I feel like I spend so much time catching up on my blog, that I miss the little, everyday moments and happenings that make up our daily life. I had every intention of doing this last night, but the NBA Championship was on, and I got distracted. This was our day yesterday, and some little random tidbits about my three lovely littles.
First up on our agenda for the day: swim lessons
Audrey and Joshua are in swim lessons and loving it. Joshua does not want to wear his floatie in the water anymore, making my life at the pool full of anxiety with Joshua and Austin. His swimming has improved immensely and he loves to throw water toys into the water and dive (read: belly flop) into the water to get it. (Audrey is learning the strokes and can almost do the back stroke across the whole pool.)
This little boy melts his mommy's heart. There are no words to describe how much I love him. His big brown eyes, and his sweet, tender heart melt MY heart. He is always saying, "Fank you". i.e., "Joshua, I love you so much." "Fank you." "Joshua, I love your shirt." "Fank you." My Mom and I have said to each other many times that we like to think of things to say to Joshua so he will say, "Fank you" back.
He is always making up signs for his answers to questions. For example, "Hey Joshua, do you like your sandwich?" Then he will say, "If I do this (thumbs up sign), that means yes, and if I do this (thumbs down sign) that means no." Or sometimes it is, "If I say this, 'caw caw caw', that means yes, and if I saw, 'ba ba ba' that means no." Every time it's a different sign.
He made up a game that he calls, "Ball in the Middle". We stand facing each other, and he has the ball and I stand with one hand on my hip. If he can throw the ball between the space of my arm and body, he wins. Then we change places. His reward system (that he made up), was this: "Mom, if I make it, I get to watch a show". Fine. Then he became really good, and it was, "Mom, if I make it, I get to pick out any toy I want at the store." Nice try buddy.
He says, "coo coo" instead of the forbidden potty talk. Cleaver.
I just found out last week that Joshua got into the preschool here. Since we moved here late, he was on the waiting list. But now he is in. I am so excited for him to go, but will miss my little side kick so much. He started preschool in Texas for one month, but I kept him home with me when we moved to Colorado. I loved my days with him and it makes me sad that someone else will get to spend the mornings with him.
Yesterday we were driving and Joshua said, "When I grow up, I want to be the boss of the town, and go to outer space." When I asked him just now what he wants to be, he answered, "A Dad, because I weally want to."
He really loves his baby brother. Today at the gym when I went to pick up the kids, the child watch lady to me that Austin was pulling another kids hair. And then she said, "And Joshua just stood there and watched him do it, he didn't even stop him." That sounds about right. ANYTHING that Austin does is "so cute." Joshua would never put the kibosh down on Austin.
The other day I went to gym for only 20 minutes. When I picked him up from child watch he said, "You were so fast Mom! I am so proud of you!" Glad I could make you proud little man.
Joshua and Audrey are (knock on wood) getting along remarkable well these days. Don't get me wrong, a few weeks ago everyone was lucky to be alive when it was time for bed, but for whatever reason, they are doing much better. Actually, I think it was the homework books that made the difference. During Austin's nap, Audrey and Joshua just wanted to watch TV. I told them they have to read (or color) for 45 minutes, and their rooms have to be clean and bathroom straightened before they have any TV privileges. But I found that Audrey, who usually loves to read, was starting to not like it. Maybe it was just because it was something she had to do? Who knows. My parents were visiting recently and we found these age appropriate "homework" books for kids to do during the summer. Now they have to work on those for 45 minutes before they can watch TV. Lots of days, they just start playing together and never get around to doing their "homework", but then they also don't watch any TV. Kids playing happily together? No TV watching? I will take that over them doing their "homework" any day.
Recently he has been telling Audrey and me that we are pretty. Makes me swoon. Is it possible I have a crush on my little boy? Absolutely.
Anyhow, this is Joshua's post swim lesson picture. Not great quality, because he would not hold still, but it was the best I could do, and I love that little face and the expression he is making.
After swim lessons we headed to the grocery store. I am that total white trash mom that lets her kids (and herself) snack on the goldfish (or yesterday the cheese rice cakes) while doing the shopping. Better to have snacking kids then a screaming Austin. For shizelle. Austin gets away with a lot more than my first two ever did. Notice the binki clipped to him? Yep, he gets it way more than my older two. But he is also my only baby that has ever gone to a child watch center at a gym. My friend Megan was genius and would let her baby have his binki to prevent him from sucking on the germ infested toys at the gym. Brilliant. So Austin gets his at the gym, and then since it's already clipped to him, he gets is at the store too. My older two only only only got it in their bed. Nope, this little lad gets it quite a bit more. Oh well. I'm over it.
Austin is our little comedian. He loves to make us laugh. He thinks he is so funny. He will shake his head in his car sear super fast and hard and have the older kids laughing hysterically. He loves to dance and moves his little body when he hears music. His is obsessed with balls. He will say, "Ba, ba, ba" way more than he will even say, "Mama." I know my place in his mind. He loves to play catch with Dave and Joshua.
This baby boy of mine has such a special place in my heart. We are pretty sure we are done having kids so he will always be my baby. I love when he cuddles me, or when he pokes my eyes out. He is the most resistant to any form of sign language. When A & J were his age, they were signing "more" "eat" "please" "thank you" and "all done." Nope, this boy has no interest. I think it's because he has two older siblings that do all his communicating for him. Again, I'm over it. But I do think it's funny/annoying when I ask him to sign "Please" and he basically sits on his hands, just because he doesn't want to do it.
Blurry picture because he wouldn't sit still either, but this expression is so him. My little cute comedian.
After the store, home for lunch. Then naps (no homework, and therefore no TV, but they played together so I was a happy mama). After naps we went swimming in my new friend Christina's pool, then to Sonic for dinner (don't judge) then to gymnastics, where we met Dave. Audrey is taking a gymnastics class, and Joshua is doing 1/2 karate and 1/2 gymnastics. They both loved it. Then to get some frozen yogurt with Dave. Then home and scrubbied those little bods in the tub. Ahhhh, clean kids. It was such a nice night so we went out back to eat Cheese Nips. And then I snapped this sweet little picture of Audrey. All three pictures are from my phone. Thank goodness for the phone. I rarely use my nice camera anymore. Sad. But not really.
Oh Audrey. My beautiful little Audrey. Sometimes I look at her and I can't believe she is mine. She is way too beautiful for her own good, but more importantly, she has such a beautiful heart. She is very concerned with others, and their feelings. She is such a trooper and rolled with the punches with all our moves. We have talked a lot about how to make friends, and the difference between open ended questions, and closed ended questions. It is much better to ask an open ended question to a new friend so the answer just doesn't end with one word. The other day we were at the pool and I heard her talking to a little girl her age. I heard Audrey say, "What do you like to do for fun?" Made her mama proud that she was putting herself out there and asking this girl an open ended question.
She is a smart girl and sometimes amazes me with her memory. She will ask me if I remember certain things, and I amazed that she can remember something from so long ago.
She is such a great helper with her brothers. She has a special bond with little Austie and she loves to get him out of his crib every morning, and after his nap. She wants to carry him and push him in the stroller or grocery cart. But she will not touch a dirty diaper. Not even one that only has pee in it. Nope. Not a chance.
She is our little adventurous one and loves to do the big rides at the amusement parks or water parks. She is an excellent swimmer and loves when we call her our little mermaid. She wants to be a dolphin trainer when she grows up.
She is my girly girl who loves to have her fingernails painted, get pedicures, and go shopping. Her birthday is in August and I asked her the other day what she wants for her birthday. She said she wants money so she could go shopping. Nope, too young. I want her to still want toys, and Barbies. She needs to stop growing up.
Audrey outside, eating Cheese Nips, which she informed me were way way way better than Cheese Its. I disagree.
I went to a wedding last weekend (Carrie's sister) and it was absolutely beautiful. During the ceremony, I got all teary thinking about my kids growing up and getting married. Such a happy occasion, but the thought of my boys loving someone more than me, and my baby girl being a bride made me emotional. These days will pass more quickly than I would like (but honestly, sometimes it feels like it will never end!), but time does fly and I want to enjoy this journey.
And that was our day, yesterday.
