the kids have been really complimentary over the past few weeks. "mom, you are the best cook ever!", "mom, you are the best!", "mom, i agree with what mason said, you are the best book. i love the food you make." i knew something was up when madelyn started praising my cooking regularly because she is normally my complainer (without even tasting, she usually likes it once she actually tries some). even matt was noticing that something had changed. and then it hit me - santa. we got rid of santa! now matt and i are the ones who hold the fate of christmas morning. there is no 'plan b'. we so should have done this a very long time ago! i don't think the kids really think of it that way (we have actually been working on gratitude and being polite when you don't like something), but on some level there must be a connection because of the timing. either way, i am loving all the praise right now!
mason and i have very lengthy conversations and the logic of his thoughts amaze me. during one of these conversations we were discussing his next birthday (the kids are very into the sequence of their birthdays right now - they select gifts for each year through about 12, discuss what they can do at each age - mason has it set that he can go fishing at 7, how tall they will be, etc.). as a passing thought i mentioned that he could play soccer or another sport when he is 4. and then he commented that "when i play soccer, i am going to catch that girl with the purple pants and get the ball from her!" do you remember that girl? the one i call the "tasmanian devil" that madelyn stole the ball from one time. well, mason does and he, apparently, has plans for her. i was shocked that he thought of that so quickly and that he even remembered her! this is just one example of mason's mind. he really is a bright kid.
mason can also recognize fairly large numbers - 45, 126, etc. i guess i am always surprised by what he knows because i have had the least time to sit and work with him on anything and i don't think he has done large numbers at school yet. i actually think most of his information comes from working with madelyn (or with madelyn 'teaching' him what she knows). he is also pretty good with adding and subtracting. he tells me all kinds of stories where things are coming and going and he keeps all the amounts correct. here is a basic example, "there are two girls and four boys in our family. before maddux and manning, there were two girls and only two boys."
maddux knows lots and lots of words. he just has to be in the mood to tell you! his favorite phrase is still "i don't know", but he does know - don't be fooled.
matt and i have always had a 'game' of sorts where one of us says, "you know what?" and the other one says, "what?" then the first person says, "i love you." it is like a personal inside joke we have had most of our relationship. we do it with the kids now too and maddux is the first one to not fall for it! we say it at random times and sometimes don't answer "i love you" just to keep each others on their toes (the kids do this too). but maddux has been the first to say "i love you!" instead of "what?" when we ask.
manning is making progress too. he is getting pretty good at sitting up with assistance and is even starting to catch himself when he falls forward. he can straighten his arms when on his belly and is almost getting into a crawling position occasionally. he gets his legs under him really well and can get his stomach off the floor but isn't quite getting his chest and head off the ground all at the same time. he can propel himself forward from this position though, sort of inch-worm style. his third tooth is almost here and it is another bottom one. it doesn't look like the top teeth are in any hurry to get here. from the looks of his gums, he is going to have four bottom teeth first.
there are so many things on a daily basis to love about who these kids are becoming. as madelyn would say, "my bucket is overflowing!" i am one blessed mommy. love.
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