changing the toilet paper

My son can change the toilet paper all by himself.

You wanted to know. I know you did.

The only way I know is because he always puts it on backwards. :)

quick picture

a shorter cut

Nathan was in severe need of a haircut, so we decided to cut it today. While we were getting ready, Nathan said that he wanted me to cut it short like Daddy's. So, we did. It made me nervous to cut it shorter, but I kept reminding myself that it doesn't take very long to grow out. Anyway, here are a couple pictures for your enjoyment. (You can compare how it looks now to the last couple posts to see how much of a difference it is.)

playing in the rain...almost

While it was raining yesterday, Nathan asked if he could go outside and play in the rain. Then, he asked if Daddy could play with him. They decided to head out so I followed with the camera (in true Mommy form). Unfortunately, about a minute after they got outside, it quit raining. They still had fun, though, and I was there to capture it forever!







(I know that you think that I got up at 4:44 in the morning to publish this post. Sorry to let you down, but I didn't. Actually, I've been enjoying taking advantage of the "post in the future" option. I figure, if I can pick any arbitrary time, why not way way early in the morning?)

they make me smile

Yesterday, Caroline was having fun playing by herself. When I went to check on her, I found her playing in the playroom in the middle of a pile of toys. I decided that I needed a picture. So, I quietly went and got the camera. As soon as I took a picture, she turned around to look at me and I got this picture.


After another shot or two, she decided that she was going to foil my plans for toy pile pictures. She headed across the room and then flopped down on the floor. She thought she was just the funniest thing!


Then, after a few more pictures, she decided that her baby doll needed its hat. This is funny to me because the baby doll NEVER wears her hat. Anyway, Caroline worked on it for a little while. She just can't quite get it around yet. So instead, she brought it to me to put on...and then immediately took it off...and then asked me to put it on...and then immediately took it off...and then asked me to put it on...her Mommy is such a sucker! (When Matt saw this picture, he asked me if Caroline was making her baby doll stand on its head like she does herself. Yes, she regularly takes up the exact same pose that you see her doll in there.)


Then, later in the day, I came home from...um...somewhere. I pulled up to find Nathan following right along behind Matt with his lawnmower. I thought it was very cute. Definitely worth some pictures! So, I went inside (oh yeah...I had been to the grocery store and had to put up groceries) and got the camera. By the time I got back, Nathan was hanging out on the porch. When I asked him to go back and follow Daddy, he happily complied. After taking quite a few pictures, I was headed back inside. But Nathan wanted me to take more pictures. So, I did. I guess Nathan has a sucker for a Mommy, too. Then, after taking pictures of another lap, I headed back inside again. Nathan again wanted me to take more pictures. Mommy did not comply.

an attempt at "real" pictures

Yesterday, we tried to get some pictures made of the kids at Sears. It went fine, but there wasn't a good picture. I decided to try to get some of my own. However, we didn't ever have the time. I did, however, get a few of just Nathan. Here are a couple of them.

a few more from Ringgold

the boys

the girls

a Caroline update

Ok. I am finally getting around to writing some updates on Caroline. As you may have noticed, I haven't been keeping up real great. :) I actually have a couple sets of pictures to put up, but I wanted to get this update in first.

Caroline doesn't do too much talking on a regular basis, but she is understanding lots of things. She has added a few words to her repertoire, however. She says:

apple - app le
octopus - oc puh
Nathan - nae nah

She is doing a great job following instructions. She doesn't always want to do what she is told, but she DOES understand. I can tell her to take something to her room and she'll do it. She helps clean up pretty well at night, too. Of course, we often have to tell her one item at a time to take care of...but...she does do it...eventually. I think she has already decided that she doesn't like cleaning up at night. She does have an affinity for putting things where they go, though...at least when she wants to.

Caroline loves to dance. She can often be caught dancing to music in stores or restaurants. She also likes to play the music on the sit-n-spin and dance to it. She has a very particular dance style. I will try to get a video up here at some point. However, our little digital camera has died, so it will take more effort now.

She is still a hungry hungry hippo most of the time. She knows where to find food and drink, too. If she's after food, she will go and pull on the pantry cabinet doors. If she's thirsty, she will pull at the refrigerator door. It's a clear sign, at least, of what she wants. She has a preference for juice over milk and doesn't really care for water. She'll drink water if there's just no other option and she's really thirsty.

She also eats lots of things outside. I have to keep a good eye on her because she'll pick up most anything and head to her mouth...acorns, weed flowers, dirt...just about anything. I caught her eating a clump of dirt one day. I thought I had gotten it mostly out, but she started drooling muddy stuff. Yuck! Last week, she picked up something little in the living room and put it in her mouth. I knew that it probably wasn't even a crumb of food since we don't eat in there much. I quickly had her spit it out. To my disgust, I found that it was a smooshed bug. I don't know what it was, but it had a small body and long legs. Gross!! At least she hadn't had time to bite into it!

Very unlike her brother, Caroline has no fear. She can do something and get hurt and be back to the same activity very soon. Of course, she makes a dramatic scene out of the initial problem, but once that is over, she's off. She also has no problem wondering off by herself. One day, we were at the library and she just headed off to talk to the other little kids. Not once did she look back to see where I was. Not once. Oh...I fear we are in for some trouble!

Just two more quick things that I can think of at the moment...toward the beginning of April, Caroline's 7th tooth came in. The 8th finally broke through last weekend. And last but not least...Caroline loves her brother! She loves to follow him around, play with the things he likes, and generally just spend time with him. It's very sweet when they play well together!

Late addition: Caroline is moving rather quickly these days. It's almost a run. And a quick story from today (May 1st)...This morning, I put a bow in Caroline's hair. Later, I noticed that she had taken it out. I told her that we needed to find her bow so we could put it back in. Well, she quickly headed down the hall and to her room. I figured that she thought that I meant that we needed to get something out of the drawer to fix her hair. Well, she went right over and reached up at the drawer where the hair things are kept. I asked her "did you put it in here?" while really thinking that she was just thinking we needed to get something. Low and behold, however, there in the drawer was the bow I had earlier put in her hair. Not only had she put it up where it went, but she knew just what I was wanting and took me to it. What a smart (and tidy) girl!

a Nathan update

Well, I think it's about time for updates...written updates...on the kids. I'm going to start with Nathan...for no other reason than that he's older.

The biggest thing going on in Nathan's life right now is reading and spelling. Much of his time is occupied by one of these two activities. The one thing that these two have in common is words. No really, I'm serious. Nathan is picking up words SO SO fast. It continuously amazes me. I really shouldn't be that surprised, though. He has his father's memory. Nathan spends much of the time that he has alone writing and drawing. He draws pictures and labels them with some of the people or objects in them. We are burning through notebook paper around here!

He can read a ton these days. While driving around town, he often reads signs and such. One day, he said "Do...not...block...what Mommy". To which I replied "Intersection". He now knows what those signs say and reads them regularly. On Thursday I heard him reading a book in his room during his down time. I listened for a minute and discovered that it was a book that I had not read with him in a very long time. Once he got up (at 3:00 on the dot, as always), he asked if I could help him read it. I take that back. He asked about reading it AFTER watching Curious George...which comes on at 3:00. So, here's the book:



I only had to help him with a handful (or two) of words. He knew all the rest...or had figured them out. He's actually pretty good at sounding out words. I am definitely a fan of phonics! He has even gotten confident enough to write words on his own by sounding them out. (If you know Nathan and his hesitancy to do anything before he really has it down, you know that this is a big deal.) He doesn't always spell things right, but he at least gets close. For example, the other day he made a picture and wrote "WATERORING KANN". That's pretty good, I think.

One day, while we were running errands, Nathan said "P-I-C-K spells 'pick'". I gave a little affirmation and then asked him how you would spell "sick". He proceeded to sound out the beginning "sss...sss...S-I-C-K". So I asked some more... "lick"..."llll...L-I-C-K"... "stick"...a little more thought here...(me)"how do you spell the 'st' sound?"..."S-T-I-C-K". Anyway, you get the idea. I was quite impressed. In case you are wondering, Nathan knows several letter combinations. He has mostly learned them watching Word World on PBS. He knows "st" and "ch" and several endings like "ing" and "s".

On a completely unrelated note, the other day, I asked Nathan to get the food out for lunch. When he came back, I asked if he had gotten all the food out and he said that he had. Then, I asked if he had gotten a knife out (a butter knife...for the mustard). He made some sound and then went to get it. Almost immediately, he returned and said "But Mommy, a knife isn't food." Smarty!

more pictures

When they choose to do so, Nathan and Caroline play well together.


They both had a good time playing the piano.


On Thursday, Nathan and I were fixing supper when I heard a funny sound behind me. I turned around to find Caroline eating the apple (core) that Nathan had earlier thrown in the trash can. I had not previously thought that I wanted to let her eat an apple whole, but I decided to let her try. I didn't think the one from the trash was a good choice, however. So, I got her a new apple. I started it for her, and she seemed to do pretty well for her first whole apple.

a few pictures

Caroline is not a big fan of sitting and being read to. However, she can regularly be found with a book in hand.


While playing the other night, Nathan took to an activity that used to be very common. He was wrapping "presents" for Daddy. He used to wrap "presents" for most everybody. His "presents" are generally some kind of toy...occasionally lots of toys. They are always wrapped in blankets.


While playing, Caroline decided that she wanted to wear Nathan's train hat. I think we're going to have to buy her some more hats. She seems to like them!


And last but not least, here's a cute picture of Nathan with his Daddy (and William).

injuries

Last week, while waiting on Matt to come home, Caroline fell off the front porch. Now, the drop is only about 6 or 8 inches, but she fell onto the sidewalk. She got a kinda yucky looking scrape, but it wasn't too bad. However, I have been wanting to take the kids to have a picture made together...and I don't want a scratched up head picture.


Well, that injury was almost well when, earlier in the week, she fell again. Again we were out waiting on Matt to come home. This time, though, I was pulling some weeds and the kids were playing a little. I think Caroline was trying to catch Nathan (who was running around the car). How she managed to pull off this injury, I don't know.


Well, I guess it will be another couple weeks before we make it to have a picture made...hopefully...

the second floor

Yesterday, we stopped by the Sears at the Macon Mall. We walked in from the parking lot and proceeded to look for some great deals on clothes (75% off the already reduced clearance price). As we were looking, we passed the elevator and Nathan asked if we could ride it. A little while later, he told me that the ceiling of our level was the floor of the other level. Now, this in itself, is a concept that seems like it should be hard for a 4 year old. But it gets better. I told him that he wasn't right. The other level wasn't above us, it was below us. He then proceeded to ask me how that could be since we walked in from the parking lot. The other level, he reasoned, had to be on top since it would be below the ground otherwise. How crazy is that? Not only can he understand the concept, but he came up with it on his own. He continually surprises me. As a matter of explanation, the lower level is partially below ground...you can walk in at both levels.

close smiles

starting school

It's official. Next August, Nathan will start school. We decided a while back that it would really be best for him to have somewhere to go and something regular to do during the week. School seemed the natural choice. After weighing the options, we decided to send him to a church school. As much as anything, we didn't think the change from being home all the time to gone all day every day would be best. It's also a hard thing to turn your child over to people who you don't know. Anyway, as of right now, he will be going three days a week just for the mornings. If a spot opens up, he'll go five days a week. Our church has school for 2 through 5 year olds, but we decided that he needed a change in venue. Everything he has done to this point has been at church and mostly with the same kids. We thought it would be good for him to go to a different place and be around different kids. So...that's the plan.

words

Nathan has a funny word that he often uses. It is "bahk" and means "oh no, I did so-and-so wrong" or "oh no, I forgot". He also still mispronounces some words.

Joseph - Joviss
Granddad - Gran-grad
Granddaddy - Gran-graddy

We know there are more, but we haven't thought of them yet. Maybe I'll add to this list if we catch any more in the next couple days. He also still pronounces beginning "l"'s as "w".


Here is Caroline's word list:

uh-oh
bah bah - bye bye - not used in a long time
da da
ma ma
ush - look at that, I want that (pronounced like the "oo" in "book")
dee doo - peek a boo
shoosh - shoes
??? - thank you (she doesn't say it often so I don't know how it's pronounced)
baluh-daluh-daluh - banana (to pronounce it right, your tongue has to come out of your mouth with each section of the word)

She also makes sounds for planes, cars, and animals. She only has one consistent animal sound. It started as her dog sound and sounds like a bark. However, she has expanded it's use to pointing out all animals/birds. She does occasionally try to imitate other sounds that people make. She will even imitate singing...me or Nathan.

our first death

We have now experienced our first death. Tonight (this was originally written Saturday), we found an ant carcass in the ant farm. We know that eventually they will all die, but this is the first. The carcass was at the top...where the surface of the gel originally was. After looking around a little more, her head was spotted at the very bottom. Her legs were nearby and appeared to actually be down in the gel. I had read in the little brochure that the ants often take the dead ones to the surface to keep disease from down in the tunnels. At times, they even bury the dead. We'll have to see tomorrow if they have done anything else with the dead ant's parts. (Update: They did move the head to the top and eventually put it with the rest of the body.)

On a lighter note, here is a recent picture of the ant farm and all the tunnels. I think they must be done because nothing has changed in a couple weeks now.

quick pics

Here are a couple quick pics. There are "real" posts on the way, but I just have to take some time to get them written.

We were going to take a couple quick pictures of Caroline in her sailor clothes (while at church) and Nathan wanted to get in on the action.


Nathan wanted to try the uncooked corn that we were shucking and decided that he liked it. Whatever works for him, I guess.