Trick-or-treat Bucket Making

Autumn Looms

Pumpkin Time!

Eli Pictures

Eyeball on a platter anyone?

Eli

This little guy is just as cute as can be... he also has no fear and thinks everything is funny!  He is experimenting with tantrums.  It really is kind of funny to watch.  He screams and stomps his feet super fast.  Most of the time I tell him that tantrums are not allowed, he says "OK" and stops.  Sometimes however he keeps going and ends up sitting in the orange chair where he promptly stops the tantrum and seems to forget what was going on.  He is off doing something else.  The attention span of a 21 month old.

He is talking more and more, using lots of phrases and repeating everything we say.  Note to self... he is repeating everything I say... watch my tongue!  He has a deep and abiding love of dinosaurs.  He likes to watch BBC dinosaur shows.  He loves dinosaurs book and stickers.  He dreams about dinosaurs too, he tells me about them when he wakes up. 

Eli gives the great tight hugs and loves to hug Aaron and I at the same time.  In fact, he will always interrupt a Mommy Daddy hug to join in on the snuggle.  He loves is siblings and asks for them when they aren't around.  He wrestles with them and brings books to them so they will read to him. 

Our life with Eli is busy, but wonderful.  He helps fill our days with laughter, love, snuggles and fun.  I can't imagine life without this crazy little boy!  Thank you God for our busy toddler and his zeal for life!

Happy

I am very happy to say, that within a few days of cracking down, my two oldest children were back to their normal selves!  We did a lot of talking and I did a lot of positive reinforcement for the behaviors we like to see.  Everyone was a lot happier in our house and that is the way we like it!

We have a few medical issues on the horizon... blech.  Hannah's stride is not right, so we need to see if it is something that will correct itself as she grows or if we need to do something about it.  Eli is now short one ear tube.  Isaac is scheduled to see a dermatologist because he doesn't sweat adequately.  We're hoping to get all this taken care of in this calendar year. 

October is a busy and fun month and I LOVE the fall!  The cool weather, the amazing colors, pumpkins, leaves, cornstalks, the fields... everything!  I made pumpkin spice muffins tonight and they are the perfect taste of fall.  The kids love these muffins too, so all 18 should be devoured by tomorrow night.  The trick is using spelt flour.  Perfect.

This Parenting Thing

This parenting thing always seems to have a new twist or turn!  Now that Hannah and Isaac have started school and are riding the bus, they have had the opportunity to meet a lot of children in our neighborhood.  I love that they are making lots of new friends.  However, I am not loving some of the other stuff that is coming from all these new friends.  Knowing that parenting styles and parenting supervision vary greatly from family to family, Aaron and I are working on figuring out what is best for our kids when it comes to playing with the neighborhood friends.  The past 2 weeks have been tricky in our household.  Both kids have pushed boundaries, made very poor choices because the other kids are doing it, been snappy at one another and all around become children that they have not been before... and we are not about ready to tolerate it.  Yesterday was the day the straw broke, so this week I am cracking down.  Yes they can play with their new friends, but the boundaries are tight.  Yes, I may be known as the strict Mommy, but my children are going to know how to be considerate, how to make good choices, and how to be safe.  They will know that faith and family always come first and that treating one another with respect and kindness is very important.  They will know that sassing or back talking to a parent or any adult is not OK... just as inconsiderate and mean talk is not OK with peers.

I have really great kids.  They are loving and kind and helpful.  They love God and usually are good listeners.  As a Christian, I want my children to be able to share the love of Jesus through their words and actions... and I pray that it becomes a natural part of their personality and who they are. 

I know they need to learn to make good choices when many choices surround them.  Consequences for poor choices will most likely be the best teacher and I can't protect them from that as much as I may want to.  I know I won't do everything right as a mom, but I want to do the best I can.  I'm finding that with each age, the challenges change.  Toddlerhood is rough at times, but early elementary can be too!  So I will cover my children with prayer, give them as much love as I possibly can, empower them to make good choices, applaud their good behavior and point out the wonderful gifts God has given them, tell them how thankful I am to be their mother, and endure the pain of watching them suffer through natural consequences when they make poor choices.  I will be strict with them and keep their boundaries safe and yet give them an environment in which they can thrive.  This will be a continual journey as a parent... and I will let them know when I make a mistake and I will ask for their forgiveness when needed. 

This parenting thing... always and adventure!