Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Growing pains

It is incomprehensible to me how fast time is flying. The boys are growing leaps and bounds. Everyday someone discovers something new, learns a new skill, or reveals a new personality trait. Over the last two months the babies have sailed through some exciting milestones:
  • Getting rid of all bottles!! You better believe I had those boxed up and donated immediately.
  • Transitioning fully to whole milk
  • Consolidating their naps so they are down to 1 in the middle of the day (which coincides with Alexander's nap)
  • Adding reading and snack as part of the bedtime routine.
bedtime snack (L to R: Winston, Theodore, and Benjamin)
The babies continue to amaze us. They have so much energy and love their independence, but remind me constantly that they also need lots of cuddles and kisses. And, last but not least.... WE HAVE A WALKER! Winston is walking everywhere and doing such a great job with it. He has amazing balance and is so cute when he brings me shoes (doesn't matter if they are mine, Alexander's, his, daddy's) for me to put on him. Benjamin is starting to admire the praise we give Winston for walking and is starting to show interest in walking. I have caught him standing and trying to balance, but hasn't taken steps yet. He has a blast (huge grins and giggles) when I hold his hands and help him walk. I predict he will be walking within the next month. Theodore, on the other hand, is completely unfazed by Winston's walking and has zero interest. He is pushing carts and trains now, which is an improvement, but when I hold his hands to practice walking, he immediately locks his legs in a sitting position.

All of this growth is accompanied with increased stubborness and mischief. They are little rascals I tell you, throwing food defiantly from their high chairs, pushing and shoving, insisting on constantly climbing stairs, and vying for momma's lap. They sure like their freedom and really enjoy it when we just give them free reign of the house. This really only works when 2+ adults are present.

I honestly walked away for a minute and come back to these guys booking it up the stairs! There is now yet another gate propped up top block the stairwell entrance.
Our sweet Alexander is 2 and a 1/2 and acts like it. He is talking in complete sentences, singing the ABC's (sort of), and most impressively puts puzzles together like a champ. He really enjoys it but it is almost impossible to do with the triplets hovering around trying to run off with the pieces. Alexander is interacting more and more with the babies, giving them hugs and kisses, tickling them, bossing them around, comforting them when they're upset, and learning how to share. The babies look up to him so much and act like they have died and gone to heaven when he loves on them.


His growth is also not without struggles. I think he struggles in particular with being a big boy and doing things on his own, and then still wanting to be held and babied. He has days where he is all smiles and sunshine, and then there are days where he just wants to be held and doesn't want to go to school. We all have days like that, don't we? 
 
A in his Buzz Lightyear jammies!
   
Alexander happy to be at Disney on Ice
Halloween is around the corner and Alexander is so excited to be Spiderman. We got the costume a while back so he wears it almost daily. He is planning to go trick or treating with cousin next week. The babies are going to be monkeys, thanks to great-grandma finding cute matching costumes for them! Stay tuned for pics from Sat night when we go with GMA trunk or treating at her church.