Milestones

Late again...which is funny because, in real life, I try to be late (fashionably) and never succeed. :)

So, we've had some pretty big milestones in this house in October...Aaron turned 2 years old and Lucy turned 9 months. I think I'm so lazy at getting these up because, when I stop to think about these two and how they've grown, my thoughts get all jumbled. I'm with them every waking moment they have and those moments tend to run together and, by the end of the month, I can't exactly remember what they just starting doing and what they've been doing forever. I'll try my best to get some memorable things down, though. Mainly for me...don't feel like you need to read this...it's all mommy bragging. :)

Aaron- 2 Years Old

This boy. My heart literally leaps out of my chest when I start to consider all the ways he's added to my life and all the ways I love him. His entire life has been medicine for my soul and it takes all I have to not squeeze him till he pops. 

He continues to be considerably bright (and not just because he's my son. :). He's a little sponge and picks up new concepts so quickly; Brandon and I are continually in awe of how his mind works. He appears to be very much a visual learner (as I am) but is a very quick and mechanically inclined learner (as is his father) as well.

At two years of age, he knows all the letters of the alphabet except "w" and will occasionally mix up "f" and "e" and "s" and "z." He knows roughly half of the letter sounds and can even tell you what a word starts and ends with, based on what sound it makes. Crazy! As a former teacher, I can't even wrap my head around this!

He reads constantly. And is even starting to "read" books by himself. With a few books, he has picked up "whole language" and can read specific words to you (obviously, having memorized what they look like...hence, whole language). One example being "beep."

He knows all his shapes and colors already, as well as different kinds of lines (straight, wavy, spiraled, zig-zag). 

He recognizes all numbers up to 10 and can count (with help) up to ten. Visually, he can immediately recall groups of "2." 

Verbally, he's on the lower end of average. Although, just in the last few weeks, his language has seemed to take off. He has an extensive vocabulary (well over 200 words) but he has been a bit slow at forming 2-3 sentences, at least in comparison to his friends (I know, don't compare!). I think part of that has to do with the fact that he is not apt to repeat what he hears others saying (until this week...2 years and 3 weeks); we've noticed he tends to take things in quietly and then only seems to "produce" when he's figured out how to perfect it internally (just like his mama). This has caused much frustration on our part in the past but now that I'm starting to understand the way his mind works, I have let go a little and just focus on drenching him with as much vocabulary as possible, knowing it will one day pop out of his mouth. :)

As for his physical development, he continues to be on the lower end of average as well. It seems to take him considerably more time to acquire these skills. At 2, he is just beginning to run and his "jump" is more in theory. He can throw well but hasn't quite grasped the concept of catching yet. Since moving into our house, he has finally mastered the stairs.

Socially, he remains very shy meeting new people, or people he hasn't seen in awhile. However, in time, he warms up and really enjoys the company of others, especially kids around his age and men. :)

He loves Lucy dearly but I can see the sibling rivalry coming out a bit more these days, as she's more mobile and gets into his personal space. He is constantly saying "Lu-cy" and "Buh-buh" (a play on a family nickname for her), trying to redirect her or stop her from demolishing something he's worked so hard to build. Overall, he continues to be sweet to her and is quick to say sorry if he hurts her, along with "hug." He has started getting a little too rough with her in recent days, mainly when he's trying to wrestle...as we do with him, not understanding she's too little. But it melts my heart watching him play chase with her and watching him find ways to make her laugh. I'm excited to watch their friendship grow as she's able to do more.

His favorite activities these days are: reading, cars, army men, coloring (for hours), legos, trains, "tools" and "outside."

His least favorite activities are: anything that takes him away from his favorite activities. ;)

One of the sweetest things about Aaron is his love for the Bible. He is constantly asking to read the "Biii-bul" and to pray. He loves talking about how "Je-us die...cross...bad...sins." Very often, and I kid you not, I come into a quiet room to find him pouring over my Bible (which obviously doesn't have any pictures). We do "memorize" verses with him but, until this week, it's always just been us saying it aloud. This week, we were pleasantly surprised to find him repeating the verse with us (Ephesians 6:1) and we are excited that opportunities for more memorization have just opened up. While we are encouraged by this early love of The Word and the things of God, we recognize that he still has an unregenerate heart and only pray, in time, that he will truly come to love God with all his heart, mind, soul, and strength. We are thankful for these early opportunities to teach him about the Lord, though, and are trying to be faithful to live out Duet. 6:7-9 in his little life.

To keep me humble and this post "real," one of the most maddening things about Aaron is his refusal to eat any vegetable in its original form. He will, however, eat any vegetable, as long as it's pureed. This has been a constant source of tension in our home. We waver between making him "man up" and eat them the good ol' fashioned "grown up" way and continuing to puree them. After all, he will eat veggies, which is huge. So it's either, puree and get goodness in his tummy or put our foot down and end up with no goodness getting in. We've attempted both ways and we are currently on the "puree"side of the fence. :)

Emotionally, Aaron struggles with a quick temper, is easily frustrated, and has and an incredibly stubborn will. Sadly, these traits are alllll from me :( Training him to respond rightly in the midst of these weaknesses is so very hard but so very good for my soul; when I am speaking to his little heart, I am also speaking to me. While I know that parenting, in general, is incredibly sanctifying, I have a feeling God gave me Aaron to be my special sanctification buddy. We "get" each other's specific sin natures and, hopefully, in time will be as iron sharpens iron. :)

Well, I know I've probably missed a lot but, thankfully, this is my blog and I can always come back and edit later, as I remember specific things. I need to move on to my sweet Lucy Anne, which I will "tackle" in another post, seeing as how lengthy this one has become (I guess that's what happens when I don't post regularly. :)