Letters to my Children - 3.5 years/15 months

Hi there. I’m participating for the first time in a circle-link-up (writing letters to our children). I’m not even sure if that’s the right word, but that’s the idea. A friend posted her letter and I commented what a good idea it was, so now I’m in the group. Let the fun begin.



January 20, 2015

Dear Mateo & Liora, I’m writing as Liora is sleeping and Mateo’s on his “Ipad” (Kindle Fire to be exact). I secretly gave him 45 minutes instead of his usual 30 minutes/day. This is how it seems to be the only way I can get something done. You kids are pretty jealous of mommy’s attention. If I’m looking at the computer with you around, you both come, yes, even the 15 month Liora, and start pushing buttons or shutting the lid. Also if mommy sits down and one comes to cuddle, the other one doesn’t want to be left out and then we have lots of squawking.

Mateo is 3.5 years old. We celebrated your half birthday at school. You were so proud of your crown and lion face paint. Friday was Carnaval and you dressed up like a fireman. Again, you were so proud. You can be quite the poser when you want to be. You have a great smile and I’m pretty sure you would make a great model. That part when you want to be seems to be pretty typical for you. You daddy and I are always impressed with what you have learned at school or picked up from us or your cousins. It is also frustrating when we see you one day putting your shoes and jacket on all alone and then the next and the next day throwing a fit for help.

Papa said a few days ago how much you both have grown in the last month. It’s true! In all aspects! Mateo is 107 cm / 17.5 kg and Liora is 78 cm / 9.8 kg. I had to go through all of Mateo’s clothes to take out most of the 4 year clothes and put in the 5 and even some SIX year clothes! Liora finally has enough hair for a ponytail and she can stand alone. I think by the next letter she’ll be walking.

Last Monday Mateo learned to ride a 2-wheeler. EVERYONE was impressed! You are quite the sporty fellow. Mommy received a new bike for Valentine’s Day, so I’m hoping in the next month or so we can bike to school. That will be fun. What else is new for you? You can zip your jacket (if you want), you are pretty good at getting your clothes on and off, plus taking yourself to the potty at night or early morning. You have a good memory of where things go or where you left the (again, if you want ;P). You are really into board games right now. You can beat us both at Memory.

We had a parent-teacher conference right before mid-winter break. Both your teachers said you are doing well. They said you language skills have greatly improved. We also have seen that at home. You are finally talking! (Is that a good thing?) We always knew you understood everything, but you had to sort out the 2 languages in your head. You speak mainly Dutch, even to Mama, but I’m trying to consciously have you repeat words or phrases in English, especially since our tickets are booked to go to America!

Now some words about your sister, since it seems that most of the attention goes to YOU right now. What is nice to see right now is your relationship with your sister. Even though you often are mean to her and sometimes hurt her, you are always paying attention to her and talking to her. Finally you are trying to be nice to her. You will bring her toys, rub her head or explain something to her. You love going into her room when she wakes up and she is equally excited to see you. I’m convinced you taught her to be wild. You guys can be crazy, rolling on the ground together. It’s fun to see that you two can play together with the same toys like Duplos or Little People.

Liora. What to say? I’ll start with saying it’s nice to say that this month is going well with you! A month or so ago I felt frustrated, because you just seemed to whine and crawl behind me, wanting to be picked up, but not even really held. Now, you will climb in Mateo’s chair for an hour. Up, down, over, around, up, down, STAND, sit…you are a wiggle worm indeed! But it’s nice to see you getting interested in toys. You will push around the Little People bus or look in books.

I find you a petit thing, but it may just be because I compare you to the size your brother was. I was saying that I don’t mind if you hold off walking, but now I think it’s time. My arms and back are sometimes sore. I still love dressing you! It was my life’s dream to have a daughter I could dress. Just waiting for the hair to grow, so I can try out some hairstyles. You language skills have also developed in the past few weeks! You started copying us. Mainly sounds. Super cute! Your first word was Papa, then Mama. Now you have some sound that sounds like Teo. Last week you said Baby. You adore your baby cousin, Mika. You also make a sound for All Done, Pee-Pee and Poo. We can also tell that you understand us. If I say, “Go ni-night,” You put your thumb in your mouth and lay down. Sometimes if I name a part of your body you respond by touching it. Anytime we say kissie, kiss, zoentje you give us kisses or will blow them. Super cute.

You still take 2 naps per day and sleep 12 hours at night. Go you! I think all your teeth are through. Someone just told me the more teeth a baby has, the later they walk. Interesting, huh? We are dealing with what we think is milk allergy. I actually need to make an appointment as soon as I am done writing for a recommended child stomach/intestine dietician. I feel like I need some professional advice. Enough writing for one day.


I had to extend the Kindle time and it’s lunch time. Until next month!

February 18, 2015

Today

Her First Birthday Party

I always say the first birthday party is for the parents and pictures...the baby has no idea what is going on for them!  Liora must have known what was happening, because she was taking her second nap already when the first guests arrived. She was a perfect little angel during her party and took a 3rd nap towards the end of the day.

The party was supposedly a Sofie the First party, but I think it ended up only being on the invitation. The rest was princessy. 

Even though hubby probably disagrees and thinks I made it more complicated than necessary, I tried to keep the day reaaaaallly simple.  However, I did want to make a birthday cake.  I had great plans and thought I was very prepared.  But, of course, there were complications and I felt that the whole morning was stressful trying to prepare.

It started off when I didn't have enough sugar last night. Thankfully my SIL lives in the same street. Yay. Cakes were baked. I started the icing and could not find any of my food colorings besides yellow. I needed to make purple! I borrowed that also, but couldn't get purple.  First thing this morning I drove to the store to get more food coloring.  My icing was a light gray and an ugly brownish purple. Mauve? After quickly googling, I found out that mixing red and blue does not necessarily create purple icing like one would thing. Yes, it makes gray...

At this point of the day I gave up. There was no time (or energy and ingredients) to start all over.  I iced with what I have and stopped to clean up.  I figure I may use my same ideas next year. If I don't show anyone what I was aiming to create (and they don't look at my Pinterest board), it is ok. I am pleased, however, to say that the cake and icing was yummy!

It was a nice afternoon. I'm glad for the ones who could make it.  I think everyone had a good time and that is what is important to me. 10 of the 12 played outside most of the afternoon.

Video of the pinata. I bought them in Spain. I'm not sure if that's how they do it there, but it was cheap fun. Another one.

Month Updates

Liora also started standing up in her bed last week. She actually seems like a different baby than when we left to Spain! Since she picked up the crawling thing there, the whole house is a new discovery. She takes things off the pantry shelves, goes through the doors, pulls stuff off the table and she even managed to climb onto the first stair.  We now have installed the gate upstairs by the stairs.  She also started pulling herself up. So she'll stand against the coffee table to take things off, or stand against the window to look outside.

Yesterday was her first day to have only 2 feedings. She drank 90 ml of hypoallergenic formula.

TBT

One year ago...I was 36 weeks pregnant! How the year flies! I can't believe my little baby girl is almost one! It is scary. I feel that once she turns one, she is no longer a baby.

What is nice about THIS year is that we are in Spain. Much better weather, even though last year was not cold.

40 Weeks (+/- 9 Months) PLUS room update

With the move, I did not get around to doing my typical month update.  L is now 9 months.  Actually, today she is 9 months and 1 week, so we are nearly to the 'longer out, than in' day.  She is awake now with a fever, so it is a short update. Enjoy the photo of my little lovey. 

Liora 8 Months

I guess I forgot to post them last month...9 month post coming up tomorrow :P

 

Someone is THREE!

You've already seen photos of the cake, now to hear about the birthday boy.  We are transitioning from the terrible twos to the terrific threes *fingers crossed*

He's 101 cm / 3 ft 4 in and 16.3 kg / 36 lbs and wears a size 26 / 9 shoe. At the end of the school year he was the tallest in his class and had the biggest feet.

Eating
He's still a decent eater, although he is easily distracted and will often say he's done just so he can play, but then we run into problems when he is in bed. He then realizes that he is hungry. I am so glad he likes fruit!  The YES veggies are corn, green beans, beets occassionally, sweet potatoes, raw bell pepper, cauliflower and broccoli. The NO ones are mushrooms, zucchini and tomatoes, along with kidney beans and onions.  Carrots are inbetween.  He loves his 'boterhammen' (untoasted toast). He would be happy to eat that every day, although it is always an issue with the crusts. His favorite spread is chocolate (kind of like his mommy in that area).  He is allowed a cup of chocolate milk every morning.  He doesn't seem to really like milk, so I don't force it, since I am also not a milk drinker, but, again, like me, he loves yogurt, so I figure he gets calcium that way.  Overall I am happy with his eating. Only sometimes not with the fights we have to make him try a bite.  I asked him when we went grocery shopping what we should get. He answered, "Apples, bananas...and chocolate."

Sleeping
Part of the reason this post is delayed is because around his birthday we were having sleeping issues. I am going to say they are done now. The last 2 weeks he has been taking naps again! And since we moved there have almost no fights (beside last night) to get him to stay in his bed and sleep. He doesn't wake up at night and normally is awake at 7:45. He goes down anywhere between 7:00 and 10:00 (depending on if he napped, if we are out and if he is behaving).

Potty Training
I think the worst is over! Since his birthday. Literally on the day itself, he started going #2 on the potty and going ALONE and SAYING that he needed to go ON TIME! It makes for one super happy mommy here.  Not sure what happened today, because we had two poopy accidents, but for the last 3 weeks there have been maybe 1 or 2 accidents and I have been very brave and not put on any diapers when we were out and about, at church, visiting friends or when he was away 4 days (I sent the potty with him). I'm so proud of him! He totally gets it now. So my great advice (now that I can give it) is to NOT force it.  We are working on nap time and I'm not worried about nights. Sometimes he's dry other mornings not.

Talking
Every day I say I need to write down what he says. He is really talking now. In general is he a quieter fellow. He likes to observe. I don't mind if he is a quieter kid. His teacher also said that at the end of the school year. I asked how it was with the 2 languages and she said she didn't notice any problem. She mentioned that he doesn't talk a lot, but he definately talks when he needs something.

I think it is so cute right now the words and phrases he is saying. He is also starting to use his imagination, so I hear him talking to his animals or cars. Often it's about Mama, Papa, Oria (Liora) or Hanne and Lise. 

I noticed he often says a P for K. Petchup. Pamer. Poffee.  I'm sure I've said it before, he understands both languages perfectly, but he speaks 95% Dutch.  Hopefully speaking English will come...Yesterday I did notice he said 'cars' to my mom instead of 'autos.' I'm not sure if it was on purpose, coincidence or because he's now seen Cars 1001 times.  He is into talking on Skype now. It is pretty cute. Yesterday he was saying whole sentences to my mom, but some I couldn't even understand.

He is starting to grasp concepts, which makes him really seem more grown up. For example,  his daddy was putting on his pjs and they were too big, so we put other ones and he said, "It's better, yeah?" I was so surprised to hear him figure that out. He now always is saying what he likes or doesn't. "Ik vind het niet leuk" of "Het is leuk, huh?"  He also gets if I go "grrr" that something is wrong and he says, "Wat is, Mama?"

And the questions have begun...right at a handy time with us doing some projects in the house. "Wat doe jij?" "Wat is dat?" " Repeat 10x..."What are you doing?" "What's that?"  And then he likes to know where everyone is. Where's Liora? Where's Daddy?  I am waiting fohttp://www.webmd.com/parenting/guide/3-to-4-year-old-milestonesr "Why?"

Motorically
Advanced gross motor skills  :)  He is a pro on his balance bike, can pedal on some things, climbing stairs and slides is NOT a problem. I always laugh when I read that he should be able to throw and kick a ball. He mastered that before he could walk... At the indoor playgrounds he is always on the 6+ toys right along with his cousins.  The fine motor skills I haven't noticed as much. He can turn the pages in a book no problem, but I never let him play with scissors, so I'm not sure how he is at that. He enjoys drawing and is just now starting to say what he is drawing.

Personality
Mateo is a happy fellow. Smiling even when he shouldn't be.  He is a super social kid. LOVES to be around people.  He really enjoys school and is kind of bored when he is home with just mommy and his sister.  I am sometimes surprised at how good he does in new social situations. Last month we were in Germany and he went to Sunday school with his little friend. I asked him if he wanted to go and he said no, but I took him anyways and stepped out when they were praying. Apparently he was a perfect angel. I would have been scared as a little kid to do that.  Yesterday he started a sport camp for 2 weeks and it was the same story.

Three things that are important for me for him are that he is Respectful, Responsible, & Independent. The latter 2 are coming along ok. The last one maybe a little too well...  To me we have a lot of work in the RESPECT corner. Respecting his parents, sister, toys, rules...the good news in this area is that apparently he behaves when he is with other people (when his parents, and especially his mother, are away). 

We have an extremely stubborn little fellow on our hands. I've already read Dr. Dobson's Raising a Strong-willed Child and I think I need to reread it.  His strong will and jealousy issues make for many daily conflicts. Hopefully by next year we will be conflict free. Hahahaha