Ta-Da

I am very proud to write that my 'little man' has been potty training over the past few days and today he successfully used the big potty. He was so excited to get his surprise (a lollipop and a Hershey's kiss) afterwards. This is one time when candy at 9:15am is perfectly acceptable. Ha! And then we proceeded to call everyone so Ian could share the news himself.

We know that Ian does things in his own time - speaking, eating new foods, etc. - so we expected that potty training would be no different. He came home from preschool last week talking about the cool big boy underwear one of the older kids was wearing (spiderman themed, of course) and he asked if he could have some like that and some with airplanes and helicopters on them. I told him we had some big boy underwear in his drawer and asked if he'd like to wear them. He agreed and that started the process over the weekend. By today he was even more aware of his body and was able to 'hold it' as we dashed into the bathroom after he announced that he had to 'tinkle'. One more milestone reached....and many more to anticipate.

The green room and the glider

If and when we ever move from this house there is one thing I will miss more than anything else...Anna's room. From the glider chair nestled in the corner of her room, I've spent countless hours thinking of everything and anything, praying, talking with God, and simply watching Anna as I rock her to sleep in a dark room with only the dim glow of the closet light. As the hours ticked by in the middle of the night, the two of us would bond through crying (sometimes from both of us), colic, illness, calls to the pediatrician, and even a drive through the neighborhood. But nothing compares to the moments of silence we share in that glider as she drinks her bottle while looking up into my eyes and I back at her. She holds the head of her monkey blanket in her little hand and reaches for my face with the other. I find my mind wandering each time I'm in that chair since it's so easy for me to relax there. As we rock back and forth in silence I make mental grocery lists, plan Anna's first birthday party, think of chores that need done, reflect on the kids' growth and think about their futures, ponder dinner options, pray, and so much more. There's just something about that specific spot of our house that soothes both Anna and me - together. I will miss the rich green walls of her room, that corner spot with the second-hand glider chair that still seems so comfortable even when it squeaks, those old bi-fold closet doors that allow just enough light out so I can see my baby's face as she drifts off to sleep in my arms, and God's blessing of silence that seems to be the best therapy for gathering my thoughts and releasing my fears.

Where does the time go?

This past week we've been blessed with a healthy household. It's been so long!! Ian went to school and his church program this week and I had a sigh of relief to make it through the week without a call or visit to the pediatrician. But, in the midst of returning to our normal schedule I noticed something. I noticed both kids have suddenly grown - physically and mentally.

Ian had school pictures on Tuesday and was excited to pick out his own clothes. He has shot up 2-1/4 inches since his third birthday in late October so alot of his fall/winter clothes are now too small for him. As he left for school he let me snap a photo of him. He looked so handsome but he also looked a year or two older than he did last week (at least to me, anyways). His vocabulary is advancing quite well and he can correctly pronounce several big words he couldn't just a few weeks ago.

And Anna is now making all sorts of sounds, has "words" for several objects (mainly the dog and her Daddy), and is asserting herself as an independent little girl and no longer a helpless baby. She's on-the-go constantly and has started eating crackers and some finger foods in the past week. The tips of her top two center teeth are finally starting to show and the top tooth directly to the left of the center ones is as clear as her bottom two teeth. So before we know it she'll have five teeth in there...ready to chomp anything we give her or anything she can steal from her brother's plate.

It's with mixed emotions that I watch these "babies" grow before my eyes. I'm so proud of both of them for the little people they are becoming; but I sometimes long for the days when Mark and I had just brought them home and life with children was so new. And then I think about how nice it is to (mostly) get a shower and have time to get myself completely ready now that Anna takes a consistent morning nap and Ian is able to entertain himself quietly for a while. Hmmm...life is quite good either way you slice it!

What a difference a week makes

In the last week and a half we've gone from seeing several inches of snow to near record temperatures in the upper 80s. We've also gone from constant sickness (the kids and me) to nearly-well, with the hopes that our entire family can move on from here and stay well through the spring and summer.

Yesterday we had a gorgeous, sunny day. Our thermometer at home read 90 degrees! The kids, Coal and I enjoyed a picnic lunch in the backyard and lots of outdoor playtime. Anna relaxed in her swing and did countless laps across the patio pushing her toys around. While Ian rode his trike and squirted everything in sight with his water bottle. Coal lounged in the cool grass, as usual, watching it all from afar. Both kids slept well last night and slept in a bit this morning - long enough for Mama to get a shower. Awesome!

Today Ian was anticipating an Easter egg hunt at his preschool. He went off to school toting his giraffe Easter basket and must have asked ten times when he was going to get the surprise eggs.

Anna is progressing with teething but not without some discomfort. She hasn't been eating much at all the past week and is relying heavily on her bottles. Her pediatrician had a chuckle at her when he realized her top side teeth were coming in before her top, front teeth. "Doesn't she realize the top middle ones are supposed to come in first? Did she not read the book?" he asked as he examined her earlier this week. She weighs 22lbs. and is solid, strong and very strong-willed. I think she is breaking the mold on what a sweet little girl is supposed to be and do. But when she flashes that big smile and those giant blue eyes at you...you're hooked! Just like Ian, she has a way of drawing people in around her and getting noticed.

Ian is starting to show interest in potty training and we've made progress with him in just a few short days. He's willing to take a break from playing to sit on his little potty and enjoys playing Bob The Builder games on the computer while he "waits". And I'm proud (sort of) to say that as of this morning he has learned to spit - he's all boy!! He loves to imitate what we do and when we spit after brushing our teeth, he's right there watching. After lots of practice (what boy doesn't enjoy trying to spit?), he did it several times this morning after brushing his teeth. I'm sensing a new bathroom game?!?! Ha!

We're looking forward to three days with Daddy home and lots of family gathering, Easter church service, egg coloring and hunting this weekend. Happy Easter everyone! God bless!