaghetti Squash tried again (not sprouted)
840. Allowing me to say her prayer (even after a tooth-brushing fiasco)
841. Her snuggled up while I read
842. "Who's a big boy?" "Me!" - confidence is hard to beat
843. Real conversations with real women
844. A reminder to make the days count
845. Having these moments while they last
846. Setting out clothes for that coming baby nephew
Whole 30 - Day 29!
Breakfast - Salsa & Egg Omelet, Banana
Lunch - Salsa, Sausage & Egg Omelet (we were kind of out of any other options - but this was a great one!), Clementine
Dinner - Spaghetti (Squash) and Meatballs
Worst Part of Today: Stocking up on cereal (hey, it was on sale and we're getting grains back SOON) and not being able to sneak even just a little.
Best Part of Today: Giving Spaghetti Squash another fair shot and realizing everyone is right - it's pretty good, especially as a healthier option to spaghetti. Even Micaiah (who I think still connected it to the previous fiasco even though I hoped she wouldn't notice) admitted it's really good with sauce. Whew!
This new status, that of a potty trained boy, has added a little swagger to his step. I kid you not that he is noticeably more confident now that he knows how to stay clean and dry. And we had an accident-free day, even after going to church twice. He didn't go while we were out, but he went immediately after getting home and has only needed a diaper to sleep (but I'm not too worried about that, yet).
Oh man. And they said boys were harder. Psht on them (whoever they are).
1,000 Gifts:
839. Spaghetti Squash tried again (not sprouted)
840. Allowing me to say her prayer (even after a tooth-brushing fiasco)
841. Her snuggled up while I read
842. "Who's a big boy?" "Me!" - confidence is hard to beat
843. Real conversations with real women
844. A reminder to make the days count
845. Having these moments while they last
846. Setting out clothes for that coming baby nephew
Whole 30 - Day 29!
Breakfast - Salsa & Egg Omelet, Banana
Lunch - Salsa, Sausage & Egg Omelet (we were kind of out of any other options - but this was a great one!), Clementine
Dinner - Spaghetti (Squash) and Meatballs
Worst Part of Today: Stocking up on cereal (hey, it was on sale and we're getting grains back SOON) and not being able to sneak even just a little.
Best Part of Today: Giving Spaghetti Squash another fair shot and realizing everyone is right - it's pretty good, especially as a healthier option to spaghetti. Even Micaiah (who I think still connected it to the previous fiasco even though I hoped she wouldn't notice) admitted it's really good with sauce. Whew!
02 September 2012
Of Finding Success(ish)
I just want everyone to know, Day Two of Potty Training (the second edition) involved much fewer tears and many loud cheers.
After yesterday, we were fully ready to pull an audible and declare him unfit for the task at the current time, but having potty-trained him into a corner, where he wouldn't wet his pants but wouldn't use the toilet, we felt we owed it to him to at least push through and continue to encourage progress.
And, while he still has his moments, our little man is learning to run his tushy to the potty to do his business. Either that, or he announces, "I'm not poop!" which, most certainly translates to, "I need to go potty!" - at which point Mommy and Daddy have to convince the little guy holding onto his underwear that this is, indeed, what he wants to do (and if our encouragement doesn't work, a gentle reminder that marshmallows await his success is generally enough to do the trick).
Either way, we have officially confirmed today that he does know how to control his functions and he is compliant enough to actually follow through (even when he sometimes doesn't want to).
That's not to say today was without its accidents - he's still learning - but we are fully convinced he is on the right path.
Glory, hallelujah!
1,000 Gifts:
823. A fresh tomato cut for lunch
824. The lawn, lacking weeds
825. Zucchini, sliced and baked
826. New uses for that which had been labeled useless
827. Helping him reach his potential
828. Rediscovering potential
829. Finding homes for everything
830. Six years later and finally enjoying his likes
Whole 30 - Day 26
Breakfast: Scrambled Eggs, 1/2 an apple, Sweet Potato Cinnamon Hashies (I was disappointed I didn't get them very crunchy, and they definitely needed salt, but the kids loved them)
Lunch: Leftover Mexi Salad
Dinner: Baked Chicken Thighs (marinated in homemade Italian dressing), Green Beans, Salad with Homemade Raspberry Vinaigrette, Raisins and Sliced Almonds
After yesterday, we were fully ready to pull an audible and declare him unfit for the task at the current time, but having potty-trained him into a corner, where he wouldn't wet his pants but wouldn't use the toilet, we felt we owed it to him to at least push through and continue to encourage progress.
And, while he still has his moments, our little man is learning to run his tushy to the potty to do his business. Either that, or he announces, "I'm not poop!" which, most certainly translates to, "I need to go potty!" - at which point Mommy and Daddy have to convince the little guy holding onto his underwear that this is, indeed, what he wants to do (and if our encouragement doesn't work, a gentle reminder that marshmallows await his success is generally enough to do the trick).
Either way, we have officially confirmed today that he does know how to control his functions and he is compliant enough to actually follow through (even when he sometimes doesn't want to).
That's not to say today was without its accidents - he's still learning - but we are fully convinced he is on the right path.
Glory, hallelujah!
1,000 Gifts:
823. A fresh tomato cut for lunch
824. The lawn, lacking weeds
825. Zucchini, sliced and baked
826. New uses for that which had been labeled useless
827. Helping him reach his potential
828. Rediscovering potential
829. Finding homes for everything
830. Six years later and finally enjoying his likes
Whole 30 - Day 26
Breakfast: Scrambled Eggs, 1/2 an apple, Sweet Potato Cinnamon Hashies (I was disappointed I didn't get them very crunchy, and they definitely needed salt, but the kids loved them)
Lunch: Leftover Mexi Salad
Dinner: Baked Chicken Thighs (marinated in homemade Italian dressing), Green Beans, Salad with Homemade Raspberry Vinaigrette, Raisins and Sliced Almonds
01 September 2012
Of Potty-Training, Second Edition
For those of you who have followed this blog for awhile, you know that potty training has been a harrowing experience for us. When recently asked my one piece of parenting advice, it was this, "Never potty train. Ever."
Now, I understand every child is different and I understand my little strong-willed child is the exception to the rule. And she now wears underwear 24/7 and is content to approach her fourth birthday as a potty trained child. Woohoo!
And since the last two and a half years were so rewarding and wonderful, we decided we'd jump right back into the world of potty training again (insert rolling of the eyes here).
Okay, truthfully, I could have happily waited until Emmett just up and got sick of his diaper and taught himself, but the poor kid has been showing signs of readiness - announcing when he's gone and asking to sit on the potty - for awhile now and I didn't really think it fair to ignore him just because his sister was a potty-training nightmare.
So we decided this nice three-day weekend would be the perfect time to devote to our middle child. We sent sissy off to Mommy and Daddy's bedroom with the iPad (seriously, it's the best baby-sitter), tucked Joey in for his morning nap and showered Emmett in lemonade (we had crackers ready to provoke his little taste buds to drink more, but this kid needed no help - he, honestly, drank two quarts of lemonade today, including a full sippy before breakfast), raisins (for staying dry) and quality time.
He quickly learned it was good to stay dry (yay, raisins!) and sad to be wet. He also learned his pee-pee goes in the potty.
Unfortunately, for some reason, he decided he hated going in the potty. He cries every time.
Herein lies the problem. He knows going in his pants is a bad idea. So he doesn't do that. But he's scared to go in the potty. So he doesn't do that. This leaves us with an awkwardly squirmy kid, crossing his legs and holding himself trying to keep it all in because he doesn't know where he does want to put it. So then he sits on the potty and cries and cries until he just can't stand it any longer and it comes out.
Of course, once it's done, he's happy to have his marshmallows and the happy cheers of everyone around. Just not happy enough to be excited to do it again.
Sigh.
Someday we'll have a happy little potty-trainer. Someday.
1,000 Gifts:
819. Having just what someone needs when it's needed
820. Raisins and lemonade
821. A place for everything
822. A fear overcome
Whole 30 - Day 25
Breakfast - Scrambled Eggs, Fresh-Squeezed Orange Juice
Lunch - Leftover Butternut Squash Lasagna
Dinner - Leftover Chicken Parmesan
Worst Part of the Day: Realizing my husband and I were not on the same page regarding our goals for this program and our dreams of how we'll be eating afterward. We're working on it. (Also, rewarding a little guy with marshmallows while not sneaking a few ourselves.)
Best Part of the Day: Being to the point where I don't really have to think very hard about what we'll be eating. Eating this way is almost a habit now.
Now, I understand every child is different and I understand my little strong-willed child is the exception to the rule. And she now wears underwear 24/7 and is content to approach her fourth birthday as a potty trained child. Woohoo!
And since the last two and a half years were so rewarding and wonderful, we decided we'd jump right back into the world of potty training again (insert rolling of the eyes here).
Okay, truthfully, I could have happily waited until Emmett just up and got sick of his diaper and taught himself, but the poor kid has been showing signs of readiness - announcing when he's gone and asking to sit on the potty - for awhile now and I didn't really think it fair to ignore him just because his sister was a potty-training nightmare.
So we decided this nice three-day weekend would be the perfect time to devote to our middle child. We sent sissy off to Mommy and Daddy's bedroom with the iPad (seriously, it's the best baby-sitter), tucked Joey in for his morning nap and showered Emmett in lemonade (we had crackers ready to provoke his little taste buds to drink more, but this kid needed no help - he, honestly, drank two quarts of lemonade today, including a full sippy before breakfast), raisins (for staying dry) and quality time.
He quickly learned it was good to stay dry (yay, raisins!) and sad to be wet. He also learned his pee-pee goes in the potty.
Unfortunately, for some reason, he decided he hated going in the potty. He cries every time.
Herein lies the problem. He knows going in his pants is a bad idea. So he doesn't do that. But he's scared to go in the potty. So he doesn't do that. This leaves us with an awkwardly squirmy kid, crossing his legs and holding himself trying to keep it all in because he doesn't know where he does want to put it. So then he sits on the potty and cries and cries until he just can't stand it any longer and it comes out.
Of course, once it's done, he's happy to have his marshmallows and the happy cheers of everyone around. Just not happy enough to be excited to do it again.
Sigh.
Someday we'll have a happy little potty-trainer. Someday.
1,000 Gifts:
819. Having just what someone needs when it's needed
820. Raisins and lemonade
821. A place for everything
822. A fear overcome
Whole 30 - Day 25
Breakfast - Scrambled Eggs, Fresh-Squeezed Orange Juice
Lunch - Leftover Butternut Squash Lasagna
Dinner - Leftover Chicken Parmesan
Worst Part of the Day: Realizing my husband and I were not on the same page regarding our goals for this program and our dreams of how we'll be eating afterward. We're working on it. (Also, rewarding a little guy with marshmallows while not sneaking a few ourselves.)
Best Part of the Day: Being to the point where I don't really have to think very hard about what we'll be eating. Eating this way is almost a habit now.
27 August 2012
Of Parenting our Mover
Y'all we have a mover on our hands. After two kids who never seemed to be in a hurry to get anywhere, both waiting to crawl until nine months and walking at 15/16 months, I don't know what to do with myself!
No, Joey does not get up on hands and knees to crawl quite yet (though he does pull himself up for rocking now and then), but that boy can army crawl like nothin' else. When I put him on the floor, I can no longer do a quick check of the small radius within arm's reach to be sure he's safe from choking hazards. No, Ma'am (or Sir), Operation Constantly Clean Floors has commenced - and when that fails, he gets stuck in his exersaucer, because sometimes Mommy gets distracted and just can't be sure he's not squirming into another room to wreak havoc.
And it's so funny how quickly we forget how to transition into each new stage. Yes, I've had two crawlers before, but for some reason I was drawing a complete blank on what this phase means for me. I found myself asking, "How is he finding another piece of paper to put in his mouth amidst all these toys I gave him to play with and why don't I remember scrambling this much with the other two?"
And then it dawned on me.
With our previous little ones we were very deliberate about house-proofing our baby rather than baby-proofing our house. True, I maintained clean floors and still tried to keep choking hazards out of baby reach, but for the most part we focused intently on teaching our children the word, "No!" and then employing that word whenever they were about to touch something undesirable. It didn't take long for them, even at such a young age, to figure out what was okay and what would garner a slap on the wrist.
Duh.
Parenting. That's what I did with the other two. So why don't we try this again, rather than let the little monster run rampant? Sounds like a plan.
1,000 Gifts:
799. Blue Whisper
800. Pre-shopping garage sales
801. Quality time sorting tacky clothes
802. Getting paid to clear out the clutter
803. Plans coming to fruition
804. Replacing Game Night snacks with good-for-us options
Photo from Saturday: We made a trip to Lowe's and Daddy made sure Joseph had on his "Daddy's Helper" onesie, complete with tool belt illustration. Love them both!
Day 18 -
Breakfast - Cowboy Breakfast Skillet (I was kind of afraid of this one, but it was actually pretty good)
Lunch - Leftover breakfast
Dinner - Mexican Crockpot Stew (using previously cooked/shredded Chicken Carnitas)
Snack - Cherries
Day 19 -
Breakfast - Scrambled Eggs, Banana
Lunch - Leftover Mexican Crockpot Stew
Snack - Plantain Chips
Dinner - Bacon, Roasted Red Pepper, Onion Frittata (Everyone LOVED this)
Movie Snack - Mixed Nuts, Dried Cranberries, Raisins (not quite popcorn, but still yum)
Day 20 -
Breakfast - Scrambled Eggs, Fresh-Squeezed Orange Juice
Lunch - Mini Pizza Meatloaves, Salad
Snack - 1/2 Banana Bread Larabar
Dinner - Chicken Parmesan (minus the Parmesan and the Mozzarella), Green Beans, Salad
Worst Part of these Days: Salad Dressing. I miss real salad dressing.
Best Part of these Days: Now two-thirds of the way done and only a week and a half from the finish line, we're planning our post-Whole-30 phasing back into real-life eating and I'm surprisingly ok with not jumping back into chocolate chip cookies and even holding off on the grains for a couple more days while we re-introduce dairy first. My food has changed me!
No, Joey does not get up on hands and knees to crawl quite yet (though he does pull himself up for rocking now and then), but that boy can army crawl like nothin' else. When I put him on the floor, I can no longer do a quick check of the small radius within arm's reach to be sure he's safe from choking hazards. No, Ma'am (or Sir), Operation Constantly Clean Floors has commenced - and when that fails, he gets stuck in his exersaucer, because sometimes Mommy gets distracted and just can't be sure he's not squirming into another room to wreak havoc.
And it's so funny how quickly we forget how to transition into each new stage. Yes, I've had two crawlers before, but for some reason I was drawing a complete blank on what this phase means for me. I found myself asking, "How is he finding another piece of paper to put in his mouth amidst all these toys I gave him to play with and why don't I remember scrambling this much with the other two?"
And then it dawned on me.
With our previous little ones we were very deliberate about house-proofing our baby rather than baby-proofing our house. True, I maintained clean floors and still tried to keep choking hazards out of baby reach, but for the most part we focused intently on teaching our children the word, "No!" and then employing that word whenever they were about to touch something undesirable. It didn't take long for them, even at such a young age, to figure out what was okay and what would garner a slap on the wrist.
Duh.
Parenting. That's what I did with the other two. So why don't we try this again, rather than let the little monster run rampant? Sounds like a plan.
1,000 Gifts:
799. Blue Whisper
800. Pre-shopping garage sales
801. Quality time sorting tacky clothes
802. Getting paid to clear out the clutter
803. Plans coming to fruition
804. Replacing Game Night snacks with good-for-us options
Photo from Saturday: We made a trip to Lowe's and Daddy made sure Joseph had on his "Daddy's Helper" onesie, complete with tool belt illustration. Love them both!
Day 18 -
Breakfast - Cowboy Breakfast Skillet (I was kind of afraid of this one, but it was actually pretty good)
Lunch - Leftover breakfast
Dinner - Mexican Crockpot Stew (using previously cooked/shredded Chicken Carnitas)
Snack - Cherries
Day 19 -
Breakfast - Scrambled Eggs, Banana
Lunch - Leftover Mexican Crockpot Stew
Snack - Plantain Chips
Dinner - Bacon, Roasted Red Pepper, Onion Frittata (Everyone LOVED this)
Movie Snack - Mixed Nuts, Dried Cranberries, Raisins (not quite popcorn, but still yum)
Day 20 -
Breakfast - Scrambled Eggs, Fresh-Squeezed Orange Juice
Lunch - Mini Pizza Meatloaves, Salad
Snack - 1/2 Banana Bread Larabar
Dinner - Chicken Parmesan (minus the Parmesan and the Mozzarella), Green Beans, Salad
Worst Part of these Days: Salad Dressing. I miss real salad dressing.
Best Part of these Days: Now two-thirds of the way done and only a week and a half from the finish line, we're planning our post-Whole-30 phasing back into real-life eating and I'm surprisingly ok with not jumping back into chocolate chip cookies and even holding off on the grains for a couple more days while we re-introduce dairy first. My food has changed me!
01 August 2012
Of Loving His Cousin
Our eldest son is not yet at the age when we hear him talking about his favorite play-mates (other than his sister). While Micaiah comes home from church telling me about the escapades of her and her friends (all male, by the way - don't know yet if this should concern us), labeling just about everyone she meets as a friend and asking about someone she just met ten minutes ago like they've known each other forever, her brother is still at the point where he pretty much keeps to himself. Other than at home, where he and Sissy will chase each other around in fits of giggles, he's pretty much a "parallel play" kinda guy when it comes to children his age.
Thus, you can imagine my surprise when, at dinner the very evening we pulled back into town from visiting Virginia with my parents, as my brother and his family sat at the other end of the table, Emmett declared, "I want to see Nella." This, coming from my introvert son who not only doesn't remember who he played with last week, but was also VERY cranky from two days in the car and a very poor nap in his carseat. He didn't want dinner. He didn't want milk. He didn't want to sit in his chair.
But he wanted Nella.
Nella, who is only seven months old. Nella, who does little more than suck her thumb or chew the nearest toy (not unlike his little brother, Joseph). She doesn't offer hugs or squeals of recognition, no flickers of excitement to see her cousin who she just met last week.
But this is who he wanted. This was who made him happy on this evening when nothing else could.
So enamored he was, the entire ride home, after shunning his pasta, he asked where "UncleAndyAndrea" were and which house, of the many passing outside his window, belonged to them. Upon arriving at Grandma and Grandpa's, he dashed in, looked around and inquired, "Where Nella?"
It was absolutely precious.
I love seeing my children enjoy their family. I pray we will have many more opportunities to traverse the distance and reinforce the bonds which are only just beginning to form.
716. Two of my boys snuggling on the couch
717. Joey's smile at his big sister
718. Watching my tiniest man entertain himself, sitting up on the floor
719. Story-time with my littles, laying on the bedroom floor
720. A flowing skirt on a summer evening
Also, guess who's eating from a spoon these days . . .
At five and a half months old, he started these shenanigans on Sunday. What a big boy!
29 March 2012
Of Developing
Our newest little man is growing up so quickly.
As you may recall, he spent his last night in our bedroom the night before last. For those of you who may not be so skilled with logic, that means last night was his first night sleeping in his "big boy bed" (the term is, of course, relative here) in his very own room. All alone. For the first time. Okay, so it may have been harder on me than it was on him.
While I was prepared for an evening of crying it out and trying not to burst in the room to rescue him from his loneliness in the dark, he simply settled his little eyes shut and went to sleep. Without a paci. And without a peep. Who gave him the right to grow up so quickly?
Other evidences that he's not our little newborn anymore include the fact that he has recently come to rather enjoy sitting in his bouncer, kicking the plastic fish and seahorse which cause the music to play and the bubbles to float about in the enclosed arc over his feet. In fact, he actually watches the bubbles and the fish as they move about.
Finally, he loves to stand. After a little boy who never took much interest in using his legs until he was nearly a year and a half old, having this tiny guy put all of his weight on his pudgy legs is quite exciting. With us simply keeping him balanced, he'll just stand in our laps, or on the bed, or wherever, to his little heart's content. Perhaps we finally have a fast-developer on our hands?
I'm already weighing the pros and cons of having three mobile little ones.
1,000 Gifts:
169. Bags and boxes filled with the gift of his provision to cover our children.
170. He will never leave me.
171. His love endures forever.
172. Muddy shoes leaving footprints on the patio.
173. Wet hair after a mid-day bath.
174. Empty space in the closet.
Taking Time for Play: Love
See how much he's filled out?
As you may recall, he spent his last night in our bedroom the night before last. For those of you who may not be so skilled with logic, that means last night was his first night sleeping in his "big boy bed" (the term is, of course, relative here) in his very own room. All alone. For the first time. Okay, so it may have been harder on me than it was on him.
While I was prepared for an evening of crying it out and trying not to burst in the room to rescue him from his loneliness in the dark, he simply settled his little eyes shut and went to sleep. Without a paci. And without a peep. Who gave him the right to grow up so quickly?
Other evidences that he's not our little newborn anymore include the fact that he has recently come to rather enjoy sitting in his bouncer, kicking the plastic fish and seahorse which cause the music to play and the bubbles to float about in the enclosed arc over his feet. In fact, he actually watches the bubbles and the fish as they move about.
Finally, he loves to stand. After a little boy who never took much interest in using his legs until he was nearly a year and a half old, having this tiny guy put all of his weight on his pudgy legs is quite exciting. With us simply keeping him balanced, he'll just stand in our laps, or on the bed, or wherever, to his little heart's content. Perhaps we finally have a fast-developer on our hands?
I'm already weighing the pros and cons of having three mobile little ones.
1,000 Gifts:
169. Bags and boxes filled with the gift of his provision to cover our children.
170. He will never leave me.
171. His love endures forever.
172. Muddy shoes leaving footprints on the patio.
173. Wet hair after a mid-day bath.
174. Empty space in the closet.
Taking Time for Play: Love
See how much he's filled out?
We went outside to play today. Micaiah picked out both of their outfits. I think she did better on Emmett's.
I have no idea what they were looking at - and it wasn't even the same thing, apparently.
03 January 2012
Of Her Penmanship
Had I been blogging over our Christmas vacation, this is a story I would have shared then. Instead, I'm sharing it now. And I'm vaguely cheating (although, recognizing this is my project and my blog, thereby my rules, there's really no cheating, right?) on my picture of the day, because it's not something that happened today, but I don't care. It's what we're remembering today, anyway. Deal with it.
After opening the last of her Christmas day gifts, Micaiah was settling in to play and began by doodling on her new art pad which came with the lapdesk given to her by Grandpa Ross and Grandma Veta (ie, Philip's grandparents). Noticing her name written on the desk, she decided to mimic what she saw. And, thus, she began:
"It's a 'M'!" - and then, carefully inspecting the lines in the letter, she began to draw her own - "and an 'i'" - at which point she drew a short line, topped with a single dot (and then did it again for some reason). And thus it went, looking between her inspiration and her work, she copied half of her name before moving on to another task (she is three, after all). Having never seen her attempt to write all on her own, this was an exciting moment for all the adults in the room. Our daughter is learning and her little brain is growing.
We are so proud of her.
Her "name" is in the brown (if you squint and tilt your head just right, you can see half of an "M", two "i's", a "c", a vague "a" and the clear sign she was ready to move on - I'm not sure if that's supposed to be her face in black or not). Clearly she's a long way from penning the great American novel, but recognizing she's three, we're hopeful she'll develop her handwriting in due time.
After opening the last of her Christmas day gifts, Micaiah was settling in to play and began by doodling on her new art pad which came with the lapdesk given to her by Grandpa Ross and Grandma Veta (ie, Philip's grandparents). Noticing her name written on the desk, she decided to mimic what she saw. And, thus, she began:
"It's a 'M'!" - and then, carefully inspecting the lines in the letter, she began to draw her own - "and an 'i'" - at which point she drew a short line, topped with a single dot (and then did it again for some reason). And thus it went, looking between her inspiration and her work, she copied half of her name before moving on to another task (she is three, after all). Having never seen her attempt to write all on her own, this was an exciting moment for all the adults in the room. Our daughter is learning and her little brain is growing.
We are so proud of her.
Her "name" is in the brown (if you squint and tilt your head just right, you can see half of an "M", two "i's", a "c", a vague "a" and the clear sign she was ready to move on - I'm not sure if that's supposed to be her face in black or not). Clearly she's a long way from penning the great American novel, but recognizing she's three, we're hopeful she'll develop her handwriting in due time.
01 December 2011
Of Reaching the Goal
And the moment we've all been waiting for . . . . (insert drum roll here) . . . .
We are the parents of a full-blown toddler! Woohoo!!!
Okay, so maybe it's not quite as big as other moments people may be waiting for, but it's a pretty big "tada" moment for us.
Though I still have to carry him from the car to the door when we go out (are you kidding me? It is not warm enough to wait for toddler-sized steps out there), the fact that I can set him on his own two feet when we get inside wherever it is we're going and he will stay on his own two feet? Priceless.
Within just the past week he has given up on crawling almost entirely. In fact, after crawling up the stairs at church just yesterday, he made it a few more paces on the top landing on just his hands and knees before he seemed to come to himself and realize, "Hey, I'm on level-ground again, what am I doing down here?" And up he went, to biped mode.
He can walk just about anywhere he wants to go, with no tipping over, and doesn't even require a hand to hold.
It's true that the big hurdles these days are cracks in the sidewalk or the gap in the elevator door (might as well be a canyon for his refusal to step over it), but he's working on overcoming his fears. The important thing is, our boy walks.
I love it.
09 November 2011
Of Potty Frustrations
I know it's entirely common in potty training, so I'm not looking for sympathy, just an outlet.
Micaiah, it would seem, has decided, once again, that she just plain doesn't care.
For quite awhile she had been going when we asked (not always happily, but she'd do it anyway) and even had begun running herself to the potty when she knew she needed it. She was no longer even demanding a reward. Being a big girl, it would seem, was its own reward. We were living in a fantasy land of few accidents, dry underwear and happy parents.
Apparently the dream is over.
About a week ago she began going in her pants to defy us - if she was sent to time-out or told to sit in her booster seat until she'd finished her sandwich, she would sometimes emerge with wet pants. This, of course, was frustrating.
And then, just yesterday, she began just letting go - whenever she felt like it - and not telling anyone about it. She would be spotted with a large dark spot on her pants and, when questioned as to why she chose not to tell anyone, would shrug her shoulders and say, "I was playing." She did not go in the potty once yesterday - despite being sent to try numerous times (usually that's all it takes).
Oh, if ever there is a moment in child-rearing when you just want to throw in the towel and ship them to potty-training boot camp, that was it.
This girl is the most stubborn being on the planet. I have no idea where she gets it - I was certainly never that way (don't ask my parents, they're getting senile in their old age).
Micaiah, it would seem, has decided, once again, that she just plain doesn't care.
For quite awhile she had been going when we asked (not always happily, but she'd do it anyway) and even had begun running herself to the potty when she knew she needed it. She was no longer even demanding a reward. Being a big girl, it would seem, was its own reward. We were living in a fantasy land of few accidents, dry underwear and happy parents.
Apparently the dream is over.
About a week ago she began going in her pants to defy us - if she was sent to time-out or told to sit in her booster seat until she'd finished her sandwich, she would sometimes emerge with wet pants. This, of course, was frustrating.
And then, just yesterday, she began just letting go - whenever she felt like it - and not telling anyone about it. She would be spotted with a large dark spot on her pants and, when questioned as to why she chose not to tell anyone, would shrug her shoulders and say, "I was playing." She did not go in the potty once yesterday - despite being sent to try numerous times (usually that's all it takes).
Oh, if ever there is a moment in child-rearing when you just want to throw in the towel and ship them to potty-training boot camp, that was it.
This girl is the most stubborn being on the planet. I have no idea where she gets it - I was certainly never that way (don't ask my parents, they're getting senile in their old age).
06 November 2011
Of a Walker
When Micaiah first began toddling about two years ago, we were eager to graduate her from the "Crawlers" Sunday School class to the "Walkers," where she could be with her friends (she had taken longer to reach the milestone than her comrades), but we were (only slightly) disappointed to be encouraged to keep her with the younger ones as she was not yet confident in her two-footed abilities and the Walkers, we were told, were a rough bunch.
And so she stayed, until she was running circles around those crawling babies and was finally forced to mosey along.
Thus, I anticipated the same slow transition with Emmett - who, at sixteen months was, by far, the oldest kid in his Crawlers class, but since a Crawler he was, in the class he stayed. Apparently, though, they were much more eager to move our slow developer along because at the first signs of steps, he was hurried on up to the Walkers class, where he enjoyed his first Sunday this morning.
And it would seem the title has done much to increase his confidence.
It seemed the moment we got home all he wanted to do was be on his feet, as if seeing all those other kids his own age running around made him realize he could do it, too. After lunch, while playing with his wooden train, he stood to play, only to bend over to actually roll the train along. And when I asked for help putting the toys away, rather than crawling quickly over as he typically would, he proudly pulled to his feet to toddle across the room, as if to say, "Sure, Mom, I'll just head on over - on my own two feet - just a walkin' on over, 'cause I'm a Walker now, you know!"
That's my little man, the Walker.
And so she stayed, until she was running circles around those crawling babies and was finally forced to mosey along.
Thus, I anticipated the same slow transition with Emmett - who, at sixteen months was, by far, the oldest kid in his Crawlers class, but since a Crawler he was, in the class he stayed. Apparently, though, they were much more eager to move our slow developer along because at the first signs of steps, he was hurried on up to the Walkers class, where he enjoyed his first Sunday this morning.
And it would seem the title has done much to increase his confidence.
It seemed the moment we got home all he wanted to do was be on his feet, as if seeing all those other kids his own age running around made him realize he could do it, too. After lunch, while playing with his wooden train, he stood to play, only to bend over to actually roll the train along. And when I asked for help putting the toys away, rather than crawling quickly over as he typically would, he proudly pulled to his feet to toddle across the room, as if to say, "Sure, Mom, I'll just head on over - on my own two feet - just a walkin' on over, 'cause I'm a Walker now, you know!"
That's my little man, the Walker.
25 October 2011
Of Our Walker
If you have seen my husband's Facebook page, you have seen the latest on our little Emmett's walking abilities. This boy may be "behind" in his decision to start moving on his own two feet, but he sure is determined and independent.
He will now push himself to his feet confidently - still with that cocky little grin that shows he knows he should be proud of his accomplishments - but if you ask him if he's going to walk, he very firmly says, "Nao!" (which his adorable pronunciation of, "No!") - because he will take those steps when he's good and ready, not because you have asked him to.
And if you hold out your hands to encourage his steps in your direction, or to assure him you are there in case he falls, that little man becomes even more adamant, "NAO!" At this point, he very pointedly will turn in the opposite direction to test his legs.
So, we're letting him go his own way in his own time.
Yesterday, he was already taking as many as 3-4 steps on his own as he joined his sister and me out on the driveway for some Vitamin D intake (aka fun in the sun). In his little long-john pj's and socks, which were no longer white because of the sidewalk chalk and natural driveway dirt, he wobbled forward so excitedly.
Momma, however, was not excited when he began to venture onto the downward slope toward the end of our driveway - something about a brand-new toddler on uneven terrain that also happened to be concrete just seemed unwise to me. So we keep most of his practice indoor these days.
Because the sharp corners of the entertainment center and fireplace are clearly much safer.
When did our home become a toddler death trap? Where was I when Micaiah was learning to walk?!
Well, the good news is he's walking - and he's progressing at a very rapid rate, so soon those corners will be nothing to our confident little jogger - right?
He will now push himself to his feet confidently - still with that cocky little grin that shows he knows he should be proud of his accomplishments - but if you ask him if he's going to walk, he very firmly says, "Nao!" (which his adorable pronunciation of, "No!") - because he will take those steps when he's good and ready, not because you have asked him to.
And if you hold out your hands to encourage his steps in your direction, or to assure him you are there in case he falls, that little man becomes even more adamant, "NAO!" At this point, he very pointedly will turn in the opposite direction to test his legs.
So, we're letting him go his own way in his own time.
Yesterday, he was already taking as many as 3-4 steps on his own as he joined his sister and me out on the driveway for some Vitamin D intake (aka fun in the sun). In his little long-john pj's and socks, which were no longer white because of the sidewalk chalk and natural driveway dirt, he wobbled forward so excitedly.
Momma, however, was not excited when he began to venture onto the downward slope toward the end of our driveway - something about a brand-new toddler on uneven terrain that also happened to be concrete just seemed unwise to me. So we keep most of his practice indoor these days.
Because the sharp corners of the entertainment center and fireplace are clearly much safer.
When did our home become a toddler death trap? Where was I when Micaiah was learning to walk?!
Well, the good news is he's walking - and he's progressing at a very rapid rate, so soon those corners will be nothing to our confident little jogger - right?
22 October 2011
Of the Eagerness of Anticipation
It finally happened.
After sixteen long months (although, really, it has felt so short and, really, I have only been anxious for this milestone for about a month or so), our son took his first step!
And his Papaw, his great-grandfather, had the privilege of being on the receiving end. Of not only his first step, but his second, fourth, and fifth attempts to do more than tumble over after one timid step - somewhere in the middle, I got a step, too.
That is how little man spent his evening: proudly standing for minutes on end. So improved has his balance he was even bending to reach his ball and righting himself to standing again with not so much as a waver - he can throw it, too, without losing his proud stance.
It's still true he prefers to bend and use his hands as aids to "walk" forward, but he definitely tried a number of times to move ahead unassisted.
He still has some time to go before Momma's arms will be baby-free for a short while before filling once again with Baby Penguin, but we're excited for our growing man. And if you could see the grin of pride on his tiny face with each moment of independence, you'd be pretty excited for him, too.
After sixteen long months (although, really, it has felt so short and, really, I have only been anxious for this milestone for about a month or so), our son took his first step!
And his Papaw, his great-grandfather, had the privilege of being on the receiving end. Of not only his first step, but his second, fourth, and fifth attempts to do more than tumble over after one timid step - somewhere in the middle, I got a step, too.
That is how little man spent his evening: proudly standing for minutes on end. So improved has his balance he was even bending to reach his ball and righting himself to standing again with not so much as a waver - he can throw it, too, without losing his proud stance.
It's still true he prefers to bend and use his hands as aids to "walk" forward, but he definitely tried a number of times to move ahead unassisted.
He still has some time to go before Momma's arms will be baby-free for a short while before filling once again with Baby Penguin, but we're excited for our growing man. And if you could see the grin of pride on his tiny face with each moment of independence, you'd be pretty excited for him, too.
20 October 2011
Of All Three of Them
All of my precious babies have updates today - what a day!
Micaiah: We're on three days in a row where our little girl has consistently not only used the potty, but did so after telling us she needed to! And we've only had one wet pull-up in about four days (not counting sleep times)! Rejoice!
Emmett: As I tinkered on my laptop this evening, I noticed him watching me out of the corner of his eye and saw the most proud smile on his face, as if to say, "Are you seeing this?" And that's when I realized, seeing my son standing up with a toy in his hands - not touching anything else - is not a normal sight! I quickly applauded him and he finally gave his legs a rest by leaning forward on the ottoman. But he spent the rest of the evening standing for a second or two before dropping again and starting over. Yay!
Baby Penguin: Apparently he/she has experienced a growth spurt in the last month, according to the midwives, as they measured the size of my expanding mid-section. Meanwhile, this growth spurt has apparently not affected me negatively as I've actually dropped a pound in the same amount of time. That'll teach those midwives to ask me with a wary eye what I've been eating. (Please note, despite the smug nature of my previous statement, I am, in fact, eating, very much, just not more than I need and not tons of things I shouldn't be. Please don't be concerned for my health.)
Oh, and we'll end with proof of this growing baby:
Micaiah: We're on three days in a row where our little girl has consistently not only used the potty, but did so after telling us she needed to! And we've only had one wet pull-up in about four days (not counting sleep times)! Rejoice!
Emmett: As I tinkered on my laptop this evening, I noticed him watching me out of the corner of his eye and saw the most proud smile on his face, as if to say, "Are you seeing this?" And that's when I realized, seeing my son standing up with a toy in his hands - not touching anything else - is not a normal sight! I quickly applauded him and he finally gave his legs a rest by leaning forward on the ottoman. But he spent the rest of the evening standing for a second or two before dropping again and starting over. Yay!
Baby Penguin: Apparently he/she has experienced a growth spurt in the last month, according to the midwives, as they measured the size of my expanding mid-section. Meanwhile, this growth spurt has apparently not affected me negatively as I've actually dropped a pound in the same amount of time. That'll teach those midwives to ask me with a wary eye what I've been eating. (Please note, despite the smug nature of my previous statement, I am, in fact, eating, very much, just not more than I need and not tons of things I shouldn't be. Please don't be concerned for my health.)
Oh, and we'll end with proof of this growing baby:
06 October 2011
Of Babies (and Boys)
Of Emmett's expanding vocabulary, his current three favorite words are: "Hi!", "Daddy" (which is somewhat universal for both Mommy and Daddy - it's basically his way of saying, "Hey, you're an adult I know and love!"), and "Baby." Of the three, while hearing him proclaim, "Daddy!" at the end of every work day when Philip walks through the garage door is pretty special, I find the most precious to be his newfound love for "babies" - which are any and all stuffed animals and dolls (of which there are many in this home).
When we find him in his crib snuggling his Build-a-Bear, basketball-playing, monkey, he'll hold it out and say, "Babeee!" (he always draws out the last syllable - it's absolutely adorable).
When he found in the kitchen the tiny McDonald's toy of a little girl dressed as the Big Bad Wolf (dressed as Grandma - it's a very confusing toy), he pointed to it excitedly and said, "Babeee!"
And when he was cruising around the living room on their push and ride truck, he stopped to retrieve from the floor his sister's handmade rag doll from Grandma Veta and declared, "Babeee!" while he hugged her, held her out to see her again, and hugged her once more.
Tonight, after we cleaned the kids' rooms for Grandma and Grandpa's impending arrival, he was coveting his sister's Glo-Worm which she was carrying everywhere, so I asked Daddy to retrieve my old bald-headed Cabbage Patch doll (it was a "Baby" Cabbage Patch Doll - it was meant to be bald - I'm not that destructive!) from Micaiah's bed - she was not giving that baby the correct amount of loving and, besides, it was wearing one of Emmett's own newborn onesies - it was like the pair were meant to be.
And sure enough, he was so happy to have his very own baby. He pulled his baby up with him to sit on the futon and patted the space next to him where Momma sits for story time. Thus, he hugged his baby all during their bedtime story and carried it off to bed with him when it was time.
Clearly he's learning to be such a great Daddy from the wonderful example provided for him in our family.
I'm just hoping this loving tenderness for babies holds for a couple more months, so he can greet his real life Baby brother or sister with the same amount of affection he shares with Sissie's dolls. Fingers crossed!
When we find him in his crib snuggling his Build-a-Bear, basketball-playing, monkey, he'll hold it out and say, "Babeee!" (he always draws out the last syllable - it's absolutely adorable).
When he found in the kitchen the tiny McDonald's toy of a little girl dressed as the Big Bad Wolf (dressed as Grandma - it's a very confusing toy), he pointed to it excitedly and said, "Babeee!"
And when he was cruising around the living room on their push and ride truck, he stopped to retrieve from the floor his sister's handmade rag doll from Grandma Veta and declared, "Babeee!" while he hugged her, held her out to see her again, and hugged her once more.
Tonight, after we cleaned the kids' rooms for Grandma and Grandpa's impending arrival, he was coveting his sister's Glo-Worm which she was carrying everywhere, so I asked Daddy to retrieve my old bald-headed Cabbage Patch doll (it was a "Baby" Cabbage Patch Doll - it was meant to be bald - I'm not that destructive!) from Micaiah's bed - she was not giving that baby the correct amount of loving and, besides, it was wearing one of Emmett's own newborn onesies - it was like the pair were meant to be.
And sure enough, he was so happy to have his very own baby. He pulled his baby up with him to sit on the futon and patted the space next to him where Momma sits for story time. Thus, he hugged his baby all during their bedtime story and carried it off to bed with him when it was time.
Clearly he's learning to be such a great Daddy from the wonderful example provided for him in our family.
I'm just hoping this loving tenderness for babies holds for a couple more months, so he can greet his real life Baby brother or sister with the same amount of affection he shares with Sissie's dolls. Fingers crossed!
04 October 2011
Of Standing on His Own Two Feet
For awhile now, it has seemed Emmett has wanted to initiate a standing position in the middle of the room. I would catch him pulling up to his feet, but leaning forward on his hands, and then, suddenly remembering he doesn't know how to do that, he would often move on with his life.
Apparently, though, it was the wood floors that scared him (and who can blame a banana-skinned little boy like himself?), because tonight he found in the hallway the changing pad that has been waiting to join the garage sale pile (which the children actually commandeered yesterday as their rowboat, with Micaiah captain, of course) and decided the padding on that would work nicely for his standing practice. And he went to town.
Multiple times, he would hike his little haunches up in the air, knees bent, and tentatively release his hands from the floor, reminding me of a little surfer catching his carpeted wave. Occasionally he would make it to a full upright before toppling over, but mostly he lost his balance while still squatting. But progress is progress and for each moment his hands were not making contact with his makeshift tumbling mat he earned a great deal of applause from his captive audience of Mommy and Daddy. And he loved it.
Mommy is particularly excited because standing on his own is the final step before those big first steps. And I (and this growing belly) cannot wait to have a walking boy in this house*!
*Please don't remind me of these words when he is running like a madman through this living room and I am begging for him to slow down so Mommy can just catch up. That would just be rude.
Apparently, though, it was the wood floors that scared him (and who can blame a banana-skinned little boy like himself?), because tonight he found in the hallway the changing pad that has been waiting to join the garage sale pile (which the children actually commandeered yesterday as their rowboat, with Micaiah captain, of course) and decided the padding on that would work nicely for his standing practice. And he went to town.
Multiple times, he would hike his little haunches up in the air, knees bent, and tentatively release his hands from the floor, reminding me of a little surfer catching his carpeted wave. Occasionally he would make it to a full upright before toppling over, but mostly he lost his balance while still squatting. But progress is progress and for each moment his hands were not making contact with his makeshift tumbling mat he earned a great deal of applause from his captive audience of Mommy and Daddy. And he loved it.
Mommy is particularly excited because standing on his own is the final step before those big first steps. And I (and this growing belly) cannot wait to have a walking boy in this house*!
*Please don't remind me of these words when he is running like a madman through this living room and I am begging for him to slow down so Mommy can just catch up. That would just be rude.
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