Drew continues to love playing video games with Daddy, and Daddy continues to be impressed with how quickly Drew is learning how to follow along in the games. Mommy is happy they have something they can share and will continue to try and police how much time gets spent there...it's so easy to get wrapped up in that world and forget that time is passing!
It's been really fun to see how Drew is changing and learning as we do things we've always done, but we can see him figuring things out on a new level, stepping up his game per se. It's wonderful to see his mind grow, expand and learn...I have to remind myself to stop treating him like he's younger, though it's so hard to believe he can handle as much as he can, and even harder to have different sets of rules and ideas on what's ok for him vs. Noah. Drew has become really more helpful around the house, and loves to be asked to do things...it's great! I just have to remember to ask and find things that he can do to help me! :)
Drew has had a lot of complaints of being sick lately, and without being too awful of a Mom here, he's a bit dramatic and emotional, even needy for attention, so I've had a really hard time deciding if he's calling wolf to get attention or not. It's never anything serious, and no real evidence either...like "my throat hurts" or most of the time "my tummy hurts" - not really sure what to do about it. Just a little Mommy dilemma there, just throwing it out there for the record.
Drew had been asking for a sleepover for quite some time and we finally found a night that would work, so he got to watch Monsters University with Daddy and then they were going to sleep in the guest room. (Noah was very upset that he didn't get to play along, but we think it's still too early for him to allow anyone to get any actual sleep...in time Noah) Drew liked the movie and thought it was only kind of scary in some parts, but handled it much better. But at 10:15, Matthew and Drew came into our room and I was so confused and asked what was going on...Drew said he wanted to have a sleepover, but didn't like Daddy's snoring, so he wanted to go sleep in his room instead...HAHA! So that's how that ended. It was still a nice treat for him!
A funny thing Drew said this month was he woke up one morning asking for Daddy to come get him (a very common request that often gets denied since Daddy has to leave for work so early). Without prompting, Drew said "I want Daddy to come get me because I love him more." Thanks buddy, glad Mommy can be here for you!
Both boys got to enjoy gymnastics this month...a spot opened up for Noah's age group, so we were able to include him in the fun. The boys enjoyed it, though it is alot of learning to take turns and following directions for Noah's class, so not sure he loved it as much as Drew, but you can't go wrong with a big trampoline, so he always said he had fun. Noah also learned about stretching, jumping, climbing ladders, balance beams and some flipping over bars. Drew got to learn about different types of somersaults, cart-wheels, flips on rings, some swing throughs on parallel bars, some swinging and flips on the big bar and fun tricks on the trampoline. We'll stop going in March to make room for baseball, but I think it's something we'll keep coming back to...good body awareness and skills that will be helpful for all sorts of athletic pursuits in the future...oh, and the boys think it's fun! :)
We continue to enjoy our 2 days at home together (Mommy, Drew and Noah) and our activities range from just playing at home, to outings with or without friends as you might imagine. It's always curious how some days the boys can just calmy play and have fun all day together playing with super heroes, reading books, playing games, and then other days seem like they need constant interference with doing whatever they can to upset the other. They do love to play with super heroes, and sometimes play really well back and forth together...super cute! They can get a little crazy with it though sometimes as you could imagine, when they become the super heroes and start fighting each other with the play weapons...it can get out of hand quickly sometimes. They like to be ninjas too...I think it comes alot from them like the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles...though they have no idea what they are really - never seen a show or movie, only a 2 page story in one magazine...and that's apparently all they needed! Our outings this month included the mall playground a few times, but got to ride the train and carousel for the first time, as well as the museum and zoo - several with our friend Ava and her Mom Tara!
We had quite the range of weather this month, so we enjoyed the outside when we could, and huddled up by the fire, sometimes with Smores, when it was cold. We also enjoyed watching the Olympics together. The boys in general only wanted to watch the boys do the sports, but we convinced them the girls were fun to watch sometimes too. They both really loved the snowboarding contests, Noah especially. Drew enjoyed some of the ice skating too and would even dance around a little bit after watching some...pretty funny! Noah didn't like the ice skating...really, no surprise there!
We did get a nice, quick visit from Nana at the end of the month, which always equals fun! It had been such a long time since we'd had a real visit, she just couldn't stay away any longer and the boys loved having her here as always - fun playing chase, cars, books, trains, puzzles, playing outside...whatever they wanted, Nana had energy for it...what's not to love! :)
Noah continues to be our little stinker and rascal...there's really so little that will hold him back or make him hesitate. He's still in the cute 2-year old phase, if you ask Mommy, Daddy may respond to that a little differently, but he's starting to show a bit more stubbornness and requiring a bit more discipline as we get nearer to 3! He has started initiating thanks and requests at prayer during bed time, which we love of course, and it's always funny to hear what he's thinking about. He does ask about our family alot, and that of course is just incredibly sweet and melts my heart! He asks us about our feelings more now, "Mommy, are you ____?!" (fill in with sad, mad, happy, depending on the scenario). He calls Drew "Drew-Drew" alot, kind of a sweet nickname he has for his brother that he loves so much! He continues to love playing with puzzles, and lining up toys, and is doing more sorting now as well. Love seeing a little OCD come out in him too!
Noah had some bad dreams and nightmares this month, which is very rare for him, so we've had more sleep interruptions as well as a more emotional Noah than normal at times. But wondering if his brain is just growing and imagination spiking...always curious what's going on in those little sponge brains!
We got Noah a marble race set for Christmas and he really enjoys playing with that...though always requires constant rebuilding as he enjoys the marble races, but also likes the knock it down! He really does like playing games out of our game closet frequently as well, and I don't think Drew was like that at his age, so I wonder if it has anything to do with an older brother being around, or if he would have been that way regardless...no answer possible, but always a question. He also built his first train track all by himself that actually connected in a complete circle - he was so proud, and we were super excited for him too!
So Noah is a Mommy's boy, and we all know that, but he's not a huge snuggler, but every now and then I get in some good snuggle time with him and it's just the best! He is showing a bit of growing up though, starting to let, and even ask for, Daddy to help him with things that before he would refuse from anyone else but Mommy...good to see that for all of our sake's!
A few funny things from Noah this month: he calls his pant legs 'sleeves' as well and he gets upset if they rise up (sweatpants with elastic at the bottom, or PJ pants that are tighter) and throws a fit - "my sleeves! my sleeves!" and can't do anything else until they are fixed. Another is a favorite bedtime book is "If Animals Kissed Goodnight", when we get to the page where "monkeys smacking their lips in a kissing trapeze", he always smacks the page with his hand and says "monkeys smacking!" - can't get him to accept that sound of smacking lips...he's a goof! There was also one day he and Drew were playing together and I heard Noah ask Drew, "Sweetheart...you ready?!" - so cute! They hear that alot as you might imagine! And one more, Noah started to walk around like a crab one night - he squatted real low, walked sideways and open/closed his fingers like little pinchers...too funny!
