Well, a month is longer than I intended to be away, but better than I've been averaging, so I'm calling the fact that I haven't been here since October a win. Also --how was than only a month ago?Halloween seems like eons ago! I've almost finished our stash of "Switch Witch" candy which on November 1st seemed like a ridiculous amount of sugar for any human being to consume. Yikes.
This month has been busy. Halloween is pretty much a blur at this point. For the first time we trick-or-treated outside of our immediate neighbourhood. The houses were decorated to the nines and the kids even got some full-sized chocolate bars, but I kind of missed the old Italian ladies who still give out pennies and peppermints from our 'hood.
Kids' got their mid-term reports a few weeks ago. The Bug is doing better than we expected her to! I was so worried about the transition from Kindergarten to Grade One, but her teacher reassured us that she's doing quite well. The Bean, on the other hand, is not doing as well as we had expected. There have been social issues with some of the other students in his class (one in particular), so he's been struggling there. He also seems to be adopting some less desirable behaviours --taking advantage of his keen young teacher's "Zen Zone" and unlimited washroom breaks --scribbling out half-assed responses on his work, including tests. We've come down pretty hard on him. I think he's getting the message.
Sometime mid-month I unintentionally stopped taking my anti-anxiety/anti-depressant medication. A few days in I was still feeling pretty good, so I decided to give it a bit of a trial run. I think it's been about three weeks now, and I feel okay. Of course, every time I have an intrusive thought or feel more tired than usual or am short-tempered I wonder if that is why... I'm not sure whether to go back on them or to stay off. Jen knows and I'm sure will provide a consult when I ask her. Maybe I'll talk to my doctor about it too. It would be nice if it were more obvious that I needed them, but maybe good that it isn't?
We had a insane trip to PA the week before Thanksgiving. We decided to leave mid-snowstorm which was definitely the wrong decision. Our 5-6 hour drive took us nearly 11 hours. When we arrived we found out the whole area was without power. Jen did some crazy MacGyver work on the gas fireplace (electric starter) where she rigged up a battery pack to start it, so we did have heat, but we were without power from when we arrived until Saturday evening. Not what I was expecting from our weekend away but the kids still had a great time, so it is all good. I just hope the weather is better at Christmas!
And now it's less than a month until the Bug's birthday and Christmas and all the craziness that the upcoming season brings. It's going to go fast! Lots to look forward to though, and hopefully I'll get back here to share a bit about it all.
Monday, November 26, 2018
Saturday, October 27, 2018
Hello? Hello?
Walks up to mic and taps it.
Feedback echoes through the room.
Uh... hello?
Is anyone still here?
I cannot say how many times I've thought about coming here to post an update in the past few months (*ahem*...years). To say I've gotten out of the habit would be an understatement. But, I do miss this space and the record it holds of our days. So I want to start making more of an effort to write again. Just saying that out loud makes me feel more accountable. Maybe it will be enough motivation to get on the computer every once in a while and tap out a few lines.
It's not that there hasn't been anything to say. Perhaps the opposite. Figuring out the words to say everything is a different matter altogether. Nevermind trying to navigate this space of writing about my little people without them necessarily being privy to what it is I am saying. They're not so little now and I am more conscious about them having opinions about the information that is shared.
There was also a bit of a breach of privacy a few years ago now where someone from my "real life" who I didn't intend to find this space found it. It's not harmful, per se, but it does make me feel like I need to censor myself somewhat. (I have no idea if they remember that this blog is here, or if they would ever check for updates, but it's made me feel like I have to be more guarded about what I share.)
With all that said, I'm not sure where to begin.
The Bean is a few months shy of eight years old. Likewise, Bug is nearly six now. Jen is also getting older (I'll pay for that), but things with her are relatively steady. I'm still doing the SAHM thing, but not entirely, as I've been tutoring in the evenings and on weekends. It's not my dream, but it's a balance that working for us, for now.
With that said, I need to go get ready for my Saturday evening clients. I'll be back soon though.
Feedback echoes through the room.
Uh... hello?
Is anyone still here?
I cannot say how many times I've thought about coming here to post an update in the past few months (*ahem*...years). To say I've gotten out of the habit would be an understatement. But, I do miss this space and the record it holds of our days. So I want to start making more of an effort to write again. Just saying that out loud makes me feel more accountable. Maybe it will be enough motivation to get on the computer every once in a while and tap out a few lines.
It's not that there hasn't been anything to say. Perhaps the opposite. Figuring out the words to say everything is a different matter altogether. Nevermind trying to navigate this space of writing about my little people without them necessarily being privy to what it is I am saying. They're not so little now and I am more conscious about them having opinions about the information that is shared.
There was also a bit of a breach of privacy a few years ago now where someone from my "real life" who I didn't intend to find this space found it. It's not harmful, per se, but it does make me feel like I need to censor myself somewhat. (I have no idea if they remember that this blog is here, or if they would ever check for updates, but it's made me feel like I have to be more guarded about what I share.)
With all that said, I'm not sure where to begin.
The Bean is a few months shy of eight years old. Likewise, Bug is nearly six now. Jen is also getting older (I'll pay for that), but things with her are relatively steady. I'm still doing the SAHM thing, but not entirely, as I've been tutoring in the evenings and on weekends. It's not my dream, but it's a balance that working for us, for now.
With that said, I need to go get ready for my Saturday evening clients. I'll be back soon though.
Friday, August 3, 2018
The Bean is Seven and a Half!
The Bean is seven and a half!
I can't believe how grown up this kid is getting. He went from being a little five an a half pound baby, to a silly chatterbox toddler, to this boy who listens to songs on his headphones and goes into his room to read for hours (okay, maybe just *hour*) on end.
I know I'm biased, but he's a pretty great kid. He's one of those people that things just seem to come easy to. He's social. He's smart. He's athletic. Overall, he's pretty thoughtful and respectful. Like any kid, he'll sometimes pushes the boundaries, but he usually knows when to quit.
He did incredibly well this school year. I think he was a bit of a teacher's pet. In fact, I was a bit concerned about whether he was becoming over-confident or getting a bit of an ego, so I am glad that he was placed in a grade 2/3 split class for the fall, where he will be in the younger cohort. I think it will be good for him to see that there are other kids who are ahead of him academically, and it should also give him a bit of a challenge, which he probably could have used more of this year.
Unlike Sprout, who has her one best friend in the universe, The Bean has a few good friends that he might prefer over others, but overall seems to get along with almost everyone from the kindergarten kids, to sixth graders (who gave him a nickname and let him play soccer and basketball with them), to the counselors at camp. He's extremely extroverted.
He continued with basketball and soccer lessons through the spring session, both which he loved and continued to picked up new skills in. I honestly think he would play any sport that we gave him an opportunity to join, but I think we'll stick with these two (plus swimming) in the fall. After a bit of a hiatus, he also has been more interested in getting back on his skateboard. Biking and scootering are fun, but informal activities. We did parkour for my birthday and, not surprisingly, the kid is a natural.
We half-joke that the only times he is still are when he is sleeping and when he is reading. This child devours books. He saved up and bought himself a Kindle Fire on Prime Day. It has probably already paid for itself. Jen helped him put on the public library app, so he is able to check out e-books. I wouldn't be surprised if he was going through one a day. I can't even keep up anymore. He reads well above grade-level, which can be challenging, as the content of books at his level is often a bit more mature than I would prefer. Treasure Hunters and Spy School are favourite series, he's also read pretty much all the Roahl Dahl, Judy Blume and Beverly Cleary books. He likes books that are funny and mysteries. We've been listening to The 39 Clues on audio books and are all hooked!
Food is still meh. He eats well, but is not an adventurous eater. If given a choice, I honestly believe he would eat nothing but bread, cereal, and crackers. He's a total carbaholic. I've been frustrated lately because he has been rejecting fruits that he previous ate without issue, saying he doesn't like them anymore. I tell him it's not his choice, but when he repeatedly refuses to eat something (like bananas) it kind of is his choice. Ugh.
Sleep is pretty good. He doesn't like being alone in the dark, but thankfully the kids share a room. While he's mostly given up being read to, he still asks for a cuddle before bed, which is pretty sweet. He has a bajillion stuffies, but still needs "white blanket" for bedtime.
Even though he's growing up, he's still really open with us, which I hope continues. He tells us who his crushes are (!!!), when something is weighing on his conscience, or when he has a really amazing idea. He still gives giant goodbye hugs and accepts goodbye kisses.
I love this kid so much and am proud of the person he is growing up to be.
Even though he's growing up, he's still really open with us, which I hope continues. He tells us who his crushes are (!!!), when something is weighing on his conscience, or when he has a really amazing idea. He still gives giant goodbye hugs and accepts goodbye kisses.
I love this kid so much and am proud of the person he is growing up to be.
Thursday, August 2, 2018
Sprout is Five and Half!
Sprout is five and a half!
I haven't gone back to see what I wrote for age five, but it seems to me that Sprout has matured quite a bit in these past six months.
Her confidence seems to have grown. Being one of the "Senior Kindergarteners" in her her class this year allowed her to become more of a leader. She knew all the routines in the classroom and was usually eager to help out when there was an errand that had to be done or a substitute teacher or another student needed a hand. Her amazing teachers really helped build her up. They were great with pretty much all kids, but I think their encouragement made a big difference to Sprout. They awarded her a special certificate at the end of the year for displaying character traits that contributed to a positive atmosphere within the classroom. I was and am proud of how far she has come.
Her confidence seems to have grown. Being one of the "Senior Kindergarteners" in her her class this year allowed her to become more of a leader. She knew all the routines in the classroom and was usually eager to help out when there was an errand that had to be done or a substitute teacher or another student needed a hand. Her amazing teachers really helped build her up. They were great with pretty much all kids, but I think their encouragement made a big difference to Sprout. They awarded her a special certificate at the end of the year for displaying character traits that contributed to a positive atmosphere within the classroom. I was and am proud of how far she has come.
Sprout is a sweet child. She's loving and empathetic. She's curious and creative.
She can also be incredibly stubborn and will try to use tears and (near) tantrums to get her way. It doesn't work, but she still tries. Sometimes she actually works herself up, but when we talk to her, she is able to give herself time to regain composure and talk to us about things a more rational way.
She still has her wicked sense of humour. I'm not sure she always realizes just how funny she is, but there are definitely times when she does. Her sense of comedic timing is impeccable. She has a dry whit, which I fully appreciate.
We took it easy on extra curriculum in the spring. The only thing she was doing was dance, which she continued to enjoy.
This summer she attended camp at the local community centre where she takes dance. I wasn't sure how it would go, but she seemed to enjoy it. She knew a few of the kids and one of the counselors from her dance class, which I am sure helped. Again, I'm impressed with how far she's come. Even as recently as the end of the school year she was having trouble with separation at drop offs, but camp has been pretty easy by comparison. It bodes well for September.
She shies away from anything competitive --sports, games-- but has a pretty wide range of interests. Books, music, art, animals, the outdoors, dress up and imaginative play are all things she enjoys. She loves playing family, doctor, veterinarian, dressing up, and reenacting stories with her brother. She has her one very best friend, and could pretty much take or leave most of the other kids she knows. My cousin is still one of her favourite people. As was her ECE. She is fiercely loyal.
She can read a number of sight words and sound things out, but says she cannot read. We need to work on this. She's right on that cusp and I think as soon as she has the confidence she'll take off. She was also showing a lot of interest in math towards the end of the school year, writing out different addition and subtraction equations. She loves art work, especially cutting and gluing. I took a few sewing classes in the spring and she assured me that she could teach me the things I still have yet to learn, like how to make her fancy dresses. lol.
She has grown a TON. Inches I am sure, but I don't have any updated stats. She's a little over 40lbs and maybe 44 or 45in... I'm really not sure. We just recently changed both kids out of car seats and into to high back boosters, which they were pretty excited about. She's solidly in size 5 clothing, and needing 6s in some things, though her waist is still so slender that pants can be tricky. Her shoe size is 11.5.
Thanks to Daniel Tiger, she's been pretty great about trying new foods and has been finding new "likes" all summer. Cherries, pineapple, quinoa. I'm not sure any are true LOVES, but I'm happy to have some extra options to add to our menu. (If only her brother would follow her lead.) She still suffers from reflux, but the medicine she's on seems to help significantly. Complaints about car sickness have also been bad, though she has yet to actually be sick in the car from it. Thankfully. We keep Dramamine on hand of long road trips.
She has a hard time falling asleep, but seems to generally go from 8pm to wake up time, which during the school year is 7/7:30, but has inched back a bit now that summer is here. Bedtimes have also been slightly off their 7:30pm time, so that may be impacting how late she stays in bed. She DOES NOT like to be woken up. We call her The Bear, because of how she will growl if you dare to disturb her.
There is far more I could say about Sprout, but I think that paints a pretty good picture of what she is like right now. I am really enjoying this age and seeing her continue to grow into an awesome kid.
She can also be incredibly stubborn and will try to use tears and (near) tantrums to get her way. It doesn't work, but she still tries. Sometimes she actually works herself up, but when we talk to her, she is able to give herself time to regain composure and talk to us about things a more rational way.
She still has her wicked sense of humour. I'm not sure she always realizes just how funny she is, but there are definitely times when she does. Her sense of comedic timing is impeccable. She has a dry whit, which I fully appreciate.
We took it easy on extra curriculum in the spring. The only thing she was doing was dance, which she continued to enjoy.
This summer she attended camp at the local community centre where she takes dance. I wasn't sure how it would go, but she seemed to enjoy it. She knew a few of the kids and one of the counselors from her dance class, which I am sure helped. Again, I'm impressed with how far she's come. Even as recently as the end of the school year she was having trouble with separation at drop offs, but camp has been pretty easy by comparison. It bodes well for September.
She shies away from anything competitive --sports, games-- but has a pretty wide range of interests. Books, music, art, animals, the outdoors, dress up and imaginative play are all things she enjoys. She loves playing family, doctor, veterinarian, dressing up, and reenacting stories with her brother. She has her one very best friend, and could pretty much take or leave most of the other kids she knows. My cousin is still one of her favourite people. As was her ECE. She is fiercely loyal.
She can read a number of sight words and sound things out, but says she cannot read. We need to work on this. She's right on that cusp and I think as soon as she has the confidence she'll take off. She was also showing a lot of interest in math towards the end of the school year, writing out different addition and subtraction equations. She loves art work, especially cutting and gluing. I took a few sewing classes in the spring and she assured me that she could teach me the things I still have yet to learn, like how to make her fancy dresses. lol.
She has grown a TON. Inches I am sure, but I don't have any updated stats. She's a little over 40lbs and maybe 44 or 45in... I'm really not sure. We just recently changed both kids out of car seats and into to high back boosters, which they were pretty excited about. She's solidly in size 5 clothing, and needing 6s in some things, though her waist is still so slender that pants can be tricky. Her shoe size is 11.5.
Thanks to Daniel Tiger, she's been pretty great about trying new foods and has been finding new "likes" all summer. Cherries, pineapple, quinoa. I'm not sure any are true LOVES, but I'm happy to have some extra options to add to our menu. (If only her brother would follow her lead.) She still suffers from reflux, but the medicine she's on seems to help significantly. Complaints about car sickness have also been bad, though she has yet to actually be sick in the car from it. Thankfully. We keep Dramamine on hand of long road trips.
She has a hard time falling asleep, but seems to generally go from 8pm to wake up time, which during the school year is 7/7:30, but has inched back a bit now that summer is here. Bedtimes have also been slightly off their 7:30pm time, so that may be impacting how late she stays in bed. She DOES NOT like to be woken up. We call her The Bear, because of how she will growl if you dare to disturb her.
There is far more I could say about Sprout, but I think that paints a pretty good picture of what she is like right now. I am really enjoying this age and seeing her continue to grow into an awesome kid.
Tuesday, April 3, 2018
The Age of Not Believing
Well, we made it seven years. This past weekend, over Easter, The Bean's skepticism and questioning couldn't be ignored any longer. Half of me wanted to be the one to tell him. To control that dissemination of information. The other half of me is glad that Jen did the explaining. It's a bit sad, knowing that he knows. Of course, once the truth about the Easter Bunny was out, Santa and the Tooth Fairy were quickly revealed. We have asked, and hope, that he preserves the secret... helping to create magic for the little ones who do still believe. The oldest in his grade and among his cousins. We'll see if he is up to the task.
 |
| A letter from the Easter Bunny. |
 |
| Jackpot! |
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| Best Easter photo of the two of them. Note to self: Next year do sibling photos before the egg hunt. |
Monday, March 26, 2018
Practice
This afternoon Bug called me over to the playscape. "I need help." "What are you doing, Bug?" "Climbing across here." Here being the outside of the playscape. I had to stop myself from telling her that she shouldn't, that it was against the rules, or unsafe. Because after 3pm there aren't the same restrictions. And I rather she figure things out how to confront challenges than always be safe. So I stood behind her. Arms outstretched. Ready to catch her if she fell. (She didn't.) And after that first trial with me standing behind her she went on to do it by herself at least a dozen more times. Mastering it by the time we left half an hour later. Watching her made me realize how much these brave, problem-solving, persistent kids have to teach me.
Thursday, January 11, 2018
The Bean is Seven Years Old!
Today The Bean is seven years old!
Guys... we have a seven year old! When did that happen?! When did he go from being a cute little toddler into a proper KID? And not even a little kid. A big kid. Crazy.
Grade One is off to a good start. The Bean sometimes complains that he doesn't like school, but I think it's because it's work. His teacher is more firm than in kindergarten and he's started having to try a bit harder. Things still seem to come easy for him, but he is having to put in more effort. He is excelling with Literacy, an doing well in Math and Science, LOVES Phys. Ed. and Drama but, somewhat surprisingly, seems more or less indifferent to music. That said, he was in choir during the fall term and shone in the school concert where they sang a lot of really fun songs like, I'm Still Standing, and I want a Hippopotamus for Christmas.
He seems to know everyone in the school. It seems his preference is to play sports with older kids and recess, and while he isn't excluded, but he's not exactly "one of them" either. In class, he still socializes with a group of kids he's known since Junior Kindergarten. There are five of them together this year. (And he as a crush on one of the girls! Eek!)
He LOVES to be outdoors and be active. He has taken a huge interest in sports. We enrolled him in Soccer in the fall and he has excelled. He even won an award for "Most Improved Player" which he was incredibly proud of. His swimming has also come a far way. Like with Sprout, the lessons at the private swim school seemed to make a big difference to his capabilities in the water. He can now swim the width of the pool and has been working on various strokes. He would most certainly do any sport we allowed him to, but so far two seems to be keeping us busy enough. He has been asking about basketball though, and told me just today that there might be a ball hockey club starting at school. I guess we'll see what comes of it all...
One of the few times he's not moving is when he's reading. This child devours books. He will sit and read an entire chapter book in one go. Between Christmas and his birthday he must have gotten about 25 new books and I'm fairly certain he has read them all. I can't keep up anymore! Magic Treehouse Merlin Missions, The Kindgom of Wrenley, Little Legends, Rahl Dahl, Judy Blume and Beverly Cleary are favourites. Anyone with suggestions of great kids books feel free to comment! Nothing too scary though, he gets nightmares from those.
Board games have also been a growing pass time. He's taking an interest in games with more complicated rules. Monopoly Jr. is a new favourite for our money-obsessed child. Sorry!, Connect Four, and Uno are other "classics" that he enjoys. He got a cool cooperative game called Cauldron Quest for his birthday and we've probably played it a couple dozen times so far. He's not the best loser, but the repeated message about enjoying playing being the goal may slowly be sinking in.
The Bean does not like being alone. I feel like he's actually taken a step back in this regard. We live in a small apartment, yet still he does not like to go into a room without anyone else there. That means he asks us to sit with him in the bathroom, go with him into his bedroom whenever he wants to change/get a book/play in there, and we always get his company, even when we might rather have two minutes alone. And aside from the time when he's reading, he pretty much always wants someone to be interacting with him. He and Sprout play well together most of the time, but their interests are quite different, so that can be a struggle.
This also has been making bedtime hard. He always asks if we will lie with him, or at least sit in his room. I've instituted a routine that if they are in bed on time (7:30pm), that I take turns lying with them until 8pm. So, about half the time I'm in there snuggling. It's hard, because by that time, I'm often just done; so I try to remind myself that this phase will be over all too soon and that I'll miss cuddling these sweet, needy children.
Speaking of sweet, The Bean has become quite the little writer and every so often will gift us with little love notes. He also likes sending emoji-heavy text messages and emails. He adds things to the grocery list in our kitchen, which is pretty adorable... kid writing requesting "bagals" up there on the white board. He's written several books and I'm thinking he might enjoy a diary sometime soon. (He often has things he wants to talk to us about --his crush, an interaction from during the school day. He'll preface it by saying, "You won't laugh at me, will you?" or "If I tell you something, you wouldn't tell anyone else, right?" So I've been thinking a place to record and process these thoughts might be of interest to him.)
Health-wise he's been doing pretty well. He had a stomach virus before the holidays and is fighting a cold now after having gotten his flu shot last week. I'm always worried that with his asthma a cold is going to morph into bronchitis which is going to morph into pneumonia. We've been dosing him with multivitamins and elderberry and probiotics in the hope that we'll be able to keep things at bay. His digestive system is still an issue, but a managed issue. His pediatrician suggested putting him on a low FODMAPS diet just to see if it would help, but I can't imagine trying to get him to stick to that. His favourite foods are carbs. The aforementioned "bagals", cereal, crackers, etc. He's not an adventurous eater by any means, but he eats a bit of a variety from each of the food groups, so I can't complain (though he's trying to veto certain things he used it eat, so maybe I can/will complain...). We tend to rotate the same dozen or so dinners... usually a meat and a veggie, though both kids like rice, pasta and potatoes too.
He's gaining weight. Still on his own little growth curve. Somewhere around the 20th percentile, I believe. He is almost 45lbs and 3'10". He mostly wears size 5 clothes, but is moving into 6s mostly for the length. Shoe size is about a 12.
We've been having a challenge dealing with angry outbursts from The Bean. I'm not sure why it is, but he has developed a tendency to yell or snap at us when things aren't going as he would like. I find it frustrating and exhausting. It's not the way that Jen or I typically interact, so I'm not sure where he's picked it up from, or if it's just something that's innate. I'm trying to be more aware of my tone and to give him my undivided attention as much as possible in the hopes that that improves things. As far as I know, it's just something that happens at home, which is a good thing overall, though still hard on us.
The Bean seem to be going through a lot of changes lately, overall positive, but still challenging for him to navigate, I'm sure. Higher expectations being placed on him, more independence, a greater recognition of the outside world and the way that people interact in it. We're learning how to parent him through these changes. To have patience and listen and provide both the support and space he needs. Seven is bound to be an exciting year!
Guys... we have a seven year old! When did that happen?! When did he go from being a cute little toddler into a proper KID? And not even a little kid. A big kid. Crazy.
Grade One is off to a good start. The Bean sometimes complains that he doesn't like school, but I think it's because it's work. His teacher is more firm than in kindergarten and he's started having to try a bit harder. Things still seem to come easy for him, but he is having to put in more effort. He is excelling with Literacy, an doing well in Math and Science, LOVES Phys. Ed. and Drama but, somewhat surprisingly, seems more or less indifferent to music. That said, he was in choir during the fall term and shone in the school concert where they sang a lot of really fun songs like, I'm Still Standing, and I want a Hippopotamus for Christmas.
He seems to know everyone in the school. It seems his preference is to play sports with older kids and recess, and while he isn't excluded, but he's not exactly "one of them" either. In class, he still socializes with a group of kids he's known since Junior Kindergarten. There are five of them together this year. (And he as a crush on one of the girls! Eek!)
He LOVES to be outdoors and be active. He has taken a huge interest in sports. We enrolled him in Soccer in the fall and he has excelled. He even won an award for "Most Improved Player" which he was incredibly proud of. His swimming has also come a far way. Like with Sprout, the lessons at the private swim school seemed to make a big difference to his capabilities in the water. He can now swim the width of the pool and has been working on various strokes. He would most certainly do any sport we allowed him to, but so far two seems to be keeping us busy enough. He has been asking about basketball though, and told me just today that there might be a ball hockey club starting at school. I guess we'll see what comes of it all...
One of the few times he's not moving is when he's reading. This child devours books. He will sit and read an entire chapter book in one go. Between Christmas and his birthday he must have gotten about 25 new books and I'm fairly certain he has read them all. I can't keep up anymore! Magic Treehouse Merlin Missions, The Kindgom of Wrenley, Little Legends, Rahl Dahl, Judy Blume and Beverly Cleary are favourites. Anyone with suggestions of great kids books feel free to comment! Nothing too scary though, he gets nightmares from those.
Board games have also been a growing pass time. He's taking an interest in games with more complicated rules. Monopoly Jr. is a new favourite for our money-obsessed child. Sorry!, Connect Four, and Uno are other "classics" that he enjoys. He got a cool cooperative game called Cauldron Quest for his birthday and we've probably played it a couple dozen times so far. He's not the best loser, but the repeated message about enjoying playing being the goal may slowly be sinking in.
The Bean does not like being alone. I feel like he's actually taken a step back in this regard. We live in a small apartment, yet still he does not like to go into a room without anyone else there. That means he asks us to sit with him in the bathroom, go with him into his bedroom whenever he wants to change/get a book/play in there, and we always get his company, even when we might rather have two minutes alone. And aside from the time when he's reading, he pretty much always wants someone to be interacting with him. He and Sprout play well together most of the time, but their interests are quite different, so that can be a struggle.
This also has been making bedtime hard. He always asks if we will lie with him, or at least sit in his room. I've instituted a routine that if they are in bed on time (7:30pm), that I take turns lying with them until 8pm. So, about half the time I'm in there snuggling. It's hard, because by that time, I'm often just done; so I try to remind myself that this phase will be over all too soon and that I'll miss cuddling these sweet, needy children.
Speaking of sweet, The Bean has become quite the little writer and every so often will gift us with little love notes. He also likes sending emoji-heavy text messages and emails. He adds things to the grocery list in our kitchen, which is pretty adorable... kid writing requesting "bagals" up there on the white board. He's written several books and I'm thinking he might enjoy a diary sometime soon. (He often has things he wants to talk to us about --his crush, an interaction from during the school day. He'll preface it by saying, "You won't laugh at me, will you?" or "If I tell you something, you wouldn't tell anyone else, right?" So I've been thinking a place to record and process these thoughts might be of interest to him.)
Health-wise he's been doing pretty well. He had a stomach virus before the holidays and is fighting a cold now after having gotten his flu shot last week. I'm always worried that with his asthma a cold is going to morph into bronchitis which is going to morph into pneumonia. We've been dosing him with multivitamins and elderberry and probiotics in the hope that we'll be able to keep things at bay. His digestive system is still an issue, but a managed issue. His pediatrician suggested putting him on a low FODMAPS diet just to see if it would help, but I can't imagine trying to get him to stick to that. His favourite foods are carbs. The aforementioned "bagals", cereal, crackers, etc. He's not an adventurous eater by any means, but he eats a bit of a variety from each of the food groups, so I can't complain (though he's trying to veto certain things he used it eat, so maybe I can/will complain...). We tend to rotate the same dozen or so dinners... usually a meat and a veggie, though both kids like rice, pasta and potatoes too.
He's gaining weight. Still on his own little growth curve. Somewhere around the 20th percentile, I believe. He is almost 45lbs and 3'10". He mostly wears size 5 clothes, but is moving into 6s mostly for the length. Shoe size is about a 12.
We've been having a challenge dealing with angry outbursts from The Bean. I'm not sure why it is, but he has developed a tendency to yell or snap at us when things aren't going as he would like. I find it frustrating and exhausting. It's not the way that Jen or I typically interact, so I'm not sure where he's picked it up from, or if it's just something that's innate. I'm trying to be more aware of my tone and to give him my undivided attention as much as possible in the hopes that that improves things. As far as I know, it's just something that happens at home, which is a good thing overall, though still hard on us.
The Bean seem to be going through a lot of changes lately, overall positive, but still challenging for him to navigate, I'm sure. Higher expectations being placed on him, more independence, a greater recognition of the outside world and the way that people interact in it. We're learning how to parent him through these changes. To have patience and listen and provide both the support and space he needs. Seven is bound to be an exciting year!
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