Braxton:
When I stopped working in the middle of March, we decided to pull him out of preschool a little early instead of paying for him to go through May. We had to put in 30 days notice so he was officially done in the middle of April and has been home with me since.
The first week was pretty rough... lots of random tantrums and not listening. I think it really threw him off to be home full time. He has never NOT known a daycare/preschool structured day, since he was born, so it was almost like too many Saturdays in a row for him.
We're adjusting into our new routine and he's been great the last couple of weeks now.
I think more then anything he misses playing with and being around friends all the time.
One one hand, he has been playing so much better with Everett and has been a lot more patient with him. Everett is a lot more interactive now so they can actually play things together. I think its because that is his only buddy, really, so thats been good.
They still fight a lot, but they also play together a lot.
On the other hand, it makes me so sad that he lost all his friends. I guess he played with one kid at the gym childcare this week and was so excited to tell me about his new best friend and how he just wanted to stay and play with him longer.
We have some new neighbors that moved in across the street and they have a little boy Braxton's age and a little girl about 6 months older then Everett.
Braxton and Parker have gone back and forth a couple times this week for play dates and he has been in HEAVEN! He is SO excited about his new friend and they have been playing really well together!
I am so excited that he'll have a buddy to hang out with all summer and to grow up with!
From 4 to 4.5 yrs, he was still pretty ornery every once in awhile.
But it seems like we've really turned the corner lately and he's been so good.
He usually uses his manners and really only breaks down in the evening when we can tell he's just so tired and can't really help it.
He also loses it sometimes when Everett just comes in and totally wrecks whatever he's working on.
When he does throw fits, he's pretty quick to get it under control.
He still loves all things Legos, Star Wars, building with the Magnatiles (he comes up with some pretty amazing stuff!) cars and recently gotten really into Parker's superhero stuff.
He is also really into riding his scooter and bike outside and keeps bugging us to teach him to ride without training wheels.
He is horrible about picking up his toys and it only takes a few minutes before he can destroy the play room. I know he was great about picking up at school but for some reason at home, he really drags his feet and comes up with every excuse not to help clean up.
We're really working on this one cause it drives Brian and I nuts.
We've pretty much cut out naps and he's going to bed earlier and much easier lately.
We moved Everett down to his room a couple of weeks ago and its gone surprisingly well.
The first week... as soon as we left the room after prayers and stories, it was a full blown party for like an hour.
They would jump around and play and laugh... and we only had to push the "you have to stay in your bed" thing a few times.
The second week it was better. Braxton has pretty much passed out right away and just leaves Everett hanging.
We keep hearing "BaBa?! BABA??!" on the monitor.
Its been a little weird because Everett has always been the one to fall asleep so easily but Braxton has been beating him to it each night.
It's been really nice to put them to bed at the same time and only go through the routine once.
The not so great thing about them sharing a room now is that they are both getting up so early lately! Like, 5:30/6:00 early.
They should be exhausted after being so so so busy all day long and taking longer to fall asleep, but for some reason they are getting up so dang early.
And it has been really brutal for this preggo mama.
He is finishing up his little soccer season and loved it.
He is excited for swim lessons and summer in general and has been really fun to be around.
LOTS of questions and has ALL THE WORDS for me all.day.long. It is literally nonstop talking for about 12 hours every day.
I try to be patient and engage in his constant conversation but it is so exhausting. Especially since he doesn't stop talking or break his thought when Everett or anyone else has something to stay so then its just competing conversation.
Everett:
This little buddy has a mind of his own. And if he doesn't want it... it's not happening.
He is so much more stubborn then Braxton was.
His vocabulary and talking continue to explode. He can communicate anything he wants to and we can understand pretty much everything he says. Lots of sentences and opinions.
He tells us what he wants for breakfast and snacks and gets his way most times.
He has been SO emotional the last couple of weeks.
Probably starts crying at least 5 times a day over who knows what.
I think its because he's cutting his two top molars, since he's also been chewing on anything he can.
I also think he's hitting the terrible two's. Braxton was so great at 2, and then it hit us big time when he turned 3. Everett seems to be hitting this phase sooner so we're hoping that we're getting it out of the way early, ha!
He loves the hose and gets caught almost every day turning it on by himself. Then throws a huge fit when we turn it off and pull him away.
His other latest things are unrolling the entire roll of toilet paper on the floor as fast as he can. And dumping out all the teeny tiny lego pieces and kicking or scattering them all over the floor.
It drives me CRAZY.
He is still such a snuggler!
He demands to snuggle first thing in the morning when he watches Paw Patrol and after he wakes up from a nap.
Also loves to snuggle when we watch a show before bed and when we tuck him in.
Whenever he says "everett nuggle mama" at bedtime, I can't say no.
In fact, I can rarely say No to these big brown puppy dog eyes, so he gets away with a lot.
We do timeout but we are not nearly as good about it as we were with Braxton.
We need to get better about it quick, because he is getting so ornery.
He loves to sing and knows almost all his ABC's, Row Row Row Your Boat, Jesus Loves Me, and Be Careful Little Eyes. He also likes Happy Birthday the Star Wars theme songs, and sings the cutest version you've ever heard of "oh eh, oh eh, Boom shakalaka"
He can also count straight to 12.
We haven't worked a ton on counting so I don't know how he got it down on his own so quick!
I think he has a great memory and really picks up on things Braxton says.
He knows almost all colors and the basic shapes (square, heart, circle, triangle, rectangle, star).
He loves to play with whatever Braxton has. For the most part its legos, tools, cars/trucks, good guys/bad guys, etc. Also likes riding his scooter outside and wants to be big and ride Braxton's bike.
He also loves to help Brian like Braxton did at this age. He wants to be right next to him and is constantly getting into and sniping his tools when we are out near the garage.
We started potty training and lets just say it hasn't been as easy as it was with Braxton.
He is just so much more stubborn and has a mind of his own.
After about 3 weeks, we're pretty good at going pee on the potty.
JUST this week he will actually sit on a regular toilet out in public so that has been a big improvement, but I have to catch his cues on when he has to go. He isn't consistent with telling me he has to go before he has an accident.
Pooping on the potty is a whole other story.
And is almost non-existent unless we are home when it happens and he can't hold it any more (aka its been longer then 2 days) and again, we catch his cues and make him go.
These boys are so so busy all dang long and it's been really hard for me to keep up during this third pregnancy. I feel bad that I don't come up with more fun things or activities for them to do but most days I feel like I'm barely getting through with just the normal meals and making sure the house isn't a complete wreck all day long. We're getting really excited for this warm weather to stick around and I'm not sure if it will be help or be harder to hit the pool every day and try to go to the park this summer.
We are also really excited for several trips we having coming up and I hope I can keep up and have a fun attitude.
But Brian and I looked at each other the other day and asked how the heck we are going to keep up with THREE little boys?!!
best little buddies
Mickey ears :: passed out in Target
fun day swinging with these monkeys
day 1 of potty training and summer vibes :: Brother is naked for moral support
being cool at dinner :: snuggles for daddy
my little Jedi knight
being cute watching a show :: being silly with mama
cute bath buddies
There is always a place for your gun :: HOORAY! Everett pooped in the potty for the first time!
silly swinger
Giddy Up horsey go to town
These boys love to ride bikes and scooters!
Playing catch :: "its a nice hot day"
Playing on his "iPad"
books before bed :: playing before dinner
"I'm going night night mama" :: fixing his tools
Little Nug Bug passed out
He is getting so good at building creative legos on his own! Proud of his little city
Tired peanut :: hugs for neighbor friends
Boys in a Sack :: watching movies on a rainy afternoon
police airplane pilot :: movie night
Couldn't make it through our first day at the pool
More scooter riding while Braxton tries to ride his bike without training wheels
Wanting to be big and ride like brother
When I got him out of bed in the morning, he popped up with these already on his eyes and said "Hi Mama.", in a serious voice. I was dying! Then he sported them with this cute little face all morning long.
Creating a 'trap' while daddy works outside :: passed out again
{our view from our campsite}
