Thomas Update: 7 Months

This month you're really leaving the infant stage, sitting up and playing and feeding yourself a bit even.  You really have enjoyed all the outdoor time as the weather has warmed up.  Mama never thought to put you in a  swing at the playground yet, but daddy popped you in and you loved it.  And then you mastered sitting in the grocery cart at the store.  You're getting to be a big boy! 

Weight: ??
Length: ??  6-9, 9-12 month clothes, size 3 diapers
Feeding:   We fed you as recommended last month, waiting appropriately lengths of time between new foods.  But now, we're trying a bit more of a baby led weaning approach.  We've still done a lot of purees (Beech nut are my favorite, and you've had peaches, pears, spinach, zucchini, peas, orange, pineapple, mango and lots of other things), but we've also let you feed yourself bits of rice, chicken, cheese, eggs, and bananas.  Basically whatever we're having we pass a little to you.  Makes it easier for us all to eat together.  You've started on puffs too, though very few seem to get into your mouth. 
Sleeping:  Morning nap.  Afternoon nap.  Sleeping a good 10-12 hours at night about half of the time.  Still waking around 4:30 other days.  Still swaddled for almost all naps unless in the car seat.  You stay asleep a lot longer if you are in complete darkness.
Communicating: It's still pretty easy to read your cues, as to whether you are hungry, tired, or bored. You like music and will have spurts of babbling away. You are very ticklish and giggle a lot.
 Likes: Sitting in your bumbo next to your brother's train track, or your toy box.  When we stack towers for you to knock over.  Teethers.  Pulling hair and jewelry.  Being in the big boy stroller.
Dislikes:   Tummy time.  Starting to have a harder time being left with sitters (MOPS, gym, etc).
Growth Milestones:  Mastered sitting up.
Health:  Unfortunately another month of coughs and runny noses.  Hoping the spring weather helps you put these colds behind you.

 *Another late post just waiting on a photo.*

Me Am 3 and a Half

Elijah is definitely my takes-everything-literally child.  He will argue over semantics and is sometimes a little obstinate about being correct.  He is ALWAYS paying attention to the social interactions going on around him (unlike his older brother) and I'm always amazed at the things he picks up.  He finds just about everything we do exciting, and he loves talking to people on the phone.

He is a little too independent for his own good, but is so sensitive that I can't be harsh when correcting him.  His heart breaks when he thinks his older brother doesn't like him, and he is always the first to run and rescue Thomas from any bad situation (you know, like his toy rolls away).  He still wears his "big brother" shirts often with pride.

Eli is still obsessed with a train, and keeps asking to go to the train museum.  The couch is turned into a train daily, and Eli spends a lot of time using his map to plan trips, turning on the "train module" and of course "applying the breaks".  I recently coined the term "tresspassenger" when I didn't have a ticket, and since it had a name he thought it was okay for me to be unticketed.

My second born is definitely not a know-it-all like some of his family.  He will typcially say things like "Me have no idea!" or "That doesn't make any sense" even if he does know and understands.  He almost always counts incorrectly past four, unless there is a treat involved and then magically he can count into his teens.  He will NOT participate in any musical rhymes/dances/songs at story time (head-and-shoulders, etc) and just gives us all a look like we're ridiculous.  But he will go dance during the last song in church every week.  He's full on contradictions.

Some of my favorite sayings or quotes from him are:

Always saying "roof roof roof" whenever he talks about a roof (comes up more than you would think in an all boys household- this is from a Word World episode)

When I asked him about yoga in school, and if they did child's pose, he said his teacher's even do "grown-up pose"

Since “last night” is a phrase, he thinks “last day” is one as well.

Bubba’s craft, or “your craft” instead of Minecraft.  Theo’s craft.

“The pig was overjoyed to see his friend!”  -while transporting pig via train

“I’m/Me going to get a new mommy from the mommy store.”

Eli put on Chapstick “because me want to look pretty like mommy.”

*Again, I wrote this last month, but just now uploaded the photo.*  And Eli's measurements are about 37 inches tall, 35 lbs.  He's seemed to get really gangly lately.

Theo at Six: And a Cheetah Party

To usher in being six years old, Theodore decided to wake up at 5:00 with me and is currently working on his 249 piece Lego set he received yesterday for his birthday.  Neither of us could get back to sleep, so we may as well get some work done.  Being an early riser is a trait Theo and I share.  We have a lot of weekend mornings together while Eli and daddy sleep in.  Unfortunately, Theo also seems to be taking after me in the temper department (without the redhead excuse), in his running abilities (or lack of), and in his dedication to his "shows".  But, at least he's also taking after me in his quick math abilities, which should be helpful since he still professes the want to be a builder when he grows up (hence the two hundred and forty nine piece Lego set he needs almost no assistance with).  It made my heart sing a little when he got his first report card and his highest "grade" is in mathematics.

 And here are some fun numbers while we're talking math.  Theodore is twice as old as Eli, and twelve times as old as Thomas.  He is 1/3 of the way to college (!!).  He's now been with me more than 1/5 of my life.  Since he is in a mixed age class of 5 to 7 year olds, he isn't the largest always but is a sturdy 48 inches and 60+lbs.  He is still in size 1 shoes, so at least his feet took a break from growing.  He isn't the most athletic kid (like his parents), so he dreams of having the speed of a cheetah, (65 mph).

Theo is officially a big boy now.  All the softness to his chubby baby face is gone, as is the softness to his personality. I can describe it best by saying he has sharp edges now.  It's not so much that he is headstrong as much as it is that he is always in his own little world. And being told to alter his world (turn off a favorite show, asked to slow down, and being told he can't do things) causes immediate little fits of anger.  And add a little brother who has his own ideas and contributions while they are playing and there is a lot of bickering between the the two.  I say that it is easier to have the 6 month old and 3 year old both, than to have Theodore.  It's like the temperature of the house raises several degrees every time when he comes home from school and my blood pressure increases.  He is just a bit of a fireball to have around.

But when it's just him (and electronics aren't around), he's still a pretty great kid.  He seems to be navigating school well, and doesn't consider himself one of the "bad kids".  Most days he says are "pretty good".  Packing or buying lunch is a pretty important part of his day.  He gets very excited to pick out new library books, and likes art as well.  He would rather learn science and nature info all day, rather than learning to read and write (though he is excited for first grade, when they only have to use one finger space when writing instead of two), so most of his favorite shows and Kindle apps help with this.  He was recently assigned to study an animal and make a diorama for school, so he's been researching the cheetah.  We ended up designing his birthday party around cheetahs, giving him a cheetah cake and visiting the zoo for the day with both his grandmas, Aunt Nae Nae and grandpa.  Luckily, they were out, and he even got to watch a cheetah gnaw on a carcass as the zoo has began feeding the lions and cheetahs carcasses.  Watching the lionesses really go after theirs was pretty neat.  And Theodore was kind not to mention that that napkins and plates I found were actually leopard spots, and not cheetah.  The things I've had to learn since having all boys...

*Sorry so late... took a while to get the photos on here.*

Teeth Update:  2 gone (Feb. 17)