What a crazy month we've had. The girls are doing well and changing daily.
Reagan is challenging us in new ways each day. We are still struggling with discipline issues at school but may have found a solution. We've decided to move her up to the pre-K class early. After two weeks of red and yellow cards from slapping, spitting, hitting, and biting her friends, we knew something needed to be done. So, we're hoping she's less likely to beat up on older kids and will "play nicely." She's been there now for a day and a half and her behavior has improved, so we'll see. I have noticed that her coloring skills have advanced lately. I love being able to watch as she grows into this amazing little girl. Keith was helping her spell some words today with a letter puzzle she has. He was surprised to see that she now recognizes all the lower case letters and was doing very well with sounding out the words.
Maren is still not talking too much. At 14 months now, she's saying bye-bye and uh-oh regularly, mama and dada a bit. She also has a few signs in her vocabulary. She says "eat", "more", and "milk." I'm working on please and thank you. It's so cute to see her gesture for what she wants. Her favorite person in the house has shifted from Murphy to Reagan. She adores her sister and follows her everywhere. Of course, Reagan can't stand it. She quickly gets upset if Maren is near her or trying to play with her things. The worst is when Reagan is lying on her bean bag chair and Maren walks up and plops herself on top of Reagan. That one quickly gets a scream, and sometimes a time-out if the big one pushes the little one on the floor. We've moved Maren now to one nap a day. It was easier than I expected. She's sleeping better at night as well. I've gone several nights this week alone where I have not had to get up with her in the middle of the night. I like that.
I really have to say how much my children make me smile, and each in her own way. Reagan is such a smart little cookie. Manipulative is a good word, but it goes farther than that. She pays close attention to everything. She has the funniest facial expressions and clearly knows how to use them for good AND evil. However, under all that hides a sweet little girl who loves to snuggle up with Mommy and Daddy. Maren has recently learned the art of the hug and uses it constantly. Two of my favorite times of day are waking her in the morning and picking her up from daycare because she greets me with the biggest bear hug she can muster. Almost as if she is holding on for her life. She gives kisses now too...open mouth, sloppy, wet kisses...because that's all a 14 month old can understand about kisses. Love them.
Latest tragedy: I was giving Reagan a bath the other night and found a tick fully embedded in her scalp. Long story short, it took us an hour with lots of dish soap, tugging, and restraining of my baby to get it out. I almost cried I felt so badly for her. At one point when we told her how we needed to remove the bug she said, "It's okay Daddy, I like bugs. It can stay." After all was said and done, she confessed to me that she didn't like bugs anymore. I guess we really should have paid more attention after letting her roll down the grass in the front yard last weekend. Lesson learned, by all involved.
Random Stats: Reagan has the tangliest (my new word by the way...waiting on approval from Webster's) hair ever and the best little smile. She loves to eat anything that qualifies as a "treat" and won't touch a vegetable. Maren has 7 teeth, the chubbiest little legs ever, and the most booger filled hair I've ever seen.
Tidbit from the Past: Reagan had all but her 2yr old molars by age 13 months. She walked by 9 1/2 months. I remember when she was born and the first thing I noticed (besides her chunky Edwards girls legs) was the "stork bite" birthmark between her eyes. Mary Paige had the same one when she was born. It's funny how red it got when she was angry, my redhead that is.
10 years ago
