Monday, October 29, 2012
G-unit update
The little guy can now clap to songs! And he will touch his head when we sing Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes. It's adorable!
Schnepf Farm
We took our 3rd annual trip to Schnepf Farm last weekend. We met up with Paul's mom, sister Meghan and her two kids, and his sister Brighid and her boyfriend. It is so fun to see how each time we go, it's a different experience for E and for us. This if the first time that E really noticed everything that was around. He spied the games/rides for the first time!
E had his face painted with a ghost, but after seeing his cousin with a ghost AND a spider, he wanted a spider too.
Fun with his aunt, Brighid, Adam and cousin.
Saturday, October 20, 2012
Talking and Body Part
Little G-unit is starting to become quite the communicator. I mentioned before that when we sing Ring Around the Rosie, that he would say "ah-sh,ah-sh" during the "ashes, ashes" part.
Today, I was showing him animal pictures that are part of a puzzle. I would say that dogs say "woof, woof". I then asked him what dogs say, he thought for a moment, then said "boh, boh".
At his afternoon snack, I couldn't tell if he was point to more cheese or crackers. I held them both and motioned to each while saying their names. I'm pretty sure he said "chee".
I have a feeling he's going to start having quite the vocabulary soon.
After his snack, I was singing Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes to him. I asked him to touch his head and he did. Then I asked if he could touch his toes and he then bent over and touched them. I had no idea that he knew that.
I'm amazed at what I get to learn about my kids when I'm home, even if it's only on the weekends. They're getting too smart for me!
Today, I was showing him animal pictures that are part of a puzzle. I would say that dogs say "woof, woof". I then asked him what dogs say, he thought for a moment, then said "boh, boh".
At his afternoon snack, I couldn't tell if he was point to more cheese or crackers. I held them both and motioned to each while saying their names. I'm pretty sure he said "chee".
I have a feeling he's going to start having quite the vocabulary soon.
After his snack, I was singing Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes to him. I asked him to touch his head and he did. Then I asked if he could touch his toes and he then bent over and touched them. I had no idea that he knew that.
I'm amazed at what I get to learn about my kids when I'm home, even if it's only on the weekends. They're getting too smart for me!
Saturday, October 13, 2012
Cabin Fever
Paul's friend, Jake, offered us his cabin in Payson so that we could go when we'd like to get away. Since Paul had taken off this week for my fall break from school, it seemed like the perfect time. We packed up the kids and our things, then headed out of town for a few days.
The kids napped on the way and once we got into town, we stopped to buy some groceries. We arrived, unloaded, and just enjoyed playing in and around the cabin. They have this amazing porch swing that E and I liked to sit on. Although E kept telling me to get up and push him. We played hide and seek, looked for bugs and animals, and checked out some pine cones. E also declared it Pine Cone Day.
The cabin also has a big loft area upstairs with some toys. It was nice to be able to contain the boys up there knowing that they could play and be in a safe space. Our friend's also have two little boys, so there were plenty of appropriately aged items for them to play with. They also have a little table near the kitchen that was a perfect height for both G and E.
We made some spaghetti for dinner and then it was time for G to get to bed. Paul had set up a pack 'n play for him to sleep in. It took a while for him to fall asleep and have him stay asleep in the pack 'n play. While G was sleeping, Paul, E and I made s'mores in the fireplace. They were delicious. I guess it's a good sign as a parent when your child would rather just eat the graham crackers and takes off the chocolate and marshmallows.
As Paul was getting E to bed around 7:30, G woke up. I tried to get him to back to bed, but I was having a really difficult time. He would fall asleep nursing or rocking in my arms, but any movement to put him down and he was awake. I'd try to put him down awake and he's scream. By 10:00, Paul was going to bed and I was still up. Even Paul had tried with no avail.
Paul moved E into the room where G had been sleeping and Paul went to sleep in there too. I tried to get G to sleep in the bed with me in the other room, but was unsuccessful. Around 11, I asked Paul to move the pack 'n play into the room with me. G kept falling asleep in my arms, but would wake and cry when I put him down. There were attempts to let him cry it out, but I would just start crying too when he'd reach for me. I was about ready to strap on the carrier and sleep sitting up on the couch. At 12:45 am, I went in to wake Paul to see if he could help. I went to lay down in the room with E and I could hear G crying and screaming. After about 5 minutes, I heard his cries lessen and then there was silence. Ahhh....
I was then able to fall asleep. It seemed as though I slept for 15 minutes before Paul came in to wake me and see if I could feed G. This was at 3:00 am. I was able to nurse him for a bit and then he rolled around and spooned with me before he fell asleep.
E awoke at around 6:00, which woke up the rest of us, G included.
That night made Paul and I decide to come home later that day. We made some breakfast and then headed out for a morning nature walk. Our friend, Jake, had given us directions to two small creeks that we could take the boys to, so off we went with fishing poles in hand! As we were walking, Paul turns to me and tells me how there have been a high number of bear attacks in Payson this year. Awesome. So now I became paranoid and was on the constant look out for bears.
After our walk, we let the boys play in the loft while we packed up. It was getting close to nap time and melt downs were starting to occur, so we wanted to get out of there soon. The plan was for me to drive around for a bit so that Paul could finish getting the cabin cleaned. The boys were in the car, most of our stuff was packed, and when I turned on the car, we heard "click, click, click". Our battery died. Paul went to search the nearby cabins to find someone to give us a jump. I unloaded the kids and hurried to clean.
A nice woman came to give us the jump, we loaded the boys back in and we were off...to Big O Tires. After about 15 minutes and $100 later, we were headed back into town. Luckily, I had made sandwiches that morning (which we were supposed to take to the fish hatchery later that day) so we ate lunch in the car ride home.
It would have been nice to stay at the cabin longer, but we enjoyed the time that we did spend away from the hot Phoenix air.
The kids napped on the way and once we got into town, we stopped to buy some groceries. We arrived, unloaded, and just enjoyed playing in and around the cabin. They have this amazing porch swing that E and I liked to sit on. Although E kept telling me to get up and push him. We played hide and seek, looked for bugs and animals, and checked out some pine cones. E also declared it Pine Cone Day.
The cabin also has a big loft area upstairs with some toys. It was nice to be able to contain the boys up there knowing that they could play and be in a safe space. Our friend's also have two little boys, so there were plenty of appropriately aged items for them to play with. They also have a little table near the kitchen that was a perfect height for both G and E.
We made some spaghetti for dinner and then it was time for G to get to bed. Paul had set up a pack 'n play for him to sleep in. It took a while for him to fall asleep and have him stay asleep in the pack 'n play. While G was sleeping, Paul, E and I made s'mores in the fireplace. They were delicious. I guess it's a good sign as a parent when your child would rather just eat the graham crackers and takes off the chocolate and marshmallows.
As Paul was getting E to bed around 7:30, G woke up. I tried to get him to back to bed, but I was having a really difficult time. He would fall asleep nursing or rocking in my arms, but any movement to put him down and he was awake. I'd try to put him down awake and he's scream. By 10:00, Paul was going to bed and I was still up. Even Paul had tried with no avail.
Paul moved E into the room where G had been sleeping and Paul went to sleep in there too. I tried to get G to sleep in the bed with me in the other room, but was unsuccessful. Around 11, I asked Paul to move the pack 'n play into the room with me. G kept falling asleep in my arms, but would wake and cry when I put him down. There were attempts to let him cry it out, but I would just start crying too when he'd reach for me. I was about ready to strap on the carrier and sleep sitting up on the couch. At 12:45 am, I went in to wake Paul to see if he could help. I went to lay down in the room with E and I could hear G crying and screaming. After about 5 minutes, I heard his cries lessen and then there was silence. Ahhh....
I was then able to fall asleep. It seemed as though I slept for 15 minutes before Paul came in to wake me and see if I could feed G. This was at 3:00 am. I was able to nurse him for a bit and then he rolled around and spooned with me before he fell asleep.
E awoke at around 6:00, which woke up the rest of us, G included.
That night made Paul and I decide to come home later that day. We made some breakfast and then headed out for a morning nature walk. Our friend, Jake, had given us directions to two small creeks that we could take the boys to, so off we went with fishing poles in hand! As we were walking, Paul turns to me and tells me how there have been a high number of bear attacks in Payson this year. Awesome. So now I became paranoid and was on the constant look out for bears.
A nice woman came to give us the jump, we loaded the boys back in and we were off...to Big O Tires. After about 15 minutes and $100 later, we were headed back into town. Luckily, I had made sandwiches that morning (which we were supposed to take to the fish hatchery later that day) so we ate lunch in the car ride home.
It would have been nice to stay at the cabin longer, but we enjoyed the time that we did spend away from the hot Phoenix air.
Updates
Ah...the quiet and stillness of simultaneous nap times.
It allows me the time to do the things that I *should* be doing, but realistically gives me the time to do the things I *want* to do...like blog. And shower.
This week has been busy. I've just finished the first quarter at work and had parent teacher conferences. Paul has been working busily and coming home later than I'd like him to. The boys are enjoying the wonderful cool weather in the mornings. I'm pretty sure that they've been going outside first thing when they wake up each day this week. My mom said they came in at 9:00 am one day and I know they had been out there since 7:00 am when I left for work. We are able to take some walks to the park in the evenings or just enjoy playing outside in the front/backyard.
It's pretty official to say that G is down to one pretty solid nap a day (and what's even better is that it coincides with E's). He can climb the ladder on our playground in the yard up to the second step. This week he has also learned to crawl backwards. The only cups that he likes to truly drink out of are ones with straws or straight out of a cup.
He will still take a bottle, but my mom is weaning him off of it. All he wants to do is walk/run/toddle everywhere. He also now wants to walk up steps rather than crawl up. G still enjoys dancing and jumping. He will also pick up and stomp one foot while he dances.
There aren't any words that he speaks just yet, but he will say "dis" when he hands you something or points to what he wants. G is still pretty good about doing "Ring Around the Rosie" on command when he hears us sing it. In fact, the other day he started to say "ah-sh, ah-sh" when we would get to the "ashes, ashes" part. We have also discovered G's love of Jamba Juice. I know it's not the ideal fruit shake, but a little can't hurt him...right?
It allows me the time to do the things that I *should* be doing, but realistically gives me the time to do the things I *want* to do...like blog. And shower.
This week has been busy. I've just finished the first quarter at work and had parent teacher conferences. Paul has been working busily and coming home later than I'd like him to. The boys are enjoying the wonderful cool weather in the mornings. I'm pretty sure that they've been going outside first thing when they wake up each day this week. My mom said they came in at 9:00 am one day and I know they had been out there since 7:00 am when I left for work. We are able to take some walks to the park in the evenings or just enjoy playing outside in the front/backyard.
It's pretty official to say that G is down to one pretty solid nap a day (and what's even better is that it coincides with E's). He can climb the ladder on our playground in the yard up to the second step. This week he has also learned to crawl backwards. The only cups that he likes to truly drink out of are ones with straws or straight out of a cup.
There aren't any words that he speaks just yet, but he will say "dis" when he hands you something or points to what he wants. G is still pretty good about doing "Ring Around the Rosie" on command when he hears us sing it. In fact, the other day he started to say "ah-sh, ah-sh" when we would get to the "ashes, ashes" part. We have also discovered G's love of Jamba Juice. I know it's not the ideal fruit shake, but a little can't hurt him...right?
E has been quite a handful lately. It's pretty apparent that he has hit the "terrible threes". We've had our share of fits, tantrums, screaming, crying, throwing, and hitting. I'm trying to maintain my patience as much as possible. When he's not doing the previously mentioned actions, which is most of the time, he's a sweet and funny character. He's really into playing with his cars and trucks. We try to get him to write and draw, but he'd much rather play.
Lately, I can't get enough of things that he says to us. The other day, we were swinging him around in circles by the hands when Paul suggested he take Evan's hand an I grab his feet. As we were swinging him, Evan yells, "THIS IS A GREAT IDEA! I'm like a chicken spinnin' around!"
Paul and I just watched a video of him from a few months ago and it's amazing to see how much his vocabulary and fluency of speech have grown. He is starting to use his hands when he talks, analyzes situations, and is able to negotiate or create other scenarios. It's rather amazing to see someone so little do such high levels of thinking. Preschool has been really good for him. He is so much more willing to go up to other kids and play with or talk to them.
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