5 Months

Has it really been 5 months already?  Time has flown by, and you have reached the stage where you are learning new things every day.  You are still the happy smiling boy though.  There was a photographer at school this month, and he reportedly love photographing you because you were always so happy.  I can't wait to see the pictures myself! 

You are rolling over in both directions. The first time you did it was in your bed one night while you were swaddled. I think that helped you, because your arm didn't get in the way. But, something must have clicked in your brain that night, because it wasn't two days later that you rolled over unassisted, arms free. Just days after your started rolling over, you also started inching your legs up under your body so that your bottom sticks up in the air. I am preparing myself, because I know you are going to start crawling long before we are really ready for it. I was hoping we would be settled in a house before you got mobile so we wouldn't have to baby-proof the apartment, but I think you have other plans. 

 Your fine motor skills have also improved tremendously.  You are reaching for objects and able to grasp them much of the time.  Unfortunately for your sister, her hair is one of your favorite targets.  She is pretty understanding though; at least, it hasn't stopped her from playing with you.  I thik you're glad for that, because you love you sister.  Anytime she is talking, you are looking at her.  You ALWAYS smile at her, and she does a good job of taking care of you.  When you fuss, she is the first one there to your rescue.  Your favorite toys are the ones that make the crinkle noise.  You have a book that crinkles and can calm you down from even the most determined tantrum. 

Speaking of which, you get mad now.  Not fussy, mad.  You scream at the top of your lungs and big, wet tears fall down your face.  Most of the time, the tantrums come when you are set down and you want to be held.  As much as you like rolling around on the floor and playing, you also don't like to be left alone for too long.  I guess that is the plight of the younger child.  Your sister never lets you cry for long, and neither does Jackson.  He likes to lick you in the face until you start laughing. 

We also had to move to size 3 diapers this month. After two nights with 3 sheet/pajama changes because of leakage, it was clear that the size 2 diapers just weren't cutting it.  You had your first overnight stay without mommy or daddy, and had an overnight diaper explosion for nana and papa that night too.  Speaking of nights, you still aren't sleeping through.  We have reached the stage,  however, where I am not feeding you every time you wake up because you weren't eating much anyway.  You do not like that; you do not like to soothe yourself to sleep.  So, there is a lot of screaming and crying (I feel bad for the neighbors), but you are only eating one time a night now.  I hope that soon you'll be only waking up once a night.  Part of the problem is that you move around in your crib a lot, and often end up with an arm or leg hanging out of your crib.  I think you sometimes aren't sure how to get it back in, and then wake yourself up trying to figure it out. 

Oh, and you are perfecting your rice cereal consumption.  You still try to stick your hand in your mouth, but we can get through the feeding without you getting mad and without too much mess.  They are going to start giving you rice cereal in the morning at school next week. 

I am so excited to watch you grow and develop over the next couple of months.  Just a few months from now, I am sure I'll be writing about your mobility and how you are always getting into things.  I love you so much!

A dogs perspective

So we are running a couple of months late on our video editing, but here is a fun video of Jackson at the lake.

Three and a Half Years

I am a few days (ok, a couple of weeks) late with this post, but I still had to share what is on my heart. You are definitely not a baby anymore. You're a little girl now. Every time I look at you...I mean really look at you...I am amazed by how big you have gotten. Physically, you have lost every ounce of baby fat, and can run, jump, and climb almost anywhere you want. Just this morning you were telling me how long your legs are.  You have also learned to reason and do so daily when choosing yourwardrobe. For example:

You say, "Daddy, I haven't worn this dress in a while."

Daddy responds, "That dress has short sleeves; it is too cold to wear that dress."

You look at the dress, then your dad. After a short pause you say, "I can wear a sweater. Ok?" and pull a sweater out of the closet.

You have a mind of your own, which can be challenging for your mommy and daddy. However, I know that it is necessary for you to become an independent adult.  I just pray that you will use that mind to make good choices and follow God.  You are already on the right track.  You are always watching out for others and making sure everyone is taken care of.  When I don't feel well, you are always the first to ask me if I am OK.  You usually have advice for how I can get better too.  Sometimes...well, most of the time...this can come across as you being bossy.  You use those same command skills when playing with friends.  You often grab Lillian by the hand and drag her along to do what you want to do.  She doesn't seem to mind, yet. 

You also LOVE to help.  When we clean the house, all we have to do is give you a rag and you are cleaning off everything.  You prefer to use the Clorox wipes to just a plain rag or paper towel, but you are still learning what you should and should not clean with those wipes (wood furniture for example).  You are an especially good helper when it comes to your brother.  You  love helping give him baths, and anytime he starts to fuss, you are the first person to run to him.  Usually, it is just enough for him to see you, and he immediately stops crying and smiles.  There is no doubt that he loves his big sister. 

One of the best parts of being a parent is watching you start to choose your favorite activities, which I know someday will help lead you into a career.  It is fun to guess what you might choose to do as an adult given your current preferences.  You love to draw and color.  You are actually learning more control over your hands, so the untrained eye can now tell when you are drawing people, the letter A, bugs (which all look the same, no matter what kind of bug it is), and simple birds with two lines for wings and a dot for a body.  Your circles are definitely the best shape you draw, but you are working to learn others too.  You also love dancing, singing, and reciting stories.  One of your favorite pretend activties is playing with your baby dolls, particularly Bitty Baby.  You also like to pretend to be a princess sometimes too, and you love to play with legos. Thinking about the combination of these favorite activities doesn't give any clear hints as to what you might choose as a future vocation, but there are a lot of options.  Your daddy has been talking to you about the Mars rover and trying to get you interested in robots, science and engineering.  It is cute to see the two of you having some quality daddy/daughter time. 
 
The past six months have been a lot of change for you, but you are perservering.  You definitely have your attention seeking moments, and it is at those times that I have to remind myself that you are only three and a half.  You are getting to be so mature in so many ways that I often forget you aren't nine or ten years old. I love you so much and hope you never get too old to snuggle on the couch under the purple blanket or have Saturday morning dance parties in the living room. 

What Will He Say First?

I just have to share this exchange between my children and their father.

Audrey said to Barrett, "Can you say dada?  I think you can."

Then, Billy chimed in, "Audrey, what do you think Barrett will say first...mama or dada?"

Without a pause, Audurey replied, "He's going to say Audrey." 

Once At a Time

Audrey likes the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears and has now heard it so many times that she can recite the story quite well. When we are driving to or from school, she frequently tells the story for me. Each time I hear her tell it, it makes me smile. She always tells it very quickly and sometimes skips parts, but it is absolutely adorable to hear her rendition of the story. One of the best parts is how she always starts. "Once at a time..."