Three months seems to be the norm as far as my frequency of journaling here. So much has changed with Eliana in the last few months. She has had a word explosion within the last 6-8 weeks. She went from saying minimal words to nearly a new word every day. And she's combining words well too. In fact just in the last couple days she's been saying sentences such as, "Help you?", and Mimi (which is the nickname she's chosen for Braden) hit my head". A little tattle tale already. :) I'm not even sure I can come up with all her new words, there have been so many! But I think it's safe to say she's pretty much on target for verbal development. Even today she's started to refer to herself by her name. She pronounces her name as "Yana". :) She also has learned a lot of her letters from a letter game on my phone. She's able to recognize probably at least half if not more of all uppercase letters and a few lower case letters too. Sometimes she's able to identify the letter before Braden. She's also had more personality come out in the last month. She has a very compassionate side and whenever anyone is hurt or crying, she's quick to go to them, put her arm or arms around them and in a mommy-like voice say, "be ok, be ok". She also likes to tell stories. She'll be in her car seat with 2 stuffed puppies telling a story about how they go nigh-night and then there's a "neigh" and they wake up etc. . . . . and it goes on an on. It's so cute to hear her telling her stories. :) And she love to pretend to be a horse galloping around saying "Neigh-neigh". She also seems to love music and whenever there is a good beat, she's been known to start stomping her feet and turning in circles. And at times (in church or Braden's pre-school program) will put her hands together and be waving her arms about too. It's too cute! I know I need to treasure all these moments because my baby is becoming less of a baby everyday. :( It makes me a little sad since she's our last baby. And, there was one time in the car recently that she was falling asleep on the way home from church. Braden, trying to be helpful, started yelling at her to wake up so she could nap once we got home. She opened her bleary eyes and started saying, "No, Mimi, Shush, Mimi" and evening waging her index finger at him. It was hilarious!
Braden has had a new surge of separation anxiety during the last month of pre-school. He would cry every time I dropped him off- which he hadn't done all year! And even crying when Curtis would drop him off at Aunt Cara's house. Also, crying when dropping off at Sunday school and at the Child Watch at the gym. When asked what's wrong with him he just says, "I just love you and want me be home with you". Also Curtis got him to say, "I used to just miss Mommy, but now I miss the whole family". It just seems he's reached a new level of awareness. I just hope this phase passes quickly.
I've recently signed both kids up for swim lessons that start next Wednesday. Eliana and I will be in a parent/child class and Braden will be in a preschool class with no more than 3 other kids to 1 instructor. It's a program called Goldfish Swim School in Carmel that seems to be highly recommended. Braden has had such anxiety about the pool and swim lessons especially when related to going underwater. Last summer, the program we did at the Y made him go under. And he nearly had a panic attack. So, we're praying this is a better experience.
Also, both kids will be starting soccer next Saturday morning. Eliana will be in a parent/child class and Braden will be in the beginner preschool class. We did soccer with the Y last year too, but Braden did not do well mostly due to immaturity issues. Hopefully the Little Kickers program will go better since they don't do any competitive games, only drills etc. It should be an interesting, slightly busy summer. It already seems that many of our summer weekends are filling up. But it should be fun! Til next time....
Monday, June 10, 2013
Saturday, March 23, 2013
March 2013
Eliana is now 20 months and into EVERYTHING! In fact as I type this, she's trying try to type as well. She's constantly trying to get into the pantry door and get out "Nummies". She is also equally thrilled with giving Chloe her "nummies" and would give Chloe 10x as much food for each meal if we let her. She's fascinated by scooping Chloe's food and taking it to her bowl and dumping it in. And if Chloe doesn't eat it fast enough, Eliana has been known to hand feed her. She also seems to be demonstrating a sweet, helpful, nurturing personality. She loves to try to "help" anyone put on/off their shoes, jackets etc. She loves to cuddle Chloe and Mittens (my sister, Cara's cat) and loves on her stuffed animals with puppies and kitties being her favorite. She also is very much getting into the "terrible twos" of wanting to do many things for herself. We love the independent nature she seems to be expressing. She likes putting on her own shoes, fastening her car seat or booster buckles, putting on her pants/PJ's, feeding herself etc. While it is great that she wants to so much on her own, many things she can't quite do and needs help......and is prone to throwing fits when we try to help her. Argh! I know we'll pass this phase, but it certainly is frustrating at times.
Regarding words she's saying: Mommy, Daddy, Papa, Puppy, Kee-Kee (kitty), Go-Go, Nigh-nigh, Re-Rock (for rocking in the rocking chair; interestingly, the same thing I used to say as a baby), Up, Way (as in "this way"),Weee (for swinging, sliding etc), Off, Hi, Bye-Bye, Nummies, Beep-Beep, Ne-Ne (for Nathan), Mi-Mi (for Megan), and animal noises including Neigh-Neigh (horse), Woof (dog), Baa( for sheep or cow), and Quack-Quack (ducks, but also any bird).
And her made up words include: Dabee (seems to be a word with a wide definition- often something to put on/off), Oiee (water/milk, liquid of some sort), Bee (movie), and Mee (binky).
She does continue to sign, but generally just all done, more, please and thank you.
We hope to start working on potty training this spring, as she does show some interest in it mostly because she sees her big brother on the potty. And she has been successful several times. :)
As far as Braden, no too much new to report on him. He's doing well in preschool having just had parent/teacher conferences. Academically he seems quite bright, but sometimes struggles with obeying his teachers, taking responsibility for himself (ie. cleaning up after lunch and putting away toys), and just emotional maturity when things don't go his way including struggling with losing a game etc. But, he seems to be doing better and better in all of these areas. Overall, he really is becoming much easier and a joy to be with. We continue to struggle at times with first time obedience and doing what he's asked in a timely fashion, but something we're all working on. ;)
He did have his 4th birthday party January 27th. Of course it was a Batman party which he has been asking for since last year! It was big fun, but just a family party. Maybe we'll brave doing a friend party next year. The same weekend, the boys in the family also went to Monster Jam which was also a rip-roaring good time.
Recently we've known about a family who lost their middle son (age 7) to brain cancer. Although we didn't know this family well (friend of a friend), their tragedy has made us much more grateful for the many blessings we have, especially our children. And to remind us that our children belong to Him. He has just given us the amazing opportunity to raise and nurture them. And it's made us realize all the more that nothing is guaranteed in this life and we have to rely on God at every step knowing he knows the big picture. We are all here to glorify Him in whatever capacity that is. We know that being Christians does not shelter us from tragedy and sorrow, but that God is the ultimate comforter to hold us during dark times. The Bible tells us those dark times will come and without experiencing a tragedy for ourselves, it's helped us to mentally prepare for what will ultimately come in this life. Now, all that said, we pray against anything of the sort happening to our children or anyone we love, but we also know that we are not meant for this world and it's good to remind our hearts of that.
We are looking forward to Easter next week including dressing up on Easter Sunday, being with family, eating good food, Easter egg hunts, and candy, but most of all to celebrate our risen Lord.
Have a blessed week!
Regarding words she's saying: Mommy, Daddy, Papa, Puppy, Kee-Kee (kitty), Go-Go, Nigh-nigh, Re-Rock (for rocking in the rocking chair; interestingly, the same thing I used to say as a baby), Up, Way (as in "this way"),Weee (for swinging, sliding etc), Off, Hi, Bye-Bye, Nummies, Beep-Beep, Ne-Ne (for Nathan), Mi-Mi (for Megan), and animal noises including Neigh-Neigh (horse), Woof (dog), Baa( for sheep or cow), and Quack-Quack (ducks, but also any bird).
And her made up words include: Dabee (seems to be a word with a wide definition- often something to put on/off), Oiee (water/milk, liquid of some sort), Bee (movie), and Mee (binky).
She does continue to sign, but generally just all done, more, please and thank you.
We hope to start working on potty training this spring, as she does show some interest in it mostly because she sees her big brother on the potty. And she has been successful several times. :)
As far as Braden, no too much new to report on him. He's doing well in preschool having just had parent/teacher conferences. Academically he seems quite bright, but sometimes struggles with obeying his teachers, taking responsibility for himself (ie. cleaning up after lunch and putting away toys), and just emotional maturity when things don't go his way including struggling with losing a game etc. But, he seems to be doing better and better in all of these areas. Overall, he really is becoming much easier and a joy to be with. We continue to struggle at times with first time obedience and doing what he's asked in a timely fashion, but something we're all working on. ;)
He did have his 4th birthday party January 27th. Of course it was a Batman party which he has been asking for since last year! It was big fun, but just a family party. Maybe we'll brave doing a friend party next year. The same weekend, the boys in the family also went to Monster Jam which was also a rip-roaring good time.
Recently we've known about a family who lost their middle son (age 7) to brain cancer. Although we didn't know this family well (friend of a friend), their tragedy has made us much more grateful for the many blessings we have, especially our children. And to remind us that our children belong to Him. He has just given us the amazing opportunity to raise and nurture them. And it's made us realize all the more that nothing is guaranteed in this life and we have to rely on God at every step knowing he knows the big picture. We are all here to glorify Him in whatever capacity that is. We know that being Christians does not shelter us from tragedy and sorrow, but that God is the ultimate comforter to hold us during dark times. The Bible tells us those dark times will come and without experiencing a tragedy for ourselves, it's helped us to mentally prepare for what will ultimately come in this life. Now, all that said, we pray against anything of the sort happening to our children or anyone we love, but we also know that we are not meant for this world and it's good to remind our hearts of that.
We are looking forward to Easter next week including dressing up on Easter Sunday, being with family, eating good food, Easter egg hunts, and candy, but most of all to celebrate our risen Lord.
Have a blessed week!
Braden's 4th Birthday party!
Such a big boy he is becoming!
Sibling love :)
Eliana 18 months
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)