Communication Skillz

 Dear Nathan and Hannah,
We have had quite the busy week. New discoveries this week for Hannah include nodding and shaking your head "no." It was actually really cute when I asked you last night, like I do every night, "Are you ready for bed?" You quickly and vigorously shook your head.

Nathan has discovered Hammer Time  by MC Hammer. I love the way you dance to the music and the way you say "Hammah Time!" and when Hannah is touching one of your things, you will rap, "Can't touch this, du-na-na-na" Much improved from those temper tantrums that you would throw.

Here's an example of how Hannah is pretty much wanting to do everything Nathan does. One day, I found you climbing on the scooter, so I pushed you around the house and when I stopped, you protested strongly.

After spending some time with your Harry Potter-loving cousins this summer, you have picked up the "stupify!" move. Any time you see a wand-like device, you'll pick it up and point it at someone as if you were saying "Stupify!" When you get me, I always make a silly face and freeze, which urges you to keep going. 

At the pool, you noticed how much fun Nathan was having with his goggles. So when he placed them down to play sans goggles, you immediately crawled over and tried to put them on your face. For this picture, we had to help you a tiny bit.

After a long stretch, Nathan, you finally got to see your best friend. We went to the park and you guys just sat on the swings and had fun. 

 For this week's crafty Tuesday, we made a lion mask. We've also been working on connecting the dot activities as well as completing simple mazes.

 Nathan, sometimes when you are doing something really cool, Hannah wants to join you and usually ends up making you frustrated because she's just throwing stuff around; therefore, I will take her to another part of the room and do something cool with her too. But then you almost always abandon the cool thing that you were working on to try what Hannah is doing as well. Luckily, you get bored of this baby stuff pretty quickly, and Hannah can go back to doing what she was doing.

 The other day, your friend Abi made you a get well card. After we found out that she was sick too, we decided to draw a picture for her. I suggested that you draw a picture of yourself and Abi holding hands. I walked away to play with Hannah a bit and when I came back, I was pretty amazed at the picture that you drew.

A few days later, I thought that maybe grandma and grandpa would like a picture too. So, I asked you to draw a picture of grandma and grandpa with you in between. First, I suggested that you draw something on grandma's shirt. You decided to draw a dinosaur like the one you have on your shirt, but then you changed your mind and drew "lines" like how Daddy has on most of his shirts. You even drew shoes on grandma. Then, for grandpa you drew his face and added glasses, which made him look angry. And then you decided to give yourself an orange shirt to wear.

 Yesterday, we went outside and you went dinosaur hunting with the older kids next door. I think it is so cute, how they include you in their big kid games.

 A few days ago, we went to the grocery store to pick up some food. You were completely excited about the kid-sized cart. When we saw anyone , you would make sure to tell them, "I got my own cart!"

 Some days you are pretty silly.

 On Friday, we met up with some other moms from MOPS and we went to the Wildflower center for their Sprouts program. Afterwards, we went to the swings and played.

 Hannah enjoyed sharing food with Lillian.

 We also had a pretty busy labor day weekend. We started it off by visiting the Thinkery with baby Lucas on Saturday.

 And then we went swimming later that day. I don't know if it was the nasal steroids, or if Nathan figured out how to hold your breath under water, you suddenly love swimming again. You don't mind putting your head under water anymore.

 On Monday, we went over to a friends house and we had a triple play date and fajita fest. Both the kids and the adults had lots of fun.

On Tuesday, I got a chance to join a bunch of other Chinese moms to make moon cakes. Moon cakes are typically eaten during the mid autumn moon festival. Everyone loved eating the moon cakes.

And at that moon cake party, Hannah took her first 4 step walk! I am sure by the end of this month, you will be walking. Nathan started walking at 12 months as well!

Until next week!
Love,
Mommy