Something to Talk About

Viv's vocabulary continues to grow every day. For awhile she was repeating the same stuff all the time and we would have the same 'conversations' every day. But it seems like just within the last two weeks or so she's picking up new words and phrases and using them accordingly. I know I'm not going to remember everything that she says and I wish I could type it in the way she says it...but I'm just considering it a 'win' that I'm remembering to document what I can. 

She still pretty much asks for 'Baby Boy' the second she wakes up. Her favorite item still remains 'ink mimi' or 'purple mimi'. She loves all her 'horseys' and plays with them frequently. She constantly asks for 'black dia' (iPad) so she can watch her shows...Wrigley is 'giggly' and Mickey is 'gigi' with a hard G sound. We've discovered the movie Finding Nemo and so now she asks to 'watch memo' all the time. She also likes to tell me in the most pathetic little voice when 'Baby cry'...and usually she's the reason Rowan is crying! We recently checked out a new book at the library called Little White Fish. She loved this book and knew the story within a couple of reads....so she would sit and 'read' it herself...basically the story is that the baby fish is crying because he can't find his mother...so he looks at each sea creature and asks if that's his mommy. Viv liked to talk about how 'baby 'ish cry' and 'mommy 'ish'...and when asked if each sea creature was his mommy she would say 'nnnnnooooooo'. She loved the book so much I ended up getting her a copy. She's also loving Dr. Seuss books right now as well as the Goldbug book. 

We are on the verge of potty training as she does tell me after she's gone potty and says she's 'potty in her kicks'...I've come to learn that 'kicks' are pants/clothes. She also tells me she has 'rocks n kicks'...meaning she also has a dirty diaper...and I follow up with asking if she has rocks in her pants? She loves to name the colors of everything..especially cars. She's finally started to say orange but still won't say red...or it comes out as 'gong'. She's very into labels and every older person is either a 'Papa or Gaga', everyone our age is 'mommy or Baba' and every person her age or younger is 'baby'. She still hasn't attempted to say her own name. She refers to herself as 'baby'. When we sit down to family dinner she has to name everyone. 

We had some big knock down, drag out fights over saying 'please'..she has said it for a long time but when I started requiring her to say it we had some power struggles...but guess who won? Now its onto getting her to say thank you consistently. 

We are working on counting but she refuses to start at the beginning and ignores 1-4... her counting starts at 5....5,6,8,9,10... and she conveniently leaves out 7. She recognizes all the letters of the alphabet but doesn't sing her 'ABCs' yet. I bought her some number flashcards and to my surprise she knew all the numbers too...so we'll work on the counting. 

Most mornings we try and get out of the house for some reason or another. If we aren't going anywhere she's been asking to 'go'. She asks to put on her 'ho-hos' (shoes) and her 'kitty-kitty coat' (Hello Kitty coat). She's also been asking to wear her hat and sunglasses too. 

And every night before bed she asks for 'cookies and 'ilk'...graham crackers and milk. I'm loving that I can finally communicate with her but I will miss her toddler talk!

3 months

Rowan has been sleeping through the night for about 2 weeks now. While Nathan was at the Rolex I transitioned him to his crib and so now has been sleeping in his crib for about 10 days or so. Hooray!!  He's suddenly gotten himself on a schedule...I'm not quite sure how it happened...it all just sort of fell into place. He gets up anywhere from 7:15-7:30 in the morning and has 8 oz of milk, eats 8 oz again at noon, between 4-5 pm and again around 8-9 pm. He's been napping really well in the afternoon- anywhere from 1-4 pm and then takes a short nap in the morning and right before bed. Bedtime is usually anywhere from 9-10 pm. Generally, he doesn't have any problems falling asleep but does sometimes need his pacifier. I can't say it enough...he just continues to be the most laid back baby! He hardly ever cries and just grins all the time. He's not a big talker/cooer unless you are right in his face. But he does like to laugh! He's probably well over 15# by now...we don't go back to the doctor until 4 months. He's already out grown the size 1 diapers but we still have a few left to use up. I think I only bought one box of size 1. His 3 month sleepers are already starting to show a little 'stretch' and so it won't be long before we need 6-9 month sized clothes. His sister still LOVES him and is the first person she looks for and asks about in the morning. He isn't spitting up quite as much through his nose but he drools all the time and still lives in a bib. His hair has grown back and all stands up on end...I feel the nickname 'Butch' is coming soon from Papa Terry. His eyes are slowly turning more brown and his hair is very light brown/blonde. He has a lot more eczema than Viv did but his skin has cleared up a lot since he was a newborn. We just love this little guy and he was the best addition to the family! 

Spring Awakenings

Spring has sprung and we have been taking advantage of our time outside! Viv's finally gotten the hang of sunglasses...sort of. She leaves them on for a bit and then takes them off. And I realized the other day while we were in the garage she shoved them into the grill of the mini van....I still have yet to try and retrieve them...if it's possible! 

Trying to get little bro on board too....

We are on the verge of potty training. She now will tell me when she's dirty and is proud to sit on the potty...but I'm still waiting for warmer weather to actually 'train'....and for Nathan to have the weekend off. 

Mr. Rowan is officially a chunk...at 2.5 months he's already surpassed what Viv weighed at 6 months. 

Viv, Harper, and Grace are going to be flower girls this summer in Ben and Whitney's wedding...we went to her shower and Viv loved helping open presents. 

She's recently been asking to have her toes painted...no one is safe...not even 'Baba'. She knows where my nail polish is stored and brings it out to you and sits. She then points at them and says 'ink toes' (pink toes). 

I may have a girly girl after all. 

The sibling love continues....

This guy continues to be such a smiley little boy. 

We spent the weekend down at my parents while I was covering for Wendy while she had surgery. Uncle 'Anum' had fun with Viv in the monkey tent.

Riding her 'purple bike'. Her feet don't quite reach the pedals just yet but she's pretty good at scooting around with her feet. 

Nathan took her to the ISU spring game. They had a pretty good time! 

Playing with her Sesame Street toys at 'Gaga's'. 

Learning to bird watch with Papa...don't tell her she's using the wrong end of the binoculars. She gets very excited to see the geese and yells at the top of her lungs 'GEESE'!!

She and Nathan are still doing gymnastics on Wednesday afternoons. The group is waiting for their stamps on their hands and feet after class. 

My little fashion plate...ready for church in her new spring outfit complete with matching necklace. 

Enjoying some time with 'Baba'

Taking one of our first family walks through the neighborhood. 

So relaxed....

Uncle Al and Aunt Nancy got back from Florida and so we stopped in so they could meet Rowan. 

Viv loves to wear her 'kitty, kitty coat' and frequently asks to put it on along with her hat...even when we have no place to go...

I got to work a little this month while Nathan went to the Rolex and I covered a few days in Washington while Wendy was out having surgery. Wrigley was happy to get out of the house. 

Me and my baby!