Video of Joey Drawing People

a few of his drawings:

2 Chatter Boxes!

are repeating EVERYTHING its soooo cute!
in madagascar they said something about sandiego and Joey starts saying
"sandy go go! sandy go go!" he repeats EVERYTHING. literally like a parrot. If I say "whats today? sunday." "sun-day" and will try to say sunday. if he knows you want him to repeat the word he really tries!
and Emma is just randomly using words. its amazing! they have both learned a lot of new sign language lately as well.
its SOOOOOOOOOOOOO fun when they get verbal!

Joey called Dave a few minutes ago and said
"I call you daddy. I love you daddy. Baby is on bed. Okay, bye."

Emma will say
"No kicking! No biting! No hitting! No pushing! The Rules!" Joey says this too, but he says "them the rules"

Joey also says things like

"I like-uh the hot dog" or "I like uh IT the 'sanlitch' " he adds some extra words into his sentences sometimes its hilarious!

Emma says things like

"AWE, its okay baby. no cry baby. gentle, gentle." and pet his head or give him a hug or kiss.
She will also take his head and push it against my boob if he isnt latched on and say "drink baby! milk! drink it!"

Rambling Update

Joey and Emma are sick, emma slept all day yesterday (literally) she is much better today.

She is constantly asking for "stories" and "more" "more" "more" stories and more stories. and read more. more more more. LOL

She has went form saying "joey coming?" to "joey coming him" I told her not right now he is at school he will come home later.

later she says "stories" and I say okay. then she says "bye daddy. bye lincoln. nap" and walked to her room. then she wanted me to read a bajillion stories (she read a lot too, she's over 30 words she can read now).

so as we are sitting in her bed about to read she says to me "joey's not here" she loves her brother. its been cute watching her language develop and understanding grow!

its been cold here. we got a fire pit for out back yard and all hung out there the other night. Joey loves it. Joey has been doing better for a while, but yesterday and this morning he was a nightmare.

Lincoln is pulling to standing now, and starting to get on his hands and knees but still army crawling. the front top teeth are cutting right now too.

Kids say the darnest things :)

This conversation transpired this morning between Emma and I.

Emma: Mommy wearing green.
Me: Yes. Are you naked? (we are potty training)
Emma: No.
Me: No? What are you wearing?
Emma: Elbows! (and points to her elbows)

Christmas 2008 Video

The kids had an awesome Christmas, though we did the presents in Jan 2009 instead of Christmas Day 2008. They were so happy with each present, it took some coaxing to get them to open up the next present. This is good, because next Christmas will not be as plentiful as this one LOL

Quick Update!

I have been soooooooooo busy lately. Just trying to join my kids more in "their world". We have also started using the Your Baby Can Read program... I admit I am skeptical, but it has good reviews and it gives me something to do with the kids... Though it's very hard to keep their attention on me when there are always 2 or 3 of them here - they end up paying attention to each other, especially Lincoln who is VERY interested in everything big brother and big sister are doing. They are very inclusive of him as well. He loves to chase them around the house in his walker, which I thought I would never own one... but for Lincoln it helps his exploratory development since he just wants to follow everyone around lol... man are our feet getting ran over though - he's FAST!

He is also pulling himself up to standing now. It's amazing how fast they grow up. Saying Dada AND Mama now, and vocalizing some other sounds. He also tries to copy me when I blow air in his face (he thinks its funny).

Emma has been amazing lately too... it's so funny how one day she doesn't know a word and 2 days later she is saying it perfectly. It just really floors me. I know - its normal - but to me it's very new and exciting!

Crawling - We have take off!

I didn't expect Lincoln to crawl so soon. Whenever he would try he would get really mad or accidentally roll over. Then one day, it just... happened! In the video you will see his first day crawling in the first 2 clips - last week - and a Video of him today, really getting the hang of it now! This is about the age Joey started crawling... though Joey was much faster! Lincoln wasn't really interested in crawling. He likes to play with the "big kid" toys and walk around in his walker. He had an "around we go" entertainer, but he was always dragging it behind him like it was a walker so we switched it for a real walker... now he flies around the house in it! Lincoln also now says mama, after a few weeks of only saying dada. Today I thought to give him the chance to color with some paper and crayons as well. I thought it would be more me showing him what to do, but to my amazement he immediately scribbled on the paper. He did good for a couple minutes, then wanted to eat the crayon. And then the paper. That was the end of that - and he wasn't very happy about it. I have to say he is the most fun baby I've met at this age! He is very interactive. I *think* he will be a later walker early talker type baby. Only time will tell!

J . O . E . Y . Joey.

We have been working with the kids on spelling their names. Joey is catching on quickly. Last night he pointed to his name, spelled it, and then said it! He is very interested in letters, the sounds they make, writing, etc. We are currently awaiting the Your Baby Can Read program, If we have good results with it I will let you all know!

In other news, Lincoln went from having only 1 tooth for the past 2 months to having almost 4 teeth total in the last week! He has 1 bottom front and 1 top (but not the front tooth, the one next to it) and currently cutting through are the other bottom front, and the other top tooth in the same place. I'm sure he will get his front top teeth eventually LOL - unfortunately, he is using them to bite me while nursing!

We tried the solids a handful of times after he turned 6 months, and he is physically ready and very interested (at times maybe even too interested, knocking food all over the place and grabbing at the plate and my hands and the spoon etc). However, we are in no rush to start completely. He got a cold recently and we stopped offering solids during that time. He did have some carrots yesterday - because I got desperate while fighting a supply issue... I know solids are NOT the answer but, like I said, I was desperate. I really want to hold off on the solids for as long as possible as that will be best for his immune system and during this time make sure I maintain an adequate supply so we can continue to nurse him until he is ready to wean on his own.

He's been scooting and spinning for a while, but not really crawling. He likes to pull up from sitting to his knees and can stand pretty well, but last night was the first night he showed signs of true mobility. He did a short little army crawl to get a toy muffin. It wasn't much, but this was the first he showed at being able to master the concept. I am sure he will be mobile soon. I know I know, then I will have my hands full. However, with Joey's delays I find a sense of comfort in my children reaching milestones "on time". Of course every child is different. Lincoln is definitely the laziest of my children so far :)

Emma has been amazing us time and time again lately! I have officially lost count of all her signs now. She's at the point she seems the sign a few times and thats it, she will remember it even if you don't! She is pretty bilingual - responding to requests in English and Spanish, counting (mostly in Spanish - She can count 1-10 in Spanish, her English counting is sporadic) and knows some of her colors - some in English only, some in English and Spanish. She knows body parts very well, including more complex ones like elbows and armpits and can name them herself. She asks for "Hug" a lot and loves to play with her baby dolls.

Joey goes back to school Monday and I am thrilled. I love having him home, but I must be honest, the sibling rivalry is driving me bonkers! What happened? They used to be best friends? I guess its a complex relationship - because when they are apart they don't stop "looking" and asking for each other, but when together they just hit and push each other and yell at each other. Which I guess is the down side of having Joey in school - that is where he learned this wonderful concept of hitting and pushing. It does stink he had to start school so young, but I know in the end our home values will take precedence with him, and with Emma.