Sweet little feet... so many paths to take. So much joy running through our house!
It has been a long time again...
Christmas has come and gone, and it is already February. I'll figure out how to add the file of Christmas pictures.
It seems Like the boys are growing up over night. Since Noel's Birthday, he has been talking so well. He's talking in complete sentences already. It is so precious it hear him and Nicolaas dialogging back and forth. They are definitely best friends.
Noel's favourite 'joke' is to sing "Twinkle, twinkle little star, how I wonder if Nicolaas is a pot of
honeeey."
(honey in a quiet sweet little voice.) and then he laughs and laughs.
My Noel is now walking around the house with a fanny pack! So hilarious! We named it a car-pouch though... he has so many favourite little cars and trucks that he needed something to carry them with. Dennis thought a fanny-pack would be great!
Noel has pretty much potty trained himself now.. Just today he has been asking me to go (I go myself, K Mom?) so far the pants are DRY! He has been peeing in the potty since Christmas time... now we just have to convince him to get on the potty to do his big job... (I poop in the baffroom K? I not poop in the potty K? Funny Bunny." He gets to hold his wrapped present while he tries... oh well. It will happen one day. I am not too stressed. I traumatized Nicolaas with potty training. I was determined to take a different approach with the next boys.
With my nose surgery, I couldn't lift Noel out of his crib. So Dennis dismantled his bed, and put a mattress on the floor. Well, it was a disaster for the first few nights. Hard to fall asleep. he would rather sleep with Nicolaas. but Nicolaas needs sleep, not his little brother jumping up and down beside him. Now Noel can get out of the bed.. maybe he;s Nicolaas' little accomplish.. maybe a scape goat... But I can hear Noel "Door open a bit? door open a bit Nicaliss? How come Nicaliss?" Next thing we know he's running to the living room to get some toy for Nicolaas. "Mom, Dad! Noel's out of bed! Now he has to go in the playpen!" Not Noel's favourite reality discipline! The other problem with the floor bed (bunk-beds to come), is that Noel only sleeps maybe an hour at nap times, and the first couple of nights woke up at 5! Nice!
The above picture... snuggling in the little bed Opa made at Oma and Opa Van Ee's. Noel kept rolling around, and really the bed was too small. So we told Noel if he didn't settle he would have to sleep in the playpen. A little while later, Noel was in the playpen. He was pretty upset, and was crying dramatically from the room, "I NOT a baby!! I NOT a baby!!". Poor kid. We never told him he was. I guess in his mind babies sleep in playpens.
Okay! I am so proud of Nicolaas. He has such determination and self-control. We worked out a deal, that he could pick out any toy he wanted from the store (with-in reason) if he could stop sucking his thumb for a week. Well just like that. He stopped. He got to open his present a week later, and even though he still holds his puppy, the thumb doesn't sneak into his mouth.
In the middle of the week Dennis asked him how long it would be before he got his present... "Hmm well It is 7 days and it has been 3.. so there are 4 days left!" We were pretty surprised. I have been working on addition and subtraction with Nicolaas, but wow! Maybe it was a lucky guess.
He was DRY this morning as well!!! He finally got to open his present! Poor Noel thought he should open his too... I hope Nicolaas will be able to stay dry now.. I read before that the synapse from the bladder to the brain doesn't always develop till 6 years old at times.. It's just that when asking Nicolaas for his prayer request, he told Dennis that he wanted God to help him to stop sucking his thumb, and that he would be dry in the morning so he could get his present. My heart just squeezed for him.. So far God answered his prayer for his thumb.. now his being dry...
Nicolaas is a thinker... Nicolaas has figured out a new way to get the toy he wants to play with. Instead of getting mad of stealing it away, he just says well Noel, then I will play with 'Queen or Dynoco". Well then Noel can't give up his favourite cars, (even if he isn't playing with them) and he gives the coveted toy over to Nicolaas. I hope Noel catches on soon. Poor kid.
Oma Van Ee started Nicolaas off with learning how to set up the chess board. Next followed her version of 'hokey' chess. :o) Nicolaas loves playing games. I have FINALLY found someone to play games with me. He loves Chinese Checkers (mostly he says he's bored with that one now.. but it's just a little too hard yet), Mancala, card games, Board games, and now Chess. I am so proud of his positive attitude, and never gets angry or frustrated with losing. He's maturing into such a sweet young man!
Dylan loves his food.. even when served by his brothers... a little too much.. or not any.... Dylan is eating a huge variety of foods already... he likes the chunkier stuff and finger foods. He is completely done nursing already.. The other boys were almost a year, but they weaned themselves too. He was only in the morning for a while, but when I had my surgery, we were done. He loves his cup, and does so well with it. He is by far my biggest boy. Has a few extra rolls than the other boys had.
I love Noel's way of feeding Dylan. "Open your mouth Di-din. Here comes 'Queen Cachow, cachow.. here comes Charlie Checka, get show back on de road! Open your mouth Dillie!" Then he gently rubs Dylan's check.. oh what a sweet kid! So cute!
