April 2014: 4, almost 3, and 5-months

C has been through some craziness though he may not realize it. His teacher asked us to get him evaluated by a doctor for possible ADHD. We proceeded with paper work but were hesitant. We began a gluten-free diet trial to see what would happen. We did it as best as we could with our budget and it was harder some days more than others. We decided after a few weeks that we would just try it another time when we could stick to it better and until than just try to keep his gluten intake as low as we could and just keep track of intake and see what he ate when he was the most unfocused. We also discussed in more detail with his teacher and both decided that it would be best to wait until our lives have settled down more before we addressed if he actually needed to be evaluated of if it was simply stress and immaturity. One more year of preschool may just help him out along with added help from us. We are planning on doing more things at home to help him as best as we can. Demanding more "quiet" and "still" activities and just making sure he feels secure and safe no matter what changes happen next. I have seen some improvement just in taking time out each day to sit with him and talk and work on different skills. We have done some coloring practice and tying shoes. He also gets some one-on-one time if J actually falls asleep for nap. C wakes up after 30-40 minutes and we get the time before J wakes up to do something together because normally O is content during those times. Oh! I almost forgot. C has been "reading" some things. He reads words on the Cereal box in the morning. He sounds out some stuff and some he picks up from context clues. He was reading the box from Burger King this afternoon. He said "Does that say food?" and sure enough there was the word "food". Than he sounded out "love". I also had him sound out the word "shop" today while we were at the gas station waiting on Daddy. I helped explain the "sh" sound and he told me "o" and "p" and put them together and after two times of putting it together he says "SHOP! it says Shop!" he is doing GREAT! His teacher says academically he is above average in some areas but his ability to focus and stay on task are not so great! He is a great teacher too. He will sit and explain things to J. They were talking about opposites the other day. And he was quizzing J on letter sounds and correcting him when all J wanted to say was the /a/ sound or talk about the letter "o" which is his favorite for some reason. C also makes O laugh ALL of the time. It is so sweet to see them interact. I could not be more pleased with how he has taken to O in this past month and just been an incredible help.

J has been good. He has decided naps are an option and I am learning that fighting him just makes it worse. I have developed the plan that I do not force or fight him. If he lays down while C sleeps and doesn't fall asleep in the time it takes C to nap and wake up than he can come downstairs with no argument from me but he will have to go to bed early. So far I haven't implemented this since he decided to fall asleep the two subsequent days. BUT we will see what happens this week. He loves to share stories with me and REALLY loves to read. He will tell me all about something and I understand about half of it. His words are getting better but he gets excited and I have to either slow him down so I can understand or just nod and pretend like I got it all. He asked Shane for ketchup today and Shane kept asking him to ask nicely. I just looked at Shane and said "He said "can I please have ketchup?" How much nicer does he have to ask?" But when Shane asked him to repeat it I realized that I could hear it because I was used to it. It is more like "Can I ee av Etchup?" which I can understand misinterpreting it as "Can I av Etchup?" Also he has been saying things are "Dee-wish-was" and I can't get over that cuteness. Sadly he is going to turn 3 and can sometimes sound like his mother used to. Hopefully he will get it worked out in time. And until then I am great at interpreting for him. Thanks to C, J has many opposites down and is fairly good with letters and is working on letter sounds. Big brother is a great teacher and very patient and sweet. J has it lucky. Hopefully he will always stick up for his brother when they get older. I know C loves his brothers to death! J is still my rough and tumble little boy. He banged his head one afternoon when he was crying about something. He was crying and walking and just went straight into the doorway leaving a beautiful goose-egg on his noggin. Than the next day he ran into the little girl I baby sit and they bumped heads she didn't cry at all but he hit RIGHT on the bruise he already had and was a mess. Than he fell down and hit the same spot on the recliner. And finally we were outside playing in the evening and I probably shouldn't have been because it was so windy. The basketball hoop (thankfully it is just a little tikes plastic hoop) fell and hit him right on the same spot leaving a nice scrape to go along with the bump! I mean the poor kid has 4 different bruises very close to each other all in different stages of healing. We may have to look into getting him a helmet!

O has mastered rolling over both directions. He may be laid down on his back but he will flip right over to his tummy now within seconds. He also has begun scooting (mainly in circles) but has more than once lifted himself to all fours. He was so focused on trying to eat his hands that I don't think he actually noticed what he was doing. He simply stared at his hands and than face-planted perfectly on them so that he could devour them again. He has found his feet but only holds them. He still prefers to eat his hands. He is still trying to suck his thumb all of the time and I have to give him his paci, however, he has begun holding his paci himself and attempting to get it in his mouth (usually it ends up backwards and falls out) but it is still impressive. He also has managed to be the worst diaper wearer of my kids. I have to carry an extra change of clothes everywhere we go. He just doesn't get the concept of keeping his mess in the diaper! I am becoming quite good at full body changes in public restrooms. I managed to do it today with only 2 wipes! (Okay so the bathroom had paper towels... I still felt like it was an accomplishment!) I am really thinking I will go to cloth full time since he seems to do better with those. Just wish my stash was bigger! He is growing way too fast. He is over 18.5 pounds. We stopped carrying his car seat in with him because Shane thinks it is too heavy with a 19lb kid being lugged around in it. So we just carry the 19 pounds around... He is still fairly accurate on his feedings. He wakes at midnight pretty much every night, and again between 4-6. 10 he naps. 1 or 2 he naps again. I am getting it down. With my other two I never could figure out their "schedule" so this is pretty neat for me.

Well that is what is up with these crazy boys.