Preschooler {3 yrs old} and Toddler {23 mo old} Summaries

(Written Thursday, August 28, 2014)

17 days until baby wright #3 should be here (September 14th) … of course it could be more or less than that, only the baby and God know the plan.  I talked with my very sweet friend that is going to have Bug and Mister while I labor, and it feels good to know my babies will not only be safe and taken care of, but that someone else is praying about this for me.  God knows our circumstances, and theirs and we know He will send baby on when the time is right.

I woke up this morning, about 2:30am, to more storms.  We have had a TON of rain here the last 10 days, so much the trail and parks we enjoy most are flooded terribly.  (Good thing we decided not to have the birthday party at those parks, just in case in rained).  I couldn’t go back to sleep so I hopped in the shower and am drinking my first cup of coffee since July 2nd.  I quit coffee, mainly because I like it with cream and I am doing no dairy for baby, so this is really nice even if it is with rice milk.

I can’t believe that next week  my babies will be four and two years old!  I will begin with Lexie’s summary.

birthday dress

Proud of her birthday dress

To say Lexie is vibrant, happy, and full of silliness is an understatement.  She loves to play in her dressy dresses, go “camping” with Max, and read books (all. day. long).  She is currently reading the Bob Books: Advanced Beginners books.  You can read a bit more about that Here.

She enjoys our learning time together, helping me bake, and playing downstairs.  Of course outside is usually her very first choice of play time, especially if it involves water.  Developmentally, her language is amazing.  Her fine motor (writing) skills are improving, and her confidence has grown by leaps and bounds.

If there is anything I can say about being a parent for the first time, it is that you can definitely go with your gut.  Lexie has always been very social, but despite being in daycare and Mother’s Day Out when we lived in Arkansas, she was/is still very introverted in a group.  Whether it is at daycare, library story time, or gymnastics, if it wasn’t her close friends and family, she wanted to sit by the grown up in charge and watch (she is my people watcher!) or play mostly by herself.  Today, she starts out that way in a new setting, but quickly warms up!  And just a few weeks ago at the neighborhood block party she jumped right into the festivities without needing us to encourage her at all!  My point is- we have never rushed her.  We did not push her to stay the night with family before we felt she was ready, participate in things she didn’t feel comfortable with, and here she is learning within her OWN boundaries how to feel confident.  There are definitely rules to raising an introverted child, and being an introvert myself I understand her insecurities and what makes them “flare.”

I love watching her grow and change, but am very sad my baby is almost four and not such a baby anymore.

Lexie and Max are sleeping in the same room now; it is going surprisingly well!  Hopefully it continues to go well after baby arrives …  Lexie wakes some nights needing to go potty, and sometimes that wakes Max up, but in the last few weeks he has gotten used to her being in the same room and he sleeps through it.

He naps in his crib from 12:15-2:30/3:00.  J.Tom comes home for lunch and Lexie spends that time with him; at about 12:45 she goes downstairs and has “rest time” on the bed down there.  She is allowed her books on the bed with her but must be quiet.  She does pretty good with it.

As for Max Payne, well he is a little “stinky pot,” as he calls himself.  He is TT potty trained; we are still working on poopy, which he usually does after he wakes up at nap time, but some days that isn’t the case.  I am not sure he has distinguished between having gas and needing to potty, or if he is just a bit afraid of using the potty?  Either way, he will get there and we have aaaall winter inside to get it down!  haha  In the mean time, we are down to using 2 diapers a day (nap and night time) and that makes this mama a happy camper!

He does and says everything big sister does.  Everything.  They are a mess together and I am thankful they are such good friends (for now..) and pray we can continue to foster that relationship as they grow.  He can identify many of his letters, but not all.  He just hasn’t been interested in learning them like Lexie was, and if there isn’t interest it just isn’t going to happen.  So I haven’t been pushing it.  He loves to count and read nursery rhymes.

Oddly, he isn’t a big fan of messy play or crafts.  He gets most interested in painting, but even that doesn’t hold his attention long.  He would rather be driving trucks and engines around on the floor and furniture.  =)  Or playing in water.  The boy still loves water, and being outside.  He and Lexie will spend what seems like hours downstairs playing pretend together.

At this point (well, for a while now), he is jumping with two feet, climbing everything he can get a foot on, and LOVES to bounce on the trampoline.  “Dog dog” is his buddy- poor Charlie girl puts up with a lot from Max!  He refuses to say Charlie, although we know he can.  She is just “dog dog” for now.  She doesn’t seem to mind.  =)

Best Buddies

loving on his “dog dog”

His personality has just blossomed in the last 6-8 months- he is funny, rowdy, and so sweet.  He and Lexie are both obsessed with their Daddy, and we are so thankful we have had this summer home with him.  It has been wonderful watching him do nap time with Lexie during his lunch hour every day, and eating dinner with him every night.

The Bears (that’s the boys, per Lexie) spend time together every night when Daddy gets home, just rough-housing and being “bears.”  Lexie gets a bit jealous; she is very much her daddy’s girl and wants to join them, but she loves to laugh at them and their silliness.  We try to encourage her to let daddy and Mister have bear time.  Both of them are super snuggly and I think they will do great with Baby #3!

 

 

 

 

trip to the county fair

petting the “baby cow” at the fair

enjoying the cool mornings

enjoying the cool mornings and teaching Max to swing

 

enjoying the cool mornings

Silly babies!

I really can’t believe we will be a family of 5 soon- Lexie and Max will both be such good big siblings.  *feeling blessed*