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”.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.