Wednesday, August 27, 2008

A Big Fat List

Sometimes, I've got to stop and smell the roses. So here's a list of what L can say, at 28 months of age,...

with signs:
  • more
  • eat
  • drink
  • milk
  • juice
  • toast
  • pancake
  • hurt
  • all done
  • diaper/potty
  • watermelon
  • sorry
  • love
  • ni-night
  • book
  • pray
  • baby
  • airplane
  • rhino
  • bird
  • bye-bye
  • bath
  • wash hands
With words:

  • Hi
  • Mommy
  • Daddy
  • Katie (Tatie)
  • Sissie
  • Me
  • I do (it)
  • ni-night
  • Banana ('nana)
  • Shoe
  • Toothbrush (doobuuu)
  • Thank You (tankoo)
  • Baby (bu-bu-bu-beee)
  • Duck
  • Pretty (pit-tee)
  • Fish (ffiieeee)
  • Puppy
  • Car
  • Suzi
  • Tractor
  • Two
  • Aqua
  • Car cart (grocery cart with a car attached)
  • Quite a few names (Blaine, Jorja, Kara, Sue, Papa, Maama, Jill, Derek, Caca for Walleta)
  • And animal sounds (a monkey's ooo-aaa, hiss, moo, squeak, baaa, ne-eigh, quack)
And you know that theory/fact that kids can only develop one area at a time, so they either talk or walk first? Well, I think that L is picking up motor skills a lot faster than I remember her sisters doing it. It's like she knows talking is just too hard, so she'll concentrate on fine and gross motor skills. I don't know completely if I believe it myself yet, but it could be the case. I mean, she can undress herself, unload part of the dishwasher, almost put her shoes on, and unlatch the child gate. And all while insisting "I doo."

And the best part: I've almost stopped comparing her to her peers and am just comparing her to herself. She's making progress, and that's what's important! She's stubborn and strong and smart, and she'll learn her new way to talk, eventually!

Monday, August 25, 2008

My baby is 7!

K turned 7 yesterday. It seems so strange, to see her growing up so quickly. Some days I look around and feel like I'm playing house, like I'm way to young to have three daughters and a mortgage and car payment. But it also seems like my girls have always been here, like 8 years ago never existed.

K is a sweet sweet child. She is very considerate of others feelings, almost to a fault. She loves to dance and perform but has some stage fright. (who doesn't!) She is beautiful, exquisite in my eyes. She has a freckle on her ankle that she's had since birth. She is missing more front teeth than she has, with another one lose, and she loves it! She giggles softly, no matter how hard she's laughing. She tries hard to be kind all the time and she rarely whines. She does throw little drama queen routines and will say, on occasion, that it is the worst day ever of her whole life. She's pretty darn healthy, having outgrown her ear infections, and most of her asthma and allergies. She loves to read and is good at it. She trips on math, but fights hard for it. She loves to draw and paint and do crafts. She says she wants to be an archeologist when she grows up. Or maybe a fashion designer. Or maybe a famous singer. She loves her sisters but gives into them too much. She craves one-on-one time with Jay or I, and we make sure she gets it. She needs hugs some times, but usually prefers to sit next to you. She is short-ish for her age and has long skinny legs, but worries that her belly is fat. She is perfect in every way, says me.

Happy Birthday to my biggest girl.

Monday, August 18, 2008

Back to school!

It's a big day in our house. BIG, I tell ya! HUGE!

DH is starting a new job with a new district with new students and new families and new curriculum. And from his email from moments ago, I'd say he's having a stellar day. He's excited about the year and especially about the students in his classes. Oh, I hope this works out well for him!

K is starting her first day of second grade. Not only does she have the teacher she was hoping for, but she has the classmates I was hoping for. There are three other sweet, respectful, kind-hearted, clean-mouthed little girls in her class. They are all her friends from other activities, but they weren't in her class last year. There aren't any super-duper-take-charge girls in there this year, so hopefully it'll be a chance for K and her friends to have their turn to lead the roost, safely.

M is now the big-girl-at-daycare. She was having a hard time letting K go, and kept saying how she is going to miss her. M acts so tough so much of the time that she hides how emotionally drive she actually is. Poor little chica! I'm guessing our most-wondrous-daycare is making it all better. And, thankfully for her, it's only a half-day today for K and M and DH.

And L, oh my oh my! She's doing so well! She's saying "I do it" a LOT now, instead of just screaming at us when we try to do it for her. She's babbling with consanants always now and is picking up words as fast as her "sissies" can force them on her. From this weekend, zoo, boom-ba, yaaay, hiya, and a handful of others I can't think of right now. I'm most excited about a real, official three-word-phrase spoken. She can sign two and three-word phrases, and she will say "Hi ___insert name here___" which counts as a spoken two-word phrase. But this is a big step upward.

And on Wednesday she goes to see the ENT to see if she needs tubes in her ears. I've hesitated, for some unknown reason, but she's had 3 ear infections in 4 months, and before than 4 months solid of fluid behind her ears. So, maybe it's time. We'll let Doc decide.

So that's our big day for our house. How are yours doing?

Monday, August 4, 2008

One more time...

When I was in seventh grade, I decided I would be a writer someday and have four kids and live in the country. Well, I write quite a bit for work, but not the type of writing I envisioned. We do live in the country, in a beautiful part of Kansas. And, as of February, God-willing, we will be the proud parents of four kids.

My friends who are "done" told me that you just know when your family is complete. This pregnancy has been painful, thus far. I haven't eaten much, until just recently. But it hasn't been THAT bad...only vomiting once, no crazy surgery like Lainie's pregnancy. Despite that, I know I am done. In fact, if I could skip ahead to, say, December, I'd be all for it.

I'm so excited to have our fourth child, to add another sibling to our home, to our family. But I am not excited to experience the pregnancy symptoms again. I think that's the sign that this is our last one.

So, if this is our last one, shouldn't I be savoring each moment? Enjoying each little symptom? I can't; I don't have time. I've got three kids to take care of, a job to maintain, and a DH to help when I can.

There will be time enough for savoring when the baby's delivered! :)