Now for the individual reports:
Tristan
When the boys were a mere three or four months old Natalie named them Bug and Grug. Tristan was aptly named Grug because of his growling and grunting. We say now that he truly defines the non-defined word Grug. Tristan is a rough and tumble kid. He has no fear, no hesitation, and is determined beyond belief to get what he wants. He continues with his funny growling and grunting which makes him even more “Grug-like”. Speed crawling is his specialty. Sometimes he even goes so fast that his legs get ahead of him and he nose-dives into the floor, arms still flailing. It’s quite a site. You would think a such described child would be independent and adventurous. If I am not in sight, this is the case. If I’m anywhere in sight, he feels the need to hunt me down and hang on me until I pick him up. Then I must carry him with me everywhere I go and NEVER put him down. There will be screaming and tears the moment I put him down, especially if I walk away afterward. I love my child, but having a 22 pound growth on me is not my idea of fun. Once he becomes entertained while not around me, he loves to push his walker or laundry basket or whatever else is accessible. He gets a look of pure joy and self-admiration on his little face when he does something he’s proud of. He’s a great eater and enjoys most everything I put in front of him. He can clap and raise his hands when asked “How big is Tristan?”. It’s extremely cute.
Everett
Everett is my baby baby. He still has baby mannerisms, the oh so soft skin, the fine silky hair, the cooing, and the need to cuddle. He’s not aggressive like his brother, thank the Lord! Everett continues to be the happiest baby I’ve ever encountered. He’s simply happy if he’s not tired or hungry. Although lately he’s become more agitated. This is partly due to his first tooth appearing and us trying to get him to crawl. He can get up onto all fours and rock, but then has no idea what to do afterward. You can tell that he wants to crawl because he cries when he can’t get anywhere. He’s a master roller. His main form of mobility is by rolling. He can get anywhere he wants by flipping himself around. It’s pretty comical to watch. When he’s feeling vocal he squeals and screams in pitches that I think only dogs can hear sometimes. He’s beginning to copy sounds and finds this very entertaining. He’s less fond of food than his brother. At meal time, he’ll humor me with a few bites, but then shakes his head no and that’s it. There’s no chance of getting more food into the child. Everett has also discovered that when he puts his mouth on something then blows air an interesting sound is produced. Whether he has a ball or the arm of the couch, he’ll make all sorts of noises. I have a feeling he may be a musical child. He loves making new sounds either by hitting or kicking something, shaking something, or simply by using his voice. He moves his hands in a very rhythmic way. He may be our only child with rhythm.
Natalie
I’m having a very difficult time believing that Natalie will be four years old in a mere four weeks. How did this happen? It’s definitely difficult to carve out some time to spend with just Natalie. I’m always doing something for the boys; feeding, clothing, changing diapers, making food, doing laundry, etc. That leaves little time to spend with Natalie. I feel as though I’ve missed the whole year with her. I can clearly remember her first three years of life; her cute sayings, the way she played, her inquisitive nature. Her fourth year of life is a blur. I guess that’s what happens when you’re attention is divided. She’s still very inquisitive, always asking us “why?” and “how?”. She loves taking care of her babies. She’s a very good mommy to them. She’s getting a bit frustrated with Tristan. Her once safe toys and belongings are no longer safe, unless they are put up high or in her room. It’s a hard lesson to learn for a three year old. It’s also hard to make sure that all of her belongings are picked up off the floor, especially the small ones that pose as a choking hazard. She loves playing with her brothers. When she and Tristan play with each other, they’re hilarious. They are very similar to each other and laugh at each other. I love it when they’re both crawling around on the floor then semi-wrestling with each other. Both are laughing hysterically, which then makes Everett laugh. The best sound ever is when all three of my kids are laughing deep belly laughs! Natalie continues to love school and is excited each week to learn about the new letter. By the time she gets home from school on Thursday, she’s already figured out which item she’s going to bring a week later for next week’s letter sharing. Last week they learned about the letter p, so on Thursday she came home and figured out they’d learn about the letter q this week. She thought for a moment then said “Oh, I know! I’ll bring my qu-qu-question mark next week.” I love this kid! She's beginning to add and subtract and can usually read three letter words like bag, dig, sit, dog, etc. We love doing crafts together. Each month we look online for craft ideas. Then we make a trip to Michaels to pick up supplies. Then throughout the month we work on the crafts we’ve picked out. She loves creating.
Things that make my heart smile:
When Tristan is tired enough to rest his head on my shoulder.
When all three kids are laughing.
When we sit at the dinner table together.
Watching Tristan use his balance to stand up or get down from things
Watching Everett in the bouncer jumping away
Listening to Natalie talk to her babies
Looking at any of my kids smiling at me
Watching all three kids swinging on the swingset
Things that make my heart sad:
Knowing that the kids won’t remember this time
Watching any of my kids cry (true cries, not the “I want something” cry)
Kevin not being home during the week, not being able to appreciate or notice the small victories of the day
Not being able to comfort more than one child at a time
