Hannah's Verbal Explosion...well, kinda, and Room Sharing

Dear Nathan, 

I decided to write letters to you guys separately today because you two are just in 2 different phases this week and this seemed more appropriate. Potty training is continuing to go well. We had a reward chart for you and if you kept your undies dry all day, you would get to fill in a box and once you kept your undies dry for 10 days, you would get a book that you really want. Well, it took about 13 days for you to finish your goal, so I guess that's pretty good. 

We are now working on you going to the bathroom yourself (instead of me reminding you). If you can keep your undies dry for 5 days, you get to get this Tidmouth Shed toy that I made for you out of cardboard to play with anytime you want. We let you play with it last night so you can see how much fun it is. 

It's been getting more difficult each night to get you to bed. Your arsenal of stalling strategies seems to be a bottomless pit and each night you come up with something that stalls bedtime just a bit longer. Well, last night, we thought that maybe we could have you and Hannah share rooms so that you wouldn't feel so alone. It actually worked really well. Instead of the usual 3 books that we read to you before bedtime, you were begging to go to sleep after 2.

After I sung the lullaby to you two and kissed both of you goodnight, I walked out, expecting to hear a burst of laughter or cries behind me, but it was completely silent, and it remained that way until this morning.

At 6 am, I hear a thump and then Hannah starts to cry. I was getting a bit upset, because we know how you have been waking up around this time and we even practiced what you should do if you woke up before the sun came up.

I walk in and night light was on, the ceiling fan was on and your portable potty, which was in your room was now positioned under the light/ceiling fan switches. Apparently, you had walked out, went to your room, got your potty, and used it to reach the light switches...which then woke Hannah up.

We'll see how things go tonight and if you guys really like it, I think we may be getting bunk beds sooner than later. Thinking about doing something like this for now. We have an simple ikea crib and so I think this would work.

This past week's weather has continued to be beautiful. It has been a bit on the cooler side, but not so cold that an extra layer or two couldn't fix.

We met up with your best friend Abigail and we played at the swings for a long time. You two were holding hands and then you pull Abigail's hand up with yours to wipe some drool off. She quickly recoiled her hands and that day learned just how gross you boys can be.

Dear Hannah,
You have become like a little parrot this week, imitating sounds and saying your first intentional words. Daddy, Teddy, Mama, More, Baby are probably your first words and you at least to imitate all of the sounds that I make.

You are also picking up a few new signs. You've pretty much gotten "more" down and will put 2 or more signs like "more"+"milk" to signal that you are not quite finished nursing. In this picture below, you are asking for more pushes.

 Your friend Lucas came over to visit this past weekend and we had lunch. You guys just played next to each other and you tried to get Lucas to follow you up the stairs. It's cool to see you guys interact with each other.

 One day you woke up a bit early from your nap so we just played in your room for a bit. You wanted to sit in the chair and when I put you up there, you just looked so proud and happy. I just had to take a picture of your adorable face.

 Later that night, when everyone was finishing up dinner, we let you roam around the kitchen area and you managed to find an empty box from Costco to climb into and pretend to drive, sound effects and everything! It's just so amazing how much a little sibling picks up from an older one.

You've started to get more friendly towards other people. You will wave and say "Hi" to our neighbors and even lean in towards people that we see on a regular basis, for them to hold.  Dropping you off at a childcare place, whether the gym, or at church, is now pretty tear-free. Everyone praises about how independent you are, climbing up ladders and sliding down slides by yourself. 

Sometimes you are a little bit too independent. I really have to watch you like a hawk. In the time that it took me to go to the bathroom, you made this little mess. If I leave the pantry door open, sure enough, you are digging around inside. If I leave the door to the bathroom open, you are either flushing the toilet or trying to turn on the tub faucet. If we forget to put away the step stool that Nathan uses to wash his hands, you are washing your hands (which you now know to do if you want to eat. Each night before dinner, I'll call out, "Ok everybody, wash your hands!" and then you would stop what you are doing and head towards the bathroom sink. Kind of cool. 

Nathan is still learning his boundaries with how rough he can play with you. 

No matter how much abuse you put up with from you big brother, you continue to adore and look up to him. I pray that you two will develop a close relationship and I am thankful, oh so thankful of you two, wonderful babies. 

Until next week, 

Mommy