March Update

It's time for another one of these general updates so here goes:

 

Ned: 

After many frustrating months of not being able to so much as crawl, he learned to walk just before his 1 year birthday.  However, this carried it's own frustrations because he couldn't crawl and therefore didn't know how to catch himself once he would fall.  We had a couple bloody noses before he learned that skill.  In addition to the bloody noses, when he knew he was about to fall, he would scream and cry because he knew he wouldn't be able to get up on his own and continue his exploration of the house.  It took us going to New Orleans for him to have enough time with his patient grandfather to teach him how to crawl.  Before we left, Zach suggested to my dad that he teach him how to crawl while we were away, knowing full well that my dad would probably be able to figure out a way to teach him.  ( Just a side note, I'd been working with him almost every day tempting him with treats and toys just out of his reach and other gimmicks to get him to start crawling--nothing worked!) 

Well, sure enough, while we were away my dad worked with him and shortly after we returned, he was crawling, as well as walking.  Maybe it has something to do with the fact that they share the same name. ;) 

In addition to walking, Ned can say a few things- at least I think he knows what he's saying.  He says mamma, dadda, and hewo (hello when he holds the phone to his ear). 

He loves music as manifested in the video below.  I use the song on this video when teaching some of my piano lessons to the young kids to help them feel the rhythm in music.  I tried it with my own kids and Ned LOVES it!  

Ned also just got his first black eye.  It was kind of traumatic for Zach since I wasn't around and upon hearing the story, I just had to laugh. 

It happened while I was teaching some piano lessons.  Zach was giving Ned and Lincoln a bath when Ned decided to stand up.  Zach told him to sit down so he could pour water over his head and Ned sat down abruptly sending the water shooting up around him.  He thought that was pretty funny and before long both he and Lincoln were creating waves in the bathtub standing up and sitting down over and over.  Zach told Lincoln to stop before someone got hurt and before he could even finish his sentence, Ned slipped and hit his eye.  Of course he screamed at the top of his lungs and couldn't be consoled when Zach noticed his eye started filling up with blood.  One could only imagine Zach's panic at seeing that.  Fortunately he was able to start calming Ned down just in time for Lincoln to slip ( he'd started standing and sitting all over again) and cut his toe.  Now it was Lincoln's turn to start screaming.  Mind you, I'm on the other side of the house teaching a piano lesson while the little girl's mom is sitting on the couch hearing all this screaming emanating from the bedroom.  I think something about a torture chamber was mentioned by one of us at this point.

 Zach was able to get everyone calmed down and before long both Lincoln and Ned were in their PJ's while Gwen was in the bath.  I guess at this point, Ned decides to drop dirty laundry in the bathtub with Gwen and tumbles over head first into the bathtub fully dressed so now Zach has a load of dirty laundry and a baby to fish out of the bathtub, then redress. 

Ned's 1st Black Eye

As soon as I'd finished teaching my piano lessons, Zach thrust Ned into my arms and rushed out the door to complete some tasks for his calling--I think he was grateful for the excuse. 

Gwen:

Ahhh Gwen, my headstrong, beautiful little girl.  She is 3 and as my sister-in-law Dallas said, 3 is even harder than 2.  Gwen is developing her tastes and she appears to KNOW what she wants, except for when she doesn't.  I have learned NOT to pick out her shirt each morning because I will definitely pick the wrong one.  In fact I don't ever help her unless I am specifically asked lest I reap the wrath of this little 3 year old. 

However, she is full of wonderful traits as well, In fact, the aforementioned characteristics aren't necessarily condemnations of this little girl- I can tell they truly are just a matter of Gwen figuring out where she sits in this world. 

She is still a favorite playmate for both brothers and will often go along with whatever Lincoln wants to play with.  She's great at both playing with her brothers and by herself.  She loves movies/books about princesses, fairies, etc. 

She's begun letting me do more with her hair.  She'll actually tell me what she wants me to do with her hair now.  I have to admit it's pretty fun. 

Occasionally I can also get a glimpse of what a sweet little heart she has.  Right before I left for New Orleans, I had a quiet moment with her where she looked me in the eyes and said,  "Mom, I'm going to miss you when you're gone."  Then she gave me a kiss on my cheek.  It was a very sweet and honest moment. 

Even though she doesn't ask for it, I know she still loves being cuddled and held and she does ask for me to put her blanket on her every night when she climbs into bed. 

My dear little girl works very hard not to get lost in the middle. 

Lincoln: 

Wearing Ned's shirt- an accident

Lincoln is rapidly approaching 5 years old and I can tell.  He is such a good little boy!  He still craves the attention/company of his family members and now, fortunately, there are more of us!  Every day when his dad comes home, as Zach and I talk about different things, Lincoln will frequently come up to me and say " Mom, I need to tell dad something."  It's his way of interrupting and getting some time with his favorite person.  He LOVES his dad--adores might actually be more accurate. 
A funny little anecdote on that occurred not long ago, when I overheard Lincoln talking with one of his friends- who is a girl.  He was telling her she talked a lot, and she said, everyone talks alot, except parents.  Lincoln's reply was that parents talk the most!  It was funny to me in light of how often Lincoln feels he has to ask permission from me to talk to his father.
Lincoln loves going on bike rides with Zach and currently goes on a ride with him every Saturday when Zach returns from his own route. 
Lincoln has also been learning some preschool skills from me and is doing very well!  He prefers numbers and math, of course, but has learned his letters well and can sound out most, if not all, short vowel words.  I can tell he has little patience for it so I try not to push it too much, but even so, he's learning very well. 

Nikki:  Is busy. 
I've been focusing on getting Lincoln ready for school this year and pulled out a bunch of my gear from my teaching days.  I started back in August, when school started. It's been really fun for me because this is what I like to do.  Each morning we have a calendar routine similar to what I used to do in my teaching days, but geared toward a 4 year old.  We talk about the date (days of week, date, month, year).  We work on memorizing a scripture (could never do that in school).  We talk about the weather and season.  We discuss our daily schedule. We identify our letters for the week and stick pictures  on each that begin with the given letters.  We read a few words that have the focus vowel in them.  We do a few math problems like identifying patterns, counting a set of items, solving some simple addition or subtraction problems.   Each day the whole routine takes about 10 minutes, tops, but I feel better knowing he gets it every day.  Of course the rest of the day is not always so academically structured, but we do fit in story time and I try to get Lincoln to do some sort of art or fine-motor practice (his big weakness).   I relented in January and began scheduling our day a little more and have noticed that it helps so much!  Since we discuss our schedule every day, when the kids ask me to turn on a show at 10am, I can feel good about telling them that it's not time for a movie and they'll get to watch one at movie time.  They've learned not to ask anymore.  The same is true for computer or game time.  I'm not sure I needed a schedule with just two children, but it sure is great now! 
I've also been getting busier with piano lately.  I teach about 12 students now and a few of those are younger, which is why I adopted that CD Ned was tapping to in the video above. Last Saturday I spent most of the day judging other piano students at a piano festival for my first time and really enjoyed myself (in spite of my cold). 
I love my life and my family with all of it's busy-ness!
Sunday, Zach and I celebrated our 6th anniversary.  Actually, we celebrated it as a family, saying it was our family's sixth birthday!  Lincoln and Gwen were very excited.  We figured that since we were able to have a second honeymoon in New Orleans, we would celebrate our anniversary with our whole family. 

The kids helped me decorate!

Zach:

Is getting really good at giving presentations at work.  He seems to be the preferred choice for giving presentations on the big project at work.  It's a pretty big construction project and he's enjoyed having a part in it. 
However, recently his boss gave him an opportunity for growth in a new venue and he decided to take it.  Instead of building a tunnel under Lake Mead, he'll be working on stabilizing the Las Vegas Wash.  He'll be transferring to a different department next week and will consequently be working a different schedule- a 4-10 schedule!  I'm looking forward to having him home for 3-day weekends. 
The one negative of the transfer is that he won't be able to ride his bike to work anymore, a sizable setback.  He's put about 6,000 miles on his bike since he got it(September 2009) and while he'll still be able to ride it on the weekends, riding to work is now out of the question.  

I know it's a lengthy post, but this is our family journal so if you've made it this far- kudos to you!