Just loving the kiddos

Some random fun facts about our cute kids...

Ethan

• is really into letters, numbers, reading, spelling, rhyming... he is such a kindergartner!  They are expected to know so much it seems (giving the correct change to buy something?!) and he has his struggles (mostly with listening instead of socializing in class) but he does love to learn and try to figure things out.  He's always asking me about words and letters and trying to spell and read things.  He knows about 40 sight words and can count and write numbers to 100.  I'm so proud of him when he figures something out and he gets so excited too! 

• is so funny!  He makes me laugh every day with things he says.  I wish I could remember them all, but here is a sample...  His favorite game to play whenever we're in the car is "I Spy."  And at school he gets a color depending on his behavior for the day.  The best color is green, then yellow, then red.  He'd been getting a few reds lately (not listening, etc.) so when he got in the car the other day when I picked him up and asked if we could play "I Spy", I thought he was avoiding telling me he got a red at school.  But I said sure and he said, "I spy... something green... and it's me... I got a green!"  He was so happy!  And the other day he was telling me about superheroes he likes like hulk smash, spiderman, and captain Moroni (I think he meant captain America).  He's so cute and funny.  One more... I've been trying to help him not throw temper tantrums and work on his self-control when he's angry.  I watched a video online about some kids who asked if they could "disagree appropriately" when they didn't want to do something and they were able to talk it out with their mom.  I tried it with Ethie and he caught on pretty quickly and he was able to discuss the problem instead of screaming and crying.  Yay!  So the first night I was reading him a book in bed and trying to get him to read some of the words.  I think he was tired and didn't want to read so he started yelling at me, but then stopped himself and asked me, "Wait, what am I supposed to say so I don't cry and scream at you?"  It was great :) 
• loves his sister!  Sometimes he has a hard time being nice to other kids, but I think she brings out his sweetness.  He still loves to hold her and talk to her and try to get her to smile and talk to him.  Sometimes she's a little cautious about him because he can be a little intense, but she will usually smile at him and I think she knows he loves her!  Love you Ethie-man!

Lilah

• is such a blessing!  She brings so much love and happiness into our home and we are so thankful for her!  She is the happiest, sweetest, calmest, most peaceful little baby and we just can't get enough of her.  Everyone comments about how alert and happy she is and she's like that most of the time!  She loves to just sit and look all around and watch everyone and everything.  When she was a month old, the doctor commented that she has an "old soul" because her eyes are so deep and she just seems to take everything in.  She has a tiny cry that she uses to let us know she's tired or hungry, but as soon as we figure it out, she's happy again!  James noticed that as soon as you realize she has a dirty diaper, she stops crying and waits for you to change it :)
• is a cuddler!  Usually every night, when I can tell she's getting sleepy, I will just wrap a blanket around us and cuddle her on the couch while she falls asleep.  Then I lie her down in her bed and she stays asleep.  I love it!  That is some of my favorite time, with James beside me on the couch and my sweet baby sleeping in my arms.  Usually I fall asleep too, so I don't mind that either :)     

 

• has THE cutest smile!  It is the most incredible thing to look at her and say, "Hi, Lilah!" and she always breaks out into a huge grin!  It's so sweet and rewarding and just makes me so happy all the time.  And yesterday she laughed for the first time!  We were sitting on the bed just talking to her and she was smiling and talking back.  She actually says "goo" which is funny.  So I was imitating her and making a funny noise and all of a sudden she laughed!  I said it again and she laughed again!  It was so deep and spontaneous and just came out of her.  We couldn't get her to do it for the camera, so hopefully she'll think we're funny again sometime soon!  Love you Lilah!