What's going on?

[houseelf]

We haven't done a "what's goin' on?" thread in awhile and I *really* don't want to work, sooooo I thought I'd ask how everyone's kids are doing and what they're up to.

DS (6): DS has 6 teeth missing, has mastered tying his shoes and riding his bikes sans training wheels. He is reading proficiently. (Sorry for the shameful brag, but he is the best boy on the planet! ) This kindergarten year certainly has been bittersweet. I'm thrilled to get to know this great kid that he's become, yet I realize that his babyhood/toddlerhood/preschoolerhood is gone forever. We're now in the really cool "buddy stage" and I'm enjoying the great talks that we have.

DD (20 months): She has the face of an angel and the hair of a troll doll. Every morning I arm myself with a spray bottle and wide toothed comb to try to make her multiple cowlicks behave. Poor girl. She looooves to sing and dance but can only do so by engaging her entire body. We take bike rides together and she sits in a seat in front of me. She insists that I sing into her ear while she does the hand motions. Additionally, we've learned that she's got a wicked fear of the Easter bunny. I dressed her to the nines (I should have such attire) and she would happily wave from a distance. However, whenever we approached the evil bunny she would scream "BUNNY NO!" We finally did get a picture wherein she's shoving the bunny away from her as she is diving to the floor.

Kelly

[DCJenn]

Let's see-

In our year, Nikolai has gone from crawling and sort of walking to complete climbing/running/jumping. His receptive language was always really good but his expressive language has finally kicked in over the past few months. He seems to have actually learned his colors and numbers and some letters which is bizarre. I just shake my head and figure some of it has to be rote. He's most definitely ready to hang out with other kids, at least for some of the time. He LOVES hanging out with his cousin Jack.

90% of the time he cracks me up and the other 10% is more exasperation that I ever could have anticipated that one 26 pounder could yield.

Jenn

[mommax3]

DS #1: Just turned 11 and is loving that he can now take bike rides with his Dad on his new bike. He has just started on the local swim team here and is enjoying that, too. He does very well in school (5th grade) with a minimum of effort, but still has trouble remembering his gym suit, lunch box, etc. He took the EXPLORE test for gifted kids recently, and did very well. We are thinking about signing him up for one or two distance-learning classes through Northwestern this summer. He is looking forward to summer camp this summer, and having a male teacher (recently hired) next year in 6th grade.

DS#2: Will turn 8 in about a month, and is very excited about that! He has finally adjusted to the move, but has struggled this year in school, (2nd grade) particularly in math, so we will be working on that this summer. I think having a first year teacher hasn't helped him any, and I hope for great things next year.....by all accounts, the third grade teacher is awesome. He has just joined the swim team, too, and we will see how he likes it. He is my sweetest and most sensitive child, who can be moved to tears by only a dirty look from me. He loves animals of all kinds and is not grossed out by much. He loves clothes and is very picky about what he will wear, which alternately amuses and infuriates me.

DS#3: Will be 5 in September, and is feeling very sad that his birthday is not in the spring like his brothers'. It will be a long summer for this little guy! He is.....a giant. I don't know his stats (what can I say....third child) but he wears a size 1.5 shoe, and size 6 jeans. I am very careful about telling him NEVER to put his hands on his friends/classmates because he is so much bigger than they are that it would end badly.....I don't want my kid to get a rep! He has just started playing soccer for the first time and really likes it.....he scored 2 goals last Saturday, (in the correct goal! ) and he didn't shove anyone in the process! He is obsessed with counting. He asks me math questions all the time, and actually, he just plain asks QUESTIONS all the time. He is the most shy of my three boys, but not so shy that he is clingy. His eating habits have come a LOOOONG way this year, and I am very thankful. Until about a year ago, he lived on string cheese, yogurt, peanut butter and jelly, and assorted fruits and vegetables. And sweets, of course. He has branched out a LOT this year. He will be in Pre-K three days a week next year......I don't really like the teacher, (same one he has now) but he seems to like her okay, so I am not going to make an issue of it.

All three boys are really looking forward to our trip to the beach this summer, the week they are going to spend with their grandparents in KS, and a family reunion in KY in August.

All three boys are also extremely pissed with me right now because 8 days ago, I decided that there will no longer be any videogame access on weekdays. In all actuality, their demeanor and behavior towards each other and DH and I have improved dramatically since then, but they have all let me know that they are bitter about my decision.....which of course only increases my resolve! (It also helps that the weather has been beautiful and they can go outside!)

That's it from here!

Sally

[rainbabies]

Good idea...lets see........


Ds (3) is finally starting to pee on the potty. I have a glass jar filled to the brim with M & M's in PLAIN sight hoping to inspire him. I have a potty chart outside the bathroom hanging on the wall. After 5 pees or one poop he gets a new Thomas train. He is ever the helper....this morning he was on his hands and knees with me cleaning the kitchen floor. He is going thru a "pull all the toys out of the bins for no reason" phase. So, today I got sick of it...begged, pleaded, bribed....threw everything in garbage bags. He had a shit fit...but seems to not care right now. So, tonight I will go thru them and sort everything.

Dd (2) is such a fruit cake. Everything is a joke to her. NEVER serious about anything...except her "spitty". That is her lovey blanket. Yesterday she decided to streak most of the day. Dh and I chased her around most of the day putting her diaper and clothes back on. She is counting to 13 in english. To 6 in spanish and singing her ABC's. She sings all the time and never stops talking....EVER. Both ds and her are obcessed with Nick Jr's Wonder pets and they sing the song all the time...."we're not too big, we're not to tough....but if we work together we've got the right stuff".

Dd (10 months) has started to dangle her bottle....everywhere and all the time. She doesnt care if she drinks it....but she puts it in her mouth and crawls around with it. She is sleeping thru the night all the time now!! Yea!! She is funny, cute, has tons of teeth....eats like crazy and cant wait to walk so she can keep up with the others. She flies in her walker. She talks all the time and has recently started saying "dada" Dh is very proud.
She is finally getting hair and it seems she is going to have my curls.

DS#1 just turned 5 last week, and it's almost like a sweet / helpful switch was flipped along with his birthday. He's really been more helpful, very proud of the '5 year old things' he can do, his listening has improved ... it's been very nice. Sure he still has his pistol moments -- but I dare say he has turned a corner on this zig-zag road of parenting. He is starting kindergarten in the fall, so we've attended our first (of 3) kindergarten round up's. He was excited, then freaked out when he was supposed to go with the other kids, but eventually enjoyed himself. He told me today he plans to take the same approach on our next visit (tomorrow).

DS#2 is 3 1/2, and mostly takes his behavior cues from big brother. So, he too, has been more pleasant of late. He is fully potty trained (actually more successful at night than big brother), and still quite proud of himself. He will be attending a new preschool next year. I've decided to opt out of the montessori program Jacob was attending. I just think that at only 2 days a week they don't get the true benefits of montessori (at what is truly a daycare / preschool - so most kids are 5 days), rather just spend their time doing their favorite activities. The preschool I found uses the Hi-Scope curriculm, which incorporates similar methods as montessori, and he'll be in a class where everyone attends the same days. As always, whining is the big problem with Quinn, but as he starts to understand the benefits of NOT whining this is gradually improving ... and his tantrums are far fewer, too.

DS (9 months): DS is turning out to be such a sweet and cuddly little guy. He loves to give dh and me hugs & kisses, but he seems to prefer giving kisses to his stuffed animals. Just today our usually elusive cat allowed him to give her a kiss and it just made his day! He is also really getting in to tractors and trucks....ah, I think he's going to be a John Deere fan to the core. He crawls a little bit, but usually prefers to roll to get to where he wants to go. Thankfully he is turning out to be a great eater and we haven't yet found anything that he doesn't like. He goes crazy over my garlic & kalamata olive hummus. He definitely is a talker....wakes up talking, talks all day long, and talks himself to sleep. No actual words yet, but he does love to whisper, "yayaaaaaa." DH thinks he is trying to tell us some of the divine secrets of the YaYa sisterhood.

[Phoebe]

DD#1- 4.5 years old now and too big for her britches. She stikes a modeling pose complete with hands on hips and says, "I have great news. I floated on my back in swimming lessons." She is constantly dancing and jumping around the house. She is acting very shy lately and waking up a lot at night. Otherwise, she has actually been very helpful, easier to reason with and generally more fun to be around. I love watching her with her little sister. She loves to run and ride her bike really fast. She will be in a Pre-K class next fall.

DD#2- 2.5 years old and thinks she is a "big girl". She desperately wants to sleep in her "big girl bed" but can't seem to stay in it. She is really pushing the limits right now and has taken over the role of the more frustrating child to deal with in our family. However, it is hard not to laugh at her because she thinks everything is funny and she is constantly walking around in sunglasses. She went on the big girl potty this weekend, but I think it was a fluke.

DD#3- Due in Sept. Confirmed today that we will be happy a third girl. She is active in utero and very healthy according to ultrasound. She is measuring 5 days larger which is a surprise because my other two were always on the small side. DD#1 wants to name her Kiara which we are going to have to veto and DD#2 wants her to be named baby sister. We are excited to meet our little one.

Jennifer

[SueC]

Maya--She's 6 and is close to wrapping up her first year of kindergarten. She's reading simple books in Spanish, learning to sound out words and spell (again in Spanish) and is doing some basic math, like adding, subtracting, and fractions. I'm amazed at how much she has learned this year. I've also noticed a little more sassiness from her lately, which can be pretty exasperating at times. On the flip side, she was so shy as a toddler and a preschooler, that I'm glad to see her speaking up finally! She is much more apt to try new things and really seems to feel more comfortable in her own skin these days.

Sydney is 4.5 and will be going to kindergarten next year. She is a trip, that is the best way I can think of to describe her. So different than me as a kid, incredibly confident and not afraid to speak whatever is on her mind. At times I'm horrified at what is coming out of her mouth, but I'm pleased to be raising such a self-assured little girl. She is big for her age and incredibly strong, but prefers to wear very girly dresses and is constantly twirling around and imagining she is a princess. Out of all the kids, she is the most excited about the new baby, it is practically all she talks about.

Mitchell is enjoying his last few months of being the baby of the family. He's had a good run, as he has been completely doted on by his sisters. He turned 2 last week, and is definitely in his "terrible 2" stage. He went from being the most mellow child in the world to throwing tantrums when he doesn't get what he wants. He is in a total "daddy" phase, and tries to mimic just about everything my dh does. He is into trucks, trains, dinosaurs, and tools. That is all he talks about, and every day he insists on wearing a shirt with one of the aforementioned items on it. He isn't the most verbal child in the world, but is starting to talk more--sometimes stringing a couple of words together.

Baby #4--Tentatively will be called Sean. I've got 8 weeks to go and this kid moves a ton. I think he will be bigger than my last 3, I'm particularly worried about his head as all of my babies have had big heads. Oh well, I guess that is what epidurals are for!

[samssugarmomma]

Natalie is 15 months and quite the little bundle of energy! She loves to be outside so every evening after dinner we are out in the backyard with her either pushing her bubble blowing lawnmower, pulling her in the wagon, or playing on the slide. She is babbling like crazy and can "say" a handful of words - 'bubble' is my favorite!

The dogs are more excepting of her now that she is mobile....or because she drops her food off of her highchair to signal that she is done eating. For the most part, she has learned to be gentle with them (as well as a 14 month old can...) and she pats their backs and lays her head on their back with a big smile on her face.

It's fun reading about everyone else's little angels!

Drew 6- is about to finish up kindergarten, he is gearing up for high school. I thought I just brought this kid home from the hospital....
He is playing T-ball with a competetive nature that is a mirror image of his mother, believe it or not. He is TALL and fast, he won the 50yd dash for all of the kindergarten recently at their field day. He is keeping us busy with reading, writing and letting us know about "things"....the other day he comes homes and asked what a sex-pot was...gotta love the bus ride home.

Colton 3- just had a big birthday bash last weekend. He is making huge improvements almost daily on his verbal skills. He is a carbon copy of Drew, only one-half size. His new favorite thing is to run....everywhere. He has several "ouchies" from this new hobby...still not the best at catching himself when he falls. Knock on wood-no seizures for one year, 9 months and 29 days. He just started a Mothers Day out program a couple weeks ago and is slowly warming up to it.

The idea of baby #3- yeah, it comes and then it leaves for VERY long periods....

[Flynn]

DD is three and a half now! She loves pre-school twice a week and would like to try a dance class this summer. She is going through a princess, pink, fairy, sparkle thing phase -- the more tacky the better. She loves playing memory, riding her new pink bike with training wheels and polly pocket. (Did I mention the pink thing? )

Latest quotes:

"Mom, I really would prefer blueberries on my cereal today. Did you know that eating the right amount of fruit keeps your poop soft? It does. All kids should know that. I didn't know that until you told me a few weeks ago"

"Daddy, you can help me get up in the tall chair but only if you KNOW I could do it myself if I wanted to. Mommy says it makes you happy to help me and I'm trying to be a good listener today so I can watch five minutes of Lady and the Tramp tonight."


DS is 18 months and a complete ham. He's two pounds less than his sister so that makes him built like a house. His first sentence was "up high" and last night he said "big mouth." He adores the Wiggles and dances to the songs regardless if whether it's a DVD or CD. When he tries to mimic Greg the yellow wiggle -- it's beyond funny.

I LOVE having two toddlers rather than an infant and a toddler. I love it that nobody is nursing and I change about 4 diapers a day rather than what seemed like 1400 once upon a time.

Life is good.