Kiddo Update

I am still so far behind on the blog and it's been on my list to do for so long...sorry! I will go back and backdate a bunch of stuff as soon as I find the time. In the mean time, I thought I would update everyone on the kiddos. Jonathan is loving school and is branching out meeting new friends. Every day he talks about someone new and is asking if he can have play dates with everyone. I have noticed that he is playing with more boys this year than last year at school. He does still play with girls and talks about them, just not as much. The school year started off with me waking him up at 7:15 am, him requesting bacon & eggs for breakfast, me feeling like a drill sergeant (get dressed, eat your breakfast, fix your hair, put your shoes on, grab your backpack, time to go...), and leaving the house at 8:10 which gets us to school at 8:20 to line up in the parking lot with his class to walk into school at 8:30, with school actually starting at 8:40. This week, I have been letting Jonathan sleep until he wakes up, usually around 7:30/7:40 (7:45 and I would probably need to wake him), we have a simpler breakfast (bagel/cream cheese, yogurt or waffles), he has a few minutes to watch TV or play with Diana and then we are leaving the house at 8:20. I would like to be out of the house at 8:15 but it never seems to happen. We usually get to school when his class is walking in or already in but he says he prefers this other than "waiting" in line. After school, he usually needs to burn off some energy so we have been staying to play at the playground or having playdates. Then about 5 pm he usually crashes and wants some TV time. I have noticed since he started school that he has more of an appetite. He has been eating all of his dinner most nights and asking for seconds. Asking him about his school day is like pulling teeth. It doesn't matter when or how you ask about his day, he usually doesn't have much to offer. Thank goodness there is a school hotline that you can call and get details. He is in bed by 8:30 but think we need to move this up to 8. Jonathan does normally ask in the morning, what are you and Diana doing today? I think he thinks he is missing out on fun stuff. Lately, we have been running errands and cleaning so he hasn't missed much but we did go to a playground and music class today but shhh!

Diana is growing up before my eyes! I swear I woke up and she is a full fledged toddler. She has always been independent but it has been taken to another level. There are a lot of "I do it" and "No mommy's" being said these days. She likes to pick out her own clothes, get dressed and put her shoes on herself. Yes, we are in that phase so if you wonder why in her pictures she has such "pretty" outfits on, now you know. On the other hand, her independence has served us well with the potty training. Ever since we got back from MN it seemed like it just clicked with her. She just goes to the potty on her own most of the time or will yell "potty" if we aren't close to her little potty to help her. We need to work on the wiping and the hand washing but I will take the potty success! We no longer wear diapers/pullups anywhere unless she is sleeping. She just started school this week but loves it and has done very well with it so far. I have noticed now that Jonathan is in school she talks a lot more. I don't know if it is a coincidence or if I just hear her now. Either way, her vocabulary is exploding at the moment, saying sentences, having conversations with you and asking why? a lot! She plays by herself very well and prefers it at times. Today she was playing with her baby dolls, talking with them and saying "hi." I said "hi" back and she just stared at me like I rudely interrupted their conversation and was quite for awhile. She loves her dolls, kitchen set and stacking blocks that our babysitter Megan got her. I will hear her counting the blocks as she is stacking them, "One, two, three, one..." I have been trying to teach her how to count but she really doesn't have much interest in "learning" but apparently she is listening more than I think she is. She has also discovered time out and has started the temper tantrum phase. She will sometimes hit her brother too which puts her in timeout. Today she was playing mean with Jonathan and when I asked her to say sorry, she said no. I told her that she had to go to timeout until she was ready to say sorry. She walked herself over to the corner and sat there until she said sorry (with a potty break in between). Her sleep schedule is 7:30 pm to 6:30 am and then a 2 hour nap usually around 12:30. She can't sit still to eat so we usually eat a little bit and then run off to play and come back. This is next on my agenda to work on with her.

Things are still busy around her but I feel like I am finally able to come up for breathes of air. At the same time, it saddens me to know that Jonathan is in school now all day every day for the rest of his childhood and that it won't be long before Diana will be in Kindergarten.

I am stealing my dad's favorite phrase at the moment, "Living the Dream." I truly am living the dream. I am very blessed to have such wonderful children and an amazing husband that has allowed me to live my dream!