Progress Report

This past month and a half has held many changes for my 2 children.  These are good changes!  Some of the changes have been direct answers to my prayers.  It is such a thrill for me to see answered prayer!  I don't think it ever ceases to excite me :)  I serve an amazing God!

Here is Ethan's Progress Report:

Good Bye Pacifier!--(Ethan, I hope I haven't scarred you for life!  Yes, I waited until a month after 2 years to make this change.  This change was suppose to be done before you turned 2, but...well...  Alright the truth is...  The truth is that it kept you content, and gave me a crutch to fall back on.  But, the Lord is working on my heart to not keep "crutches" around just because it makes life easier.)

No more DVD's--This is temporary, not permanent.  We started this 2 weeks ago.  I found that Ethan is so much happier when he is not always thinking about or wanting to watch one of his videos.  I have some good, learning DVD's, but it was time for a change.  The TV and player were put away in a closet.   I never want Ethan to make watching movies an important part of his life.  If he is whining about watching something, then it is just on his mind too much!  I really want to instill a love for reading in him.  I can't say I spend hours reading to him every day.  But, both Jon and I do read or go through picture books with him every day.  It is wonderful to see him occupying himself with a book.  I've even caught him loudly expressing a book in his own language to Madison.  She seems to understand him better than I do at times!

Hello, Bed Time!--It wasn't too long ago that bed time seemed to be a big discipline issue.  Well, this is one of my answers to prayer.  Ethan is doing so much better!!!  I'm learning that God can take away my frustration and overwhelming inadequacy as a mother when I go to Him in prayer.  He can give wisdom, grace, and strength to get through these "bumps" in the road.  Relying on Him is so much easier than relying on my own determination to get through the problem.  That is sin.  Many times my flesh tries to solve problems on my own, and I wonder why all my efforts have failed.   Maybe that is why God has to bring me to a place where I KNOW that I can not change my child's attitude.  God is just waiting to show me that He CAN do it! 

Big Helper to the Rescue--

Don't worry.  I'll make sure your face is clean!

One of Ethan's gifts is helping.  Since he was fairly young he has been in "tune" with seeing needs and coming to the rescue.  As soon as he could crawl he would move as fast as he could to help me pick up whatever I had dropped.  Jon and I have noticed how observant Ethan is when he wants to be.  Even with his own sissy he tends to take care of her by seeing her needs.  If her food or cup falls to the floor he is right there helping her with it!  As Ethan grows older, and my pregnancy gets a little harder I am so thankful for the help with small house hold tasks!  I try to always give high praise for all that he does.  I want to nurture that observant, helping spirit.

Madison's Progress Report:

Eating with a Big Appetite--

Eating Ethan's leftovers!

Madison has lost a lot of her baby chubbiness.  She really has never been a big eater like Ethan, and is usually more picky with her food.  However, that has changed!  She must be going through another growth spurt right now.  She is gobbling up almost everything we put in front of her.  Wow!  I've never seen her eat like this :)  She is really good at finding Ethan's leftovers after the meal.  She snatches them off the table.  Next thing I know there she is stuffing more food in her mouth as fast as she can!  There is humor in everything.  When I see my little girl, and my kitchen floor that has another mess all over it I just have to find the humor in it.  After all, I should have gotten that plate cleared off the table before I set her on the floor.

Learning to Walk--She is getting really good at walking.  She still holds on to a walker, but is getting so steady on her feet!  Yesterday she took 3 or 4 steps just holding on to my hand with one of hers.  She gets very excited about her walking skills!  Her face just looks so happy and proud of her achievement.  I love it!

Learning to Share--Just recently Madison has started to come to the reality that she can not have everything her big brother plays with!  She just wants everything he has :)  She watches Ethan all the time, and is very fast when it comes to swiping a toy away from him!  There is something about the twinkle in her eye that makes me want to laugh when she does this.  But, since I am trying to train her to share I refrain from the laughing.  Sometimes that can be really hard!

Curls--Madison is going to have curls!  Here is a pic. of what she looks like after bath time when her hair is all wet.