Growing!

I love Spring! I love the flowers, the promise of new life, little bitty plants in the garden--all of it! Here are some pictures from our spring this year.

Heading out to the garden!

Pointing out the watermelon seedlings :D

I promise he's not trying to look grown up! He's just proud of our green blueberries

Grandma Laura's roses are really something!

This gorgeous rose bush was cut down several times in the name of the hedge, but just kept coming back! This year is its most beautiful yet. We're going to find a way to keep it from getting chopped this year.

This bush has gotten so big! 

Cucumber

Zinnias--to attract pollinators! (don't worry, I'm going to thin them)

Carrots! (also going to be thinned)

Levi's trying to point out a developing pear.
We're finally going to get pears this year! (I planted the tree at least 4 years ago)

Can you smell this picture?!
Look closely for the photobomber.

Just precious.

He looks so worried!

Levi cleared out this area with just loppers and brute force!
Before, the area was impenetrable and you couldn't see the fence back there.

The thorns on these trees are vicious. It's called Callery pear and it's an invasive species.
These trees made up bulk of what Levi cleared out, along with a fair amount of privet.

This is similar to what the other area looked like before it was cleared out.

He likes to nibble on the clover

 I have to say, my garden is coming along nicely, but I love my crop of boys even better!

"You'll miss this"

I've been thinking about that thing that people always tell young mothers: "When they get older, you'll miss when they were (babies, toddlers, etc)." or, "When they're teenagers, you'll miss this," meaning constant cries for mom, constant touching, questions out the wazoo, or any of the myriad of things little people do that drive us nuts.

I find that kind of unsolicited advice annoying. I think I do a fairly decent job of savoring the cute and fun things my kids do and say now, and I'm pretty sure that they'll like me just as much when they're older (as long as I keep the relationship strong). I love cuddling with my adorable, precious little baby, but when he's an energetic toddler running around on those adorably chubby little legs, a preschooler asking "why this" and "why that" and really thinking about my answers, a grade schooler learning about the world around him and becoming more independent, a teenager trying to figure out who he is in a complex and sometimes baffling world, or even a young adult leaving for college and trying out his wings, making mistakes as he learns how to live without mom and dad, I hope that I appreciate and love him just as much and more than I do now.

I think that we need to plan for the future and remember the past, but the best thing we can do for our kids in this regard is to focus on the present. They will remember that we like them as they are, not as they were or as they will be.

I also contend that this method is best for the parent. This way we are not constantly hoping for something we don't have, which is a surefire way to guarantee that we will be unhappy.

Levi: 3.5 years

Since Levi's getting older, his progress isn't as rapid as Cecil's. That makes it harder to recognize when he's reached milestones. I realized this the other day and thought that I should write some about him, since it's been a while since I did.

Here are some things that Levi's started doing since January or so:

-talking more fluently and clearly
-saying prayers by himself
-repeating words after us--3-5 at a time
-telling us about things that we weren't there for
-giggling non-stop while I buzz his hair ...
-building intricate things out of Legos
-making up more interesting stories
-being able to hum more than one tune
-doing more simple chores and cleaning up after himself
-wearing one pair of underwear all day every day (yay!)
-enjoys teasing us

Of course there are a lot of things that he's doing that don't come to mind right now.

He's still independent, cautious, and observant. He notices details. He's assertive around people he knows fairly well, and pretty timid around people he doesn't know very well. He enjoys making lots and lots of loud noises (sirens, anyone?). He loves to make people laugh, and is best at making Cecil laugh. He enjoys being near other people.

Playing well together

Levi and Cecil get along pretty well. I think a big part of that is that Levi is a people person and really enjoys having other people around. I also think some things that I've done have helped.

Referring to Cecil as "your brother" to Levi has made a big difference. He likes the possessive, and in possession takes greater care.

Involving Cecil in play also makes a difference. Cecil can't really engage in Levi's play, but I'll tell Levi that Cecil is interested or make the toy I'm playing with react to things that Cecil does. Also, if I'm playing a game that could involve talking to another person, then I try to involve Cecil (e.g. the "Where's so-and-so game. "Cecil, do you know where Levi went??). I believe this teaches Levi that it's okay to play with Cecil and that he is a good playmate. 

Treating them both with love and respect in front of each other teaches them to also treat each other with love and respect. Acting like I value Levi's needs over Cecil's or vice versa makes them treat each other unequally as well. So much can be taught and learned by example.

They had so much fun playing this game.

Brother love

Levi does so many sweet things for Cecil.

The other day when I put Cecil down for a nap, I covered him--just his legs so he wouldn't get too hot--with a light blanket. Levi noticed and pulled the blanket up a little higher.

Today, Levi was running around and making a silly raspberry noise. Cecil thought it was pretty much the greatest thing ever, so when he got sad later on, Levi made the noise for him again. Cecil cheered right up!

Levi really likes making Cecil laugh. He will take over the games I'm playing with Cecil so that Cecil will play them with him.

Sometimes when we're driving around, I'll hear Cecil laugh. When I look in the rear-view mirror, Levi's there just looking at him. Cecil is pretty fond of his big brother, too!

Why does potty training have to be so disgusting: a rhetorical question

I mean, I know why potty training is disgusting. Pretty much anything that involves poop is going to be gross.

But while I'm so proud of my kid for gaining independence, I regret that he didn't ask for help before he used up most of the roll of toilet paper and tracked poop on the floor and bathroom rug that I just washed for the same reason yesterday. Not to mention that the toilet paper in the toilet wasn't going down because there was too much of it in there, and he wasn't even close to asking me for help when I came to investigate after the second flush.

I told him that next time he needs to use toilet paper or that he goes #2 that he should tell me and ask me to help him before it becomes a problem.

One day--one day, I will not have to clean up other people's bodily waste. Today is not that day (and it's not coming anytime soon, either!).

A fun day with Levi

Today Levi and I spent the better part of the afternoon and all of the evening until bedtime doing stuff together. We had a lot of fun!

A little after noon we went to the grocery store. Levi rode in the cart and gave commentary on the things in the store. He also held (at various times) the celery, the mushrooms, canned beans, and sesame oil. The sesame oil was especially fun because he pretended to pour it into the cans. He overheard a lady saying that she needed to get eggs, and he said, "Momma! We need to get eggs!" Coincidentally, we did need eggs :). The store--which doesn't play music--was graced by his enthusiastic singing. He even got a sticker! We also saw some friends from church. Levi noticed them first, and it was really fun for him to see another kid that he knew at the store.

Cecil slept the whole time (whew!)

After we came home and were putting away the groceries, Levi noticed the blender in one of the cabinets. He got really excited about it and got it out--he never really seemed that excited about it before--and put it on the counter. He asked me to make something in it, so after I finished feeding Cecil (who had woken up and was hungry), I tried out a new hummus recipe that Becky posted on Facebook, and I like it better than the kind I had made before. Levi really liked it, too! He was very interested in the process of making it, as he always is when I cook or otherwise prepare food.

After that, Cecil needed my attention. I try to keep his bouncer close by so he can watch what we're doing and not be bored, so he was close by. He was hungry and tired, so after I fed him and got him to go to sleep, Levi "played on my legs" as he calls it. Basically I gave him leg-horsey rides. I laid on my back with my legs up and bent, he sat on my feet, and I bounced him up and down or back and forth. This game evolved into a tickling game. We had a lot of fun!

When I got tired, I suggested we play Uno, and Levi enthusiastically agreed. The particular flavor of Uno that we played went like this: the cards were dealt, then we took turns matching the color. When we both ran out of the color, we picked the next color at will and continued until neither of us had any cards left. Levi really liked the wild cards and would hold them up, look at them while saying, "I like....green!" and then play a green card. He didn't play the wild; he was saving it for the next color change. At the end of one game he had two wild cards next to him. It was very cute.

Every time we finished a game, Levi said, "Let's play again!" We played at least 15 games.

I dealt for the first 10 or so games, then one time Levi grabbed the cards before I could and--also enthusiastically--dealt out the cards, more or less evenly. Every time we finished a game after that, Levi dealt the cards. Finally I was ready for a change of pace and I told him that the next game was the last one. Levi's really good about believing me when I say things like that, so after we finished that one, he didn't deal out cards for another game.

As soon as we finished Uno, Levi said, "Let's play my game!" which meant putting together the 100-piece floor puzzle that Nathan got him for Christmas. Cecil was ready for undivided attention again, though, so we had a short break while I fed him. Levi got out the puzzle and spread it out on the floor while he was waiting. Finally, I was ready. This was probably the third or fourth time Levi had worked on the puzzle (with help, of course),  and he participated much more this time than in the past! He did really well matching up pieces together, and put some together all by himself! Most of them, I'd tell him where to put them and then he'd put the piece where it went. I noticed that he no longer tries to match up pieces that obviously won't fit together (like two ins), but makes sure he aligns the new piece so that it might fit. He still doesn't really get that the picture is supposed to continue from piece to piece, but that'll come later. Levi ended up putting in most of the pieces. One piece was missing, but we found it near where he was spreading them on the floor and put it in at the end.

After all that, I still had energy to do more stuff with him, so I got out a can of pumpkin puree that I'd been meaning to use, and we made some pumpkin muffins. He licked the spoon and the bowl after we put the batter in the oven, at his own request. It went something like this:

Me: We're going to put the batter in this muffin tin.
Levi: And then, I can lick it!
Me (smiling to myself at his enthusiasm): Yes, you can!

Levi really enjoyed putting the ingredients in the bowl after I measured them out. He also liked "cutting" the batter--basically moving the mixing spoon up and down in the batter. We had the muffins with some leftover frosting, and they were SO GOOD. I like food. Yum! :)

That was pretty much my day from 12:00 pm 'til 7:30 pm. I'm really enjoying my growing, learning boy!

Levi: the best big brother!

Levi is a pretty stellar big brother. He really enjoys having Cecil around, talking to Cecil, and even helping Cecil calm down (which, incidentally, he's pretty good at!).

Holding Cecil, only a few weeks old

Today Levi helped Cecil fist-bump him. Yesterday, Cecil started getting fussy while I was making dinner, and Levi ran over to him and just looked at him. Cecil calmed down almost immediately at the sight of his big brother. Little things like this happen all the time. Also, every time I put Cecil on a blanket for tummy time, Levi gets all excited and lays down there right next to him.

Enjoying tummy time & keeping his little brother company

Levi said, "Hi Cecil. I am a lobster." Cuuuuuute!

Levi really likes talking about his little brother and hearing about being a big brother. When either Austin or I read a story about brothers, Levi loves having his and Cecil's names put in place of the characters in the book.

A picture of either one is great, but when they're together, the picture is even better!

The only time Levi really seemed frustrated at having Cecil around was after we came home from a grocery trip. Both Levi and Cecil were hungry and competing for my attention, which I couldn't give them immediately because I needed to put away the frozen and refrigerated groceries first. By the time I finished, Cecil was crying in full earnest, and I rushed over to him so that I could help him. Levi rushed over, too, and right as I was getting there, Levi flipped down the carseat canopy over Cecil so I couldn't see him (pretty extreme, I know).

My first impulse was to say, "No, Levi, can't you tell that Cecil needs me?" but then I realized Levi needed some validation and to feel like he had some control over the situation, so I said, "What? Where's Cecil??" in my best I-can't-find-him-and-I'm-worried voice. We were both right next to Cecil's covered carrier. Levi smiled. Then I said, "Wow, I can hear him crying, I think he really needs me, but I can't see him anywhere!" Levi flipped up the cover, then immediately flipped it down again. I was able to get in an "Oh, THERE he --" before the cover came down, and then followed that up with, "Man, I wonder where Cecil could be? I just saw him!" Levi laughed and flipped up the cover again, leaving it up this time.

And so far, that's been the only acting out Levi's had towards Cecil!

One thing that has changed about Levi's behavior towards me is that he wants to be cuddled more (score!) and he'll pretend to be a baby. He even makes baby noises like Cecil does - not the easy-to-make ones that grown-ups use, but real noises sounding pretty similar to the grunts and squeaks that a small baby makes.

My babies, haha.

Levi didn't like the flash

I'm really happy that Levi likes Cecil so much, and I think Cecil's a pretty lucky kid to have a brother like Levi.

I did something Pinterest-worthy!

Usually cutesy crafts and Pinterest things aren't really my forte. However, I think this little project turned out really well!

My entryway closet had been a jumble of shoes, and it was bugging me a LOT. The mess was the main thing bothering me, but it was also annoying to have to hunt for shoes when we needed them. I wanted something in the closet to help organize the shoes, but didn't want to have to look for (or spend the money on) a shoe organizer.

Enter the myriad of diaper boxes we've accumulated over the last two years or so. We've used them in all of our moves, and since we're planning on moving again in the near future (in less than a year, to a house - no solid plans yet), we've saved all of the boxes that are in good condition. They're so ubiquitous that one of my sisters teases me about them on a fairly regular basis.

Anyway, I have a lot of diaper boxes.

Boxes can be used for a lot of things. They're very useful! So far, we've used them for organizing without really trying to make them look nice, but this time I wanted something that would look good in our closet, especially since the front closet is so public.

I decided that some small shelves made out of a couple of the diaper boxes would fill the bill for organizing the closet. Cover those with some tasteful contact paper, and it should look pretty good, right? The next time I went shopping, I purchased some contact paper with a cute pattern, and got to work the next day.

First I found two boxes that were the same size.:

Next, I lined them with contact paper:

Levi actually took this and the next picture. He did a good job!

Voila!

The finished product!

The Terrible Threes

Austin and I thought we'd been lucky and missed the Terrible Twos, but the Terrible Threes got us instead.

Levi is a really really nice little guy. He's thoughtful and obedient, and if I tell him I'm sad--or even act like I am--he comes over and smothers me with an adorable toddler hug and a kiss. He also loves to be helpful and do the things that I do.

Because of this, it was really hard for me when he started acting out a few weeks ago. I thought that maybe it was because he was thrown off by having a new brother that took up so much of my attention. That didn't make sense, though, because Levi really seems to like Cecil and be concerned for his well-being.

Then I thought maybe it was because of Daylight Savings and a thrown-off sleeping schedule. While this has definitely affected him, Levi's behavior has been worse than it usually is when he's just tired.

I was pretty worried so it came as a relief to realize that it is normal for the terrible two's to wait for a child's third birthday before showing up. I thought maybe something had happened that I could have prevented that had changed Levi into a much harder to deal with kid, so I was relieved to realize it was a normal and typical stage that he is going through.

There's a lot more crying, stomping, hitting (thankfully it's mostly objects), and deliberate disobedience. It's really unfortunate that it had to come at the same time as a decrease in my ability to supervise him (this morning he thought it was a good idea to get the pickles out of the fridge and put pickles and pickle juice in the peanut butter jar. Oh boy). How long is this supposed to last, again? Hopefully not a full year!