Kiddos Updates

Haven’t written about each child recently so I thought I’d jot down some details.

SADIE

Sadie is perfect lately.

She transitioned so well to her new school. I was worried it would be too much, and we were thought about homeschooling for those few months. But, with all of life’s craziness I knew I wouldn’t have the time to devote to homeschooling during that time of transition so we enrolled her in Bauder.  She did great!  Several times while walking to school she would look up at me and say, “I really enjoy this school, Mommy.”  When I picked her up she seemed peppy and energized.  When she was attending her old school she often would protest about going and seemed so, so, so tired and irritable when we picked her up.  Maybe it was coincidence but she also seemed to make an academic leap while she was there.  It was a great thing for her!

Sadie loves maternal type activities – always playing with a doll or pretending one of her brothers is her baby horse.  She also likes to ask me to give her “homework” which are just simple worksheets I have.  She spends a good half hour or more in her room reading aloud to herself or Jax everyday.  It’s been so nice that I don’t have to push her to do school/educational type of things.  She seems to naturally like that type of thing.  She loves skirts and dresses and femine things.  I was a tomboy so this a little new for me but so fun.  She’s an interesting mix because she’s feminine but most of her friends are boys and she plays great with them.  She loves to play chase and run.  Her endurance is remarkable.  She is also really enjoying the pool and is doing great at swimming, although, she still prefers to have a pool noodle propped under her to make things easier.

We still have her on a gluten free diet.  We aren’t perfect, but we try hard.  Maybe once every week or two we’ll cheat.  It was more when we were at my parents but we’ve tightened up again.  I have started using dairy here and there in my cooking instead of almond milk and she seems to do fine.  I also put butter on her toast and whatnot.  It’s still not easy but at least we have found a solution to her eczema problem. So grateful!

She’s usually pretty easy and cooperative.  If she’s out of routine or exhausted she can get fussy but that’s rare.  I have enjoyed her so, so, so much the past year!  She’s just at such a great, sweet age and stage.

JAX

The little man.  Jax has been rough the past year.  He’s the hardest of the three lately which is shocking to me!  Sadie was difficult at this age, too.  She came out of it just after turning four so I’m hoping Jax will, too.  He’s a  really good kid but he was the easiest, most perfect baby and I expected that to continue.  He can be aggressive when wronged and has a short fuse with certain people and over certain issues.  Sadie and Moe are good at turning the other cheek after being wronged but Jax won’t walk away and won’t let it go.  We often sing him Frozen’s “Let It Go” song in such situations.  He is still sweet, lovable, cuddly, hilarious, and so clever.  Just stubborn, too.  He’s learning. I’m trying to be patient.

He adores Sadie.  Sadie often quickly makes new friends when we’re out and about and Jax gets insanely jealous.  He says Sadie is his best friend and he hates, hates, hates for her to attach to someone else.  We had to leave a mall play area a few weeks ago because he just couldn’t handle that Sadie was having so much fun with someone other than himself.  It’s cute but it can be a problem.  McKay and Jax are pretty great friends now, too.  They didn’t acknowledge each other a whole lot when they were younger, but since Sadie was away all day at Kindergarten this past year they’ve started playing together a lot.  They compete over things which gets annoying, “I’m the fastest” “I ate the most” “That’s my truck” but they also have long stretches throughout the day where they play together great.

I worry that I don’t give him all the attention he deserves.  The other two are better at requesting to be held or hugged.  Jax – not so much,  He still loves to be babied and I try to remember to hold him and give him hugs throughout the day.  He’s such a sweet, sensitive, deep soul when he’s calm. People, especially adults, and especially older adults, instantly like him.

Jax loves puzzles and books. He remembers everything and has a never ending stream of questions for me. He is a typical boy in that he loves the outdoors – not creepy crawly things but sports, parks, jumping, climbing type of things.  He seems musical in that he’s always humming, marching, dancing, making up lyrics, and singing songs from movies.  He has tremendous potential and I know he’ll do great things in life.

MCKAY

McKay’s personality has really come out over the last few months.  Before living at my parents house he was very shy and only talked around us.  Now he’ll carry on a conversation with anyone.  We can’t get enough of his cute little voice and all his funny thoughts.  He keeps us laughing all day! He’s such a tease and loves to do exactly the opposite of what we ask. I never know whether to laugh or cry in concern over McKay.

Would you believe me if I told you he still loves to be held and carried and babied?!?!  I’m just shocked he’ll be three in a month!  Just doesn’t seem possible.  He’s still such a baby to us.  He’s super affectionate and craves physical contact.  If we are on the sofa – he has to be right up against me and my arm absolutely MUST be around him.  If we are reading a book – he needs to be on my lap, no one else can be closer to me than he is.  If he comes in bed with us – my arms must be around him and my face must be facing him.  He’ll bring my cheek back around to his direction if ever I dare to face the other way.  He’s pretty demanding of our attention and I suppose I give in more than I should because he’s so cute and funny and since he’s the third I’ve always worried I wouldn’t be able to give to him what I did to Sadie and Jax. In actuality, I’m think I’ve spent more time holding and caring for McKay in his first three years of life than I did for the other two.  He’s just so demanding!

McKay doesn’t like to walk on his own but he loves to run!  His favorite activity lately is to run in a big field in just his socks.  He’ll go and go and go. Huge grin the whole time!  He’ll stop every 5 minutes and say, “I newd ah dwrink; I need moor en-wer-ge.” Love that little voice!

McKay’s behavior is generally good. For the record, all the kids are usually good for other people or for church teachers – it’s usually just us they misbehave for.  They like structure and we weren’t very structured when we were in Seminole.  Things are getting back to a new, wonderful normal now.

McKay is passionate and headstrong.  I do so worry about the teen years with him!  He loves to play with friends but isn’t overly concerned about being the center of their world.  He’s kindof cool in that he let’s people come to him and doesn’t seek out or seem desperate for his peers attention.  Total opposite of how he is with Ben and me!  His little smile, darling voice, bronze skin, and sly smile make me go weak in the knees.  I am totally wrapped around his finger!  Dangerously so.  I worried I wouldn’t have enough energy and love left when he was born but he’s had me captivated since day 1.  Oh, McKay.

BEN AND I

Ben and I are doing great.  We’re both so busy with various things – house projects, work demands, girls camp planning, and children.  However, we are so happy about being back in our home and the work is all mostly enjoyable.  We just worry that we don’t have the ability to give each task the attention it deserves.  And progress is slow!  Especially the house stuff. But that’s a post for another day.