Learning to Play Together

"Ummm...Ky...I don't think this is a very good idea...."

"You want me to smile for the camera at a time like this?"

"I guess this load got dumped!"

We told Ky he would get stuck...he didn't believe us..

Ky VERY proud of his block tower he built ALL by himself!

Nana's favorite birthday presents

A walk to the park and for ice cream...does life get any better?

Ky, after he discovered the muddy area...

The battle over the pants....

I think Daddy won this round....

"Oh Happy Day..."

Until Kylan dumps dirt on my head...

"Say I'm the best sister ever! Say it!"

Ky--so very proud of his puzzle that he did by himself--yeah I don't know what's up with the glasses either...

Ky finding similar shapes....

Ky matching sizes....

Ky traced the words "Live Life Together" all by himself.

SIX MONTHS! I can’t believe it! The time has just flown by—and way faster with Alaina than with Kylan. I think that is because with 2 kids I am definitely twice as busy!
Well since I have started blogging with Alaina—I will go ahead and give her updates. At her six month check-up she was a dainty 19 lb 3 oz (94%) and 27” (87%). I guess has some Humpley genes (my mom’s side---lots of height over there…). She just amazes me at her growth. She sits up really well now—and is eating and enjoying more solids. She has had carrots, squash, sweet potato, rice cereal, multigrain cereal, and applesauce so far. Honestly I think she prefers nursing to solids---but at least we don’t have as many tears when she eats. She still loves to stand—in fact if you put something taller in front of her she does attempt to pull up to stand (just like big bro). Her coordination is amazing. She will grab her nuk and put it in her mouth perfectly. She also enjoys her piano and you can watch her think about which key she will hit next and then she will hit it. She shakes her head “no” (and looks like Stevie Wonder when she does it—you know—the bob thing). She mocks my coughing, she will reach for me or Rob to pick her up. She also helps push her arms through her sleeves. She still is not a fan of tummy time—so I do not see crawling in her near future. She also has become a much better sleeper. We kicked her out of the room a few weeks ago—and well there has been some drastic improvement. I only feed her once at night and if she wakes up otherwise---we just give her her nuk or put on her music box and she goes back down. Naps have also become a breeze. I just put her down now and she goes right to sleep! Yeah Alaina! Definite signs of maturity in these areas. Now my next goal is to get rid of that single night feeding….

Moving on to Ky—This boy continues to amaze me. He just learns in leaps and bounds…On Mondays I try to attend this free “preschool” class for Ky. He loves it. They have circle time, sing some songs, read stories, make a snack, do a craft, etc…There are two teachers. Last Monday, both of the two teachers came up to me independently. One of them told me that she was amazed by how well he talks. She said that he talks like a four-year-old. The other told me that she was amazed by how focused he was at his age and how quickly he picks up on things. That’s my boy!

Otherwise, Ky is loving workbooks. I have a couple of pics of him above with pages that he completed. And those 2 pages he figured out on his own (after I read him the directions)—so smart! I figure taking pics is easier than me actually keeping the pages he completes---and saves me from collecting extra papers. The last picture is the front of our church bulletin—during church—Ky traced the letters Live Life Together—and did an awesome job! I am so proud—yet don’t really want to save the bulletin—so Voila!—the computer takes care of it for me. Ky is also really into puzzles right now. 25+ piece puzzles. He will do puzzles all day. I have a pic of him above with one of his completed puzzles. The last couple of weeks I have been running to the second hand store to buy him more and more puzzles so he has new challenges.

Kylan funny quotes….

We were sitting down for dinner and starting with a salad. I told Rob that the main course was in the oven keeping warm and I would bring it out when we were done with the salad. Ky then replies is a very questioning voice “The main HORSE is in the oven?”

So Nana & G’ma Jan came to visit the kids and when Nana went to leave Ky asked Nana “Can you please take Alaina with you?” HA HA! Can you feel the brother love….

Speaking of brotherly love---yeah the dump truck pics are a set-up—but it seemed like a really great idea at the time. Ky actually took off with her at one point and then “dumped her out” on his own (you can see that pic above) She seemed to enjoy that—but then got mad when we put her back in the truck the next time….Perhaps she didn’t feel like being a “big load”.

There is also a picture posted of Ky and Alaina outside. Ky is holding his bulldozer and Alaina has dirt all over her head. Well I was working outside and Ky was playing with his bulldozer in the dirt. Next thing I know, I turn around just in time to see Ky dump the dirt on Alaina’s head. I did reprimand him—after I took the pic—it was just too funny….she did get back at him later---you can see the pic of them wrestling on the floor—He may be on top, but she has his hair. She is smart that way—she always goes for the hair.

So what else have we been up to.

Nana celebrated her 60th birthday and so we spent the day with her. She especially loved that the children came and she could play with them. Ky, at the end of the day, managed to find a large pile of mud and just got covered in it. We didn’t have extra clothes so he ended up running around in his underpants while Nana washed his clothes and shoes.

And I am sure you noticed the pictures I like to call “Battle Pants.” Ky has turned into a total three year old in personality. He wants to do everything himself and he wants to do it his way. This is a very frustrating time. I thank God that we have a camera and more importantly a video camera during these tantrums—otherwise I would lose my mind. When he starts his screaming and stomping—I pull out the camera and just think of how I am going to show this video to him and his wife and his children some day—then they can see how ridiculous he was…Anyway—battle pants—Ky didn’t want to put on his pants. Daddy insisted---Ky fought—Daddy said I will put them on you if you don’t put them on…Ky refused—Daddy put them on his head. We found it very amusing---Ky….not so much….ahhh…to know what was going on in his head. We at least now have a wonderful memory with these pictures….sorry Ky…but it was your choice to act this way—thanks for the laugh!

One last thing….turns out I have had pneumonia for the last 3 weeks….hmmm…I actually went back to the doc for a second opinion because the first said I was fine….Boy was she wrong—the second doc took one listen to my lungs and said “pneumonia—you need antibiotics.” The good news is that I would have been contagious like 2 weeks ago—and since Alaina didn’t get it—I was probably not really contagious at all….I am just glad she didn’t get it….

Time for my final thoughts….here is a quote I read the other day and I LOVE it….I think it really wraps up my life right now. “While we try to teach our children all about life, our children teach us what life is all about.” Yeah…I could write paragraphs about this…but I won’t….

On Friday, I subbed at an elemtary school. I was an SEA for grades 4/5--so an easy day for me. There was one boy that kept falling asleep when they had "circle time". The teacher asked me to walk him around to help wake him up. Poor kid. So we left the classroom and started down the hall. He however staggered and sat immediately on a bench next to the classroom. I asked him why he was tired. He told me he couldn't sleep last night because his little sister kept him up. I asked if she was a baby and was crying--he said "no, she is two and kept talking and pushing me." I asked him if he slept in the same bed as his sister and he said yes. Poor kid! No wonder he was tired. I was just trying to picture myself sleeping with Ky in the same bed--and it is next to impossible--he kicks and hits in his sleep. I was trying to think of a quick way to help him feel better about the situation, so I brougt up the "bear song". I asked him if he ever heard the "bear song" and he said no. So I sung it to him. "Two bears in the bed and the big one said --roll over, I'm squished, so they all rolled over and one fell out, one bear in the bed and the little one said--Now I'm all alone." I then explained to him how tonight he could use the song to push (gently) his sister out of bed. I emphasized to him that he should be nice and tell her it's a game. (YEAH--I know his mom probably hates me now.)

He then told me that he actually has two other siblings that sleep in the same bed as him. That means 4 kids in one bed! So of course we had to rework the song for him--and he really liked the idea of pushing his siblings out of his bed one at a time. But it did wake him up--and hopefully gave a little bit of a new perspective of sharing a bed with his brothers & sisters. Argh...and to think that so often I complain about Ky's tantrums or Alaina's midnight feedings. I am so grateful for all that I have--all that I have been given. I only pray that my children will never be in such a circumstance where they are forced to share a bed with siblings--and then are expected to behave well, when they are sleep deprived. I know it is just a small view into this little boys life--but you can probably infer that he is dealing with a lot of other stuff as well--hard family times. And he is the oldest--and as the oldest I know he probably feels responsible for his siblings. And he is proud of them. We walked past the gym and he proudly pointed out his little brother to me.

God please be with this family and help them to get through the hard times that they are facing. Please be with little N. as he grows into a man, show him that he is loved and the choices that he has in life matter. Direct him on the right path so that he may grow and touch those around him. Make him a blessing to his family. And most importantly Lord, please direct this little boy to you--let him search you out and let there be people in his path that point him directly to you. Amen.

Until next time...