There is so much I want to write, to capture the moments of my life as it is right now. How there is so much craziness, but also? So much love! So much life! And oooohh, so much laundry. Which I should currently be folding....I digress.
Jacob - is learning to spell words, can sound some out on his own. It is neat to see how the wheels in his head are turning, and the "ah-ha!" moment when he gets it right. We have been watching a small fair being built at the church down our street. Yesterday was the first day it was open. We stood in a parking lot across the street, and he just soaked it all in. He was enamored by the lights, sounds, and how each ride worked. He LOVES to play with Wyatt, and they giggle so much together ~ especially at rest/quiet/bed time. Ha. They have bunk beds and goof around for a good half an hour before....silence.
Wyatt - potty trained in a few days about a month ago. The first two days, he had a few accidents. Then, he flat out refused to have anything to do with the potty, and held his pee for more than 6 hours from waking up in the morning until I put a diaper on at his nap time. I was getting frustrated with the process, and said to him, "You're totally gonna pee in this diaper as soon as I put it on, aren't you?". His response? "No...I'm gonna wait until you leave (the room), then I'm gonna pee". I walked away ready to explode, but then after I closed the door, I busted out laughing. S.T.U.B.B.O.R.N boy, my Wyatt. After that first week, he has totally ROCKED potty training. Now he wakes, pulls off his own diaper, and uses the toilet right at the beginning of the morning. He is also diaper-free at nap, as of about 10 days ago. All in his own timing! And someday....he'll wear underwear, instead of just going commando. Again...all in his own timing :)
I also love the way Wyatt says banana. He calls it a "ba-man-a".
Nate - his language has just exploded! He talks all the time, in mostly complete sentences, and has been pretty adamant about expressing what he wants/how he feels. He is our "spit-fire" ~ going from 0 to 100 mph in seconds flat. He wakes up jabbering, and goes to sleep much of the same way. He is always on the move. Might explain why he is still so little for his age. At 20 months, he weighed in at 21 lbs and was 33 inches long. He is falling off of the growth chart. I've heard two different peds toss around "failure to thrive" a few times, if he continues to stay at the same weight, or loses anything. So for a few days following his most recent dr. visit, I made myself crazy with trying to force him to eat (high calorie stuff with additives: smoothies made with whole milk and whole yogurt, with all kinds of stuff in it - fruits, wheat germ, flaxseed, butter, in addition to avocado. I've also given him a supplement drink for kids right before bed, added butter to everything, etc...) and eat more times during the day. But I was starting to get stressed about all of it, so I had to let some of it go. He eats, and eats a LOT all.day.long. He eats fruits and veggies, he eats proteins, and fats, and whole grains. He drinks milk and water, and asks for more when he wants it (likewise throws everything when he is all done....how do you break that habit in a toddler?!) We don't have a lot of junk foods in our house, so he doesn't get much of it. What more can I do?
Nate is wearing 18-24 month clothes, some 2T stuff, size 5 shoe, and size 3 diaper. He still takes a pacifier for sleeping (loving called his "Nigh-Night") - and at nap he takes three Nigh-Nights (one for his mouth, and one for each hand!), and
loves to play ball. He throws overhand, and can catch too - most of our friends/family agree that he is "abnormally good" at ball for his age. I'm all for that ~ scholarships, anyone? :) He is so.darn.cute, and we say that often. He says things like, "Oh, Papa" and gives a hug when he does. He gives kisses and hugs freely. Most of his words start with G's. Guck (truck - sometimes it comes out like he's got a hairball, it's hilarious! Guuuccccck), Goggy (doggy), and Gub (bug) are a few of our favorites. He also says "bussssssss" whenever he sees one. He narrates life as he sees it too, which is both amazing and so funny all at once!
Everett - is 7 weeks and growing like a weed! He is around 14 lbs, and reminds us so much of Jacob as a baby: rolls in the middle of his forearms, a hot & sweaty-boy, receeding hairline, not to mention his looks! I'd better caption/label my pictures of my guys! Everett has the most intense, dark blue eyes. He just stares into mine, and I often wonder what he is thinking about, or learning. I remember looking into those same, intense eyes the moment he was born. He loves to be held, and loves nurse side-laying. He just started smiling and cooing regularly. He is wearing mostly 3-6 month clothes, but can make do with a onesie extender for some smaller things. He is wearing a size 2 diaper (catching up to Nate! ha!) but when I'm home or out at the grandparents, I cloth diaper the younger two - prefolds and covers for E and BG 3.0s for N). He has a fussy period in the evenings, usually between 7-8 PM, right when we are trying to get the Big 3 in baths and down for bed. Recently, his screaming can be curbed with nursing and sleeping. He is pretty "scheduled" ~ but all in his own doing. He sleeps at night from about 8 or 9 PM until 1 or 2 AM, then wakes every 2 hours or so to eat after that. I'm hoping I can push back this time to get more of our sleep lined up together...might be wishful thinking ;) He is taking naps in our bed now ~ he much prefers being swaddled loosely with his arms out, rather than being rocked in his swing (again - so much like Jacob!). He is by far our most "pukey" baby. Yesterday was a first for me in motherhood: I got baby puke in my hair (and pretty much all down my shirt and his - we were a mess). I guess that's not too bad for our fourth, huh?
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We have some exciting things happening in our lives, and coming up this summer. I can't wait to post more about it, soon!
