Age 6

How do I describe my David at age 6?

He is turning into a very capable worker. He can see the end from the beginning on certain household chores such as picking up the living room, and does it without much coaching from Mom. 

Note: Prodding and coaching are two different things here.

When I told him the other day that his math book finally arrived for our homeschool lessons, so we would begin working in it the following day, he dropped what he was doing and nearly tackled me in a hug. David loves to learn, and I am grateful for his enthusiasm.

He continues to enjoy taking things apart, but has a little more discretion in asking permission first.

David collected scrap metal this summer and was thrilled to take his first load to the scrap metal yard and walk away with $12.53. He felt like the richest kid in the world. 

He is finally finding a creative streak in drawing. One of our classes with other homeschool families introduced David to abstract art, so he is finally trying his hand at coloring and art. I think he's a bit of a perfectionist, and didn't try it previously because he didn't feel like he was good enough at it. Abstract art has opened a new place to express himself without feeling inadequate in copying another object onto his paper.

David continues to excel at the piano. He loves scales, and I love having a teacher that pushes him into learning theory. The other day the piano teacher (who is very much creative-minded and doesn't always retain information she has previously been given multiple times) learned (for the 12th time) that David isn't 7 yet. She said, "You little rascal! How did you sneak in? I don't teach kids till they turn 7. You're my youngest student. Gee, you're going to be a hotshot by the time you're 12." Then she gave him some harder scales to work on so her compliment wouldn't go to his head.

David is still very cuddly. He loves to be affectionate. I am trying to hang on to it and push him to learn appropriate physical boundaries all at the same time. He loves to tease and torment his sister, but they are also best buds some of the time. When I think of everything this boy has taught me, and how he inspires me to be better, my  heart nearly bursts and I am grateful to my Father in Heaven that I get to be his mother.

Age 2

This month we celebrated a little girl turning 2 at our house. Oh, she is sweet and has captured our hearts.

How can I best describe Alina at 2?

She asks for 3 napkins at dinner time, then lets her brother bury her in the muddy leaves outside.

She can throw a ball across the room, zoom a truck with all the appropriate noises, then cradles her baby doll, singing to her before she gently lays her on a pillow and covers her with a blanket.

She picks up a book and quietly reads it, then decides she likes it so much that she "hugs" it hard enough to break the binding.

She loves to color.

She has the sweetest belly laugh, and David is best at bringing it out.

David is also best at bringing out her squeals of protest.

She reserves her smiles and affection for those she loves most. A little reserved in public, but once she's at home, she is as outgoing and playful as a little girl can be.

She mimicks everything her brother does. 

She loves to roll down her window and say hi to the driver next to us, just like her brother does.

She's happy to go to her nursery class at church, but then her excitement at being reunited with her loved ones is joyous and sweet.

She eats anything that is put in front of her. In recent weeks, she has decided she's done with her high chair. This is an adjustment for us, because now she has the liberty to get off her chair and wander through the house with her snack (a big no-no in Mom's book).

Her language is quite amazing. She speaks mostly in vowel sounds, but I can usually figure it out given some context. She has started putting together sentences with her vowel-words. If I can't understand something, she patiently repeats it or tries to act it out.

"Nina" is the name she has given herself, and it's a nickname we use for her because it's too cute and we want it to stick.

"Nina" is also how she says "cleanup"--which is something she likes to do often. 

So "Nina nina" is "Alina cleanup" while she gets a towel and wipes up a spill on the table or floor.

She loves to say "YAY!!" in celebration, especially when she is cheering herself on for a good choice or deed. She used to say "aye" for yes, but it has now morphed in to "yeah".

Oh, how we love this Alina girl!