Update on the Cute Kids

LANCE



Our fun boy! He is totally potty-trained and we are so proud of him! I don't even have to remind him to go potty on the big toilet, he just does it on his own (with the moral support of Mommy cheering, of course). He still wears "special underpants" to bed, but we are just so happy that we have moved past the struggle/fight of begging and bribing!

Lance loves pretending to be a superhero. On a daily basis since his 3rd birthday (a couple of months ago) he will say to me, "Mommy, I'm Spider-man and you're Spider-girl." He will even go on to tell me exactly what to say as he wraps a balloon string around my legs or arms. He says, "Mommy say... "Ah! Ah! Save me Spider-man!"". It's great because he tells me exactly what I should do to play my part as the Damsel in Distress correctly. =)



He also loves to pretend many other things. Often there is a spider crawling on my shoulder (which is actually his hand) or he can't move from my bedroom because his feet are stuck in mud! He is very smart and creative. He is always coming up with new things that never fail to surprise me.

He is seeming older and older every day and such a little boy. He plays with his Transformer toys and speaks for them with a low voice and gives them commands and teaches them things. The other day he was having one Transformer say to the other, "Optimus Prime, remember to put your faith in God." He kept saying it over and over. Michael and I later asked him where he learned the phrase "put your faith in God" (we usually say Heavenly Father). He thought for a minute and said, "Put your faith in God... like Daniel." Wow! We were so impressed! He must have learned that in Nursery!



Lance continues to be extremely social and loves making friends with anyone who will pay attention to him. His Nursery leaders informed me a couple of Sundays ago that he is the "leader of the class." If Lance is reverent and polite than the other children are also well behaved, but if Lance is rowdy and naughty than the other children are bouncing off the walls too. Unfortunately there are many, many more days when he is rowdy than reverent... (sigh) we are trying to work on that. =)

Lance also continues to love to sing. In nursery his Singing Leader is Brother Kyle Gutke. He is an amazing guy who loves his calling and is exceptional at what he does. He has puppets and activities for each song and Lance is always so excited to go to Nursery. During the week he sings the songs, and lately has even been taking the words of the songs and combining them to make silly songs that don't make sense.



He has a great memory. He got this really great pop-up book that is called The Lost Treasure of the Dragon's Cave for his birthday and he LOVES it! I have read it to him so many times that I almost have it memorized. A couple of weeks ago I was in the kitchen and he was sitting on his floor in his room by himself and I heard his voice, "There's gold hidden high in the mountains, it's deep in a fierce dragon's cave. This map shows us where we can find it. Let's go! But we'll have to be brave." I couldn't believe it! I had never heard him even recite part of the text, and he just rattled off the entire first page perfectly! He then skipped a couple of pages and did it again! "Oh Yikes! Here's a venomous spider. She's spun sticky webs everywhere! Take care as you creep underneath them, and head for the gold if you dare." He was even "reading" it like I read it to him, with some pauses, and excitement in his voice... these are definitely the moments that a mother treasures.



Lately I have fallen into the trap of feeling like my time spent at home is unproductive because I rarely get to do all the things I have planned. Times like this help me to remember that a mundane/unproductive day to me may be a day where my children feel the most loved, and have a learning-filled and happy day.

AFTON



Our cute girl! We love her so much and still sing to her every morning when she wakes up, "Little baby Afton, Afton, Afton. Little baby Afton, I love you!"

Her first 2 teeth popped through her bottom gums a month or two ago. Today she has the very beginning of her two top teeth that cut through. I could tell that they were close because she has started "yelling" a lot more. She is so sweet and hardly ever complains, but when her teeth start coming in she gets a lot more vocal!

Afton is 10 1/2 months and is just now really starting to crawl well. She has been able to "creep" around since 6 months, but never really got into the whole crawling thing. She preferred to just roll around, crawl a little, then roll again and sit up to get what she wanted. Her preferred mode of transportation is actually her walker. She can run in that thing! She loves being on her feet and would much rather walk than crawl. She loves when I hold her hands and let her run around the kitchen and I think she may never really embrace crawling because she understands the speed of running (humm... the older she gets the more and more I see Michael's characteristics in her).



Yesterday I tried having her walk next to me by just holding one of her hands. I thought that she would fall because of imbalance immediately, but she didn't! She was just fine and actually liked being able to turn and change directions more easily with one hand free. It's just so cute to see such a small, chubby, baby walking around beside me!

She is a determined little one just like her father. Although Afton hasn't been the best of crawlers, that hasn't stopped her from getting the things she sets her mind to. At this age I thought objects were still supposed to be "out of sight, out of mind"... apparently that is not the case with her. When she sees a toy, or my earring, or a bottle that she really wants, she will do what it takes to get it. She will army-crawl, roll, sit up and switch directions, crawl on all fours... and if I move it away that is much to far or high for her to reach, she still doesn't give up. She will keep persisting! People regularly tell us that they think she looks like Michael, I think she does too, and I think she got more of his personality too!

Afton is getting to the age where she really "tunes in" and listens to what is going on. If I am trying to nurse her and she can hear Lance playing, or talking, or running around, she stops and turns her head to look for him. She won't eat until she sees what is going on. It has made nursing quite a challenge because she won't just sit still and eat... she is just too interested in everything else! Even when I give her a bottle (which is for all but 2 feedings these days) I often times have to put her in her crib with the door closed so she can focus on eating.

Lance and Afton both love the tub. They love the water and the toys. They love splashing and singing, and playing in the tub. Some days playing in the tub is the highlight of the day for all of us!



I have been trying to teach Afton a few signs just like I did with Lance at her age. I can tell that most times she understands them, and sometimes she will do them, but not on a very regular basis. For a while she was signing food really well and would even sign and yell to let me know she was hungry. Today she has done well with signing for milk, but who knows what it will be like next week. It just goes to show that every child is different and we shouldn't compare them with each other.

It's interesting now, having two children of my own, to see their differences. When Lance was this exact same age he could sign 5 words and communicate with them very well. He could sign: food, more, all done, thank you, and bed. Michael and I went on a family vacation to Mexico with his Dad, Step Mom and siblings and we left Lance with my parents and Michael's mother. He was able to express his needs through signs well enough that it made it a lot easier for those who were taking care of him because he would "tell" them when he was hungry, full, or tired.