Stories. Frustrations. Questions.

Almost every night, when Doug and I crawl into bed too late (we always have intentions of going to bed at a decent hour but the couch always feels to comfy when we finally sit down), we find ourselves retelling stories, laughing at the silly things Auggie did and remembering the smile on Em as she twirled around the kitchen to her "Disney Printhess Songs." With the sweet stories of the moment also comes a few rants of frustration and the questioning of this parenting moment and that one. I love these talks. They make me pause and remember and I am one lucky gal to have such a great partner in this whole parenting thing. Shout out, Douglas.

But tonight I feel like sharing some of our latest stories, frustration and questions with you.

Story: One word...FALL. Fall evenings are about my favorite (minus them getting shorter and shorter). We are lucky enough to have an awesome trail running by our house and have finally gotten some use out of it. Auggie is happiest outside so it makes for a non-whiny evening and tired babies. Winning. I just imagine bike rides and explorations when they get older but for now they ride some and walk some. Em swore we saw a bear the other night and Auggie attempted to pick up every leaf and nut he saw. He may or may not have tasted many of these....you will never know. 

Frustration: Because we want to get outside to beat the sunset, we hurry up and cook supper, hurry up and eat and hurry out the door. Only to walk back into a disaster zone. Can I pah-lease have someone sneak into my house, pick up the supper mess (and can you sweep too?) and sneak back out. 

That is all I want. I daydream about this happening......

Story: So every Tuesday and Thursday Em has school (more school stories to come.) I love nothing more than a comparison picture so I am taking her picture every school day by the back door. Doug and I get the kids ready, Emery puts her backpack on and stands by the door and I take her picture. Totally routine by now.....and Auggie has caught on. He now RUNS to the back door, gets as close to it as possible, sticks his cute little chin out and grins with all of his might. It has Doug and I in tears most mornings....just look at that smile ha! I could do an entire post with just these pictures. Emery smiling so sweetly with just the slightest wrinkly nose and Auggie giving it all he's got. If that doesn't describe their personalities, I do not know what does.

Story: Another little Auggie one. He watches big sister's every single move. What she has--he must have, what she says--he must try to say, what she does--he must do. It is the cutest thing and the most tiring thing. No Auggie, you cannot just sit at the bar in a regular chair and play with playdoh. You will jump off of the chair after you have eaten a handful of playdoh. Actually, while I am thinking about it, most things I will not allow you to do involve you jumping off or eating something you are not suppose to. The moments I do love are when he thinks he is being just like her. Emery can put her cups in the fridge so this week I keep finding his cup "in the fridge"....and boy is he proud of himself when he does this. Makes me smile.

Questioning: Doug and I are questioning ourselves on how to raise two babies that are completely different. We want the outcome to be the same: kind, respectful kiddos that go on to live great lives and do great things. But we are quickly learning that what works for one doesn't work at all for the other. We have always been fairly strict and by the book with Emery. She also has always been really easy (until this whole threenager thing....). I don't know if it is because he is a boy or because he is the second or because I actually have no idea what I am doing, but Auggie Boy is a new ballgame. I know of a few things right of the bat that we are doing wrong. We tell Emery to give Auggie the toy because "he is the baby". He gets a treat because he throws a fit when it is really just Em that deserves it. I am bad about just giving in when it comes to him. Sure...you want a sucker too? Will you stop stomping your feet and whining? And to that he just smiles..... 

I decided this past week I was going to try harder at recognizing and praising good choices and behaviors and not give into the the meltdowns. Emery had had a really great week through all of that so I told her she could help me pick out a snack at the end of the week. I couldn't quite say the same for Aug so he was not going to get a treat. At the store I was explaining to Em why she was getting a treat and she asked me what Auggie was going to get. Nothing....only you. Her response: Mommy, I could just pick out two suckers.....then Auggie could have one too! Oh, Em. You are a sweetie and Auggie is very lucky to have you. (But wasn't it just last week that you were done being his sister ha!?!)

Frustration: Bedtime. Ugh. Auggie is the easy one right now which was almost too crazy to type. He is so tired by the end of the day that a few minutes of rocking has him OUT. He wakes up in the middle of the night here and there (usually when sick) but other than that, no problem. Emery Kayt has always been a rock star sleeper. When she was Auggie's age she would tell us she was ready for bed ha! Here lately bedtime is a fight. She can be soooo happy all evening but the minute she hears it is bedtime the waterworks start and do not stop. By the time she stops crying and can tell us why she is crying the answer is always "I don't know." At the end of long days this can be so frustrating. Doug and I both admit to being short-fused when it comes to these moments. Some nights we practically stand on our heads to get her mind off of being upset. We threaten to take away a toy or a show and she could care less. She is three and in the moment and that is something we are trying to remember. So we are trying to be pro-active. Step one is an earlier bedtime. For a three year old little girl, she has some big days with school, dance, Miss Sharon's. We are hoping an early bedtime and more sleep will make for a happier night. Doug and Em are also going to finish their nights with more alone time--more books, puzzles or games instead of just watching a show or bit of a movie. Our girl loves a Disney movie (as do I) but turning it off immediately starts a fight. Instead we can save movies for weekends or a family movie night. Wish us luck!

Story: Emery is loving school more and more. She names more than one boy now when she lists her friends and is amazing us with everything she is learning. She randomly whipped out the whole Pledge of Allegiance the other day--I need to get it on tape. We catch her saying the cutest little saying: 'The day is owvahhh, goodbye my friends. May God be with you until we meet again." Just imagine 16 sweet voices saying this to each other. Last night we were listening to Disney songs (we do this every night, all night) and Doug and I caught her moving her hand in a very distinct way. She was clearly trying to do sign language. We asked her what she was doing and her response was priceless. "Uhhhh....I think it is called signs or somethin'????" As she shrugged her shoulders. So yeah....my three year old apparently knows sign language. Today she made a necklace representing the Bible story of Jesus feeding the multitudes with just fives loaves of bread and two fish. Doug picks her up from school so he always gets the best scoop. He said she told him the whole story pretty spot on until she added that Jesus gave everybody noodles too. Ha! I think the whole point of the noodles on the necklace was to represent the bread....Em kinda missed that point. But to that I just told her that Jesus would have totally given everyone noodles if he had had some. And honestly...a carb is a carb, right?

October is a big month for her. The girls gets to be a snack bringer and has her first field trip (guess who gets to go along....this overly excited Momma!). The end of the month brings her first class party too. Wooo hoo!

Auggie has spent this week eating me out of house and home, mimicking more and more words and making us laugh. He has added Grandpa "Bapaa" to his word list which also sounds like bottle and crock pot (yes, I said crock pot.) He is finally getting into books aka likes to bring me a book, plop down on my lap, listen to one page and then throw that book down and race to get another. He can often be found with his hand in the toilet, a ball bat in his hand and playdoh in his mouth. He is up to seven teeth, his hair is finally growing after the homemade haircut and I keep falling for him more and more.

Emery has spent her week dancing in the kitchen, begging to help cook and struggling with wanting to play by herself and wanting to play with Auggie. Her hair is long enough to rock a side-pony now and she shocked us all by volunteering to eat sweet potatoes at supper. She is learning to be polite at school and catches Doug and I if we do not say thank you. Her little brain has to be tired with everything that is going on in her little life. I think she gets more beautiful and big everyday ( in pictures like this one) but then I catch her asleep on the floor and she looks like my little baby. I love the little lady she is.

Hope you enjoyed our stories and maybe have some advice for the frustrations and questions.

Hope the rest of the week is a great one!