My Faith and Joy… and Boys!

Here’s my little shark with his good friend at the Kindergarten musical.  I can’t believe how big these boys have grown!

Last month, Baby T and I boarded a plane and went to visit my parents and Gramma in California.  It was so hard to leave the other kids at home, but it was fun for the big kids to spend time with by my mother-in-law, and for Baby T to get all my attention for a few days!

Baby T did so well on the flight out!  While I’ve taken many flights with children, this was my first flight ever with only ONE child, and it was practically relaxing!  She even slept long enough for me to watch a movie!  

The next day, my mom and I went to see my Gramma.  Baby T loved playing with the same books and stuffed animals that my sister and I did in our childhood.  I’m so tickled that T gets to make memories at Gramma’s house too!

Even though Baby T would have been content just to toddle around my parents’ house looking for their cats…

…or toddle around their yard looking for lemons…

…or toddle to the window to admire California’s golden hills…

…we also took her on several shopping trips downtown and made sure to introduce her to lots of new friends. 

And of course, Grammie and Grandpa got the most cuddles of all!

We were there right around Mother’s Day, so we got to celebrate it early with my family!

It was such a special time for Baby T and I to get to spend so much quality time with my parents.  We both wish it could have been longer!

I am so thankful that Danny has been a wonderful napper (with the exception of about 6 months or so last year where he fought me hard about laying down every day to rest).  Even now, at age 4.5, he still naps – not one, not two, but usually THREE hours at a stretch in the afternoon (I know, he’s amazing!!).  I still put him to bed at 8 when I put Jimmy to bed, and he just plays quietly in his bed for a few hours until he drifts soundlessly off to sleep.  It’s worked really well for us, especially since Baby T naps for 1-2 hours in the afternoon and it gives me a break to exercise, clean or rest myself.  But with an active summer coming, and full-day Kindergarten around the corner, I’ve decided he needs to start weaning off naps.  I also realized that he was always SO tired after lunch, and it was making it difficult for him to have playdates with friends because his energy level was just too low in the afternoon. So, because we still both need some downtime, I’ve been telling Danny for the last few weeks that he doesn’t have to take a nap in his bed as long as he plays by himself quietly for an hour.  This is what happened the first few times we tried this approach:

Clearly, the kid was tired!  But this last week, he’s done much better, and his evening crankiness hasn’t even gotten too bad (mine either, ha!).  It’s also allowed us to stretch our morning playdates a little longer, which is wonderful for us both to hang out with friends and not feel like he was going to turn into a pumpkin at lunchtime.  This big boy is growing up!  Only a few more months until Kindergarten – I’m not sure my heart can take it! 

(Another late post!)

What a whirlwind of a year – I can’t believe Baby T is already one year old!  She continues to be a social butterfly, charming everyone from the grocery store cashier to the flight attendant to the kids at the park.  Her megawatt smile brings sunshine to our every day.  She’s sleeping well at night – generally going from 7pm to 7 am with only the occasional wake-up and taking an hour-long morning nap and about a 1.5-2 hour afternoon nap.  She still loves her bottle, and eats finger food exceptionally well.  She loves all fruit, many vegetables like peas and broccoli, and crackers and goldfish.  She loves peek-a-boo, chasing kids and being chased, being outside, and mimicking sounds.  She is hitting all her developmental milestones: she started walking at around 11 months, saying a few words around 12 months, and now she’s running and chattering like crazy!  Now, at 13 months, she can say: Daddy, Mama, uh oh, bye bye, night night, more, and (my personal favorite) thank you.  You haven’t lived until you’ve heard her tiny little voice exclaim, “Thank you!” 

Well, it’s Baby T who deserves the thanks.  Baby T, thank you for lighting up our lives with your amazing laughter, cuddles, smiles, adoration, and just general awesomeness.  You make us proud to be your family!!  

(All the kids absolutely swoon over Baby T, but Danny is especially protective and proud of his little sister.  They are too cute together!)

A few weeks ago, I had the privilege of joining the third grade field trip to the Science Center.  It was such a treat to get to see the kids exploring the museum and interact with their peers in such a hands-on environment.  I LOVE this age (well, I’ve loved every age so far!), and I love to see how enthusiastic and carefree all the students were at the museum.  The kids said they wished they could do field trips every day, and I thought that sounded like a great idea!