Blah Blah Blah

Beautiful winter sky photographed by Mike.

This is my first posting of the week, so I have a mishmash of news to share with you. Last week we all had the stomach virus, then this week I've been battling either a cold or allergies. I will start drugging myself with allergy medication now to make it through the spring. My ears have been plugged up since I had my first sinus infection four years ago. Maybe I'll see a doctor soon.

Gaby got some spending money for his birthday from both sets of grandparents, and I let him use a little to buy himself and Christian a new toy. Gaby settled on a yellow trailer truck after much arguing over another garbage truck that he wanted, and then we headed for the science section and Christian got this:

It's an Edu Science paleontology dinosaur dig toy.




Yes, it came with a chisel, hammer, brush and goggles.

The fossils are inside this brick of gravel and Christian has been digging for about five days now. This paleontology project has been one of the best activities lately. Christian is not one who entertains himself well, but when he finds a project such as a puzzle or anything else that takes time, he will focus on it until he completes it.

All that work and so far he's unearthed three fossils.

There are several fossils Christian is currently digging out from the brick. (Those in the photo above are still stuck in the brick.) When all the pieces are found, he will put together his velociraptor, which is on a much smaller scale than the triceratops that Santa brought him this year.


These kinds of activities teach Christian patience. I need to take up velociraptor digging myself.



We are on day 1 of potty training Gaby (at least I started the week that I said I would). Mike and I are going to work with him all weekend. This morning Gaby told me he was ready to go #2 in the potty. Oh joy! He didn't tell me he had already gone in his pants, however. I found the surprise in his pants after he had already sat on the potty. I hate potty training.



I am going to enroll Gaby in preschool next fall at the same place Christian attends. There is a waiting list, but hopefully he'll get in. He is so excited to go to school like his older brother, but he knows that in order to go to school he has to be potty trained.



Christian had his Valentine's Day party at school yesterday. I followed the instructions to decorate either a tissue or shoe box. I got to school and saw how elaborate the other kids' boxes were. One little boy's Valentine's box was a black train. I admired it from afar and thought wow, some parents really take Valentine's boxes to a whole other level. The morning of the party I wrapped a shoe box in blue paper from a gift bag and pasted on some old construction paper in the shape of hearts. I impressed myself by remembering how to cut heart shapes from paper. It was good enough for me.



Gaby is still a little bruiser. My sister-in-law, Jeanne, says he needs to have a junk pile outside for him to take things apart and bang on. He is the destroyer. He is also the one I can't stay mad at because he is such a clown. Gaby is still so affectionate and funny and I hate to see him grow up so fast.



And Jojo! He repeats many words and says words that we understand. I'm really impressed because at 16 months his brothers did not say as many words. This littlest one is so interesting to me because of what he learns from his brothers. He puts up a fight with Gaby over toys -- definitely not passive. He tells me through gestures that he wants something to drink. He eats eggs! tortillas! beans! rice! bananas! mostly anthing! I hope his eating habits continue beyond the age of two. He is having some trouble with milk and has been on Lactaid for the past two months. The pediatrician thinks it may be due to the stomach virus he had in December, and along with teething, his intestines have to get back to normal. I am trying to get him back on fruit juice and whole milk little by little.



Christian still talks about his 'boys' at school. I have a feeling he goofs off quite a bit with his friends, but the teacher says that when it is time for him to listen he does. I'm so happy about our decision to pull him out of kindergarten and keep him in preschool as he is finally blossoming and making friends in his class. He still says, 'Go get him, tigress' when I get after Gaby.


Hope all is well!