Let Us Pray

On Tuesday night, just in time for Lent, Robbie prayed his first prayer all by himself. Sure, it was a replica of what we pray with him every night, but still. All on his own. Here's how it went down.

Scene:Kate, Robbie and I all lying (squished) on Robbie's car bed. Books are read and I've just asked Kate to pray. I'm about to start praying with Robbie and he says...

NO! Let ME do it!

Ok, Buddy. Go ahead.

Tank you God for Moooommmmyyyy and Daaaddddyyyy and Paaaaaadyyyyynn and Kaaaaaaate and ROOOOOOBBBBBBIIIIEEEE!

At this point, I think he's done, so I start to say, "And..." but I am rudely interrupted....

I NOT DONE YET!

Ok, keep going...

An for my fends. Hep me sweep well unight. AAAAMEN!

Amen.

You're Going Down and other hits...

Remember how I said that the Disney show "Phineas and Ferb" has taken a hold of our household and refuses to let go? Here's one bit of proof...Robbie has developed his own dance styles and routines to the different P&F songs, he knows which character is singing them, AND he is trying to lip sync to them. I know the video is long and you don't have to watch the whole thing. I filmed the first bit with his back to me because I didn't want him to see the camera and stop. If you watch all the way to the end, you see that he finally figures out that I'm filming him and demands to see it.

Many Months Worth of Updates

I don't think I am a blogger anymore. I'm not sure what the acceptable definition of a "blogger" is, but I'm sure it must include something about posting photos, links or text on the internet more than once a month. I don't apologize for falling off the blogging bandwagon. There are many reasons for it; some easy enough to explain, others, not so easy. And while I am not going to bereate myself for not publishing daily, weekly or biweekly photos and updates, I do believe I need to at least give it a go once a month. How else will I know what to write in my scrapbooks when I actually get around to them? (Currently I am working on 2010, yet haven't even started Katelyn's "First Year" book.) But I'll tell you, keeping my blog up-to-date was not one of my New Year's resolutions. Just so you know...


So, here is an update of the last couple weeks and months to catch you up a bit. I'm sure I will forget many important pieces, but you'll get the idea of our current existence. These are in no particular chronological or importance order.

• I went back to work about 20 hours a week the week before Christmas vacation. I am working as an aide to the English Learner Specialist at the girls' school. The specialist is an old friend of mine. We used to teach together in days gone by and have trained teachers together for the last 10 years. So, it's not your typical teacher's aid position. Which is just fine with me. All the things I love about teaching without all that pesky stuff like report cards and grading essays.


• I work while the girls are at school, which means Robbie is with a sitter 3 days a week, 1/2 day two days, full day one day. She was our regular sitter before, and now she is really our nanny. Robbie loves her, but the first couple weeks were rough. By Friday morning as I was getting ready to go, he would cling to my legs and tell me not to go. Now, he has settled into his routine. I leave right before lunch on Thursdays and Fridays, so he is ready to lunch with M., take a nap, then I am home when he gets up!

Speaking of Robbie, there are many many many things to say about him. I probably should do them all separately...

• Potty training has begun. I wasn't really looking forward to it, and didn't want to push it, but it sort of happened and now we are on good path. After several months of pulling our hair out over Robbie's slow gut (read:pooping every 7 to 10 days, and being really pissed off about it), we finally make a dietary change. We totally upped his fiber and cut his white flour intake. It took a little bit, but he started pooping more regularly. Then, we finally figured out that when he pulls up on the back of his pants, he needs to poop. We started sitting him on the toilet...with my iTouch. Don't judge me. With the girls, it was M&Ms and stickers. For Robbie, it is Angry Birds. And we haven't looked back. We haven't changed a poopy diaper in over a month. The peeing on the potty took a bit more time to pick up, but just last week he started telling us when he had to go. Today is day #2 of a dry pull up all day. Those Angry Birds are miracle workers!


• Because of the regular pooping, Robbie is now a much MUCH happier little boy. No more crying for hours or holing up in his room to lie on his tummy all afternoon. No more screaming while having a bowel movement. No more fussiness for days on end. So so pleasant.


• Robbie has also undergone another language explosion over the last month or so. He doesn't just repeat sentences, he initiates conversations. He sings songs, reads books, and tells you why he wants something. He calls for his sisters to come play with him. He asks for specific games, books and toys. He seems to finally have caught up verbally with where his sisters where at this age. I think the most noticable change is he now says, very clearly, " I DON'T know!" instead of "Iuhknow." I kind of miss it.


• But unlike his sisters, he is super cuddly. We love that.
  

Now, onto other news...

• Phineas and Ferb has been a constant in our house for the last several months. I was told about what a fabulously awesome show it was a couple years ago by my friend, but since we didn't have cable, I just assumed we would never watch it anyway, so I didn't take it to heart. Well, we discovered it through instant Netflix probably back in the summer, and we now know every song and most episodes by heart. Even Robbie will sing and quote it. Daddy and I have been known to tell the girls they can't watch a particular episode because we haven't seen it yet and want to watch it, too. It's that fun for us. We now own two CDs and a movie. I thought they would have tired of it by now, but nope. It has staying power.


• Katelyn seems to be outgrowing some of her more annoying clothing sensitivity issues, but they are far from gone. While she will now wear different clothes every day, and occassionally socks, the tags must still come out and there are many articles of clothing that she dismisses without even trying on. Her tantrums over other things come and go. Currently, they are in. But while her reactions are big and out of proportion to the slight or injustice, fortunately, they do not last too long. When she's done, she's a happy kid again.


• Padyn is content in third grade. She goes through a chapter book every couple days, yet I have to force her to study her multiplication facts. She loves learning about the planets and our solar system, and even tried out for a speaking part in the upcoming 3rd grade play. (She got one). She is usually very helpful with her brother and now has to make her own lunch every day. It only took a couple weeks for her to stop complaining about it!


• We have yet to ski this winter (seeing as how there has been no snow) and both the girls are eager to hit the slopes.


• Daddy and I just had a kidfree get away to San Diego for a long weekend. It was a much needed parental time out.


• We had new windows installed in our house back before Christmas. It now feels much cozier and quieter inside.


• I'm still getting used to all the trees we took out of our yard in November. The ones I have to plant keep falling over in the wind. I'm not sure they are going to make it until the spring. One that I planted has already passed away, its root ball having been too shaken up in all the falling over it did while still in it's pot.


• Katelyn is already asking when summer is coming so we can go swimming.


• Padyn is amazed at how quickly the school year is going.


• I keep writing "2013" on my checks and documents. Who knows?

Robbie is calling to me. Must be another no nap day. But I will leave you with my most recent picture of the kids. I took it last week for my dad's birthday.