Aidan at age 4

The visiting teaching message this month was about family history.  One of the things it mentioned was keeping your own journal, and it has given me a renewed desire to keep up with this blog.  Even though I feel like no one reads it much any more, I want to keep the records for ME!  So without further ado,

Aidan at age 4:

Height:  44 inches (into a booster seat - hooray!)
Weight: 42.5

Skills he has mastered:

• Writing Aidan, mom, and dad
• Knows all the letters, can write many of them, knows the sounds for most
• Riding a bike with training wheels
• Washing hands independently
• Using a tissue most of the time (we finally got him stop picking his nose!)
• Drawing stick figures
• Counting up to 20 easily (and sometimes into the twenties), with the exception of "thirteen" and "fourteen" which sound the same when he pronounces them, so sometimes he only says one of those numbers instead of two
• Counting given items, including simple addition and subtraction

Skills he is working on:

• A few sounds are still difficult for him to say (r, sh, ch) - shark sounds like soawk, ouch sounds like outs, etc.
• Staying dry all night (he's working on it!)

Things he enjoys:

• Staying awake during the day (naps are rare to never)
• Art!  This kid could do art projects all day long!
• Riding his bike
• Going on walks
• Helping Mom make pizza
• Going fishing with Dad
• Play with Legos
• Play the Where's My Water app on the iPad
• Digging in the dirt and grass to build an "ant hill" with our neighbor David

Overall, Aidan is a very sweet and happy boy!  We feel so blessed to have him in our family!

Ethan at 1

Did you notice that blogging went out the window right when Ethan got mobile?  Coincidence?  I think not! 

In my fantasy world, I would go back and do some catch up posts.  In my reality world?  I just panicked driving home from the grocery store today because I thought, "Did I do a post about Aidan at age 3?  I know I didn't do Ethan at age 1 yet, but I can still remember that.  If I didn't do Aidan at 3, though, there is no hope!"  Luckily, I DID do one for Aidan.  Now I've got to get the other little man while I'm remembering!

Ethan at age 1:

Height: 31.3 inches (87th percentile)
Weight: 22.6 pounds (44th percentile)

Loves:

• eating and drinking real people food
• BANGING!!!  Anything on anything to make a noise - future drummer boy???
• being tickled
• walking - he took his first steps just days after his first birthday, and nothing has kept him down since
• playing with the buttons on the piano
• throwing things through the baby gate and watching them fall down the stairs
• pulling silverware out of the dishwasher as soon as it's opened - taking things out of any drawer, for that matter!
• bath time
• both the toilet paper and the toilet water are irresistible!
• B-I-N-K-Y

Dislikes:

• sleeping through the night (went for about one golden week once, but otherwise it's not uncommon for him to still cry at least once a night)
• being put down (as in not being constantly held) if he is thirsty/hungry/tired
• textures of certain foods, like small noodles

Skills/Development he has mastered:

• has middle four top teeth, 2 molars on the top, and the 2 middle bottom teeth
• excellent pincer grasp - loves to pick up strings, small papers, etc.
• turns pages in books
• crawling, standing, walking
• waves bye bye and night night
• rolls and throws a ball

Skills he is working on:

• starting to try words, especially imitating what we say
• keeping food on his tray rather than throwing it on the floor
• staying out of the trash can
• hasn't started running (yet!)

Personality:

• likes having a routine at home (VERY into his nap and bedtime!) but is very flexible when we are out and about
• pretty easy-going overall - puts up with a LOT of wrestling/carrying/loving from Aidan!
• can be hesitant to try new things that WE introduce (food, expectations, rules, new people), but very happy to explore things independently (toys, kid's care)
• won't smile for strangers (or the family Christmas picture!), but very giggly and happy with family at home

We sure love our little one year old!
(Sorry no pictures yet - I tried several times and can't get any to upload.  I'll have to come back and add some later...)