A Picture

Oh, this boy.

Nearly three and a half.

 He's so full of life.

And he's also so full of something else...

 He's reading, he's coming up with one-liners that are truly witty and funny.

And he's also doing something else.

His heart is forming.

Beneath all the endless energy, the jumping, and wiggling, the silliness and superheroes,

 something is happening.

He has always been very loving and compassionate yet he is showing a deeper sense of what

is means to be good.

An absorption of the things we have tried to teach him.

Autonomous gestures of forgiveness, contrition, love, gratitude, and respect.

And we get a front row seat to the show. 

  It is common place now that when he does something he shouldn't have

he will return, sometimes hours later much after the incident has been forgotten, and truly apologize. 

 You can see the emotion written on his face.

It washes away with the ease of a three year old's life when encountered with a simple hug.

Gets me every time. 

Today we were walking into a Chinese restaurant.

Joey was running behind me, apparently not watching where he was going, I opened the door to go in and hit him right in the face with the door.

Hard. Enough to make him fall to the floor. 

The noise the door made when it hit his face was enough to make me afraid that I had broken his teeth once I realized he was what I hit with the door.

As I picked him up, apologizing profusely, he looked up still crying with his eyes still pouring out tears, let his eyes meet mine and said,

 "I forgive you."

Every night at bedtime we pray.

We each talk about what we are grateful for.

For a long time most of what Joey was grateful for had to do with food. Quite a bit of sweetness scattered in but mostly things somehow having to do with food.  :o)

About a month ago Joey said

"I am thank you for love ... and I am grateful for ... you."

Every night since, I say what I am grateful for in my day.  It is always something different.

Joey always says he is grateful for me.

I prompt him to add something else.

Last night he was thankful for his Daddy playing Batman with him on the floor before bed.

Tonight while I listened silently,

"I am grateful for (he has stopped saying 'thank you for') you ... and I am grateful for Gracie .. she is so silly sometimes."

And I could hear the smile on his face and he love in his voice.

I said,

"I am grateful for Grace too and I think she loves you the mostest mostest."

He said, "Yeah"

And I could hear his smile grow bigger.



3 Years and 1 Month

 

Tenderhearted

Mommy's Boy

Also Known As The Flash, Superman, and Green Lantern

Beyond Excellent Big Brother

Sweet Teacher

Ice Cream Lover

Future Pediatrician

Occasional Future Garbage Man

 Generous Kiss Granter

Compliant At Bed Time

Belly Laugher

Daddy Wrestler

Letter Master

 

Says "L"s As "Y"s

Keeps Teachers Busy

Works on Simple Addition

"Very Yikes"Things Instead Of "Really Likes" Things

Drinks From Cups And Sippys Too

Water lover

Soccer Player

Grace Protector 

Learning To Walk In Line

Counts To 100 With Minimal Help

Engaged To Mommy

 

Caillou Watcher

Learning to Read

Rarely Forgets

Never Met A Stranger

Constantly Imagining

Fantasy Engaging Lover of Facts

Skillful Charmer

Highly Compassionate

 

First Born

Book Affectionado

Light Of Our lives

Laugher Inciter

Tension Breaker

Heartstring Tugger

Quick As a Whip

Blue Eyed Boy 

Apple Picking 2012

First Day of Preschool

Preschool.

Oh my.

Today was the big day.

There was a lot of build up to this day. For everyone.

Joe and I laid in bed last night, both of us with tears in our eyes.  I am normally the emotional one. 

I watched him, wanting to let him speak first.  He was sitting in that place that stretches you so hard as a parent -- wanting to hold on a little longer when you realize you have to let go, even if it's just a little bit.  When it's your baby it doesn't matter that it's just a little bit.  It stings just the same.

"It's just that he's my little guy," he said, "and if he has a bad day I just know I'm going to want to go in there and rip the teachers' eyes out."

And he looked at me out of corner of his eye.

And we both started laughing.

It's hard not to want to protect them from anything and everything.

Joey has been saying he doesn't want to go to school.

He is afraid Joe and I will "be lost" when he is at school and it worries him that I cannot go with him. A teacher's child and he didn't want to go to school.

We decided to expect the worst and cautiously hope for ... something better than the worst? Ha!

In the last two weeks he has been showing signs of serious seperation anxiety.

Well, my confident, silly, energetic, smart, friendly, all-boy, tender hearted Joey did wonderfully today.  After a short little "I don't want to go schooooool" pouty faced conversation we dropped the topic and had breakfast.  By the time he was dressed he was asking if it was time to go yet and ... he was eager! I seemed to good to be true.  I really couldn't believe his apparent change of heart.

He happily let me take about 700 pictures. Not normal.

The happily part, I mean, not the 700 pictures.  The 700 pictures is normal.

And then we got in the car.

Snuggle buggles (as he calls them) Dinosaurito and Froggy joined us. :o)

We parked about a block away and walked up to his school.

He happily jib jabbed all the way up to his school asking if this building or that building was his school, telling us we should address him as The Flash and talking about how he was as fast as the cars that were driving by.  We held hands and I reminded him he should tell people his name is Joey at school ... and not The Flash, which could totally happen right now.

We got up to his school, he happily posed for more pictures, and then seamlessly went right up the stairs to where the classrooms are. I heard a child crying as we walked up the stairs and internally breathed a sigh of relief.  It would be okay if he cried, he would not be the only one.  But in the end it was not an issue.  He got a name tag, easily took his teacher's hand when I urged him as she led him to his room, and sat right down to see what the teacher in his room was doing with the two kids who were already there. My mom and I looked at each other as they sorted and matched little colored rectangles.  The two little girls quietly held back, attached to the parents who were with them.  Joey sat on the floor and was completely himself.  Not shy at all.  He did not feel he needed me. He was doing well.

And so it seems the day continued, for Joey at least.

I was crying as soon as I turned to walk out and my Mom was too.  I blame you, Mom, for my overly emotional response to motherhood. :o) I drown my sorrows for an hour and a half at Target while my aunt watched Grace.  That seemed to do the trick.

He came home reciting and acting out quite an intricate song/chant about going on a bear hunt.

I was sure to have him show everyone of course.  His memory is amazing.  He will learn so much this year.

Of course it's only the first day and there will be challenges to come and bumps in the road, I know this.

But the first day was fantastic and, for now, that's all that matters.

We are so proud of our precious little love!

Happy First Day of Preschool Mr. J :o)

 

Also, today makes me think back to this day.

Gracie Pie {13 Months}

1. Is a full-out walker.  Having taken her first steps the day before she turned one, she began really walking on Joey's birthday and has just taken off. 
2. Wears a size 3 diaper, a mix of 6-12m, 12m, and 12-18m clothes, and a size 4 shoe.  She had a definite growth spurt this month.  I can see it in her clothes and her shoes.
3. LOVES babies -- both real and toys.  She loves to pretend to feed her 'babies' ... and anyone else for that matter :o).
4. Is realy progressing in learning to share well with her brother. She is the definition of sugar and spice -- ninety percent sugar and ten percent very spicey spice :o)
5. Loves baths and swimming.  She splashes like crazy and puts her face in the water.  She has no fear.
6. Is very conscious of rules and tries to be a very good girl. Nothing is baby proofed in the house and we don't have to block off the steps because she simply listens. Of couse she's always being watched too so she's safe, obviously.  At this point with Joey all the cabinets had locks and the stairs always had a gate up. 
7. Is a GREAT eater.  We joke that she is a little carnivore because her favorite foods are turkey burgers, pork chops, and cheese burgers.  She has started drinking milk and has milk and water from her sippy cup. She is still nursing.
8. Says: MaMa, DaDa, Hi, Bye, Clock, Baba (sippy cup), Cup, Up, Baby, Truck, Cracker, Dog, Lobster, PaPa, Snack, Door, and No No No.  She used to say "share" but she stopped.  So about 17 words at 13.5 months.
9. Can Ba Baaa like a sheep, Moooo like a cow, Quack Quack like a duck, and Fff Fffff (for woof woof) when she sees dogs.  Knows where her nose and tongue are and is working on others.
10. Like books but cannot sit through them.  She prefers books about babies or animals with cute faces.  She'll kiss things in books she thinks are cute like babies or sleeping kittens.
11. Laughs the best laughter ever when playing with her brother.  He'll do anything to get her to laugh.
12.  Loves to snuggle and be held and goes to sleep like a dream.  She still takes two naps (from 9-10 and 1-3:30 or 4:00) and sleeps from 8- 6:30 or 7:00.
13. Has 5 teeth and one that is partially through -- the two bottom middle, her snakey teeth (the two outter teeth of the top middle four) and one of her two top middle.  The other top middle is almost through.

Gracie Pie, you are a dream.  As if it could be possible, you just get better and better as we watch your little (big!) personality unfold.  You are my dream girl -- tiny, inherintenly "pink," baby loving, dress wearing, always with a bow on top.  You love animals -- I fear you may be for me what I was for my own mother -- I can see it coming. And yet underneath all the superficial stuff is the best of you; you are incredibly smart, so highly opinionated, willing to fight for yourself, and so very very very loving.  A better mix does not exist.  You hold your own baby girl, in every way possible. You are our perfect little cherry on top.

Love,
Mommy

True

Sissy and her true love.

 Joey and his true love.



Two Going On Sixteen

Little Spaces

I love our daughter so much.

She is totally her own little person and she bends for no one.

Even when she's throwing her binky because I've made her mad and I'm wondering just how young is too young for time out (kidding!) I can't help but smile inside at the strength of her tiny (not so tiny?) spirit.

She is just amazing every day.

Like when she puts herself under the couch.

 Seriously?!?

Is it just me or is this the most charming quirk ever?

My mom and one of my friends recently acted a little surprised when they realized Grace still gets swaddled up tight, at nine months old, when she sleeps.

What can I say?

She likes tiny, little, confining spaces.

If she gets sleepy she likes to wiggle up under the couch and take a little rest.

Cozy.

I'm not really sure how this all started.

One day I was in the kitchen getting lunch ready and Joey said, "Mommy, come help Sissy!!"

She had indeed backed herself up under the couch and was not happy.

Really though, how could you not chuckle at this scene. I had to grab my camera. I figured I'd never see it again.

Joey was very concerned.  When he couldn't coax her out he tried to join her.  

I helped her out, came back, and found this.

And so it began.

Sometimes she'll bring two binkies with her and switch them in and out while she dances under the couch to music from the t.v.

Unbelievably charming.

This is why she gets away with throwing those same binkies across the room when she's mad.

 Joey likes to bring her little toys to play with.

He's always looking out for her. 

 In case you're concerned, Grace it not actually allowed to sleep under the couch.

Obviously.  She sleeps in her crib like a normal baby.

Butttt it will be a sad day around here when she is no longer small enough to wiggle her way into her little snuggle spot. ;o)

Little Happies

Our happy rainbow girl

 Best brother sister pair ever <3

 Buzz watching Buzz.
This is childhood.

 Breakfast with the Bunny.

I'd like to add that the first thing Joey said when we took him to get pictures with a bunny was,

"This is a different Easter Bunny, Mommy?"

Ugh!

 Joe said, "There's only one Bunny, he's just wearing different clothes."

My heart sank a little when I realized he wasn't satisfied with that. He's only two! We're going to have to be very careful with things. He's too smart for his own good sometimes.

 Sissy tries to throw herself into the ballpit any time she's near it.

She likes to hand balls back and forth and claps for herself because she's such a good little sharer.

Very modest :o)

 Water table and bathings suits during a 76 degree March day.

 Practicing for Summer.

 Joey with Easter cupcakes he made.
It's taking every ounce of self control he has for him to not stick his finger in the icing right here.

 Tiny Sissy trying to walk.
Don't be fooled.

Right about now, with the progress she's making, we estimate she'll be ready to walk somewhere around her twentieth birthday ;o)