Addison Mae - 3 years, 5 months

My best girl. Who has taught me about unconditional love ... and completely wears me out. I have no idea how we will survive her teenage years!

Addie loves Christmas and was so disappointed when it was over, although she asked nearly every day why I hadn't taken down the decorations since the holiday was over ... We had so much fun baking, looking at Christmas lights, going to and hosting holiday parties, watching Christmas movies, etc etc. We hosted several of her friends for a Christmas crafting day, and my sweet girl just loved it. If she could craft every second of her life, she would. She loved seeing where Coco her elf would show up every morning and what kind of mischief he'd get into. Her favorites were when he wrapped the tree in TP and took a bath in marshmallows.

She asked Santa for an Elsa doll and M&Ms, both of which she received. A big surprise was a doll house, which she is just over the moon about. As well as her first Barbie doll (from brother) along with a dog that poops. Yes, poops.

Addie still loves school, and I'm surprised her head didn't explode when she was out for three weeks. She was thrilled to go back. But she did love that her daddy was home for nearly two weeks. Getting back into our normal routine has been ... challenging.


Weight: 31 pounds
Length: 36.5 inches

 New things:

• I'm amazed at her letter recognition and her ability to tell you what words start with by sounding them out. She can recognize some words, really just based on what letter they start with
• Telling the Christmas story in its entirety. And singing all Christmas songs. And reciting Twas the Night Before Christmas.
• More and more imaginative play. She loves to play with her babies, doll house, etc. but she also loves to make up games and stories to play out.
• Being a sheep in our church's Christmas Eve nativity play. She was one of the tiniest ones up there, and clearly nervous as she twirled and/or chewed her hair the whole time (although she still won't admit it) but she did so great. Listened well and played an excellent sheep. Afterward she was delighted to tell me, "Mommy, that nice angel let me touch the baby Jesus" (which was a doll in case that makes you nervous)
• Understanding helping others. Over Christmas we talked a lot about our Christmas Grace families (for whom we purchased toys and clothes that she helped pick out) and families for whom we purchased holiday dinner. I hope this is helping her begin to understand what it means to follow Jesus, and what he asks us to do. A lot of days, I feel like a failure as a mother. But if I can impart this one lesson, I'll have done my job.

Likes:

• Lots of game playing. New favorites include Go Fish and Old Maid.
• Gymnastics, where she is moving up into the "big" gym for part of her class. She is younger than her classmates, and while she may have some of my un-athletic, un-coordinated genes, she sure is tenacious
• She's ecstatic about starting soccer this spring. Updates soon.
• Going to restaurants.
• Spending the night with Grammie and Pawpaw.
• Making cookies.
• Her bounce house. While the temps have been below freezing, she's asked every day if we can set it up. Warm weather please hurry ...
• Chasing Lola and playing with her. Those two really love each other.
• Talking about heaven - who and what will be there.
• Reading books and going to the library. She loves picking out books for brother, too.
• Singing and dancing.

 

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Dislikes:

• Time out. And being told what to do or not to do.
• Having to wait her turn to talk or play with a toy ... or really anything.
• Not being able to play outside due to cold weather.
• Brother messing with her things.
• When school is out.
• When Daddy has to go to work

Hutch Marshall - 13 months

This guy has my whole heart. Which is quite evident in the fact that I still love him and delight in his sweet smile after he's kept me up all night. Nearly every night.

We had a magical time celebrating his birthday and Christmas. He loved going to the library on his birthday (and the whole class sang to him!). Sister was determined to blow out candles for him at every meal. We had grandparents and presents that evening. He was ecstatic about his new instrument set from us, complete with drum and several "shakey shakes." He loved getting in and out of his new chair. Other favorites were a track and singing cars, a riding airplane and a fire station. All of which are popular because they make LOTS of noise!

Hutch's birthday party was so fun - a rock star theme complete with hanging records, chocolate covered pretzel "drum sticks" (God bless my dear husband for spending LOTS of time preparing those with me), guitar and star sugar cookies, blow-up guitars and microphones, a guitar decorating station, a drum smash cake ... and a puking sister. Poor Addie started throwing up literally minutes before the party. She was just crushed. Hutch mostly enjoyed the party but was a little overwhelmed by everything. He is not at all interested in cake.

Baby boy loved going to Edmond Fine Arts to see Santa again and watch sister do crafts. He also loved going to see the Yukon lights display. And chewing on and pulling on ornaments on his own tree. He was so fun and flexible throughout Christmas Eve and Day celebrating with all his people. He loved his tractor from Santa, and upon seeing Puffs in each stocking he opened, he demanded them being opened and ate about half of each container. He also loved his soft Woody doll from sister (the boy loves rocking and hugging babies ... so we thought he needed his own!). However, I think his favorite Christmas surprises were sister's dollhouse (especially all the noises and buttons) and car, and singing Elsa doll.

He continues to amaze us with his vocabulary, and is slowly coming around to the idea of walking. To be honest, I can't decide whether I want him to walk or not! Another big change over the past month is that he's no longer nursing. I may have cried about it. A lot. He was only nursing first thing in the morning and at night, and in preparation for being out of town this past weekend, I cut back to once a day just after Christmas. A few days later, he refused to nurse. And that was that. But, he's been much more snuggly with me since and putting him down for bed is still sweet and wonderful. Unfortunately, all that waking up in the night has not diminished ...

Weight:  20 pounds
Length: 26.5 inches

New things:

• A few small steps. All of which have been to his sister. He LOVES when she holds his hands and helps him walk, and he loves when she rides on the Y bike and he can push her around. He's standing on his own constantly, even standing up all by himself without anything to facilitate.
• More and more and more words. I can't possibly remember them all. However, the one word he says CONSTANTLY is "push." Which is hilarious to me, and I remember his sister saying it to. Basically it means he wants to push any and all buttons, particularly if they are on his toys and make noise. But also relates to his noise machine, the microwave, remotes, phones ... and on and on and on. He calls Lola "Yaya" (and loves to YELL for her) and has said light and book. He is also obsessed with the word ball, a la sister, and says ball to anything that resembles one - peas, grapes, blueberries, beans, etc etc.
• No more nursing. Tears for mama. But I am glad that he made the decision himself and that weaning was so easy.
• Sleeping in our bed ... I know, I know. Who knew I'd WANT babies who slept in my bed?! Addie slept in our bed constantly at this age because it was the only way we could get any sleep. And we found ourselves wishing he would, too! Better than no sleep! He's done it a few times when he wakes around 4 (normal wake time ... ugh!)
• Eating more foods. Peanut butter and eggs are a huge hit with this guy. All carbs are his favorite. He eats so much... I am terrified of what this will look like when he's a teenager.
• No more reflux medicine. This may be why sleep sucks. We have been determined to get him off it because of the severe long-term side effects it can have. We tried once before ... and it was SO awful. So far ... it doesn't suck all the time. And Jordan is totally onboard with my crunchy method of using EO on him instead.

 

 

 

Likes: 

• Music and noises are top of the list. Including all his fabulous new toys that make lots of noise/
• Books and reading. Thank goodness. With Addie, I read 100 books to her every day since the day she came home. Let's just say Baby #2 didn't get quite as much time devoted to reading ... but now that he's not distracted by nursing at bedtime, he points to his bookshelf and asks (but grunting or saying "bo") for one. Let me be quite clear that to hold his attention a book must have some sort of interaction - things to touch or noises to make.
• Cars. It's amazing to me how boys instinctively know what to do with cars.
• But I'm proud that he also loves babies and dolls and dollhouses. He'll be a great daddy someday <3
• Calling for his 4-legged siblings. Loudly. "Baaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!!!!!! Yaaaayaaaaa!!!!"
• Pushing all buttons. Especially when we don't want him to, like the remote, phones, cable box, etc. He loves to do this to annoy his sister especially.
• Doors. Y'all he's obsessed. Maybe he will make doors in his future? Or test them? Who knows.
• Giving kisses and hugs when asked. Although sometimes instead of presenting his (open) mouth, he just gives his forehead.
• Putting all manner of things in and out of containers. This actually is a huge bonus in cleaning up. If you can catch him before he starts pulling things out again.
• Annoying sister in general by getting into her stuff, poking and pinching her, and especially getting into her easel.
• But he also loves sister best. He LOVES to hug her and snuggle her. When he sees her face in the morning or after a nap, it's like Christmas.
• Snacks. Another favorite new word is BITE. And sometimes MORE. All said loudly. He grunts a lot and points to his high chair.

 

Dislikes:

• Sleeping. I don't even know. Apparently Jordan and I will sleep when we're 50
• Being told no
• Being patient
• Being refused a snack

Addison Mae - 3 years, 4 months

Addie and I are kindred spirits who LOVE Christmas and holidays and special events of all kinds. We had a wonderful Thanksgiving and are having a wonderful time getting ready for Christmas. She loves her daily Advent calendar ... and will even listen to the Bible verses before getting her candy out. She also loves our weekly Advent wreath lighting. She can pretty impressively tell the entire Christmas story. She helped decorate, and was delighted when Coco her elf came back from the North Pole. She saw Santa this past weekend and just loved him. Win!

She loved Halloween, especially dressing up like a flamingo. We had a fun family trip to Arkansas/Missouri where we stayed in a cabin, went to Silver Dollar City, toured a cave, toured a big cat park, etc. She loves being outdoors, and she loves all things fall.

Warm World is still her favorite. She cried and cried when she was sick one day and couldn't go. I am so impressed with her ability to write her name and many other letters. She sings every song and can tell me each part of her day (when she feels like it). She has had two special roles in Chapel - once saying the prayer in front of everyone, and once shaking a tambourine while "Mr John" played the guitar. She's not afraid of anything.

Addie is thrilled about her new puppy, Lola, though we still talk about missing Izzy nearly every day. Lola is enamored with her big sister.

And of course Hutch is enchanted with her too. Now that he's getting bigger, feistier and more independent, we've had some rough days ... but all in all, she's a great big sister who's always looking out for him and taking care of him.


Weight: 31 pounds
Length: 36.5 inches

 New things:

• Writing her name. She even wrote a letter to Santa ... that her mother can decipher at least :)
• "Reading" her books to me, which consists of looking at the pictures and making up the story. Or recalling it exactly from memory.
• Doing a lot more things "by herself," like washing her hair, going to the potty, getting ice/water out of the fridge dispenser. It's the little things.
• Helping more with chores around the house. She's very into helping put away laundry. Yippee!
• Lots more on-her-own gymnastics, including the zip line, somersaults and the rings.
• Riding her first roller coaster at Silver Dollar City. It was a little one. We both screamed the whole time :)

Likes:

• Playing with all her nativity sets, while telling the Christmas story.
• Watching Christmas movies. Or any movie really.
• Gymnastics, which she's doing so well at. She loves doing (very) assisted back flips on the trampoline there.
• Cooking and baking, which really just means licking the bowl.
• Still very into playing pretend.
• Fancy Nancy books.
• Christmas books and music.
• Playing games. As long as she can win.
• Being a flamingo for Halloween
• Going to Target
• Wearing boots
• Candy
• Her new dog
• Being in charge of her own meals, which means she gets to decide when she's done. It's a new tactic we're trying as meals were the source of many a throw down. So far, so good.
• Finding Coco the elf each morning.

 

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Dislikes:

• Sleeping in her own bed
• The monsters that apparently take up residence in her room