Three

Isaac turned three this past June...and I guess what they say is true...3 is more challenging than 2!! My little guy just has his own ideas on just about everything. I say black, he says white...I say up, he says down...it can be quite maddening some days, but I will say he really is a very smart and independent little boy. He tries to negotiate on everything and really likes to be in control of just about every situation (I honestly can't figure out where he gets this from...*sheepish grin*). He really is so much like his mommy.

In late March, Isaac officially became a big brother! His baby brother Asher was born on March 31st, 2010. He really has adjusted very well. He is generally very protective of and sweet to his baby brother...sometimes to a fault. He often doesn't like to let other people visit with him and is very concerned that anyone and everyone wants to take Asher home with them! He loves his brother, although not always wanting to share the spotlight with him...which is totally normal I'm sure...he likes having Asher around and is very helpful to me in caring for him.


Isaac has progressed in so many areas these past six months. He knows all his letters, numbers to 100, and has even started basic reading, writing, and spelling! He loves learning and any activities or programs that help him do so. He has also started drawing pretty well...maybe he will take after his daddy! This kids memory is amazing. He surprises us daily with the things his little brain can come up with. I really need to do better keeping record of some of the funny things he says...I just love how his mind is working these days. One of my favorites recently...when told to "put the telescope away" he shouted "go away scope!" (he heard tell the scope away).


Isaac has had a fun summer playing with friends, going to the spray park, going to the zoo, swimming, and going to the lake house! He is swimming much better this year with water wings...last year he just didn't really have the hang of it, even with the wings...but now he gets in and wants us to let go! Then he never wants to get out! Some of his favorite things include Mickey Mouse (still), legos and play doh. He likes to play tag and hide and go seek with his dad, and he loves going to target with mommy. :)

Even though we have our challenging times, Isaac is such a sweet and loving little boy. I'm so proud of him and so thankful for all the joy he brings to our family. We love him to pieces!

Two and a half

I'm so upset with myself for letting so much time go by without updating Isaac's blog. So much has been going on since the little bugger turned 2, and I have really struggled with wanting to go back and catch up on it all...but I am just so overwhelmed...I think I have to let well enough be and try to pick up on some highlights and go from there.

So, Isaac turned 2 in June 2009 and shortly after (late July) he found out he was going to be a big brother!! Obviously having NO clue at the time what that would mean for him, we have been working hard to build his excitement and hopefully acceptance of the idea. :) Now, almost 8 months later we still can't be sure he really knows what is going on, but he seems to be excited and okay with it all. He was a little hesitant at first to graduate into bigger and better things leaving his "baby" things for his baby brother. For example, when we moved him into his new bedroom with his new big boy bed, he seemed fine at first...until he realized his previous bedroom and crib were going to be used by baby brother. It's hard to know exactly how to help them process and accept these things...but with a little encouragement, he now refers to his former room as baby brother's room and seems perfectly fine with him sleeping in the crib. :) We encourage him to be helpful by letting baby brother use "his" things that are too little for him now, and telling him he will have to help baby brother learn lots and lots of things. He seems to like the idea. :)

I'm sure we are in for quite an adjustment. Isaac has developed into somewhat of a strong willed child. I find that when we go through a new "phase" with him, I can just get trapped into thinking it is just the worst! Then I get to the next phase and I think...that wasn't all that bad...THIS has to be the worst. I'm sure a lot of it is normal, but I often struggle with how to shape his behavior without expecting too much or crushing his spirit. I have to say though...now that he is almost 3...I think I need to step this up a notch.

I have to ask him to do things several times and often when I do say something (really anything at all) he just retorts with an argumentative statement. It doesn't matter what I say...he will say the opposite. I have to remind myself that he may not completely understand what he is doing...but at the same time...if I don't help him understand...he will come to think that this behavior is okay...and it is NOT okay. I am at my wits end with this child sometimes! If I "threaten" him, which I try not to do unless I'm perfectly willing to follow through on it...he just looks at me as if to say "go ahead" and on occasion he even says something to the effect. He will often get a spanking because I have said "do you need a spanking?" in hopes to get him to obey without the actual spanking and he has said "yes". Ugh! I have found this to be one of the most difficult stages of parenting. Being consistent but loving. Shaping behavior but not breaking his spirit. Being his parent but also having fun. It's a tricky balance.

So, of course this would be a good time to start potty training...right? Why on earth I thought this was a good idea, I will never know. Not only is he in the throws of the terrible and testing twos...but I am in the last trimester of pregnancy! What is difficult about it is that he started out really well, and then decided he didn't "want" to do it. So I have 2 things going on in my brain...I feel like I can't go back now...we started and he was doing so well...if I quit...what will that do? And also...I haven't really mentioned this yet...but he is his mother's child...did I say strong willed?? Don't even tell me you don't "want" to do this...cuz I will not quit!! You WILL do it. Of course I know that is not really the right approach to this...but I'm just torn. Again, with shaping his behavior and even his confidence...he CAN do it...he HAS done it...but also choosing my battles at this point. Sigh.

Okay, I can't leave things on a bad note...Isaac is incredible. He is happy and energetic and so much fun. One reason I am excited to be done with pregnancy (among many) is to just get back to having fun with him. I feel like such a let down to him right now cuz I just can't bring myself to do much of anything being so uncomfortable and tired all the time. I love when Mike gets home and starts to play with him. They have SO much fun together and it really is such a joy to watch. He is also just so smart. He knows and recognizes the entire alphabet, both upper and lower case. He counts to 20 forwards and backwards and has even started recognizing some words. The other day he took letters from his alphabet puzzle and spelled his name! The puzzle only has one of each letter so it came out ISAC. I was still very amazed none the less, but he took it one step further by asking me where the other A was?! He knew his name needed 2. :)

He doesn't really read (I don't think)...but this kid has some memory!! There are several books that he could probably recite back to us almost completely. He loves music and knows so many songs that he loves to sing. He knows jingles and tag lines for many things in mainstream media such as "save money, live better, walmart". He recites this any time he sees the yellow walmart logo. In the past six months he is putting thoughts together...actually having conversations...its so amazing to watch that develop in your child...from simple words to phrases to actual complete thoughts! He's just so interactive and verbal now...and in seemingly such a short period of time. He's funny too...the things that this kid says...I really need to start writing them down so I can recall them.

I'm excited for this next year and what lies ahead with him. Hopefully I can do better keeping it all updated on here as well!! Until next time...

TWO

Somewhere in the last few months I've completely lost track of time...I have a TWO year old! Isaac turned 2 on June 19th and he has been living up to the task ever since. I'm sure things could be much worse...I know I have heard many horror stories about the terrible two's. It is just a real challenge when you see your sweet little baby starting to become somewhat of a monster! The most maddening thing that he does (and has been doing for a while now) is he will ask for something (quite insistantly) and then when I give it to him, have a complete break down about it...like he never asked for it and how dare I give it to him! So I take it back...and he has another breakdown...like that was his and how dare I take it away from him!

For example...a conversation we have quite often...
Isaac: "milk mommy!! milk, milk, milk".
Me: "How do you ask mommy, Isaac?"
Isaac: "Milk please, mommy?"
Me: "Okay, would you like some milk?" (double checking because I am anticipating the breakdown that will happen when I actually give him the milk).
Isaac: "Okay, mommy..."
Me: "Here's your milk Isaac."
Isaac: "NO!!! NO MILK!!!" (While sometimes crying and often throwing himself to the floor)
Me: "Okay, I will put it away for later" (then taking the milk that he obviously didn't want)
Isaac: "MILK!!! MILK mommy!!! (again falling to the floor, even more dramatically...often accompanied by kicking and screaming).

This could go on for several minutes...I am sure it is really just a lack of being able to communicate exactly what he wants...but it is maddening none the less. Another difficult development is his newly found sense of selective hearing. He used to be pretty good about listening to what I would say, but now it is as if I am not even talking sometimes!! He has discovered that he does indeed have a choice in these matters...and he often chooses to exercise his own will. Current struggles also include hitting, not sharing, and just plain whining and crying for no reason.

So we have been trying the "time out" method for the past few months... I would say it is working okay...I probably still have some things to learn myself about using time outs to their maximum benefit, but at the very least it does redirect him during a tantrum and gives us a chance to "try again".

On to some good things...Isaac is such a smart little guy. He is talking so well and starting to speak in sentances and complete thoughts. He has the most amazing memory...this kid remembers so much of what he sees and hears. He is learning all kinds of songs and he loves to sing. He knows almost every song on the latest Tenth Avenue North album "Over and Underneath". There are a few of his books that he can "read" himself (not because he is actually reading the words...but he remembers what we have read to him). He is starting to be more creative, using his blocks to "build things" and showing some imagination in how he uses his toys. When he is sweet...he is SO sweet. He will often tell us how beautiful something is, or say that something is so sweet, and he is really good about saying "i love you". When we pray together at night, Mike or I will start and begin by thanking Jesus for all of our blessings...and he will immediately begin listing all the things he is thankful for...often things that he really experienced during that day...at this point we think it could be more of a stalling tactic so he doesn't have to go to bed (evident when he started thanking Jesus for the door, and the carpet etc...) None the less, it is still really sweet to hear him thank Jesus for just about EVERYTHING!

Despite the challenges, it is really exciting to see the beginnings of the person Isaac is going to become. I pray every day that above all, he will have a deep love for Jesus and for other people. I pray that we will be good examples of this, and raise him the way God has intended for him. We just love him to pieces!!

Some stats

I just realized that I forgot to post the details from Isaac's last appointment (18mo) on here! Which was now 3 months ago....oh well...here it is anyway.

Isaac weighed 27 pounds (50th percentile), was 34 inches (75th percentile), and his head was 19.5 inches (75th percentile). The doctor was pleased with his overall health and development.

She asked me how many words he knew...this seems impossible to put a number on. He is talking up a storm!! He repeats everything we say now, it just seems like over the last few months (19 - 22 months) he has expanded his vocabulary exponentially!

He says "excuse you daddy (or mommy or Isaac)" and "bless you mommy (or daddy or Isaac)". He says "please" and "thank you" (with a little prompting) and "you're welcome". He says "see you later", "love you", "here we go" and "okay" (which usually follows his asking for something he really wants...regardless if we have actually said okay or not). He says so much more, but these are just some of the ones I can remember right now.

The other day Mike went upstairs to get ready to go somewhere and Isaac ran to the bottom of the stairs and said..."come back daddy". I had no clue he knew how to say that or even what it meant. He surprises us with something new every day!

Blessings

Isaac just started saying his own name differently. He used to say "sa-sai" and now he's started saying "i - eh". Haha...it's so cute (although I kinda miss "sa -sai").

We found one of Mike's old phones that he lost a while ago. We charged it up and gave it to Isaac because he is obsessed with phones. He loves it!!

He knows all his letters now. He doesn't go through his ABC's in order yet...but he can identify all the letters. He will randomly sing part of the song in order...but has yet to do it from A to Z.

He now counts from 1 - 20! He can do 1 - 12 all on his own, and he will randomly do 15 - 20 but he usually needs a little prompting to get him all the way through. He can also count from 10 - 1 backwards. What a little smarty pants.

After my recent miscarriage I have been thinking a lot about what a blessing Isaac is. I always knew he was, but it is easy to take it for granted sometimes. I had all but forgotten the many struggles we went through trying to conceive a child. Before we had conceived him, I had come to terms with the fact that we may not ever have children of our own. I really was at peace with that...I had decided that God may not give us children of our own, but that He would take care of us and we would be okay if that were the case. But he did choose to give us a child, and I am just so thankful for him. But God would've been the same God...just as good...if He had chosen not to.

It is a little difficult being taken back to those thoughts and feelings again. I have to admit that after we were blessed with Isaac, I guess I thought that battle was over...I got this false sense that we would no longer have any problems having children. Getting pregnant so quickly kinda confirmed that in my mind...but now I'm remembering back...the difficult time we had...could be ahead of us again...and i am determined not to be consumed like I was before...to make sure that my faith in Him grows even stronger than it did the last time. I know He is in control and will do what is best for us...not because He chose to give us a child the first time around...but simply because He is God. I'm really trying not to let my worries and fears sneak up on me...I just keep giving them right back to Him and reminding myself of who He is and His promises. To give us life to the full. To do what is best for us. To fight our battles and be victorious. To give us joy, and peace that passes all understanding.

19 Months

Isaac is up to so many new things...it is hard to keep up with them all. He is repeating so many more words and actual phrases. We will say something to him that we've probably said a billion times before, but all of the sudden it comes back out of his mouth! It is so cute. Today I told him after lunch "you are such a mess"...and I hear "su a mes". haha.

He is identifying a lot more things as well. He asks for many of his books by name now...He actually knows enough about what is going on in the book to ask for it! He asks for moon (good night moon), gowiwa (good night gorilla) and Jesus Loves Me (I can't even write how he says that one...but it is SO cute!!). I'm not sure why this amazes me...I guess every little new thing is amazing. :)

I was a little late scheduling his 18 month appointment, so we have to wait until Feb 10th for any statistics (weight, height etc...). He is doing so well though. I just can't get enough of him. :)

18 months

My boy is 18 months now! So hard to believe. He is talking better everyday...he knows and says all the names of the characters on Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and My Friends Tigger and Pooh. He knows his numbers and counts pretty well on his own. He's just started identifying and saying some of his letters. We will be driving down the road and he will see a letter on a sign or something and say "B". It's really cute.

He's started napping better again, still not as good as he was before, but I'll take it! He has started wanting to do things on his own...including (but not limited to) feeding himself. He pretty much refuses to eat any food that I am feeding him...doesn't matter if he loves it or not. He has to do it. I have been trying to give him foods that he is most successful with...ideally finger foods, but he is really wanting to us his fork and spoon (which he has definitely not mastered yet)...so I have to give in sometimes. Foods like applesauce, yogurt, cereal etc...he ends up wearing more than he's eaten...but oh well...he will get it soon enough.

He loves for us to read to him, and he just got a magnadoodle for Christmas that he draws at for hours! He loves to color and play with his alphabet toy. I would be lying if I said he didn't love to watch TV...what kid doesn't...we try to limit his TV time, but he loves Mickey & Tigger! He also likes Handy Manny, Veggie Tales and Little Einstiens. He really likes the praise baby videos too. He doesn't sing too much yet, but he absolutlely loves music.

I will be scheduling his 18 month check up soon...I think he weighs about 26 pounds...but I'll know for sure after his appointment. He has cut about 6 more teeth, so he has a total of 11. 3 top middle, 4 bottom middle, and all 4 molars. He's still really good natured...I mean he has his moments like they all do...but over all he's really a good boy and we just adore him!