Summer Fun

I tried to be better about writing more frequent, shorter blogs, but there are a bunch of little things that I want to record. I consider this a "filling in the gaps" post.

• Aubree took swimming lessons every weekday for two weeks. She's nowhere near being an independent swimmer, but she enjoyed learning to bob her head underwater, float on her back, and doggy-paddle. I'd planned on enrolling Bryce and I in the water-babies class just so we'd have something to do during Aubree's class (Bryce doesn't believe in sitting still), but they didn't offer that option this session. Though he did try to throw his shoes in the pool, thankfully Bryce never tried to throw himself in the pool.

• Some kids love airplanes. Others can't get enough of Sponge Bob. Bryce? He's obsessed with the vacuum cleaner. He goes into the laundry room a trillion times a day to pull out the vacuum and express his desire for us to use it. When Mark gets home from work, that's the first place Bryce pulls him. They always find something to vacuum (too bad the only carpet in the whole house is the rug in Aubree's room!). To be honest, I don't think Mark minds! When the vacuum's on, Bryce doesn't like to get too close; he just stares in fascination. He does, however, like to turn it off.
• Since at least February (possibly before) Aubree refers to our house as "our hotel." For example, when we pull into the driveway she'll proclaim, "there's our hotel!" She knows very well the difference between a house and a hotel, she just thinks she's clever. *shrug*
  
• Perhaps because she's living in a hotel, Aubree packs her "suitcase" every day. I'm constantly finding her purses, boxes, or any other possible carrying case filled with underwear, socks, shirts, tissues, hair ties, etc. She and Bryce love to play under the computer desk and she stores her suitcases on the shelves there.
  
• We got the kids a little blow-up pool and we've spent a few lazy afternoons lounging in the backyard enjoying the cool water. Aubree flitted in and out, but Bryce played contentedly. I think he especially liked that Mark was with him. He's turned into a HUGE daddy's boy.
• Bryce had his 15-month well-baby visit. In my opinion, it was a huge waste of time - he didn't get any shots, I didn't have any questions, and the nurse-practitioner didn't have anything interesting to tell me. On the positive side, it is always nice to see how he's growing. He weighs 22 lbs. 10 oz (25th percentile) and is 31 3/4" long (75th percentile). It's crazy to me that he's only in the 25th percentile for weight because he has such a cute, round belly and he seems so much bigger and heavier than Aubree at the same age. Plus, he eats constantly! But, since he started walking on his birthday he's hardly stopped moving so it doesn't surprise me too much that he's fallen slightly in the weight percentiles.
  
• Last week was a huge milestone - Bryce let me read him a whole book! Granted, it was "Mice Squeak, We Speak," which is super short, but he sat still, looked at the pages, and didn't push it away or writhe out of my lap - definite progress! I've talked to lots of friends who say their little boys didn't like to be read to until they were 18 months to 2 years old, so that gives me hope.
  
• Though he won't let me read to him much, Bryce LOVES Aubree's books. He shows a special fondness for paperback library books. He always takes them to "his corner" of the living room and flips through them. I have to watch carefully, though, because his "love" for them often progresses to eating them or trying to rip out pages.
  
• As it not atypical of little girls, Aubree has a penchant for dramatics. Often, small frustrations send her into complete meltdowns. For a few months now, I've been repeating what I've come to consider our mantra, "Stay calm, solve the problem, or ask for help." I really need to record myself saying it and carry around a tape player so I can just hit "play" at needed moments. Gratefully, the mantra works and I'm starting to see improvement.
  
• For the 4th of July, our ward had a pancake breakfast followed by a children's bike parade. Aubree and her friends had a great time showing off for their spectators. When I told Aubree about the bike parade, she was thrilled and immediately started telling me how she was going to throw out candy to all the parents. Because, after all, that's why we have parades, right?
  

Aubree, Ella & Cheyenne at the bike parade (Aubree made the hat at the library)

• The more Bryce grows and learns, the more he cracks me up. He's learning new words and signs every day and is using them with increased frequency. He's most certainly mastered the words "Nooooo" and "Gooooo" (which is probably a pretty good summary of his life right now). He also likes to practice jumping and spinning. He's proving he's plenty clever. Lately, when I call him to come to me he'll obey, but stop about 5 feet out and put down whatever he was playing with, before finishing his trek. I think he's afraid I'll take away what he has, which probably happens quite frequently since he prefers to play with anything prohibited.