My Incredibles

I've felt like I should update what my children have been up to. Joshua is 3 months old now. He's still so sweet and precious - still so new. He smiles quite often and we even get giggles sometimes. He's very ticklish. He still likes to be held a lot, but also lets me put him down sometimes. I can switch him around - we use the swing, the bouncy seat (with toys and a mirror), in his crib with the mobile, on the floor with toys in front of him, in the highchair so mom can eat. Ben is really good about entertaining him, too.
His eyes are mostly brown. They have a little gray-green on the outside edge, still. Not sure if they just haven't changed all the way, or if they are going to be like mine! He still doesn't "talk" much. It's almost rare and exciting to get sounds out of him. He's so different from my other two kids. More cuddly, needy, timid. I don't mind, just takes some getting used to.

People say he looks like his daddy. Then every once in awhile we get that he looks like the Bakes. He's definitely ours and we love him!

He reaches for things - I think his left hand is dominant right now. Once he grabs them, though, he doesn't know what to do with them! He loves to stand up. I can hold him on my lap, standing, for a LONG time!

His brother and sister love him, too. Ben always says, "he's so cute."

In September we celebrated both my mom's and my dad's birthdays. Sarah was excited for both of them and planned for weeks how we would party. We ran out of time to do the pinata for Papa's birthday, but Ben made sure we had it for Grammy's. He had picked one up at a yard sale (50 cents!) and filled it with all the candy in our house (leftovers from parades and even last Halloween!). Sarah helped me make the cake and put the candles on. I made dinner for them and then we played!

It was dark, windy and cold outside and I wasn't about to try and string up a pinata. I told Ben we could do it inside and this is what he thought of. Throwing it and smashing it!

Then tearing it apart! It was hilarious.

Grandma Polish and Marisha stopped by for a few hours one day. They'd been to a nearby town to pick up some insulation. They got to surprise Ben by picking him up from school. Then Grandma took us out for Sonic. We introduced her to the Sonic Chillers a few months ago and she just had to have one! (cherry limeade + soft-serve ice cream = Sonic Chiller, so good!)

She stayed long enough to play a few games with the kids.

Ben is still just so smart. He had midterm reports a few weeks ago and he is excelling in almost everything. He still has issues with paying attention and with talking when he's not supposed to. He has chosen to not spend so much time with the one boy with whom he kept getting in trouble. He is in the highest reading group (and could really be doing more). His teacher also started him in an accelerated math group. He aced the first testing with that and she said he's just going to fly through it. He loves being rewarded and got in trouble for doing the bonus activities before finishing his regular work! (they get stickers or happy grams for the bonus ones.) I think school has just been really good for him. He's doing much better at home. Still teases Sarah, but it seems to be more loving than before. And our issues with him aren't much, he usually cries before he yells. I'm sure that's a result of being tired more, now.

We spent last Saturday in Winnemucca. We just thought it would be a good idea to visit Kannon's sister and her family. We went to Stetson's soccer game and Ben had a good time running around playing soccer on his own. We had a picnic lunch at the park and then spent the rest of the time at their house. The kids got to experience the chickens and turkeys running loose. And mom and dad got to enjoy the visit without having to worry about the kids! It's so nice to just let them be, without the worry of cars or weirdos walking by. Sarah mostly played with Kate in her room and Ben was outside the whole time with Stetson.

Playing dress-up.

Sarah is another independent child of mine! She still loves all things girly - dressing up, jewelry, pink, babies. She is getting better at cleaning up when we say it's time to. She is often quietly coloring or cutting paper. She is my little baking helper. Loves to be in the kitchen with me.

Two days ago she put her swim suit on and I found her outside filling up a bucket with water. When I came out later, she was sitting in the bucket, but not for long. It wasn't exactly cold, but this is the middle of October!

She runs everywhere and gets pretty upset if I go to the school for Ben without her. We walk him to the school in the morning and she has always given him a hug and blown him a kiss. After a while, Ben started being embarrassed by that. So, now she gives him his hug on the way to school, before we are there. He just stands there and "bears" it. We only have to cross one street to get there. She runs all the way to the street, stopping a few yards back, where she waits for us. One morning she didn't get dressed in time and we had to go. I told her she'd have to stay home. We went out the door and she came screaming out after us. She didn't have any shoes on and it was pretty cool that day! I was pretty upset with her, picked her up and we let Ben cross the street on his own that day. There have been a few afternoons, when she was napping, that I went on my own to pick up Ben. When she wakes up she is pretty upset with me. She seems so grown-up. I have to remind myself that she's only 3 and still needs lots of love and patience. She's adorable, too!

And lastly, a video of our Joshua, playing with Daddy.