February 2014 - Newsletter

Riley:

You are my best friend. I love when you coming running into my classroom after school. I love to talk to you about your day.

You have a t.v. set up in your room. All you mainly watch is Nick Jr., Disney Jr., etc. Those channels have commercials and you've got several memorized. If you were the one to buy our household items, you would no doubt make purchases based on the commercials you see. You want me to buy OxyClean, and actually told your dad, "OxyClean does remove tough stains." Ha! Tonight at dinner you had a great segue into one of your commercials. It went like this:

you: Mom, what will you do if all of our babysitters are busy?

me: I guess I would have to stay home.

you: No, Mom. Just call care.dom and they will find a good babysitter for us.

Ha! You've got several other commercials up your sleeve. It's always funny when they come out because it sounds EXACTLY like the commercial.

Ella:

Paci thief! We've decided it's not fair for Nolan to have a paci if you can't have one. Never  mind the fact that I took yours away in August. You still go after Nolan's paci. You're getting really smart about this whole paci thing, too. Last night, Daddy was coming after one in your mouth and you tried to hide it under your legs. It was funny! You also hide them throughout the house and will go get one when it's needed. You will also wait on us to turn around and then rip it out of Nolan's mouth.

I've probably mentioned the sign language I taught you. Your main sign is "more." You are constantly using that sign. You put your little fingers together and say, "more." In the beginning, we would give more of whatever you wanted whenever you wanted it. But now, you use your sign when you can't have more. Honestly, three cups of juice are too much. It's really hard to tell you no when you're using that sign. Your little fingers are so cute.

You love to go! We've been walking around the block with the wagon, and you really like that. You also like for Nolan to lay on your stomach and look at you.

Nolan:

Little sweet baby. I just love hugging and kissing you. Knowing you're my last baby is sad. I just love the squishiness!

You have mastered sitting up on your own. It's made things so much easier. Sometimes when I come over to pick you up off the floor, you'll raise your little arms up. Sweet!

You're getting solids at two meals. It won't be long before you need a lunch meal. Feeding you would go so much smoother if every spoonful wasn't followed by a foot or hand. You're really messy. Plus, Ella generally stands next to you and says, "ahhhhhh" on every bite. So, she gets 1/4 of everything you eat at supper. She knows to stay away at breakfast because you get cereal mixed with formula, and that makes her gag.

I asked your Dad for input on this newsletter. "What is Nolan doing that I can add?" "He likes to play and growl," was his response. Your Daddy loves you so much. He's already looking forward to doing guy things. And, you look just like him.

Love you babies.

Love, Mama

January 2014 Newsletter

Riley,

I am loving this five-year-old stage. Our relationship has gone from me dictating your every move, to you doing somethings on your own. You can brush your teeth without being asked, and just this boring you told me you would clean your room when you got home from school. Wow!

We are also connecting on a different level. We had Blizzards from the DQ a few nights ago, and you came running to me to tell me how great the melted ice cream on top was. I agreed with you and we just talked about how good melted ice cream is. Your face was the sweetest. You knew melted ice cream was the best, and you knew I have had melted ice cream before and could understand your feeling. It was just a moment that we had and I hope I never forget the look on your face.

You seem to get into trouble at home more often than in the past. Anytime we correct or get on to you, you immediately go into pout mode and say, "I'm trying my best," or, "I can't help it." This part is tough. Nothing you do really deserves major punishment, but it's just a bunch of little things that build up.

You've been taking tumbling lessons on Monday nights, and you have really improved lately. You love to show off your cart wheels and round offs.

Ella,

Whew. You're never full. As a matter of fact, you require a 24-hour buffet on your high chair tray. You would graze all day if I let you! If there is anything left on your tray after a meal, you will clean it off. You are constantly wanting something to eat. I don't think you're always hungry, but I think you get bored and wander over to your high chair.

You also love the tumbling (only at home). Anytime Riley is working on her moves, you bend over, put your head on the ground and roll to the side. It's your flip!

You love to laugh and giggle. You love to wiggle. If you hear a jingle anywhere, you immediately start a full-body wiggle. On another note, there is another dance you tend to do a lot... the tippy toe dance. This dance is reserved for outbursts of anger and frustration, especially when you don't get your way. The tippy toe dance is usually observed just before a full-on body flail in the floor.

You love to kiss Nolan and are the most loving big sister. When I pick you up from day care, I've already gathered up Nolan and all his stuff. I sit him in the hallway by your door and go in to get you. When we walk back out in the hallway to leave, the first thing you HAVE to do is kiss and love on him. You love him so much!

Just after you turned one, I took your pacifier away. Riley had hers taken away when she turned one, so I thought the same would be good for you. You already had a speech delay, and I thought the pacifier would only make that all the more worse. So, no pacifier for you. Wrong. Wrong. Wrong. Nolan still has his pacifier, and most of the time you steal it. You have to be watched constantly if his pacifier is in his mouth or lying loose somewhere. You are very adept at not only locating a hidden pacifier, but also finding them when he's spit it out. Your daddy and I have both threatened no more paci for anyone more times than I can count. Nolan and his paci aren't safe anywhere, even in the car. Now, you just pluck it right out of his mouth.

Nolan,

When Ella isn't stealing your paci, you are just the sweetest little guy around. You're happy all the time. You don't cry very often. Your world has grown this month because you've started sitting up. And you think you're a big boy! You rock back and forth and play with toys. You are also babbling up a storm!

My only complaint is that you wake up too early, usually around 5:00. Most of the time I can leave you alone until 5:30, but that's not much of an improvement.

No one makes you laugh quite like Riley. You chuckle so hard at her. She will act so crazy just to make you laugh.

You are the best three kids in the world! I love my little family and can't wait to see where we go from here!

Love, Mama