April 2014 Update

Ethan is just a little joy.  He is easy-going and quick to smile and laugh.  He is that flexible, go with the flow third child that you hear about.  At his nine-month checkup, Ethan weighed 24 pounds, 11 ounces (95th percentile) and measured 28.7 in length (50th percentile).  Ethan usually sleeps on his tummy now.  A normal day consists of two catnaps in the car and one afternoon nap in his crib that lasts about 45 minutes.  He continues to eat well and now handles several little finger foods including peas, corn, black beans, raspberries, strawberries, banana, and avocado pieces.  He still enjoys being spoon-fed.  He has yet to turn down any food but does seem to make a funny face with his lips puckered when he's getting full.  It makes me laugh every time!

Ethan hasn't yet figured out how to move forward on the floor, but he's quite proficient at scooting himself backwards.  Poor little guy will be trying to reach something six inches in front of him and end up ten feet away.  He backs himself into corners often.  He can now get from hands and knees back into a seated position.  I've gotten out our play-yard for him to have a safe place to be because the big kids just aren't used to his mobility yet and I'm having a hard time keeping up with all the little things they leave around the house.  He tolerates the play-yard pretty well for a few minutes at a time.  Ethan can correctly raise his hands for "How big is Ethan?"  He sometimes gets clapping and waving but not consistently.  When he can tell we're trying to get him to do something that he doesn't understand, he will just put his hands up in the air.  He can stand and play at his activity table now but is wobbly so we have to stay close.  Our big boy is wearing 18 month size clothes and size 4 diapers.  He usually sleeps from 7 pm until 5:30ish and the will sleep for another hour after being nursed. 

James is going through a clingy phase.  He wants to hold my hand anytime that I go anywhere--as in from one room to another.  He is also putting up a fight to be dropped off at church.  He calms down quickly but this is an adjustment since he's always done so well.  It's also tricky trying to get into a building carrying Ethan and several different bags with a toddler clinging to my leg.  Hopefully he'll outgrow this phase quickly.  He's also in a very stubborn--"I'll do it myself!" stage.  For example, he won't let me turn the water on anymore, since discovering that he can reach it...

James has some moments where he's difficult, but he can also be super cute and super sweet.  He will randomly come over and hug me and say "I luv you."  He has started to tell Claire that she looks very pretty when she's wearing a dress.  On Easter Sunday when Claire and I wore our matching dresses he told us that we looked like princesses.


James sings all day.  Sometimes his versions of songs are quite funny.  Claire also sings a lot, but usually they aren't singing together.  It's not uncommon to find them each singing at the top of their lungs while Ethan is babbling, all in the same room.  James likes to play outside at a park or in the back yard.  He's been enjoying the sand table a lot.  He will pretend to make cookies or cake.  He likes to color on the easel and has started drawing people.  They consist of a head with legs, eyes, and "spiky hair". 

Drawing by James.  Daddy is the biggest one.  Mommy is in the bottom right.  Aunt Dana is the peach one.  Brooks is the bottom left.

James' Kindermusik class has come to an end.  It was an interesting adventure this year.  We went on a day of the week when Claire was in preschool but I had Ethan tagging along.  At first Ethan would sleep but he's been awake these past few months.  Thankfully he was pretty content to sit in his stroller and watch or play with an instrument for most of the class.  James really matured and learned a lot during the course of the year.  At first he would cling to me and insist on being held.  It was so bad that I really didn't enjoy going.  Finally he became comfortable with the environment and in the last month he started to participate in all the activities.  I'm glad that I stuck it out because I think it will help with his adjustment into preschool in the fall.

James continues to be a more picky eater than Claire, but he's not horrible.  When he does like something, he eats a lot.  We attended an event at church one night and while he was in the nursery he ate three pieces of pizza!  James wears size 3T clothes and size 5 diapers.  He naps about half of the time and sleeps 11 hours each night. 

At Claire's four year old checkup, she weighed 39 pounds, 10 ounces (75th percentile) and measured 41.7 inches tall (90th percentile).  We laugh that she's in that stage where she's all skinny little arms and legs.  Claire knew that she would have to get some shots at her checkup.  She was very brave and brought along the band aids that she had gotten in her Easter basket.  Actually these band aids have probably been the most played with things received for Easter this year.  Claire gets many many boo-boos each day.  She is very frustrated by my requirement that there be blood to receive a band aid. 

Claire received the movie "Frozen" for her birthday.  Though she hasn't watched it in a few weeks, she talks about it every day, sings the songs, and has her dolls act out parts of the story.  When a song from the movie plays on the radio, she gets so excited. 

 

Our family (drawn by Claire) L to R: Ethan, Mommy, Claire, Daddy, and James

Claire continues to love swim lessons.  She enjoyed having her friend from church, Anna Claire, in her class this past month.  Claire has gotten very confident in the water and jumps in with no hesitation.  I heard her teacher tell her that she is a little water-bug.  She was promoted at the end of April from the Jellyfish class to the Angelfish class.

Claire still asks a lot of questions--many of which are "why?"  Perhaps her cutest yet happened yesterday.  She had received a helium balloon.  It was a windy day and trying to get all three kids, a few bags, a stroller, and two helium balloons into the car proved to be a difficult task for me.  Claire's balloon ended up flying out of the trunk.  After a little melt down and a few questions about where the balloon went, she asked me "Will it touch the floor of heaven?"

Claire is wearing size 5 clothes.  She doesn't nap but plays happily for almost two hours in her room every day.  She sleeps 11 hours every night.  She loves pretend play.  She is catching on with the reading and writing.  She even has brought me words that she has completely thought up on her own, sounded out, and written down--"bus," "mat," "luv," bare," and "vulin" (violin).

Ethan's first pouch of food.  He liked it.  Is anyone surprised?

James and Claire have been making forts.  Each has a separate room and door.  

Ethan's first taste of PB&J.  I'm sure you're supposed to wait until they're older to introduce peanut butter, but we were at the park and I was out of options.  Oh well.  He's my third and he was happy with it!