Milestones
It's funny how the littlest things are significant milestones in a child's development. Baby E learned how to spit today. LOL. I had put gas drops in her mouth, and she spit them right back out. She looked a little surprised, and I couldn't help chuckling and congratulating her on her new skill.
A few other miscellaneous milestones around here:
* AJ was laughing hilariously at her first "bathroom humor" joke last night. She was the only one in the family that thought it was funny, but that's a 4-year-old for you. Guess she learned that one from her cousins yesterday. Uh, thanks. [can you hear the sarcasm? LOL]
* Also on the humor front, AJ "got" a joke that was a play on the printed word yesterday. We were reading a book in which one of the illustrations included a sign that said "DONOT FEED THE ANIMALS". I had her read the sign with all the words first, and then without the crossed-out word. It was so great to watch her face light up when she realized how the crossed-out "NOT" changed the meaning of the sentence.
* Now that we're using DH's sedan most of the time instead of the mini-van, both girls are so excited about being able to open and close the car doors. MM is insistent on closing her door, and AJ wants to open hers. Both get extremely upset because DH and I still have to help them get buckled in and out, which means we also have to open and close the doors.
* Both girls recently learned to put on their own socks, so now they can get dressed by themselves all the way to the shoes.
* MM is growing so much more independent. She is really a strong natural leader and she loves to come up with ideas for games and try to get the other kids to play along.
* AJ is getting pretty good at negotiating and working out problems using words and logic.
* MM has had a dry pull-up in the morning the last couple of days. Unfortunately, I can't say the same for AJ, who was completely day and night potty trained for months before the baby was born and DH gone for a week.
* Baby E is actually starting to play with things. A couple of days ago she was playing with the corner of a blanket, waving it around and looking at it, trying to put it in her mouth, and cooing at it.
* Baby E is developing a sense of humor and an appreciation of games, too. The other day DH was making an "mmmm" sound as he moved his face slowly closer to hers, ending with a kiss on the cheek. Baby E loved it the first few times, but got bored with it after he did the same thing 3 or 4 times in a row (smart kid knew it was coming, and it wasn't nearly as funny when she knew what to expect). When he switched to the other cheek she lit up. When he kissed her on the nose instead the next time, she thought it was hilarious. It was so cute to watch her starting to smile as he was coming toward her, and then almost chuckling when he kissed her in an unexpected spot.
* DH insists that Baby E already recognizes some words, too, and that if she is fussing and he says the word "mommy" or "food" she will stop fussing and grin.
* Both of the older girls are initiating more frequent conversations about or directly with God. That's neat to see.
It can occasionally be a bit disconcerting though, as happened a couple of weeks ago: MM didn't want to go to bed, and kept getting out of bed after I thought she was settled. At one point I was on the phone with my sister when I finally tired of reasoning with MM and attempted to pick her up and physically put her into bed.
As she grabbed onto the chair and any other available object, kicking and screaming, MM shouted, "Oh, God, help me please, God! Help me!" The way she was screaming, I was really glad it was my sister on the phone and not someone who might think I was beating the whale out of her as it probably sounded. I had to put the phone down to explain that, yes, God helps us and He answers prayer, but he's not going to help her not go to bed when Mommy tells her to, because he wants her to obey.
AJ's favorite spiritual lesson at the moment is to remind everyone else that "God wants us to share our blessings." Of course, it never applies to her. Talk about hypocrisy, LOL. We keep telling her that it means she is supposed to share her own blessings, not use it as a way to get other people to give her what she wants.
Both of those are such important truths, and it seems that often even adults don't get them. God won't help us to do something contrary to his will just because it's what we want. And the commands and Scripture we put into practice are for us to live out in our own lives, not to browbeat others with. It's a good reminder for Mommy and Daddy, too, when we have to explain things like this to the kids. I'm glad the kids are learning those lessons early. I hope we all learn them well.
A few other miscellaneous milestones around here:
* AJ was laughing hilariously at her first "bathroom humor" joke last night. She was the only one in the family that thought it was funny, but that's a 4-year-old for you. Guess she learned that one from her cousins yesterday. Uh, thanks. [can you hear the sarcasm? LOL]
* Also on the humor front, AJ "got" a joke that was a play on the printed word yesterday. We were reading a book in which one of the illustrations included a sign that said "DO
* Now that we're using DH's sedan most of the time instead of the mini-van, both girls are so excited about being able to open and close the car doors. MM is insistent on closing her door, and AJ wants to open hers. Both get extremely upset because DH and I still have to help them get buckled in and out, which means we also have to open and close the doors.
* Both girls recently learned to put on their own socks, so now they can get dressed by themselves all the way to the shoes.
* MM is growing so much more independent. She is really a strong natural leader and she loves to come up with ideas for games and try to get the other kids to play along.
* AJ is getting pretty good at negotiating and working out problems using words and logic.
* MM has had a dry pull-up in the morning the last couple of days. Unfortunately, I can't say the same for AJ, who was completely day and night potty trained for months before the baby was born and DH gone for a week.
* Baby E is actually starting to play with things. A couple of days ago she was playing with the corner of a blanket, waving it around and looking at it, trying to put it in her mouth, and cooing at it.
* Baby E is developing a sense of humor and an appreciation of games, too. The other day DH was making an "mmmm" sound as he moved his face slowly closer to hers, ending with a kiss on the cheek. Baby E loved it the first few times, but got bored with it after he did the same thing 3 or 4 times in a row (smart kid knew it was coming, and it wasn't nearly as funny when she knew what to expect). When he switched to the other cheek she lit up. When he kissed her on the nose instead the next time, she thought it was hilarious. It was so cute to watch her starting to smile as he was coming toward her, and then almost chuckling when he kissed her in an unexpected spot.
* DH insists that Baby E already recognizes some words, too, and that if she is fussing and he says the word "mommy" or "food" she will stop fussing and grin.
* Both of the older girls are initiating more frequent conversations about or directly with God. That's neat to see.
It can occasionally be a bit disconcerting though, as happened a couple of weeks ago: MM didn't want to go to bed, and kept getting out of bed after I thought she was settled. At one point I was on the phone with my sister when I finally tired of reasoning with MM and attempted to pick her up and physically put her into bed.
As she grabbed onto the chair and any other available object, kicking and screaming, MM shouted, "Oh, God, help me please, God! Help me!" The way she was screaming, I was really glad it was my sister on the phone and not someone who might think I was beating the whale out of her as it probably sounded. I had to put the phone down to explain that, yes, God helps us and He answers prayer, but he's not going to help her not go to bed when Mommy tells her to, because he wants her to obey.
AJ's favorite spiritual lesson at the moment is to remind everyone else that "God wants us to share our blessings." Of course, it never applies to her. Talk about hypocrisy, LOL. We keep telling her that it means she is supposed to share her own blessings, not use it as a way to get other people to give her what she wants.
Both of those are such important truths, and it seems that often even adults don't get them. God won't help us to do something contrary to his will just because it's what we want. And the commands and Scripture we put into practice are for us to live out in our own lives, not to browbeat others with. It's a good reminder for Mommy and Daddy, too, when we have to explain things like this to the kids. I'm glad the kids are learning those lessons early. I hope we all learn them well.
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Posted by purple_kangaroo at 4:18 PM[Permanent link]
4 Comments:
I enjoyed reading this post! :-) It's neat that E is enjoying games, now, and funny that she gets bored with them already!!
Your kids are absolutely adorable!
I love the "God, please help me".
Oh, some of those really made me laugh. I am cracking up at her "G-d wants us to share our blessings" and she doesn't share hers. That is the cutest!
And picturing Baby E chuckling at your DH's kisses made me smile. What a cutie! Sounds like the family is settling in!
Hee hee! I can relate to what you wrote about your AJ turning a lesson on Godly behavior into a means of getting something she wants. My 3.5-year-old son plays the "share" card, too. He tries to wheedle me into sharing--for example--a caffeinated beverage with him by waging his finger at me and telling me, in a very reproving voice, that I'm suppose to *share*. It's a great age, no? :D
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