Kids!

Every time I say (or in this case type!) the word "kids" I think of a client I had when I worked in long term care.  If she heard you refer to children as kids, she would quickly tear into you about how kids are goats not children and how you should speak proper English, etc, etc.  Joyful lady, she was ;)  To me, children sounds far too formal ... !

Blake is happy to be back at preschool.  On Monday he told me the first thing he's going to do at school tomorrow is say hi to Adam, because Adam is his best friend.  How cute :)  I think we'll have to invite Adam over for a few play dates this summer!  Blake is also excited to start swimming lessons again on Friday.  His class was cancelled last session, so he's been waiting 8 long weeks for the new session to begin!!  And after a 2 week break, hockey starts again on Saturday.  Blake continues to be a great big brother.  If I'm busy feeding Reese in the morning, he serves Emerson yogurt for breakfast!  Gets the bowls and spoons out, dishes out the yogurt, puts a bib on Em, wipes Em's hands and face and puts the bowls and spoons in the dishwasher!!  How sweet is that?!  I love listening to him during this time - sit at the little table Em, you have to wear a bib Em, what color of bowl do you want, etc, etc!!  Such a responsible little guy ;)  He also loves his baby sister, he's always asking to hug and kiss Reese and I often catch him talking to her and giving her hugs when she's in her bouncy chair or on her play mat!  There is definitely a reason God gave us Blake 1st!!  Both Blake and Emerson have enjoyed the sleigh rides we've taken them on.  We haven't even gone to any big hills, but to them I think what they've went down is a big hill!!!  They both love riding in their new sleigh and zooming down the hill!! 

Emerson started gymnastics this afternoon.  It took her a few minutes to warm up and after that she had a ball!!  She was so cute climbing all over and jumping on the trampoline!  She really enjoyed herself and didn't want to leave.  We all went to watch today, but in the future Cal and Em will just go.  Blake enjoyed watching her, but asked if he could go too.  We'll have to see if he's still interested in it when the next session begins!  She starts swimming lessons again on Saturday as well.  We were going to take a break from swimming, but she loves it so much and Cal said he was okay to take her, since I can't for a few more months yet!  Emerson is still loving being a big sister!  She always wants to hug and kiss Reese :)  I did notice last week that she was a bit jealous when Cal was holding Reese ... she is the world's biggest Daddy's girl!!  Em is amazing us daily with her vocabulary!  She can sing almost all of Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, Slippery Fish, The Thomas song and a few more!!  She can also recite all the reindeer's names and count to 12!!!  I'm not sure if she was given 12 objects if she could point to all 12 and count them 1 by 1, we'll have to test her ;)  It does seem that she has a very good memory and once she repeats something it sticks in her head!  I've been trying to catch all of this on video, but of course she won't do it on the video camera!!

Reese is doing well!  She is so smiley, it is adorable :) She's also cooing and "talking" to us more and more!  I weighed her last Wednesday and she was 7 lbs 15 oz.  I also took her to the chiropractor last week and she has another appointment this Friday.  Dr. Roth said there was a spot in her lower back that needed some work.  She was so relaxed during the treatment, which is really more of a massage.  She was sucking her thumb, it was kind of cute!  I wouldn't mind if she was a thumb sucker.  She doesn't want much to do with the soother and she needs some way to self-soothe!  So far, I'm providing all the soothing!  She's getting into a routine with napping during the day.  She still seems very sleepy to me and is showing drowsy signs after being awake for only 1/2 an hour.  There's no way she could make 2 hours before going for another nap!  Her night time sleep isn't as great.  I'm really worried that waking her up has mixed up her night time sleep :S  But it had to be done.  I'm sure eventually we'll get back to the 7 or 8 hours she was sleeping.  I won't do any "official" sleep training until she's closer to 12 weeks and until she "bulks up" a bit!!!  I'm looking forward to the day she starts sleeping more at night, but on the other hand I know I'll miss these days ... She's so cuddly and loves to be held nice and close to sleep.  I've spent many nights with her right beside me or holding her close and I do love it :)  It's just the frequent waking up to eat that drains me!!  But then again, she needs to gain weight!! 

I'd definitely say going from 2 to 3 kids has been waaayyyy more difficult then going from 1 to 2!  Although I suppose if their ages were a bit more spread out and the oldest was in kindergarten it would be easier!  Our days are definitely busy.  And we don't even have to leave the house to be busy, it's just the every day things when you have 3 young kids that makes the day fly by and keeps you hoppin'!!  Certainly a 24/7 job :)  And worth every minute when you see them smile, get those cuddles and hear, "I love you Mom!"  

There's a little update on our 3 angels :)  We hope you are all doing well!

xoxo
Tracy