Our routine has some what turned back into normal programming if you will from last month. We have resumed play groups on Mondays and music class on Tuesdays. We have also added some other activities like open gym or story time on Wednesdays with an occasional play date at the mall with a friend later in the week. Fridays continue to be appointment days for mommy. By Sunday, we are back to doing our small group every other week as we have started a new series at church.
Judah desires and even attempts to do everything on his own. You will find him quite frequently saying "let me do that." So to increase his need for independence, we have moved his clothes to his level so that he can start picking out his own clothes. In addition, he has shown interest in the chore chart "game" we developed as we learn about completing tasks. He helps around the house doing minor things like sliding the laundry baskets to the laundry room or putting soap into the dishwasher. He has had to also pick more things up now that mommy cannot bend over so much.
His speech often includes complete thoughts and sentences. He is very articulate in his thought processes as well as applies such an advanced vocabulary to our amazement. His curiosity for letters has caused him to name letters and pick them out knowing what the letter stands for like on a billboard sign when we drive by or on his clothes. He knows the letters of his name and also what mommy and daddy start with and gets excited when he sees them. By the end of the month, he has recognized and named many of his letters and is able to name a word that they start with.
Outside frigid temperatures or mom's lack of energy have required us to create fun activities indoors. Judah still likes to play with his play dough set. We also made indoor snow with soap foam from the food processor. He enjoys playing with his cars especially racing them. He has asked for a race track (probably the first thing he has asked for that he has wanted). He also has time to pretend scenarios that requires creativity and ingenuity on his part. imagination soared - pretend for an hour on on particular thing like planting and harvesting a garden or painting with many colors. He has really played with his floor puzzles being able to put them together solely on verbal instruction of prepositions like "next," "beside," and "over."
Winter has finally visited us this month. We started out the month with a five inch snowstorm. Judah was elated to get outside finally with daddy to build a snowman and ride around on the sled. He certainly likes to climb snow mountains created by the snow plows as well as make tracks into the snow. Any chance he can get he is out walking in the snow.
Judah went to his new Sunday school class (for the 3 year old's) for the first time this month. He clearly enjoyed the Bible story and puppets as he talked about them on the way home. He also was more stimulated by the toys such as the train table and Lego table. His teacher said that he sat better than the older kids. His Bible story's mirror up with the stories in the service giving us an opportunity to talk about it more in depth at home. This change was much needed after he came home from the nursery talking about angry birds. Aside from church, Judah likes to say his own prayers now. We have always asked him what he wants to pray for but now he likes to say them himself often naming his toys or friends.
Another weekend, we went to the library to see Clifford as a family. Judah enjoys reading about the big red dog. So we took him to the nearby library for a special appearance of Clifford. Judah loved to hear the stories and then waited in line to give "Clifford a hug, a kiss, and to have his picture with him."
The last weekend in February, Tim's office surprised us with a baby shower on a Friday afternoon. Decked out in pink, we enjoyed a very nice shower with work friends and board members as well as play group moms and neighbors. Even all four of the grandparents made the trip to Des Moines for the shower. We played some nice games and then ate some thoughtful treats (that even fit in my diet). Finally, everyone gave us so many nice gifts with plenty of diapers and cute clothes. Judah even had some of his friends there to share his cars with and hit the balloon around.
After the shower, we went out to dinner with all the grandparents at the Machine Shed. Then Judah went home with Papa and Gigi for the weekend to go to his cousin Jacob's birthday party. He had fun up at the farm playing with his cousins while mom and dad enjoyed a quiet house for the weekend. Both of us were able to get some things done, rest, and enjoy a date night together with dinner and a movie.
Our month has ended once again with fevers and colds. Judah though has learned to blow his nose but of course that is if we can catch him to wipe it. We have had a few early mornings and more movie time as a result of being sick. Thankfully, we could get him on some antibiotics for his sinusitis.
Tim has been busy trying to get things in place at the office to be gone for when baby comes. A staff hiccup added some additional stress to his overworked schedule causing him to spend more time at one of the sights. At home he continues to cook and clean for the family so as to relieve mom. He also spent some time to get the taxes done and finish up the last of some home improvement projects such as replacing the bathroom vanity with Philip and putting together the toy room in the loft area.
Emma has been using all her energy to get ready for baby as well as chase Judah around the house and to/from his activities. She has reveled in those activities that seem to entertain Judah so she can rest. When she can she has been working on baby announcements but even more so doing a ton of laundry on infant clothes and blankets. Judah has fun playing with all the socks and baby toys himself.
The biweekly and now weekly doctor appointments continue to go well as baby keeps growing. The diabetes has been able to be maintained by diet. Mom's feet however have started to be perpetually swollen causing her to put them up often. Nausea has also set in meaning smaller meals more often including at 4:00 in the morning. We did go to register as a family one night for a few items. We all found things to add to the scanner. Judah had fun picking out things for baby and even more fun playing with Winnie-the-Pooh and Piglet. Judah also insists we keep praying for our family including mommy, daddy, baby Boolina, baby, and Maestro before bed every night. And he also continues to say we should name her "Four" as he talks about her being born.
