Five random pics. One of these boys is rougher than the other.
We had a dusting of snow this morning. Carson's class didn't go outside, but the older kids collected some snow for them to play with.
PJ day at school. I suggested that he wear the pajama bottoms and a long sleeve t-shirt, but he wanted to wear the whole set. I was fine with it, but I thought he'd be too embarrassed for PJ day in 3rd grade. Apparently not. He was quite proud. I think it's b/c he was so comfortable.
Carson was anxious for Darrin to get home last weekend, so hooked him up with a view of the driveway. He didn't last until Darrin got home, but he sure was cute for a little while.
Good night kisses before bed. They have lots of love for each other.
First, Miles cleaned out his backpack last night to make room to take his Dog Man books to school for his friend, Davis, to read. He's a lot like me and when he likes something, he really wants other people to like it too :) He was so excited to let his friend borrow his favorite books and he's sure that he's going to love them.
Carson gave this morning two thumbs up. Darrin and I would not give it the same rating as there was a lot of crying and whining. He woke up on the wrong side of the bed, which happens every now and then with him. He was happy when it was time to leave even though it was twenty-something degrees outside.
We've added a few things to Miles' room since the makeover at Christmas. This Play Ball sign...
A shelf from Ikea to hold some books. It also holds his pill case with his vitamins so he remembers to take them as soon as he wakes up. As far as I know, his system is working.
He really loves the desk area. He's been hanging out in there after school and drawing a lot.
I was afraid after the first couple of nights that he wasn't going to like the bed. It took some getting used to, but he loves it now. Since his reading light is controlled by a smart plug, Darrin sets a timer from his phone for 15 minutes every night. He knows when the light goes off that it's time to go to bed. His nest looks pretty comfortable to me.
Carson has been eating a little better lately. He seems to have a bigger appetite and be a little more open to what we are eating. He's not really a picky eater as much as he just doesn't care about food (unless it's junk). So, if he doesn't like something, he's fine to just not eat anything. Miles always ate a lot no matter what it was so this has been different. I reverted back to the plates that we used when Miles was little and I think it has helped. I put something in every section so he has some options. Tonight, we had scrambled eggs, hash browns with peppers & onions, peaches, and carrots (it's time to go to the store). He loved the eggs and peaches and tried the carrots and hash browns.
Last night he ate quite a bit of his dinner, which was grilled chicken, broccoli, brown rice, and carrots.
I like to put a variety on his plate so he has to try different things, even if everything isn't super healthy. I think seeing and trying options is important now and we can work on forming healthier habits as we go along. Miles was easier in this regard, but he ate his share of chicken nuggets, pizza, corn, cheese, marshmallows, etc. and he is a great eater now. I think it will take a more committed effort with Carson, which I am 100% up for, but I'm happy to see some hope lately.
The theme of our weekend was grandparents, activity, and outside! Granny, Pa, and Marmee all spent the night on Friday night. Darrin was out of town, but I welcomed the company and help.
Miles and Carson were very happy to have them.
Miles had a basketball game on Saturday morning. The Badgers are now 4-0! At times the game resembled a football game, but Miles held his own and earned the defensive star for the game.
Carson turned two and a half this month, so I thought I would report on all things Carson. Buckle up, it's a bumpy ride. I've heard a friend describe one of her children as a sour patch kid, b/c she is sweet one minute and not so much the next. That is Carson Lynn.
He is very funny. The way he cuts his eyes, walks with a strut, and uses his hands when he talks resembles an adult. He definitely makes me wonder what is going on in his little mind. At times, I think it might be much deeper than we give him credit for.
He likes to be home, but isn't quite the homebody that Miles is. He LOVES to go to Walmart. If Darrin or I mention Walmart around him, he has to go with us. He is actually very well behaved while we are shopping. He likes to see everyone and even says hi.
He is very independent. He says "me do it" a hundred times a day. He also says "do momma?" a lot. The translation for that is "What are you doing momma?" When I tell him what I'm doing, he says, "Oh." This also makes him sound like an adult. He's funny like that.
He also loves to be outside and going to church. His behavior has been really bad lately and I wonder if some fresh air might help. I think he's a kid that needs adventure and sun and dirt to be satisfied.
He's our little junk food eater. He loves donuts, ice cream, cookies, and M&Ms. He also likes grapes, apples, yogurt, and cheese. Even though he's a stocky kid, he doesn't eat much. He tends to eat all his food at school and not much once he gets home.
Sleep is still his strength. Most nights, he goes to bed willingly and stays there until morning without a sound. His bed time is between 7:30-8:30 and he sleeps until around 7am. I am so thankful for a child that sleeps until 7. Miles used to wake up between 5-6am most days. It was brutal.
In some ways Carson is so easy. He sleeps well, doesn't mind running errands or leaving the house, happily goes to daycare every day, and doesn't mind staying with people at church or with babysitters. On the flip side, he is oh so challenging in other ways. He is so strong willed about what he wants. He has the worst temper when he doesn't get his way or when he gets in trouble. He flat refuses to say sorry and will even avoid eye contact at that point. He throws things, hits, kicks, bites, and screams with rage. He got in trouble tonight for putting paint in his mouth after being told not to. When the paint was taken away from him, he threw the paint lid across the room, tried to hit me, and then took a bowl with sauce in it and slid it across the island onto the floor splattering it everywhere. There's terrible twos and then there's this. He's always been good for other people, like family, babysitters, and daycare, but now he's starting to get in trouble a lot at daycare. Hopefully they are used to it and can help us get through this stage. Miles was challenging from 3-6. Here's hoping Carson is getting some of this out of his system now.
We had a three day weekend, so we are just now wrapping it up. Miles got an early start to his weekend when Darrin picked him up a little early from school on Friday to go watch men's volleyball near Nashville. A college in the area recently starts a men's volleyball program so they had a "Grow the Game" tournament. Darrin wanted to watch and support the cause. Miles was happy to ride along.
