Our Family: April 2015

Stats:

Weight: 23.3lbs ( 90th %tile)
Head circumference: (over curve)
Length: (85th %tile)

Appointment Highlights- All developmental stuff is on track. Iron levels are good now (13.2). We had to measure his head three times because it kept measuring significantly larger than last appointment. Dr. Matta said that it's most likely hereditary especially since his development is fine.

Teeth- He has two bottoms teeth. I think he is working on some more right now.

Sleep-He typically goes down around 730pm and wakes up around 12-3am, and usually wakes up around 530-6am. He's taking two naps around 930 and 2.

Food- Doesn't love food as much as his sister did. Has had a few skin reactions with spinach and threw up beets. I have not tried any milk products yet. Still refuses a bottle.

Temperament- He's a happy man. Flirts with strangers, especially the ladies. His sister makes him laugh more than anyone else. But don't take away cellphones or remote controls from him because that's one thing that he doesn't like.

Nicknames- Ali comes up with new ones everyday (some have been inappropriate so I'm glad she makes up new ones), we usually call him CG, ceeg, buddy, sweetsie, and duddy.

As of today he is an official crawler. He can almost pull himself up to a stand. He can hold him self up in a stand unassisted for a couple seconds.

I've so enjoyed going back and reading some of my old blogs that I want to make sure to continue to update it. After looking through some really old ones about Ali I decided that I needed to make some updates about her.

Our sweet Ali has changed sooooo much over the course of year 4 for her. I'm sure it has to do with the addition of her baby brother. Ali is an amazing big sister. She loves her brother so much and is constantly wanting to kiss him and just be so nurturing with him. Sometimes I secretly keep the baby monitor on when she's talking to him in his crib and she says things like "you're too cute", "I love you so much", to Christian.

Ali has also become very strong willed. This has been a good and bad thing for Joel and I. Both Joel and I were, and still are fairly easy going, but Ali is quite different :). It's been the greatest challenged for us to deal with her strong personality and zest for life. We love watching her fearlessness in new situations and around new people. At the same time, she has a side to her that likes to flirts with danger. She keeps us on our toes constantly. I'm sure that Ali has been MY greatest teacher. She forces me to learn patience, forgiveness, humbleness, understanding...these things have been hard lessons but I am grateful for them. I have a feeling that Ali will be that one person in my life who really pushes me to be a different (hopefully better) person.

On a lighter note, Ali's loves include: school, dancing, swimming (which she can do almost by herself now), biking (which she can do without training wheels now), playing doctor and school, crafts, learning to sound out words, creating things, movies, chocolate, spaghetti, dresses, and gardening with Joel.

Some of Ali's dislikes are: taking naps (which she still takes about a 2 hr. nap, we tried to cut it out but it became evident that she still needed one), being told what to do (understandably no one likes to be told what to do, but Ali will NOT be told what to do;), we are working on the respect thing).

Ali has a lot to learn, as do most 4.5 year olds :). We are really trying our best to teach her things like kindness, responsibility, respect, honesty, etc. and realize that those things are best learned by example. We have hope in our "never giving up on her" attitude that she will learn these things sooner than later.

My love for that little girl grows deeper every day. She makes me crazy most days! But I've told Joel many times that she breaks my heart everyday ( in a good way). During the everyday tasks that I try to teach and help her with, and the daily reminders and "warnings" I have to give her, she does something so sweet and so enduring that my heart softens a little more for her.

Ali's future is endless in the possibilities. I am confident that she will grow to be a kind, confident, respectful, and compassionate human being.

I could not love her more...