2015 County Fair

Titus entered Toby, his soapbox derby car.  Isabele entered her button tree pillow, her hand stitched apron, and a pocket doll.  I entered the winter twill dress, a flutter sleeve hankerchief top, a skort, my jellyroll lap quilt, and Brian's sweater.  Will post pictures in a couple days when we go see how the judging went.

Baby Sling(s)

Hannah sent me a link to a babydoll sling a couple weeks ago.  I finally got one made - two actually.  I didn't have a pattern, just a couple pictures from someone's etsy account.  I made the first one for Isabele.  It was a hit.  So, that night, I made one for Titus.  I like the way I made Titus' better, and need to make a couple more.  Great gift idea for girls and even boys.  Titus carries airplanes and action figures in his, though in the picture, I did stuff Brian's old doll (in much need of some repairs), Herbie, in just to see if design number 2 would work better for larger dolls.  (It does). 

The kids were not very excited about posing for pictures on this occasion.  But you get the idea at least.
When I make the next one, hopefully this afternoon, I'll pay attention to how I did it so I can stick it in my ideas/instructions book.  if anyone is interested in one, or the instructions, let me know.

Titus

 Titus can ride his bike standing up.
Titus is learning how to read.  We are up to lesson 22 and he's doing well.  I can see that things are starting to click in his brain and maybe make a little more sense.  We will keep plugging along, 25 minutes a day and he will soon be literate.
He likes to help Brian in the garage, regardless of what Brian is working on. 
He likes to help me in the kitchen, as long as it's fun stuff, like peeling apples to go in the dehydrator.
And, most of the time, he plays very nicely with Isabele.

Rainboots and Bare Feet

The Ft Wayne Zoo

We made a trip to the Ft Wayne Zoo this fall.  It was a beautiful day and the zoo was pretty empty.  Some of the rides were 1/2 off, so we went on the Sky Chairs and on the train.  I think the kids had a good time.  Their favorites were the zebras and the giraffes. 

Rockets

Brian got some model rockets about a month ago to shoot off with the kids.  His brother Mike had recently gotten some and was talking to Brian about them.  Here are some pictures from the first launch day.  Since then, we have gone twice more and both kids like to push the button.  The first day, Isabele launched hers.  It took Titus a bit longer to get into it, but he launched one all by himself on our second outing.  Here are a couple of pictures from the first trip.

Firetrucks

After a small mishap with some bananas and a skillet ... Kimber managed to have WLFD arrive for Micah's Birthday.  Titus and Isabele got to see 4 firetrucks and a zillion firemen, outfitted to the gills - including helmets.  Isabele said "fire man" and "helmet".  That was her take on it.
Titus was quite concerned that the firemen were going to spray fire on Kimber's house.  Brian explained that the firetrucks only have water in them and that they spray water, not fire.  We thought that was clarified. 
We went home, almost had a repeat of the smoke (from the granola in the oven), and put the kids in the bathtub.  There Titus told me that he didn't want the firetrucks to come to our house and spray the fire.  I could not convince him that fire trucks spray water on fire, and that they would not come to our house tonight.  He finally seemed satisfied to think that the firetrucks would only spray water on bananas.  (Lucky for Titus we were out of bananas).
The next day we had a fire and water science lesson.  I think he understands a bit better after pouring water on lit matches.
It is so interesting to observe and participate in what and how a 3 1/2 year old learns. 

Sampson

Titus' Sunday School lesson a couple weeks ago was about Sampson.  The card that came home had a typical bible story depiction of a man with bushy shoulder-length hair, with flowing, somewhat ragged, white cloth about his body.  He was also "hugging" a scrawny lion.  Titus found this paper in the car yesterday and asked me what it was.  I told him it was about Sampson and the lion and what happened when Sampson's hair was cut.  So, Titus then proceeds to tell me what it is about.  It went something like this:
Titus: Yeah, this is about Sampson.  He got his hair cut.  Then he killed the lion with his hands.  And he leaked.
Me:  He leaked??
Titus: Yes.  He leaked.
Me: You mean he was weak?
Titus: No.  He leaked.
Me: Okay.  What did he leak?
Titus: He leaked in his pants.
Me: Oh (rather amused).
Titus:  No, He leaked in the toilet paper.
Me: Okay.  Interesting.

All I can figure is that the teacher told him Sampson was weak after having his hair cut, and Titus thought she said leak.  To his credit - Sampson's clothes do look a bit like toilet paper (especially if you are 3 1/2).
I suppose it is good that he remembers the story.  I'm not sure how much he has benefited from the story, but, at least he remembered it.

On a side note:  My little sister had her own adaptation to the end of the Sunday School song Zacheus, when she was little ... "For I'm going to your house to play toys and eat pizza".  Hannah was in the 2 and 3's class - so probably somewhere around Titus' age when she changed the song.

First Bike Ride

Titus went on his first bike ride this morning.  He went around the island with Brian.  All by himself.  He doesn't need any help to start, and no training wheels.  He made it all the way around with only 1 little rest break (it takes a lot of pedaling for not quite 3 1/2 year old legs).  After a longer rest at Bia's, he went around the island again with me.  Brian and I were both riding a bike, so he really did it all by himself!!  Titus does a pretty good job stopping, too.  He's not good enough yet to tackle the ride from our house to Bia's, but by the end of the summer, I'm sure he will be riding over there with us.

For those of you curious as to what a glidebike is and where we got it: Titus' Mini glider bike.  We bought one of these for Titus' first bike when he was a little over 2 years old.  He rode the gliderbike for a year.  We bought him a real bike this spring and never put training wheels on it.  We didn't even open the training wheels.  Our biggest struggle is that with both bikes, when he first got them he was so little we had to get creative to get the seat low enough for him to be able to do it himself - which is the whole point.  Let the kid figure it out for him/her self.

Isabele is still a little small for the gliderbike but I think she'll be using it by this fall.

Breakfast

After fixing a big breakfast of eggs and ham cubes and oatmeal yesterday and the kids eating okay, but not great, I went with the English Muffin and fruit theory this morning.  I'm thinking now I should have gone with the big breakfast again.  Isabele had her early morning (6AM) snack of dry fruitloops while Titus slept.  Then she ate half of a banana, a glass of milk and half an English Muffin - a normal intake for her some mornings.  Titus ate an entire English Muffin, half a banana and a glass of milk.  Again, normal some mornings.

Then I took a shower.  Titus appeared with a yogurt.  The following conversation:
Me: "Are you hungry?"
"No."
"Then you can't have the yogurt."
He looks at me.
Me: "Are you hungry?"
"Yes."
"Fine.  You can have the yogurt."
He nicely shared the entire container with Isabele.

Then, while I was putting on my make-up with Isabele sitting on the stool in the bathroom, Titus appears and says, "Here Isabele, here is a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for you."  I said, "And did you make one for yourself?"  Off he went to the kitchen again.  I followed shortly thereafter to check on his progress as I had looked inside Isabele's sandwich and found only Orange Marmalade - no peanut butter.  He was on the stool with the Marmalade and the bread and a butter knife.  I got the peanut butter out for him.  Then he wanted a little help.  So now he is sitting in Isabele's highchair eating his peanut butter and jelly sandwich and working on his 2nd glass of milk.

I guess he could manage to not starve for a day or two in this house.  And he may even feed his sister, too.

Raggedy Andy and Raggedy Ann

My mother made these dolls for me for Christmas when I was 4 or 5.  I remember not liking them, which really was a shame.  They are really cool.  I like them now.  They have lived in various chairs and rockers at my mother's house throughout my life.  Most recently they were in the cradle up in her room.  We were over there yesterday "borrowing" some furniture.  Titus went upstairs with my Dad and discovered the dolls.  When I went to retrieve him, he was positioning Andy on a pillow on the floor and scooting himself in, right next to him, under the blanket.  Rather than argue, I told him we could bring Andy and Ann home.

 

Here's Titus on one of the "borrowed" chairs with Andy and Ann.  They are almost exactly the same height as he is.  I didn't know that I was getting another child, but apparently I did.  Andy had to eat dinner with us.  He had his own chair right next to Titus.  Titus talked to him and tried to feed him all through dinner.  He wanted me to get food for Andy, but I told him to just share as Andy couldn't open his mouth.  That worked.

I got some more painting done last night and moved these chairs into a couch this morning.  

 

Isabele sat next to Ann for a bit this morning, then Titus got up and had to have Andy.  He's getting ready to read a book to him.

I think that Titus has a new friend.

As I sit here typing this, Brian helped Titus read the book.  Just now Titus went walking by, helping Andy walk to his room.  I'm not sure what he's after ...

Thank-you Mother for making these dolls.  Sorry it took almost 30 years for them to be liked.

I must go now.  Andy is taking a nap in Titus' bed.

A Glimpse of the Past Week

 

Let's go.  Here are your shoes mom.

 

I've got a hat and a glove.  Now can we go?

 

Putting together a new set of storage boxes for Brian's plane project.

 

She's helping too and watching the big boys so intently.

 

Coloring and lounging.  It's so good to have a dad.

 

The wallpaper is all gone and Juan is setting up to put the skim coat on the walls in the living room.

 

Isabele in her paint clothes after a messy morning.  Here are the rib jigs for the Acrosport II.

 

Titus - the independent little helper.

Paint

I, in my infinite wisdom, decided to let the kids help me paint the hallway this morning.  

 

Isabele is hard at work painting the tape that I put on the trim "just in case" they missed the wall a little.  Good thing, huh?.

Titus was doing a very good job.  Not too long after this, Titus started giggling.  I turned around and found that Isabele had painted her face and had a taste of the paintbrush.  Sorry - no picture of this.  But here's what she looked like after a quick cleanup at this sink and then sloppy joes for lunch.

 

She decided on the hat, all on her own.

 

Here's the finished hallway from the dining room, looking into the bathroom.  The trim is going to be a cream color and will have to wait a couple days so I can tape off the walls and then have the kids asleep as they are not going to get to help paint trim.

 

The beginning of the next room to be painted.  I was taping the ceiling in the front entry and Titus decided to help a little.  He opened the paint can on his own, poured the paint into the tray and started in on the wall.  For a 3 year old - not bad.  A little help from me and no one will ever know that it was started by a 3 year old.

Comments from the Peanut Gallery

Oh my goodness, Oh my goodness, jawapeno.

Mommy, I need to go pee really bad.

"rig there" translation: right there? (said a million times a day).

In a most desperate voice: Mom I need my tennis shoes off! (Titus said this to me after running out of his room about midnight one night.  He had feety jammies on, no tennis shoes).

And it will get smashed down in the garbage truck.

It's okay sweety.

Mom don't worry about it.

I want you to wock me in the wocking chair in my room while I cry.

Wordless Wednesday

I think I'll take this idea from the blog of one of my friends.  Thanks for the idea Angie!!

 

 

And We All Sleep

Isabele's new pattern is to sleep all night - only waking and crying for me once.  She goes back to sleep within just a few minutes of me giving her a hug, patting her for a minute and telling her to go back to sleep.  She goes to bed between 7 and 8 PM and wakes up for the day about 5:50AM - a bit early for me, but so much better than waking up numerous times during the night.  She still takes one or two short naps during the day.  I'm not sure if they are short because she wakes up on her own, or if it's because she has a noisy 3 year old brother ...

It goes without saying that I feel 100 times better after a week of decent sleep.  For those of you who have experienced the draining lack of sleep and the return to somewhat normal sleep - you understand.  For those of you who have never experienced babies who will not sleep ... I hope you never do, but if you should, I understand your pain.

Titus' Biplane All Finished

 

Titus built this airplane with a little help from Brian.  He really enjoyed making it.

 

And the propeller spins.

 

The completion of yet another "power-dive".  Titus loves to make his airplanes power-dive and do loops.