Sunday, September 30, 2012

Evan at 39 months

39 months

We finished Evan's thirty-ninth month with a fun long-weekend visit from Mimi and Granpa. All three kids love their grandparents but Ev takes the prize for grandparent-enthusiast-in-chief. He was still lamenting that he didn't get to fly back to Florida with Mimi on her visit just a month ago, so he was super excited when Mimi flew back into town this past Thursday with Granpa in tow, no less! You see when Mimi comes to see us several times a year, it's usually without Granpa, who stays behind to work. But this time, Granpa was able to combine a work conference at a nearby seminary with some extra time off. That's a good thing, not only because we got to spend time with Granpa too, but also because Mimi didn't have to answer Evan's constant queries about Granpa's whereabouts. Ev's an especially big fan of Granpa. This visit he frequently remarked on his 6'3" height, asking, "You're tall bigger, Granpa?" He also cheered heartily when Granpa got three holes-in-one playing mini golf today: "Granpa wins!"

follow-through

One thing Mimi noted about Evan this time is how much clearer he's talking since her visit last month. It's true. He's speaking especially distinctly lately and cracking us up all the while. Here's a selection.
"I pooped in my underwear at the train house in the store book." (Recalling an instance when he got extra, um, distracted while playing trains at the book store.) 
"If the Panthers win, we gonna play Wii?" (Optimistic--if not realistic--and already making post-game plans.) 
"Oh Mom, my mouth feels better!" (After throwing up in the car on the way home from school, he promptly fell asleep soiled in his own vomit. Poor sweet strep-stricken baby.) 
"I'm gonna throw up my tooth in the car today!" (Mixing up exciting/inauspicious events of last week: his strep throat and Tobin's tooth fairy visit.) 
 "Lauren's my baby sister, and I'm a big brother boy!"
So yes, last week Evan had strep throat. He was actually sick with it most the week before I finally took him into the doctor, expecting her to diagnose an ear infection. I waited to take him in partly because he was such a trooper, acting sick only sporadically with a fever that came and went. Plus he was sleeping just fine at night. When he started favoring his left ear and telling me it hurt, I knew it was time to check it out. Turns out his ears were fine but he tested positive for strep. Once he started antibiotics, he rebounded quickly and he seems to remember last week mostly as some kind of an adventure. He threw up in the car one day, but afterward he got to come home and take a bubble bath. He's since been asking for a bubble bath most mornings after we get home from dropping Tobin off. He also likes "resting" on the couch snuggled up in a blanket, except that he only stays put for about 45 seconds now that he's feeling better. He sucked down each dose of antibiotics with gusto. I fret a bit that tomorrow he's going to be disappointed when I tell him his medicine is all gone. And of course, he wants to know when he gets to go back to the doctor and get a sticker. Hopefully not anytime soon, kiddo.

sunday afternoon ev

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Tobin at 76 months

welcome, tooth fairy!

Milestones abound around here. Lauren is walking better everyday. And last Thursday, at 76 months and 4 days old, Tobin lost his first tooth. The tooth was so loose that I really couldn't look at it, as it flopped around every time he talked. He wasn't keen on Matt or I trying to extract it, so we settled on just begging him many times a day if we could but ultimately respecting his independence in this endeavor. And then one day last week after school, he was playing Wii with Evan when he came over to Matt with the tooth in his hand and asked innocently and expectantly, "Is this it?" Much celebration ensued, but then in a quiet moment later I held his little tooth in my hand and found myself surprisingly sad about this poignant milestone. It so tangibly represents his growing up. Matt and I consulted with the tooth fairy and our first impulse was to authorize $5 for the tooth but then we looked around and counted all the little teeth to be funded down the line and opted for $1 instead. Tobin was pleased as he was expecting the tooth fairy to just leave "some coins and stuff."

game day

September has been an exciting time for us, but it's felt like a whirlwind. Most of the adjustments have been on the parental side as we coordinate schedules and try to catch our collective breath at the end of each busier day. Tobin has been the happy center of that whirlwind, enjoying every single day of school thus far, embarking on a third season of soccer and cheering on his siblings as they improve their bike riding and walking skills. We feel lucky to have him leading the way.

kicking off season 3

Sunday, September 16, 2012

Lauren at 15 months

15 months

Lauren finished the first quarter of her second year with a flourish: she's walking! Amid the busyness of Matt returning to work and Tobin starting first grade, she has found her own little place in the spotlight. As the third child, she's very good about going with the flow but she definitely asserts her charm, making sure we know that she's the cutest, sweetest baby yet.

She's settled very easily into our new school day routines, cooperating by staying awake for the car rides home from dropping Tobin off so she can take a real morning nap in her bed. And then she graciously tolerates when I occasionally have to wake her early from her afternoon nap to go pick up her big-big brother. She seems to enjoy her midday stretches of playtime, errand-running and lunch with Evan and me. I feel grateful that, at the moment, they entertain each other more than they antagonize each other. One day last week, Evan went in to "get Lauren" after she woke from her morning nap. He crawled in her pack'n'play and they played for twenty minutes--without bumping heads! In fact, when I tried to get her out at first she flung her body back towards her bed, so I let her rejoin her brother. Lauren's especially excited when Tobin climbs in the van after school each day. She lights up and starts babbling, with lots of "buh-buhs", which is how she refers to both the boys.

coffee table pose

Mealtimes find Lauren often enjoying cheese and strawberries, which is sort of my go-to meal for her when she rejects other things I offer. She likes other food, but these appear to be her favorites. Last night, after a busy afternoon at Tobin's soccer game, I served the kids a dinner of boxed macaroni and cheese, which they all greeted with unbridled enthusiasm. (Seriously.) I usually just give her a few pieces of pasta at a time and she eats them one by one, cupping the shells on her index finger tip. This time I gave her a bowl and she shoveled pasta in by the handful, happily getting cheese sauce in her hair and ears.

At bedtime, the two of us have developed a routine of reading Where Is Baby's Belly Button? Well, usually I read, and she finds my belly button. I can't help but pretend giggle as she digs her little finger in there because then she really giggles. She would find her own belly button if I didn't have her all zipped up in a footed sleeper. Indeed if I have her in a regular shirt--as opposed to a onesie--during the day, I can almost always find her after her nap pointing to her belly button and telling me all about it. She can also point to her nose, mouth and ears, although she sometimes gets sidetracked sticking her finger up her nose. Lauren also gives kisses on command or as a matter of routine. Almost every time before I put her in bed--if she hasn't fallen asleep nursing--she'll lean in to give me a sweet, sloppy baby kiss. It's the perfect way to say goodnight.

Lauren's latest word is appropriate for her newest activity. She's very interested in shoes ("ah-shh-shhs"), especially when I'm putting mine on or helping Evan with his, so I've been putting shoes on her more lately. Once she's wearing them, she seems particularly interested in walking. She's still crawling most of the time, but each day she's using her walking skills more and more. It's so much fun . . . and nerve-wracking. Case-in-point: this video. Enjoy!