Water Babies

 

 

The Spring in the Hill Country is one of my favorite times of year. The weather is perfect almost every day and we have been taking advantage of it by staying outside as much as possible.

This is particularly helpful as we attempt potty training for the second time. Even though I am bribing Trip with candy, stickers, and gifts, the most appealing part of potty training for him is wearing his birthday suit all day! He loves "being a nakie bootie" and I like not having to wash as many clothes! It's a win-win.

Anna Kate has loved the water since her first bath and really loves splashing in the water table. She is my water baby!

Three!!

Trip, 3 years:

Height: 3 ft. 2 in. (50-75 percentile)

Weight: 33 lbs. 8 oz. (50-75 percentile)

We had Trip's 3-year appointment this week and he is a healthy, on-track little three-year-old. According to J's baby book, he and Trip measure the exact same height and weight at three years.

Development:

• Knows his A, B, C's and the sounds each letter makes
• Can write a T, P, and I consistently
• Draws faces and other objects recognizably
• Knows his colors and can count objects past 10, but doesn't recognize numbers very well
• Loves, loves, loves any kind of creative activity like painting, play dough, etc.
• Shows no interest in dressing or undressing himself, but FINALLY puts on and takes off his own shoes
• Rides a bike with training wheels
• Knows and can say his full name, "Harry Jersig Kuper the third"

Trip is generally sweet, silly and obedient. He is a typical first born and does not like to leave his parents unless he is familiar with the situation he is going into. He is not a big risk taker, but becomes more brave all of the time. He is a thinker, which I think keeps him from doing things he decides are dangerous. He seems to be able to think through a situation and is not really impulsive. However, if he decides a situation is safe, he loves doing things that give him an adrenaline rush ... like being thrown high in the air by his dad, or swinging so high that he is parallel with the ground. 

One of the things I love most about Trip is that he can be a huge goof ball, singing and dancing and acting silly with no self-consciousness or embarrassment. He loves music and has great rhythm. He reminds me a lot of his dad in this area.

Trip is definitely a lover, not a fighter. He loves animals (real and stuffed) and is a sweet boy to our dogs and his little sister. If Anna Kate gets hurt, he is quick to find her something to distract her, like a stuffed animal or one of her pink blankets. 

Taking notes in his "science journal" like Sid the Science Kid.

 

 

 

It was wet outside on this day, so Trip was using his sidewalk chalk in the garage. He was drawing pictures of bugs.

Here is a roly poly.

Here is a caterpillar. Jack was supervising.

 

Trip,

We are so proud of the "big kid" you are growing up to be. We can see the Lord working in your heart and it is our prayer that you would come to know Him more and more as you grow. 

I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your heart through faith. And I pray that you,being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge--that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. -Ephesians 3: 16-19

We love you sweet 3-year-old boy.

We are the bully

 (Our local library, which is just a few blocks from our house, hosted several kid-friendly events the week of spring break. We took full advantage. Here is Trip petting an alpaca.)

We encountered our first bully at the library last week. The little boy was the same age as Trip and was intentionally being really mean to the other kids at the library. It started when he went up to Trip and swiped the marker out of his hand. Then he proceeded to color over or erase other kids' drawings. 


I wasn't really sure what my role should be, as his own mom witnessed all of these events and didn't do or say anything. When Trip and the other kids came to tell me what was going on, I suggested they try and play somewhere else. That didn't work, because he just followed them. 


Next, I decided to monitor the situation more closely. When the little boy followed us and bullied another kid in front of me, I said, "Please don't do that." He ran over to his mom upset, but she really had no response. The next thing I knew, he was tugging on my arm to show me something he had built with the blocks, like he wanted me to play with him. So, I just started to speak kindly to him and play with him. 


During this time, I was also trying to monitor Anna Kate. The little boy knocked her over to get to another toy. I told him that was too rough to be with a little baby, and he looked at me like no one had ever told him something like that before. It was like, he was drawn to me because I was providing the only "discipline" or even attention he had ever received. Hmmmm. 


So, in the car on the way home, and for the remainder of the week, Trip talked about the little boy who took his marker at the library. He couldn't understand why the little boy was acting mean, and he asked me at one point why I did not give him a swat! 


I tried to use the opportunity to explain what I had learned that day. That sometimes when people are mean to you, if you decide to be nice to them anyway, it might change the way they treat you. That we should try to be like Jesus in this way. That, "while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." 


It's easy to be mad at the bully, until you realize that we were the bully until Jesus changed our hearts.


Looking back, it was angering to watch my child get picked on, and in the moment all I wanted to do was "give swats" as Trip would say. But I am so grateful that God presented this little opportunity to talk to Trip about sin and repentance and salvation. We continue to see the same little boy at the library when we go, and even though we have had a few more incidents, I am praying for Trip that he sees an opportunity to be more like Jesus and to love this little boy anyway.

Trip ..1..2..3

 

Trip - Birthday Questions, 3 yrs.
(I asked these questions while we were playing play dough. His answers are in quotes, and there are some where I filled in the blanks when I lost his attention :)

1. What is your favorite color? "Blue"
2. What is your favorite toy? "play dough"
3. What is your favorite fruit? "apples"
4. What is your favorite tv show? "Sid"(the Science Kid)
5. What is your favorite thing to eat for lunch? Noodles (macaroni and cheese), Trip’s answer, “pancakes”
6. What is your favorite outfit? Trip would wear his footie pajanimals all day every day if he could, Trip’s answer, “play dough clothes”
7. What is your favorite game? Trip’s answer, “play dough”. We mostly play golf outside.
8. What is your favorite snack? Trip’s answer, “banana’s” He never really eats bananas, but likes apples for snack time.
9. What is your favorite animal? “My favorite animal is Monkey”
10. What is your favorite song? Trip's answer,“Guitars”. Probably “Checkin’ out Charts” from the Sid the Science Kid CD
11. What is your favorite book? “Potato Head” (which is not a book, but a toy). Right now we read “If you give a Moose a Muffin” a lot.
12. Who is your best friend? “Zat” (Zac Walker)
13. What is your favorite cereal? Chocolate Chex. (This is where he starts getting really goofy) Trip's answer, “Blocks”
14. What is your favorite thing to do outside? (Now he's not paying attention at all!) I would probably say his favorite things include "workin'" with his Dad, digging, and swinging.
15. What is your favorite drink? “Juice box”
16. What is your favorite holiday? My answer for Trip - Christmas
17. What do you like to take to bed with you at night? “stuffed animals”
18. What is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast? He asks most often for oatmeal
19. What do you want for dinner on your birthday? "Noodles"
20. What do you want to be when you grow up? “I want to make paper airplanes” 

one year

Anna Kate, 1 year:
Height: 2 ft. 5.5 in. (50-75 percentile)
Weight: 22 lbs. 8 oz. (50-75 percentile)


(Birthday morning, eating berries) 

(Anna Kate frequently can be seen holding some toy in her mouth while she uses her hands to play with something else, or speed crawl)

It has to be said, I CAN'T BELIEVE MY BABY GIRL IS ONE! She just started crawling and eating solids, right? Didn't I just bring her home from the hospital? Wasn't that yesterday?

No. It was one year ago. And soon, I will blink my eyes, and she will be 3 like her big brother. And that means he will be 5.

Sigh. Tear. Smile.

My busy one-year-old ...

• Eats everything.
• Has 8 teeth! (4 top, 4 bottom)
• Cruises and climbs the furniture.
• Gives sweet hugs and cuddles.
• Loudly mimics her big brother.
• Says, "Bubba, Dada, Mama"
• Squeals like only a little girl can.
• Is always on the go.
• Loves taking bathes, and just being in the water!
• Is determined to get what she wants.
• Is attached to her pink blankies.
• Gets giddy to see her Dada when he comes home from work, or to see me and Trip when we get her out of bed in the morning.

On her first birthday... Anna Kate slept in. She ate berries, eggs, and a biscuit with honey for breakfast. Went to church. Ate lunch with some friends. Took a long nap. Was a little fussy as two new bottom teeth were making their appearance. Played with her brother. Loved on her parents. 

Anna Kate is now strong enough and determined enough to go head to head with Trip over a toy. Before this month, if Trip took a toy away from her, she just moved on to something else. Now, she is ready for a fight. She gets mad at him, yells, and often just takes the toy right back. Frequently I hear "No Anna Kathleen, that's mine. No Mam!" coming from the other room. Or, lately he has just taken to calling her "Kathleen" when he is "scolding" her. Except he pronounces it "Taf-a-Ween". This is probably where I should be stepping in as the parent, but I always just laugh at this duel of two strong-willed children. For every time they fight over a toy, there a 10 times they share. So, I'm not too concerned.

My sweet girl is also wild. She is very independent and doesn't really need my attention very often unless for the necessities. She is happy to follow Trip as he plays, or to play on her own (read, make messes and get into things). She is tough and can withstand Trip being fairly rough with her. Most of the time he is not intentionally rough, but just trying to love on her or play with her. But "love" from a 3-year-old boy is not exactly gentle.

My favorite thing about this entry into Toddlerhood is how well Anna Kate and Trip play together now. I am so excited to watch as their relationship grows.

Anna Kate,

We love and adore you baby girl. You are sweet, silly, smart, and strong. Your smile and eyes light up the room. Our prayer for you is that you will "know the hope to which God has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance" (Eph. 1:18). And that "Our God may count you worthy of His calling, and that by His power He may fulfill every good purpose of yours and every act prompted by your faith." (2 Thess. 1:11).

Happy 1st Birthday!

The Party

We went a little overboard this year with a party to celebrate Anna Kate's 1st birthday (March 4) and Trip's 3rd birthday (March 9). But, hey, when you have to share a birthday party it should be pretty darn special, right? I didn't get as many pictures as I wish I had, but here are a few to capture the day.

 

 

 

 

 

The house was FILLED with kiddos! More than 20 kids and around 20 adults came to celebrate with us, and Costco was a big help in filling all of our bellies. The weather was perfect, and the kids played outside most of the time. We had no special activities, just nice weather and good friends.

 

(Trip's was being shy while everyone sang to him)

 

(blowing out his candles)

("singing" happy birthday to her brother)

...Then it was Anna Kate's turn

 

 (Trip blew out her candle for her)

 

(She was a little timid at first, but ended up making a decent mess.)

(Such a little comedian!) 

A few other details ...

For Trip's birthday, we bought him a big boy bicycle with training wheels. I had it hidden in the garage ready to surprise him when it was time to open presents. Just before the guests began arriving, I couldn't find Trip anywhere. I peeked out in the garage and there he was, on his new bike. He excitedly yelled, "Hey Mama, look what I got! A bicycle!" I just had to laugh, I said, "I know, I'm the one who bought that for you. Happy Birthday!" 

He then proceeded to spend most of his party on his new bike completely ignoring everything else. He didn't even eat lunch or cake until after the guests had left.

Overall, the party was a lot of fun and I think Trip especially really enjoyed it. I'm not sure we will be doing big parties like this very often, but it was fun to celebrate with good friends and family.