December/January/February Update

Well I've gotten a little behind with these "monthly" updates.  It's part due to the fact that the kids aren't changing as much month to month anymore, and it's part due to the fact that my life is a little crazy right now.  It's the good kind of crazy but crazy nonetheless.  December was a very fun month because the kids enjoyed every aspect of the Christmas season with so much excitement and enthusiasm.  We still laugh about driving in the car one evening and James shouting from the backseat "Look! A! Candy! Cane!" after he saw a mailbox decoration.  January was cold and dreary but it was nice to be back into our normal routine with preschool and Bible study.  So far February has had a few glimpses of spring that have allowed for some much needed outdoor play.  Matt has begun work in James' room (adding lighting and outlets, finishing the baseboards, adding crown molding, painting, etc).  The pregnancy is going well, but at 26 weeks I would have to say that this has probably been my hardest pregnancy as far as feeling run down and sick.  Then again, it could simply be that I'm exhausted from taking care of a 4, 3, and 1 year old every day!

Ethan is talking more and more.  He babbles all day long, especially in the car when it sounds like he's making up his own little songs.  He has many recognizable (at least to me) words and has begun to put two words together, including "Bye Bye Dada," "Hi Brooks," "Ah ah (monkey) shirt," "Mama shoe," and "Choo choo book".  It has taken him a long time to make a "b" sound so it's been "doot" for "book" and "dede" for "baby" but he's starting to replace these.  The big kids have been into telling knock knock jokes and Ethan wants to as well.  He will say (and then begin to scream) "knack knack" until someone says "who's there?"  He then has a punch line of gibberish that he's very proud of.  Ethan says "Ho ho ho" for anything resembling Santa.  At meal time he's always happy to announce to everyone "Suppertime!" which sounds like "Cha-cha-cha!" but we all know what he's saying.

Ethan loves books and wants me to read to him all day long.  He no longer wants to sit on my lap but cuddles up right next to me on the couch or in a chair.  This must be because of my growing belly because he's fine to sit on anyone else's lap.  Ethan understands so much and completes simple tasks with such joy and enthusiasm.  He loves to clean up and sings "Clean up, clean up" all on his own.  He also claps for himself quite often.  He likes to slide and is fearless about climbing after older kids on tall playground equipment at the park.  He likes to drive little cars around on the floor or coffee table.  He likes to get a plastic toy tub in the kitchen and push it along the floor as fast as he can until he hits a cabinet, laughs, and turns around in another direction.  He also enjoys climbing in the tubs.  He loves to have his sippy cup of milk and asks for it at the refrigerator multiple times every day.  When looking for something, he holds his little hands up in the way that adults do.  Ethan understands when he doesn't have my undivided attention and will repeat a phrase until I acknowledge him, sometimes even shouting "MAMA!" in the middle of his repetitions.  At his 18 month checkup in late January, Ethan weighed 27 pounds, 5 ounces (90th percentile) and measured 32.5 inches tall (50th percentile). 

James' imagination is really developing for pretend play.  He loves to play this way with Claire.  Even though they get into plenty of little squabbles, they seem to truly enjoy each other's company.  I can tell when they've been apart during the morning, that they are more resistant to being alone in their rooms and want to play together.  In fact James (who doesn't nap anymore) often sneaks into Claire's room during quiet time.  James enjoys preschool and is quite willing to tell me about it and answer questions about his day.  He is very proud of any artwork that he brings home.  He complains about his tummy hurting at least five times a day.  It's a little hard telling when there's a legitimate issue but usually these complaints coincide with bedtime or him needing to clean up or get dressed, so I know he's probably just fine.  James asks me every day if it's May in anticipation of Baby's arrival.  James likes toy cars and trains, puzzles, blocks, reading books and playing with the LeapReader.

Claire continues to do well at preschool.  She too is very proud of her artwork that she brings home.  There is a "Letter Bag" at preschool that the children take turn filling with objects from home.  Her teachers were impressed with Claire's ability to come up with hints for her classmates to guess what the objects were as she revealed them.  She still has a very vivid imagination and especially loves to play with her dolls (Barbie and dollhouse, not so much baby dolls).  We are having her practice reading every night.  It can be painful to sit through at the end of a long day, but she's showing improvement and has made it though several Level 1 reading books from the library.  (Her memory is so good that I have to get library books for it to be true reading.)  Claire loves AWANA Bible club at church and seems to look forward to seeing certain friends at preschool and church.

Claire's Special Time with Daddy

"Doughnuts With Daddy" day at Preschool with Claire

Claire was so excited to show me everything in her classroom. We had a chance to sit and watch them go through their morning routine of handing out jobs for each student, putting the weather up on the board, counting the day on the calendar, practicing days of the week (yesterday and tomorrow), counting the kids in the class (counting boys and girls, then practicing their addition to count everyone), and adding new words for the letter of the week (this week was "P" and Claire thought of "Princess!")

All the students in the 4's class sang for the Dads. Claire told me she had some special songs to sing but she wouldn't tell me what ones because it was a special secret. She did a great job, singing all the words and having fun with the motions.

There were chairs for everyone but she really really wanted to sit in my lap. Good. I wanted her to too.

She poses for these and holds this face for several pictures at a time.

I've Been Working On The Railroad
I feel uncomfortable being just one more Dad in the crowd getting the whole thing on a video on the phone. But I wanted to share this, especially with Amanda.


Take Me Out To The Ballgame
Clearly a song selection for the Dads. I like it.


Father Abraham
I dropped Claire out of the frame for the video for a bit. This is because I was actually looking at Claire and not at the phone - so I don't feel bad about that one bit.


There was another song after this that I regretted not filming. I had decided at this point that enough was enough and it was time to put the phone down and enjoy the moment. Well, it was a song with a few repetitive lines that sung "I love you" and each time the children pointed outward with both hands but Claire looked at me and pointed directly at me. It was GREAT and I beamed - and so did she. I wanted Amanda to see that but I'll just get to keep that one to myself.

"Daddy Daughter Date Night" at Chick Fil A

We missed doing this event last year because of my work travel and I felt rather ashamed, but we made up for it by seeing Frozen together... which kind-of ended up being a big deal so that all worked out. Even though it had been two years, Claire remembered EVERY detail about this event and asked about it.

This photo. You can see what I mean about her "pose"

That pose again. It's adorable. She loves the camera.

But a genuine laugh...

...is just a tickle away

So little

So adorable!

Okay, so we didn't get any good pictures at Chick Fil A. The picture backdrop that they made was awkward and the photo with the cow was blurry - but Claire was pretty brave about high-fiving and hugging and having her picture taken with the Chick Fil A cow. I think it just takes a few times to get warmed up to something like that. She was very excited about getting a balloon and couldn't order her food until she had asked for a balloon first. She wanted one for me too, since it wouldn't work to just have one for her.

The front of the restaurant was decorated with tablecloths, glitter, balloons, fake votives, and flowers. We ordered from a menu and although it was still the regular Chick Fil A fare it was served without wrappers and on fancy plastic plates. Since it was such a special night, we each had a chocolate sundae!

Miscellaneous Videos

Disclaimer: This was on Daddy's watch.  At least they were wearing helmets? 01-01-15


James "teaching" Ethan 01-03-15


This is a scene from "Frozen" that Claire often acts out 01-08-15


Oh and James does it too 01-11-15


Claire's batting prat ice 01-10-15


Reading together


Breakfast time fun 


James reading to Ethan


Such a sweet and busy little guy!



Snack with silly boys

Meanwhile at Preschool

January Pictures

I love when all three sit down together to read a book...also this is a good time to snap a picture because they are relatively still!

My tub of scrap ribbon proved to be quite entertaining 

When Claire was little, she would sit sifting and sorting and playing quietly with the rice box.  Now, with the boys, things are a little different.  I'm going to be finding rice for months!

Are sensory bins really worth the mess?

When James moves into Ethan's room, he'll use this boat shaped toddler bed.  We had it out in the foyer for awhile and the kids had so much fun pretending it was a boat.