We've been having a fun summer in the Huyser house. Since Baby #3 will be here in 2 or 3 weeks, we are sticking close to home, but finding things to keep us busy. Last weekend, I took James and Claire to see a puppet show of the "Velveteen Rabbit." They did great. James was so enthralled by the show that when a lion puppet jumped out and said "Roar!" it startled him to tears, but otherwise he really seemed to enjoy watching it. Claire followed the story well and had lots of questions for me on the way home. I also took them to see their first movie in a theater. It was a children's matinee of a Dr. Seuss movie. Once again they behaved very well. James sat very still in my lap the whole time. Sometimes he even had a piece of popcorn in his hand for long stretches as if he'd forgotten to eat it. Claire didn't like the fast and loud parts of the movie but really enjoyed when there was singing.
James is talking so well--and so much! If he wants me to play with him he will say "Mommy. Puzzles. Sit!" or something similar. The other day, I was fixing dinner in the kitchen, and I guess he was hungry because he went to the top of the steps to the basement and yelled, "Daddy! Supper! Time!" He also has started saying longer words such as "tricycle." There are still some things where his pronunciation is way off and gives us all--especially Claire--a good laugh. Examples are his version of "raisins," "vitamins," and "rectangle." Often during a meal, James will hold up some food to someone and say "Want some?" A few days ago, I lit a candle for the first time in awhile. James pointed to it and exclaimed "cake!" He know his colors and most of his capital letters.
James loves to play with balls and anything with wheels. His attention span for books is much longer lately. He loves being read to and will finish sentences in books unless he's got his thumb in his mouth. He sleeps well at night, usually crying or fussing for a few minutes during the night but then falling back asleep on his own. He navigates stairs very well as long as there is a rail or wall to hold onto. James doesn't really walk anywhere. He runs everywhere. He loves to jump down from Claire's bed, the hearth, and just about anything that's pretty close to the ground. He has a period after his nap everyday where he's just miserably grumpy. Usually some time in his rocking chair reading books with his blanket helps. He sucks his thumb when he has his blanket and in his bed at night. James usually naps about an hour and a half each afternoon. He is still a very picky eater but we've had success getting veggies and fruits into him via the smootie/pureed version in a squeezie pouch.
Claire has really surprised us with how much she enjoys having her quiet playtime in her room. This has replaced her afternoon nap most days. She will usually play for well over an hour before she seems to want some company. She plays with her dollhouse or uses her dolls, stuffed animals, pillows, and dress-up clothes to act our different scenarios including birthday parties, weddings, camping, and going to the library. It's really amazing to see what she comes up with! She is very protective over her room and doesn't want James to come mess anything up (which is understandable because he just doesn't understand the art involved in a tea party setup!).
We are often frustrated by Claire's lack of urgency. Getting her to hurry up--especially when it comes to cleaning up her toys--is pretty much impossible these days. She seems to be your typical three-year-old when it comes to testing her boundaries and independence. She doesn't have any problem voicing her opinion about everything. Claire is still a great sleeper and a great eater. She sleeps 11-12 hours every night in her big girl bed. She's stayed in bed every night except one when apparently she woke up and found herself on the floor instead of in bed. Claire loves fruits and veggies. She mostly prefers them plain. She will eat a huge pile of steamed broccoli but if I give her steamed broccoli with cheese, she's not really interested. In addition to playing in her room, she also loves to paint and color and read books.
James is wearing 18 or 24 month clothes and size 4 diapers. Claire is wearing 3T or 4T and diapers only at night.
By my next monthly update, we'll have another little one! At 36 weeks and some change, I'm feeling pretty good. The back pain that I had earlier in the pregnancy has gotten much better. I'm a little slow moving and tire easily, but otherwise everything is going very well. It was around this point in James' pregnancy when I was put on bedrest, but I have no indication that that is necessary this time around. While a little overwhelmed by the idea of taking care of three little ones, I am very excited to meet our newest little man.
No comments:
Post a Comment