I have been a delinquent blogger lately for some many reasons. We're busy, we're having fun, etc. I also have too much to say, and it's hard to know where to start. With Anders, it's impossible to capture the joy of a three-year-old and the constant questions, learning, interest in the world, and sheer excitement about seemingly mundane things. I love how Anders has learned how to insert himself into a conversation and contribute. I love age three! It's such a learning year; he's just so inquisitive and interested; he also still adores his mom and dad is overjoyed to see us when we pick him up from school. But, I see glimpses of him getting older. He's not quite as chatty, he's a little more self-aware, he won't speak to strangers as much. That seemed to happen overnight. I used to be able to get him to talk to anyone and say cute things but now he's leery and more coy. He asks me questions about everything. Why is it raining? Why is the sun not out? Is it autumn? Are the leaves falling? What was that noise? Why are you wearing that watch? Are you really going to work or are you just going upstairs? (yeah, not gonna fool him anymore). Is it naptime or nighttime? Who's weird? (Yeah, no more gossip either). With Halle, the up and down battle continues. If I had posted this update three days ago, I would only be able to say positive things about Halle's upward developmental swing, her exciting new interests in food and being awake, the fact that she rolled over twice... but today, I write with the knowledge that two nights ago her seizures came back, and they weren't pretty. Now she's medicated and sleepy, and we have to get these spasms to go away. Below are some photos and thoughts on the past few weeks. Here is sweet Halle snuggled into her dad's chest, one of her favorite places to be.
Oops, ok, not a great photo, but I forgot to mention that Anders got the hand, foot, mouth virus about 10 days ago and really had to battle it out. His mouth was killing him and he didn't eat anything but ice cream and chocolate milk for three days. He was so snuggly and his mouth was swollen. I just had to post it to say that he was such a trooper through it all.
Anders finally rode the kids' train at the mall, in the yellow car, and was the only one aboard. Yep, he enjoyed it.
Here's my big girl! Still a baldy... but hair is coming in...I promise. This is pre-seizure, amazing head lifting. She was doing this multiple times every day!
Here's my dear three-year-old loving loving bath time.
Big guy, going down the slide upside down.
More amazing therapy, looking at her favorite juke box toy
Well, I wasn't here to take this pic but Mama C went to see Mama B and Daddy B, and I loved this photo they got so much. What a great shot of the three of them.
And here's a group shot with Mikel Anna, Charisse and Cheryl
Did I already post this photo of Anders and McKenzie on the playground? I can't remember so I will post it again. Anders is still loving his new Furman school. He comes home dirty and exhausted, which might sound bad but is a sign that fun was had. He's become friends with Harrison, Cannon, Tom, Tigist, and Braelyn, among others. Of course Lucy and Hazel are his mainstays. Blanca recently taught Anders to imitate a Tiger, so he goes around the house these days jumping from behind doors and trying to scare us, which he sometimes does. Apparently Lucy told her mom the other day that she had a super fun day at school because "Anders was a tiger today." Guess he's taken his show on the road.
One of Anders favorite things these days is playing hide and seek. He still thinks if he covers his eyes and can't see us that he is hiding, but he's getting better at actually finding sneaky locations. He's also picked up on the fact that sometimes we pretend not to see him when we do, and he will now walk by and pretend not to see us when we're hiding, even though he knows exactly where we are.
Anders is still playing his drums like a champ and bangs away loudly. When Tatiana came to visit not long ago, he was banging away and stopped and looked at Tatiana and me and said "You know dat song?" like duh, of course you know that song.
He still loves to snuggle at bedtime and says totally adorable things like "hug me dad," "hold me," and "Are you staying for a long time?" He kicked me one morning to wake me up and I groggily said, "Are you being mean to me?" In a perfect wiggle his way out of trouble voice...."Kiiind of..... Not reeeaaaally."
The questions are abundant. Why this, Why that. Where are we going? He notices everything - "Mom, why are you wearing Dad's sunglasses?" "Are those dad's keys you are using? Where are your keys?" His reactions are so appropriate (by my standards): Excitement about sno cones, birthday cake, and trips to yogurt mountain. At the Sno Hut, "Mom. I love this place."
He sometimes spontaneously tells people he loves them. "I love you Dad." And is always sad when other kids are sad "Why is he crying mommy?" I was a proud mama when he left a "center" at school so that another little girl who really wanted to could play there.
He says things with tremendous exuberance. "Hiiii Luce!" "Hey Wes!" The other day on the way to school with Lucy, he announced he was going to marry her, and she said "Yes, that is what I was planning." She then proceeded to tell me that she was going to have a baby, and he agreed. She said she would name her Princess Belle, but Anders wanted to name her Toy Story.
I love his reports from school that don't make sense: "I saw a spider house today!" "A web?" "No a spider house. It was gray and yellow and purple."
The other day he planted a pretend garden and announced, "I am growing corn, vegetables, pasta, and doughnuts." I am ready for the doughnut garden to grow. He also makes things up, "I got in the Ox with Mama C and Pops when I was a baby."
At Anders' school they have centers and so every morning they have to pick where they want to play. Lucy is good at picking and Anders always just says "Where is Lucy playing?"
Sometimes I ask he wants to go outside, or go to Lowe's or whatever and occasionally he's just so positive: “Oh YES, Let’s DO That!”
Guilty mom moment: I put Anders off on going outside so that I could get a few things done, and I kept saying, let me just do this and that, etc. He finally announced: “Mom, you have to do a lot of stuff.”
When he dropped his apple sauce, spilling it everywhere: "That's ok. Daddy, sometimes apple sauce falls on the floor."
"What Centers did you go to today?" "A Wot of Centers,"
"I'm headed to the car." "Wait for Meeeeeee!" running towards me.
He also likes to get our attention when we're talking too much and I think he has realized our love for sports. One night when Rob was over, we were talking and the Braves were on in the background and he exclaimed loudly, "WHOA, did you see that hit?" and we all stopped and looked and it was just a pitch or something. But he continued on "WHOA, watch this," and he was glued to the game. Just last night, he asked "Why are the Braves not on, Mommy?" Rob was a proud uncle, and of course we turned on the game. He also loves to play football in the yard and Rob's brainwashed him to be Clemson, and Erik and I are always Furman. "I'm scoring, Mommy. Not you. You're not scoring." How did he learn that already?
As for Miss H, let's just say that she's well-loved and she is the hardest worker we all know. She tries so hard in therapy and loves to snuggle and play with her light up boom box. She's cut all of her teeth except for her 2 year molars, so that is good.
Around here, we love the fall and college football and cooler days and nights. So, we're still plugging along and doing well even with the ups and downs.
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