My Crazy Kids!

Just a fun update of what my crazies are up to! (FYI...Cole turns FOUR in a few weeks! In his words, "How'd that happen Mommy?"

~They are both into throwing things to get my attention. For example, if Justin and I are talking, or I'm on the phone, or I'm on the computer and they feel neglected...they throw random things and have fun with it. URGH!

~They are looooving to color! Cole is getting so good! He's starting to color things the right color. He brought me a picture of Thomas the Train that he colored and the colors were accurate! Down to the black funnel on top!

~Their pronunciation of words is HILARIOUS! I LOVE IT! Natalie's new word that I'm in love with is "BALLOON". Her "L"s are ADORABLE....ballllllooooooooon. I'll have to try to record it and put it on here! She has said balloon forever...it's just the pronunciation that cracks us up! "The BALLLLOOOOONNNN mommy, I want the balllloooooon...please give it to me!! One for you, one for me and one for Bubba!"

~Cole writes his name ANYWHERE and eVERY where and it is getting REALLY good! This was one of the really good things on his progress report from Miss Angie. He can write it and spell it outloud (thank goodness for short names :) I must add that Miss Chandler can spell her name outloud too and I'm SOOO proud of her!

~Natalie is such a mommy to her babies. She is in love with two monkeys Justin and I got them at Dave & Buster's a while back. They are exactly alike but one is brown and the other is white. She brings them to me and says, "They're cryin' Mommy! Ohhhhh, poor monkeys, it's oookkkkkaaaayyyy. Awwwwwwwww" I mean its ADORABLE! Sometimes I have to hug them or hold them too. I found them "asleep" in her doll house...one in a bed and the other smashed into the baby cradle.

~Speaking of the doll house, the girls are obsessed with it. (nat, chan & brynn) Their favorite thing at this point is taking all of the barbies' clothes off and washing them in the doll house washer & dryer. Justin was a little worried when he found all of the dolls naked. I assured him that most barbies are naked in little girl's houses until they get older. haha! He still wasn't comfortable with it! lol!

~We are suffering from cabin fever. I'm too pregnant to really want to bundle up and bundle them up to take them outside in the cold, so we stay in and watch movies, cartoons, color, play with toys and play dough..and eat and sleep. We are all tired of it and are hoping to have enough money left over from Justin's bonus or our income taxes to get a swingset/playground thing! Let's put it this way...we'd BETTER have one by this summer!!!!

~Cole is really talking like a little man these days. He explains things to Natalie and us and it's so grown up! I can't believe how big he's getting! Here lately he's been saying "last year" a lot to refer to things in the past. Precious!

~He likes to go hunting with his daddy...in the house for animals :) haha! The kids also like to "camp" in cole's room and make shadow pets or whatever you call them. Fun, Fun!

~PS...the THREES are much, much worse than the TWOS (at least for Cole...I'm hoping it's a speech thing....so maybe natalie's badness is coming out in her twos instead!). He has rEALLY been arguing and testing his limits and throwing fits! What works the best for him is for you to give him choices, "You can keep acting like that and go to time out and get a spanking or you can stop, say your sorry and move on" It takes a couple of more questions....I'm the question queen...but it really works!

~I think Natalie is almost ready for potty training! She spent the day sitting on the potty (although nothing ever came out) because she wants to be a big girl. I may try this weekend...or I may just wait until the end of february or spring break. I'm hoping she's easier to train than cole!! He just went through a 4 day rebellion of pooping. He is FINALLY (crossing fingers) back on track and going on the potty regularly again. The key is consistencey for him. I let justin put them to bed pretty much all week...and he got out of the habit of sitting him on the pot...and I think that's what did it! One miserable week later things are going good though! (PS...what an awesome hubby I have that will put them to bed for me! I LOVE HIM!!!)

~They are great counters! While at United, Natalie was jumping on the blue and white squares (how many of us did that too???!) and counting. She counted to 11!! I mean, she will count that high when you count with her...and higher...but I'd never heard her do it to count things by herself! Cole can count to 20 or so! He doesn't care to count things out...but you can tell he's good with math...I don't know how to explain that...

~Cole is a master train builder. He never ceases to amaze us with his train track creations! He will build them along walls and doorways and around chairs...with perfect curves. AND...they are always complete tracks...meaning the train can make loops...it doesn't just dead end. I'll have to take a pic of his creations soon!! Seriously...I'm amazed because I'm a HORRIBLE track maker! I'm only help if he's having trouble getting a track to connect. lol! Justin walked in the other day and asked, "How did he do that? I've been trying to make it like that for days!" haha!