Alex bit my shoulder today. We were wrestling in the hallway and he just decided to chomp down on my shoulder. He was really funny today, well for most of the day. After he woke up from his nap he seemed really sick. Melinda came upstairs to take care of him when she heard him wake up. He didn’t stop crying, though, until she called me up to hold him. He laid down on my shoulder and calmed down. It was sweet for me, but sad for Melinda, since she wants to be the one to take care of the kids when they are sick. She keeps waiting for the day that I will get sick, excited to take care of me when it happens.
Abby is very smart. Melinda read with her an eye spy book this evening and she found all of the items by herself (except the star that was scribbled on). I was very impressed. She also talks very well; complete sentences and thoughtful, personal expression.
Abby was once asking Melinda to watch a movie. She wanted to watch Snow White, but she said ‘Whow Snite’. It was funny.
Melinda has decided that she wants to have another baby. We were talking about this in Abby’s room where the kid’s were playing. When Melinda exclaimed, “I want another baby,” Abby went over to her bed, grabbed her baby doll and came over and gave it to Melinda saying, “Here you go mommy.” It was touching to Melinda and surprising to both of us that she had been paying attention to our conversation.
Monday, December 19, 2005
Sunday, November 27, 2005
Around Halloween
Abby was an angel for Halloween. Melinda bought her dress almost a month early. Abby would ask to wear it frequently. When Halloween finally came she got her wear her ‘rella dress’ she was determined not to take it off. She cried and screamed when Melinda tried to take it off after we got done tricking or treating. We went up to the neighborhood in Sandy and went from the Saxey’s down to the end of the street to the south, then back up on the opposite side until we cut back to Mom’s house. We decided to let her wear it home. She agreed to take it off to go to bed, but had to put it back on first thing next morning. She wore it all that day and because I put her to bed that night I let her wear it to bed as well. Unfortunately, the fabric of the dress gave her a rash which was especially bad on her back and chest. We thought it might have been an outbreak of eczema, but narrowed it down to an allergic reaction to the dress because the outbreak coincided with Halloween.
One night, after we had got Abby to bed and turned our attention to Alex, we couldn’t find him. We had ruled out the downstairs because the light was off. Eventually I decided to go down and check and I found him sitting at Melinda’s desk looking at the computer. Her monitor was the only light in the room. He had made his way across the toy covered floor just to sit and ‘work’ on her computer.
Just yesterday while I was at Halo night with Robby Clayton, Melinda and the kids were watching Pride and Prejudice. Alex really enjoyed it and sat on Melinda’s lap entirely focused on the movie. He especially enjoyed the dancing scenes and excitedly pointed at the screen and got down to dance around himself.
At some time Abby let one rip, ‘cut the cheese’ then smiled a silly grin. Melinda told her to say excuse me. She refused saying, ‘No, Abby’s funny”
Alex is usually the first one up in the morning. He comes and plays around in our room and on our bed for awhile until I get up with him to get him his breakfast. The other day while he was sitting in his chair and waiting for me to get his bowl he points to Abby’s empty chair next to him and says, “Abba?” That’s the way he says her name. He understands almost everything we say to him and he is quickly learning how to talk. Lately he response to everything you say by answering, “What?”
Alex still really likes Yager. He tends to get rough with him and wrestles or squishes him. Yager doesn’t seem to mind. Melinda tells me that the other day he tried to eat Yager’s tail. He immediately stuck his tongue out and tried to spit the hair off his tongue. Melinda helped him get it off and he finally calmed down.
One night, after we had got Abby to bed and turned our attention to Alex, we couldn’t find him. We had ruled out the downstairs because the light was off. Eventually I decided to go down and check and I found him sitting at Melinda’s desk looking at the computer. Her monitor was the only light in the room. He had made his way across the toy covered floor just to sit and ‘work’ on her computer.
Just yesterday while I was at Halo night with Robby Clayton, Melinda and the kids were watching Pride and Prejudice. Alex really enjoyed it and sat on Melinda’s lap entirely focused on the movie. He especially enjoyed the dancing scenes and excitedly pointed at the screen and got down to dance around himself.
At some time Abby let one rip, ‘cut the cheese’ then smiled a silly grin. Melinda told her to say excuse me. She refused saying, ‘No, Abby’s funny”
Alex is usually the first one up in the morning. He comes and plays around in our room and on our bed for awhile until I get up with him to get him his breakfast. The other day while he was sitting in his chair and waiting for me to get his bowl he points to Abby’s empty chair next to him and says, “Abba?” That’s the way he says her name. He understands almost everything we say to him and he is quickly learning how to talk. Lately he response to everything you say by answering, “What?”
Alex still really likes Yager. He tends to get rough with him and wrestles or squishes him. Yager doesn’t seem to mind. Melinda tells me that the other day he tried to eat Yager’s tail. He immediately stuck his tongue out and tried to spit the hair off his tongue. Melinda helped him get it off and he finally calmed down.
Sunday, October 30, 2005
I can't like it
I stayed home with both of the kids today because they both have runny noses and coughs. They had Cheerios for breakfast, which is one of their favorites. Abby is very particular about which color bowl she gets. I let her choose because Alex doesn’t care. After I set the bowl down in front of Alex he takes his index finger and touches the bottom of his bowl, and grunts. After I pour the cereal in, he’s so excited to eat that he doesn’t even wait for the milk, but grabs the spoon and digs in. Most of the Cheerios just fall on the spoon before they make it to his mouth because there is no milk to hold them in place. Abby complains to me that Alex is eating his cereal without milk. Lol. When I bring the milk over, Alex points to it, then points back to his bowl. It’s so funny that he likes to tell me how to do it. They both usually eat one full, though miniature bowl. They make much bigger messes if you leave the room and one or both of their bowls end up on the floor.
After breakfast I got them dressed and made a tent for them in Alex’s room. I wanted to have a minute to get ready for they day. Abby played in the tent for awhile, but Alex was more interested in following me around. I think that’s one of his favorite things to do. He is my little shadow whenever I’m around. Melinda complains that I always set him on the counter. The reason I do is because whenever I am in the kitchen he comes on hangs on my legs. If I pick him up and put him on the counter, then he’s content and my hands are free. I think he likes to be involved in the action. Neither he nor Abby likes to be left out.
Abby especially. If Alex has found something fun to play with, then she wants to play with it to. However, I think Abby, being older, has a more developed sense of imagination. Today, for example, after the tent, I sat them both down at the table to play with Play-Dough. The cans were both new so the play-dough came out in one solid cylinder. They were content to play with it just like that for awhile. Abby finally broke off a corner and the first thing she made was a snake. Alex soon demolished his piece, being more aggressive and less artistic than Abby. Later I took most of Alex’s clay and made a long snake, rolling it out on the table. Alex caught on right away and started rolling pieces out with his hand. Abby wanted to do it too so I showed her how and she became more proficient than Alex. Abby took it a step further and made herself and ring, without any help from me at all. Then she asked me for help making a bracelet. Then she wanted a ring and bracelet for the other hand. She was quite content to sit there for sometime admiring her new jewelry. When she saw Alex and I rolling a dough ball back and forth across the table, she wanted to join in so she took her jewelry off and wanted me to make her a ball so she could play too.
Melinda had some kind of 24 hour flu last week. She spent some time in the bathroom hovering over the toilet. Abby went in to see her once and found her in that condition and went right up to her and gently rubbed her head. “Mommy sick?” she asked. Melinda asked her what Alex was doing so she went out to check on him. On leaving the bathroom, she grabbed the doorknob and whispered, “Door open or shut?” Melinda asked her to leave it open, “Ok” she replied. This was repeated when she got to the bedroom door. The next thing Melinda heard was “Alex, no!” Then Abby came back to report that Alex was playing. I’m amazed and how sensitive and in tune she is to what’s going on.
Lately she has been making a very cute grammatical error. The first time we heard it was when Melinda was giving her some V8 juice to try. As she put the cup up to her mouth and caught the smell she instantly replied “I can’t like it”. She said the same thing just the other day while I was spinning Abby and Alex around in my office chair. After a surprisingly long time of enjoying our home made carnival ride, spinning round and round, Abby finally said, “Dad, I can’t like it”, and wanted to get off. I set her down and off she went towards the door, stumbling back and forth until she crashed and hit her elbow on the bookcase. Alex was having trouble too, so I grabbed them both and carried them upstairs.
Alex was just sitting on my lap and starting picking his nose. He found what he was looking for and pulled out a booger. He looked at it and I asked him what he was going to do with it. In his Alex voice he says “I dunno” and after looking around and rolling it up on his finger he decided to put it back in his nose. He kept trying, but it wouldn’t stay in, so we got him a wipe and he wiped it off the back of his hand and then wiped his nose and went and threw it in the garbage like his mommy asked.
Melinda noted that she tried to wipe Abby’s nose with a wipe the other day and she wouldn’t use the wipe, but insisted on using a tissue for such purposes.
In the car driving down to Becky and Rob Claytons, Melinda and the kids came down serperately and Abby said, “mommy, sing?” Melinda sang Abby’s requests, singing “Eyes” and poppins. She likes to ask Melinda to sing “rella” for Cinderella or ‘Poppins” for Mary Poppins. When Melinda finished singing, she said, “Mommy, Thank you, so pretty” and stared out the window. Melinda will play music for them from her computer when they are downstairs. If Abby is in the mood for ‘poppins’ she won’t let Melinda play anything else. As soon as the song is over and goes to the next song, she says, “no, mommy, poppins”.
Abby’s princess dress
Alex sitting in the dark downstairs at Melinda’s computer
Abby’s Fart
Alex eating the cat’s tail
Alex asking for Abby at breakfast
Always saying what
Abby’s Dresses
After breakfast I got them dressed and made a tent for them in Alex’s room. I wanted to have a minute to get ready for they day. Abby played in the tent for awhile, but Alex was more interested in following me around. I think that’s one of his favorite things to do. He is my little shadow whenever I’m around. Melinda complains that I always set him on the counter. The reason I do is because whenever I am in the kitchen he comes on hangs on my legs. If I pick him up and put him on the counter, then he’s content and my hands are free. I think he likes to be involved in the action. Neither he nor Abby likes to be left out.
Abby especially. If Alex has found something fun to play with, then she wants to play with it to. However, I think Abby, being older, has a more developed sense of imagination. Today, for example, after the tent, I sat them both down at the table to play with Play-Dough. The cans were both new so the play-dough came out in one solid cylinder. They were content to play with it just like that for awhile. Abby finally broke off a corner and the first thing she made was a snake. Alex soon demolished his piece, being more aggressive and less artistic than Abby. Later I took most of Alex’s clay and made a long snake, rolling it out on the table. Alex caught on right away and started rolling pieces out with his hand. Abby wanted to do it too so I showed her how and she became more proficient than Alex. Abby took it a step further and made herself and ring, without any help from me at all. Then she asked me for help making a bracelet. Then she wanted a ring and bracelet for the other hand. She was quite content to sit there for sometime admiring her new jewelry. When she saw Alex and I rolling a dough ball back and forth across the table, she wanted to join in so she took her jewelry off and wanted me to make her a ball so she could play too.
Melinda had some kind of 24 hour flu last week. She spent some time in the bathroom hovering over the toilet. Abby went in to see her once and found her in that condition and went right up to her and gently rubbed her head. “Mommy sick?” she asked. Melinda asked her what Alex was doing so she went out to check on him. On leaving the bathroom, she grabbed the doorknob and whispered, “Door open or shut?” Melinda asked her to leave it open, “Ok” she replied. This was repeated when she got to the bedroom door. The next thing Melinda heard was “Alex, no!” Then Abby came back to report that Alex was playing. I’m amazed and how sensitive and in tune she is to what’s going on.
Lately she has been making a very cute grammatical error. The first time we heard it was when Melinda was giving her some V8 juice to try. As she put the cup up to her mouth and caught the smell she instantly replied “I can’t like it”. She said the same thing just the other day while I was spinning Abby and Alex around in my office chair. After a surprisingly long time of enjoying our home made carnival ride, spinning round and round, Abby finally said, “Dad, I can’t like it”, and wanted to get off. I set her down and off she went towards the door, stumbling back and forth until she crashed and hit her elbow on the bookcase. Alex was having trouble too, so I grabbed them both and carried them upstairs.
Alex was just sitting on my lap and starting picking his nose. He found what he was looking for and pulled out a booger. He looked at it and I asked him what he was going to do with it. In his Alex voice he says “I dunno” and after looking around and rolling it up on his finger he decided to put it back in his nose. He kept trying, but it wouldn’t stay in, so we got him a wipe and he wiped it off the back of his hand and then wiped his nose and went and threw it in the garbage like his mommy asked.
Melinda noted that she tried to wipe Abby’s nose with a wipe the other day and she wouldn’t use the wipe, but insisted on using a tissue for such purposes.
In the car driving down to Becky and Rob Claytons, Melinda and the kids came down serperately and Abby said, “mommy, sing?” Melinda sang Abby’s requests, singing “Eyes” and poppins. She likes to ask Melinda to sing “rella” for Cinderella or ‘Poppins” for Mary Poppins. When Melinda finished singing, she said, “Mommy, Thank you, so pretty” and stared out the window. Melinda will play music for them from her computer when they are downstairs. If Abby is in the mood for ‘poppins’ she won’t let Melinda play anything else. As soon as the song is over and goes to the next song, she says, “no, mommy, poppins”.
Abby’s princess dress
Alex sitting in the dark downstairs at Melinda’s computer
Abby’s Fart
Alex eating the cat’s tail
Alex asking for Abby at breakfast
Always saying what
Abby’s Dresses
Saturday, October 15, 2005
Catch Up
Time to play catch up.
Melinda went to Wal-Mart one day and bought a new bra. Later at home when Abby saw the box sitting out in our bedroom she asked, “Mommy, you buy pillows?” Pillows is how she refers to Melinda’s breasts.
Abby has taken to calling her brother by his full name, especially when she is mad at him. But even in normal conversation, the routine goes that Abby will say, “Alex Shane” and he will reply, “What?” It’s really cute.
Alex has been trying to talk a lot more lately. He’s gone from repeating the last word of a sentence to trying to say the whole thing. It’s not really anywhere close, but you can tell he is trying. Just last night I was reading him a book before going to bed. He would open up to the title page and I would read, “My Baby Elephant.” He could say ‘my’ and ‘baby’ pretty well. Then he would close the book and say, “All done”. “All done?” I would ask. “More!” would come the answer and he would open up to the first page again. We must have repeated that conversation 10 times.
Melinda has nicknamed Alex BooBoo, due to his clumsy nature. I joke that he will have to go into the arts or something. It’s might be partially true because he seems to enjoy music a lot more than Abby does. He loves to hear Melinda sing and he loves to dance to music. When Abby was younger she always enjoyed being the conductor and waving her arms around whenever there was music playing. Anyway, Alex has the tendency to run into walls, trip on the carpet in the middle of the room, or one day, when he had it really bad, he fell down Poppy’s porch stairs in the back and then later fell out of the back seat of the truck, landing both times on his head and getting two nice bruises. He is almost close to jumping, or he’s at least getting the idea down. Abby likes to jump off the couch or Granpa Lazear’s footstool. Alex tries to copy her, but just ends up stepping right off the edge, and belly flopping onto the ground. We put a pillow or something soft in front of him, and surprisingly, he enjoys it, even when he does it without the pillow. He has figures out how to walk backwards, which was really cute the first time he did it.
Abby has become proficient at distraction. She will do it now if Melinda’s trying to talk to her about bad behavior by trying to point at something in the room of just completely change the conversation. She practices distraction when we are trying to get her to go to sleep at night too. “I want apple juice” (Which usually sounds like she is saying, ‘Abby juice’). After tasting the apple juice she will say, “I want chocolate milk” (Which sounds like ‘Cot-ik-milk’). After getting her preferred beverage she then asks for her purse. Recently she has been trying to figure out ‘off’ and ‘on’. She has it backwards. “Turn the light off”, she says when we go into her room. She has figured out boy and girl really well. She knows that Daddy wears a tie. When we put a little clip on tie on Alex one Sunday, she really wanted to wear a tie as well. That was the first lesson, that boys wear ties and girls where dresses. The second such lesson came when she learned that boys wear pants and girls wear skirts. The other night she asked me, “Is Kyah a girl or a boy?” “Kyah is a girl and Parker is a boy”, I replied. “OK”, was her understanding answer. She added, “Alex is a boy. Abby is a girl.”
Melinda went to Wal-Mart one day and bought a new bra. Later at home when Abby saw the box sitting out in our bedroom she asked, “Mommy, you buy pillows?” Pillows is how she refers to Melinda’s breasts.
Abby has taken to calling her brother by his full name, especially when she is mad at him. But even in normal conversation, the routine goes that Abby will say, “Alex Shane” and he will reply, “What?” It’s really cute.
Alex has been trying to talk a lot more lately. He’s gone from repeating the last word of a sentence to trying to say the whole thing. It’s not really anywhere close, but you can tell he is trying. Just last night I was reading him a book before going to bed. He would open up to the title page and I would read, “My Baby Elephant.” He could say ‘my’ and ‘baby’ pretty well. Then he would close the book and say, “All done”. “All done?” I would ask. “More!” would come the answer and he would open up to the first page again. We must have repeated that conversation 10 times.
Melinda has nicknamed Alex BooBoo, due to his clumsy nature. I joke that he will have to go into the arts or something. It’s might be partially true because he seems to enjoy music a lot more than Abby does. He loves to hear Melinda sing and he loves to dance to music. When Abby was younger she always enjoyed being the conductor and waving her arms around whenever there was music playing. Anyway, Alex has the tendency to run into walls, trip on the carpet in the middle of the room, or one day, when he had it really bad, he fell down Poppy’s porch stairs in the back and then later fell out of the back seat of the truck, landing both times on his head and getting two nice bruises. He is almost close to jumping, or he’s at least getting the idea down. Abby likes to jump off the couch or Granpa Lazear’s footstool. Alex tries to copy her, but just ends up stepping right off the edge, and belly flopping onto the ground. We put a pillow or something soft in front of him, and surprisingly, he enjoys it, even when he does it without the pillow. He has figures out how to walk backwards, which was really cute the first time he did it.
Abby has become proficient at distraction. She will do it now if Melinda’s trying to talk to her about bad behavior by trying to point at something in the room of just completely change the conversation. She practices distraction when we are trying to get her to go to sleep at night too. “I want apple juice” (Which usually sounds like she is saying, ‘Abby juice’). After tasting the apple juice she will say, “I want chocolate milk” (Which sounds like ‘Cot-ik-milk’). After getting her preferred beverage she then asks for her purse. Recently she has been trying to figure out ‘off’ and ‘on’. She has it backwards. “Turn the light off”, she says when we go into her room. She has figured out boy and girl really well. She knows that Daddy wears a tie. When we put a little clip on tie on Alex one Sunday, she really wanted to wear a tie as well. That was the first lesson, that boys wear ties and girls where dresses. The second such lesson came when she learned that boys wear pants and girls wear skirts. The other night she asked me, “Is Kyah a girl or a boy?” “Kyah is a girl and Parker is a boy”, I replied. “OK”, was her understanding answer. She added, “Alex is a boy. Abby is a girl.”
Tuesday, September 6, 2005
Scissors
Today was the first time that Abby used scissors. She knew what they were used for, but she couldn’t get them to work. Melinda tried to show her how to use them, but she didn’t want any help. Finally she consented to let me help her and she got it figured out. I was afraid that she would take to cutting her hair and clothes. She hasn’t done much of either, though after Melinda cut my hair a couple weeks ago, she tried to cut Alex’s hair. She had him sit down in a chair and she stood behind him, grabbed the scissors and was ready to go. I showed her how to pretend she was cutting his hair, which worked for both of them.
One morning while I was getting ready, Alex came in, opened the drawer and grabbed the deodorant. He tried to fit it down the top of his shirt, but it wouldn’t fit, so he tried to lift up his shirts and put it in from underneath. At first I wondered what he was trying to do, and then I realized that he was trying to put on deodorant as he had seen me do. It’s amazing the things that kids pick up on.
Abby and Alex love to take turns, or at least they have learned the idea well. Abby likes to use it to her advantage. If Alex is doing something that Abby wants to do she’ll say, “It’s Abby’s turn!” It’s helpful for us as their parents to use it to get them to share. I’m glad they understand the idea well.
I spend a lot of time on toilet, as least that’s what I told. Abby must have picked up on that and the conversations that Melinda and I have about ‘my bathroom’ and ‘her bathroom’. Melinda came into ‘my bathroom’ to use the toilet and Abby said, “No, Mommy, that’s Daddy’s toilet”.
One morning while I was getting ready, Alex came in, opened the drawer and grabbed the deodorant. He tried to fit it down the top of his shirt, but it wouldn’t fit, so he tried to lift up his shirts and put it in from underneath. At first I wondered what he was trying to do, and then I realized that he was trying to put on deodorant as he had seen me do. It’s amazing the things that kids pick up on.
Abby and Alex love to take turns, or at least they have learned the idea well. Abby likes to use it to her advantage. If Alex is doing something that Abby wants to do she’ll say, “It’s Abby’s turn!” It’s helpful for us as their parents to use it to get them to share. I’m glad they understand the idea well.
I spend a lot of time on toilet, as least that’s what I told. Abby must have picked up on that and the conversations that Melinda and I have about ‘my bathroom’ and ‘her bathroom’. Melinda came into ‘my bathroom’ to use the toilet and Abby said, “No, Mommy, that’s Daddy’s toilet”.
Saturday, August 6, 2005
Away in Peru
6 August 2005
While I was away in Peru for 3 weeks on a humanitarian mission, and Melinda stayed home with the kids, Melinda got in the habit of always having the same thing for lunch. One day, when it was about time to eat Abby says “I want Pizza.”. Melinda agreed and the called 5 buck pizza to deliver. Abby continued to say “I want Pizza” as she anxiously waited for the delivery man. When the doorbell finally rang and Melinda said, “It’s here!” Abby ran to the door, opened it up and said, “Pizza, Pizza!”.
Alex’s surgery – ooh, haa
Abby and her dolls
Alex likes to follow Abby around, holding onto her shirt
Abby likes to help Alex get dressed, wash his hair etc.
Abby likes to help Melinda do everything, “I wanna help”; Speaking in complete sentences
Running to the garage saying “Daddy’s home” whenever the air conditioner came on, Alex shrugging his shoulders and looking in the bedroom and bathroom trying to find me, and knocking on my office door.
While I was away in Peru for 3 weeks on a humanitarian mission, and Melinda stayed home with the kids, Melinda got in the habit of always having the same thing for lunch. One day, when it was about time to eat Abby says “I want Pizza.”. Melinda agreed and the called 5 buck pizza to deliver. Abby continued to say “I want Pizza” as she anxiously waited for the delivery man. When the doorbell finally rang and Melinda said, “It’s here!” Abby ran to the door, opened it up and said, “Pizza, Pizza!”.
Alex’s surgery – ooh, haa
Abby and her dolls
Alex likes to follow Abby around, holding onto her shirt
Abby likes to help Alex get dressed, wash his hair etc.
Abby likes to help Melinda do everything, “I wanna help”; Speaking in complete sentences
Running to the garage saying “Daddy’s home” whenever the air conditioner came on, Alex shrugging his shoulders and looking in the bedroom and bathroom trying to find me, and knocking on my office door.
Tuesday, July 12, 2005
Code 11
I am at the Atlanta Airport and talking with Melinda on the phone. She just told me about the first adventure while I am away. She was at target, looking at some greeting cards while the kids were playing right next to her and then the next time she checked on them, they were gone. She started to panic because she couldn’t find them anywhere. She finally contacted a store employee who issued a code 11 and all the employees started looking for the kids. An employee found both of the kids in the shoe section. Alex was wearing a pair of pink flip-flops.
Abby likes to say “Good Girl” to Alex. She acts like his little mother, trying to get him to take his drink, pick him up, take his hand etc. She really likes to dress herself. The other day she put her panties on by herself, but she had them on crooked and one of her cheeks was hanging out. Melinda pointed it out, then Abby replied, “Silly Abby.” She picked that up from me because I would always say that to her.
Abby likes to say “Good Girl” to Alex. She acts like his little mother, trying to get him to take his drink, pick him up, take his hand etc. She really likes to dress herself. The other day she put her panties on by herself, but she had them on crooked and one of her cheeks was hanging out. Melinda pointed it out, then Abby replied, “Silly Abby.” She picked that up from me because I would always say that to her.
Monday, June 6, 2005
Potty Training
Abby, Mommy has been trying to Potty train you lately. She had you wearing panties one day and kept asking you if you needed to go potty. You kept answering “no”, but after the tenth time you said, “No Mom. Stop!”. You didn’t want her to keep asking you over and over again. You are really very particular. You have been a parrot lately, repeating everything that we say. You say “koo ” for Thank you and “Seeee layler” for see you later. You are still obsessed with shoes. You have picked up saying, “Silly” which I would always say to you. You didn’t use to like to be touched, but lately you like to have your back and stomach rubbed.
Alex you are starting to figure out doors lately. You really love to play in the fridge.
The last time we went camping Alex wouldn’t take a nap so mom had to start the truck and let you sit in there in your car seat with the AC on.
Alex you are starting to figure out doors lately. You really love to play in the fridge.
The last time we went camping Alex wouldn’t take a nap so mom had to start the truck and let you sit in there in your car seat with the AC on.
Sunday, May 22, 2005
Camping
Well, Abby, It was two weeks ago today on May 8th 2005 that you first went to the bathroom in the toilet. You have gone one other time since then. Mommy said she doesn’t want to potty train you yet because none of your clothes will fit once you stop wearing diapers. You are learning a lot of new words. “See” is one of your favorites. You love to eat “Cereal” (and make a big mess while you are at it.) Today you actually picked up the bowl with both hands and drank all of the milk, instead of dumping it out on the table. We went camping Thursday to Saturday. You liked to throw rocks into the creek. I would point out where a rock was by saying “There’s one.” When you would come back looking for another one you would ask, with your shoulders shrugged and your palms turned up, “One?”
You like to say “Ummm” or “Yummy” when you are eating something you like. Right now while I am writing this you are sitting with me on the front porch playing with a spray bottle. You have been spraying everything, even my laptop. You are now spraying the water into your mouth, which I taught you to do so that you would stop spraying my shoe.
Alex, you are becoming a good walker. You had some trouble out camping because of the uneven ground. You really liked to play in the creek, to eat rocks and copy your sister. You have been clingy lately. You sometimes wake up at night and the only way to get you to go back to sleep is to hold you and rock in the rocking chair.
Abby, lately you have been waking up in the early morning like 2 or 3 and you come and climb into bed with me and mom. You usually climb in on Mom’s side. She’s too tired to take you back to bed so she just let’s you stay there. Usually I don’t even know. However, if you are wiggly and won’t stop kicking your legs, she sends you over to sleep on my side. Usually I take you back to bed, except last night I was so tired that I just let you stay there. You have starting to say “Why?” lately. It makes you seem so much older when you start asking questions like that.
While we were camping we took an off road drive on an endless dirt road (we never did find the end because we ended up turning back). Abby, you fell asleep right away. Alex, you stayed awake for most of the time. You didn’t fall asleep until we were about to turn back, which is when Abby woke up. The problem was that going down the mountain, which was rather steep in some places, your whole body would fall forward and you would hang on the restraints. Your head would hang loose and sway back and forth. You tried to open your eyes a couple times to see what was going on, but you were too tired. Abby, you really enjoyed going off road. You like to say, “Whoa, Daddy” when we hit a bump or bounce around.
You like to say “Ummm” or “Yummy” when you are eating something you like. Right now while I am writing this you are sitting with me on the front porch playing with a spray bottle. You have been spraying everything, even my laptop. You are now spraying the water into your mouth, which I taught you to do so that you would stop spraying my shoe.
Alex, you are becoming a good walker. You had some trouble out camping because of the uneven ground. You really liked to play in the creek, to eat rocks and copy your sister. You have been clingy lately. You sometimes wake up at night and the only way to get you to go back to sleep is to hold you and rock in the rocking chair.
Abby, lately you have been waking up in the early morning like 2 or 3 and you come and climb into bed with me and mom. You usually climb in on Mom’s side. She’s too tired to take you back to bed so she just let’s you stay there. Usually I don’t even know. However, if you are wiggly and won’t stop kicking your legs, she sends you over to sleep on my side. Usually I take you back to bed, except last night I was so tired that I just let you stay there. You have starting to say “Why?” lately. It makes you seem so much older when you start asking questions like that.
While we were camping we took an off road drive on an endless dirt road (we never did find the end because we ended up turning back). Abby, you fell asleep right away. Alex, you stayed awake for most of the time. You didn’t fall asleep until we were about to turn back, which is when Abby woke up. The problem was that going down the mountain, which was rather steep in some places, your whole body would fall forward and you would hang on the restraints. Your head would hang loose and sway back and forth. You tried to open your eyes a couple times to see what was going on, but you were too tired. Abby, you really enjoyed going off road. You like to say, “Whoa, Daddy” when we hit a bump or bounce around.
Sunday, April 24, 2005
Shoe Police and Bananas
Abby, you have been nominated chief of the shoe police. Mom came home today after Church and took her shoes off by the door. You saw what she had done and immediately started crying, ran over and picked up her shoes and chased her into the kitchen to make her put them back on.
Alex, you like to stuff you mouth full of bananas. That’s what you had for breakfast today. You filled your cheeks up like a chipmunk. It turned out to be a good thing, because you had to breathe out of your nose so all of your snot came out and got wiped away.
Alex, you like to stuff you mouth full of bananas. That’s what you had for breakfast today. You filled your cheeks up like a chipmunk. It turned out to be a good thing, because you had to breathe out of your nose so all of your snot came out and got wiped away.
Sunday, April 17, 2005
Walking and Door Knobs
Alex, you started walking today. You have taken as many as 3 or 4 steps during the past couple weeks, but today you have been walking all the way across the room. Last night you were having a lot of fun running back and forth along the couch, laughing all the way. Your sister beat you by walking three days earlier (or younger) than you did. She walked 7 days after her birthday, on April 4th. Today is 10 days after your birthday.
Abby, your learned how to open the front door yesterday. You had a lot of fun going in and out. One time you went out and didn’t come back in. I went out after you to find you going down the sidewalk with your stroller. We spent awhile outside while you walked up and down the street. We went across the street and met up with Curtis Peterson and Johnny. Johnny was pushing his lawn mower and you and he went walking off down the sidewalk.
Mommy gets in bug to re-arrange furniture every now and again. She decided to rearrange your room, but you were not too happy about that. When she would move something you would go after it and try to move it back to where it was saying, “NO, Mom!”. You were very adamant when mom tried to put your bed underneath the window. You wouldn’t be pacified until she moved your bed into the corner. Then you jumped into bed and kicked your legs, excited that you got your way.
Abby, your learned how to open the front door yesterday. You had a lot of fun going in and out. One time you went out and didn’t come back in. I went out after you to find you going down the sidewalk with your stroller. We spent awhile outside while you walked up and down the street. We went across the street and met up with Curtis Peterson and Johnny. Johnny was pushing his lawn mower and you and he went walking off down the sidewalk.
Mommy gets in bug to re-arrange furniture every now and again. She decided to rearrange your room, but you were not too happy about that. When she would move something you would go after it and try to move it back to where it was saying, “NO, Mom!”. You were very adamant when mom tried to put your bed underneath the window. You wouldn’t be pacified until she moved your bed into the corner. Then you jumped into bed and kicked your legs, excited that you got your way.
Monday, April 11, 2005
Cute Kids
Your mom brought you home a lip stick. You loved it. You like to suck on lids, which you did with your lipstick lid, until you lost it. The lipstick worked like a large ball point pen. You sucked on the lipstick until the ball came off. Next thing I know, you came over to me with your finger in your mouth trying to reach down your throat. You opened your mouth to show me and pointed down your throat. You grabbed my hand and wanted me to try and get it for you. Of course, it didn’t work, but you were pretty funny for being the first time that you swallowed something.
You can now say, “let’s go”, “pillow”, “all done”, and “shoe”.
You like to take off your diaper even if it’s just wet. You made a mess on your floor. On the 10th, which is Mom’s B-day, we went up to Dan and Stephanie Saxey’s for Elli’s baby blessing. You took your diaper off there in Brayden’s bedroom. You were trying to put on one of Ellie’s newborn diapers. Thankfully you didn’t get anything on the floor, especially since their carpet is so white.
You and Alex have both discovered that there is water in the toilet and likely you have both enjoyed playing in it as well as putting things in it, like Mom’s jewelry. She had to reach in the toilet to get it.
You like to jump now. Most of the time you don’t get off the ground, but just yesterday you got at least an inch.
Alex. You haven’t walked yet. Your sister walked one week after her first birthday. That means you have until the 14th to beat your sister. You can stand really well. You can even dance. You can take about 3 steps before you fall over, or before you get so excited that you lose your balance. After that, you think it’s a game and when we try and stand you up, you bounce up and down.
Abby, you are really particular. You like to put you shoes on yourself. You like to walk by yourself and go down the stairs by yourself (meaning that you don’t like us to hold your hand). You like to do as much as possible by yourself. And you love to help out. You like to help do the dishes or anything else that your Mom is doing.
Alex, you are very easy going. You are usually content to just sit, watch and enjoy. You are quick to smile. You like to have fun. You like to yell and jump around. You also like to throw your head into the couch. Or if you sitting on the floor and you get upset you like to bang your head on the floor. Once, when you were playing on our bed, you hit your head on the wall. We thought you might be hurt. Instead, you just banged your head again. You like to be held when you have just woken up. You are a lot more cuddly than you sister. You like to be held and lay your head on our shoulders.
You can now say, “let’s go”, “pillow”, “all done”, and “shoe”.
You like to take off your diaper even if it’s just wet. You made a mess on your floor. On the 10th, which is Mom’s B-day, we went up to Dan and Stephanie Saxey’s for Elli’s baby blessing. You took your diaper off there in Brayden’s bedroom. You were trying to put on one of Ellie’s newborn diapers. Thankfully you didn’t get anything on the floor, especially since their carpet is so white.
You and Alex have both discovered that there is water in the toilet and likely you have both enjoyed playing in it as well as putting things in it, like Mom’s jewelry. She had to reach in the toilet to get it.
You like to jump now. Most of the time you don’t get off the ground, but just yesterday you got at least an inch.
Alex. You haven’t walked yet. Your sister walked one week after her first birthday. That means you have until the 14th to beat your sister. You can stand really well. You can even dance. You can take about 3 steps before you fall over, or before you get so excited that you lose your balance. After that, you think it’s a game and when we try and stand you up, you bounce up and down.
Abby, you are really particular. You like to put you shoes on yourself. You like to walk by yourself and go down the stairs by yourself (meaning that you don’t like us to hold your hand). You like to do as much as possible by yourself. And you love to help out. You like to help do the dishes or anything else that your Mom is doing.
Alex, you are very easy going. You are usually content to just sit, watch and enjoy. You are quick to smile. You like to have fun. You like to yell and jump around. You also like to throw your head into the couch. Or if you sitting on the floor and you get upset you like to bang your head on the floor. Once, when you were playing on our bed, you hit your head on the wall. We thought you might be hurt. Instead, you just banged your head again. You like to be held when you have just woken up. You are a lot more cuddly than you sister. You like to be held and lay your head on our shoulders.
Saturday, March 26, 2005
Notes from Mommy
Abby:
1. I told Abby she was a princess the other day, and she said, “no, I’m Abby”
2. Whenever we ask Abby to do something she doesn’t want to do, she always uses the phrase, “I can’t want to”, or “I can’t like that”, its so cute.
3. Abby’s favorite books right now are the birthday book (I think she is dreaming about having her own birthday with a pink cake), and the Thomas Engine book. She and Alex just love everything about trains.
4. Abby is potty trained mostly, but once in awhile she has an accident, and I tell her that it makes me sad when she doesn’t go in the potty, so she has tried harder to make me very happy and when she goes potty, she exclaims, “mommy, I made you happy”, it’s so sweet. Whenever Alex does something he’s not supposed to, Abby will say, “oh no Alex, you made mommy so sad”
Alex:
1. Waddle Butt- Alex runs kind of with a slant, and likes to take his own sweet time. He’s a lot like his dad in that way- a lollygagger .
2. Whenever we ask Alex if he is poopy, he always says, “no, abba”, to try and get us to think its Abby.
3. Alex is so cute at bedtime, he has to have his back rubbed and has to talk about the things he did that day, and the people he saw, then when I try to leave, he holds on to my neck and pulls me back down and asks me to sing to him or listen to music. It’s really my favorite time of the day.
4. Alex has a really hard time pronouncing full words, he only does one syllable, so its really tricky to figure out what he’s trying to say, it’s kind of cute though.
1. I told Abby she was a princess the other day, and she said, “no, I’m Abby”
2. Whenever we ask Abby to do something she doesn’t want to do, she always uses the phrase, “I can’t want to”, or “I can’t like that”, its so cute.
3. Abby’s favorite books right now are the birthday book (I think she is dreaming about having her own birthday with a pink cake), and the Thomas Engine book. She and Alex just love everything about trains.
4. Abby is potty trained mostly, but once in awhile she has an accident, and I tell her that it makes me sad when she doesn’t go in the potty, so she has tried harder to make me very happy and when she goes potty, she exclaims, “mommy, I made you happy”, it’s so sweet. Whenever Alex does something he’s not supposed to, Abby will say, “oh no Alex, you made mommy so sad”
Alex:
1. Waddle Butt- Alex runs kind of with a slant, and likes to take his own sweet time. He’s a lot like his dad in that way- a lollygagger .
2. Whenever we ask Alex if he is poopy, he always says, “no, abba”, to try and get us to think its Abby.
3. Alex is so cute at bedtime, he has to have his back rubbed and has to talk about the things he did that day, and the people he saw, then when I try to leave, he holds on to my neck and pulls me back down and asks me to sing to him or listen to music. It’s really my favorite time of the day.
4. Alex has a really hard time pronouncing full words, he only does one syllable, so its really tricky to figure out what he’s trying to say, it’s kind of cute though.
Sunday, March 20, 2005
Spilling, Jumping and Wiggling
Sometime last week you (Abby) spilled a whole container of Cheerios on the floor. You had surrounded your self with them and couldn’t get out without stepping on them and crushing them. You were frustrated every time you stepped on one and picked up your foot and tried to brush it off. Once you finally got out of the Cheerio maze you ran to your room and put your shoes on then came right back and walked all over the Cheerios, now happy that you couldn’t feel them on your feet.
You are getting some air now when you jump. You can get off the ground about ½ inch. You go down stairs standing up now, but you won’t let us help you. You need to do it by yourself. You are getting quicker as you get more confident. You are a pretty fast runner, and since it has been warm now for spring you just love to be outside. And you shoe fetish continues. You even wore you shoes to bed last night. If you don’t wear them to bed you put them on as soon as you get up. If your mother or I take our shoes off, you go and get them or us and make us put them on.
Alex, you are quite a wiggle worm. You like to throw your body around. You seem to have a lot of fun shaking you head back and forth when you are in your high chair. Abby joins you and you both laugh. The last week you have been waking up earlier, usually around 8 a.m. You stand up and walk along the couch and even stand up in the middle of the room, but you haven’t actually started walking yet. You like to talk and you have a cute voice. I think you weight more than your sister now. We all went on a hike up to Battle creek falls and it definitely seemed that you were heavier than your sister. You two really look like twins.
Swallowing the lid – Abby was sucking on the top of a lip gloss – the lid came off and she swallowed it – she came over to me and opened her mouth pointing down her throat and trying to reach in and grab it out.
Words
Taking off diapers – it best if we put shorts or pants on you when we put you to bed or else you would talk your diapers off.
Playing in the toilet
Jumping
Walking
Personality – Particular, easy going
You are getting some air now when you jump. You can get off the ground about ½ inch. You go down stairs standing up now, but you won’t let us help you. You need to do it by yourself. You are getting quicker as you get more confident. You are a pretty fast runner, and since it has been warm now for spring you just love to be outside. And you shoe fetish continues. You even wore you shoes to bed last night. If you don’t wear them to bed you put them on as soon as you get up. If your mother or I take our shoes off, you go and get them or us and make us put them on.
Alex, you are quite a wiggle worm. You like to throw your body around. You seem to have a lot of fun shaking you head back and forth when you are in your high chair. Abby joins you and you both laugh. The last week you have been waking up earlier, usually around 8 a.m. You stand up and walk along the couch and even stand up in the middle of the room, but you haven’t actually started walking yet. You like to talk and you have a cute voice. I think you weight more than your sister now. We all went on a hike up to Battle creek falls and it definitely seemed that you were heavier than your sister. You two really look like twins.
Swallowing the lid – Abby was sucking on the top of a lip gloss – the lid came off and she swallowed it – she came over to me and opened her mouth pointing down her throat and trying to reach in and grab it out.
Words
Taking off diapers – it best if we put shorts or pants on you when we put you to bed or else you would talk your diapers off.
Playing in the toilet
Jumping
Walking
Personality – Particular, easy going
Saturday, March 5, 2005
Common Words...Up All Night with Alex
It was a couple weeks ago that Melinda came out from the bedroom to find you, Abby, sitting on the time out bench. Surprised, she said, “You don’t need to be in time out. You haven’t done anything wrong.” Seeming disappointed, you got up, went over and hit your brother, then came back and sat down in timeout, seeming content to be there with a reason.
You are singing a lot lately. It’s really cute. Your most common words now are:
No
Mommy
Daddy
Shoe
Aley (Alex)
Hello/Hi
Bye
You really like shoes. (This might be a sign of things to come) You like to put shoes on when you just have your diaper on, or your pajamas. You are still really consistent at putting them on the wrong feet.
Alex, you now have 4 teeth: the two on top and the two on bottom. When you sit in your high chair you pull your legs up underneath you. It looks like it just your waist up sitting in the high chair.
You like to smack your lips when you eat and you do so very loudly. You are really good at clapping your hands. You are very much a little boy.
When you and I wrestle you charge like a bull, putting your head down and crawling full speed into me, trying to push me over.
You have done a good job at being a pestering little brother. You sometimes pull your sister’s hair, or try and take her books. She becomes very upset when she is trying to color, or read and you come over next to her to see what she’s doing and try to get involved. You have quite a temper yourself.
You like to open up and yell sometimes when you don’t get your way. Once, in the middle of the night, you woke up very upset. You wouldn’t let either of us hold you because you pushed away and threw yourself back. If we set you down, you kicked your legs and threw up your arms and yelled some more. The only thing that finally calmed you down was when I took you out in the cold garage.
When you are happy or upset, you hold your hands up in the air then bring them down slapping your knee, your leg or your stomach. You really are a good looking boy. You still have your kissable cheeks and you are a favorite with the aunts and uncles. Nanna said that you always have a smile just for her.
Oh, I have to add a note about your first time being babysat. Your mom and I went out for the evening and stayed overnight at a hotel for Valentine’s Day. You stayed and Rob and LaDena’s house. You and Abby both played well and had a good time, but when it came time to go to bed it was a different story. Rob stayed up with Alex all night long. And Abby woke up and ended up taking Rob’s place in bed with LaDena.
You are singing a lot lately. It’s really cute. Your most common words now are:
No
Mommy
Daddy
Shoe
Aley (Alex)
Hello/Hi
Bye
You really like shoes. (This might be a sign of things to come) You like to put shoes on when you just have your diaper on, or your pajamas. You are still really consistent at putting them on the wrong feet.
Alex, you now have 4 teeth: the two on top and the two on bottom. When you sit in your high chair you pull your legs up underneath you. It looks like it just your waist up sitting in the high chair.
You like to smack your lips when you eat and you do so very loudly. You are really good at clapping your hands. You are very much a little boy.
When you and I wrestle you charge like a bull, putting your head down and crawling full speed into me, trying to push me over.
You have done a good job at being a pestering little brother. You sometimes pull your sister’s hair, or try and take her books. She becomes very upset when she is trying to color, or read and you come over next to her to see what she’s doing and try to get involved. You have quite a temper yourself.
You like to open up and yell sometimes when you don’t get your way. Once, in the middle of the night, you woke up very upset. You wouldn’t let either of us hold you because you pushed away and threw yourself back. If we set you down, you kicked your legs and threw up your arms and yelled some more. The only thing that finally calmed you down was when I took you out in the cold garage.
When you are happy or upset, you hold your hands up in the air then bring them down slapping your knee, your leg or your stomach. You really are a good looking boy. You still have your kissable cheeks and you are a favorite with the aunts and uncles. Nanna said that you always have a smile just for her.
Oh, I have to add a note about your first time being babysat. Your mom and I went out for the evening and stayed overnight at a hotel for Valentine’s Day. You stayed and Rob and LaDena’s house. You and Abby both played well and had a good time, but when it came time to go to bed it was a different story. Rob stayed up with Alex all night long. And Abby woke up and ended up taking Rob’s place in bed with LaDena.
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