Sunday, April 21, 2013

Professor Quinn



 Tucker needs to check out the new accessory that Quinn is sporting.
 Happy boy. Running wildly around the house because I am trying to
take a picture of him in his new glasses. Typical!

For Quinn's three year wellness check, the pediatrician had him take a routine eye test (to prepare for preschool). He tested at about a 20/80 for both eyes, and so they recommended that I take him to an Optometrist to get a more thorough eye exam.  
 
We did this last Thursday, and it was tough taking a three year old to an eye doctor and have eye drops used, to dilate his eyes. I could tell he just wasn't 'digging' it. And that's putting it mildly. Luckily, when they had us go back to the waiting area to give his pupils time to dilate, I was able to explain why we were there and what was going to happen. When the Optometrist assistant came back out to check on us, I asked if she could bring an eye patch for us, so that Quinn could check it out, feel it, play with it (basically just show him it's nothing to be afraid of).   We made it through the rest of the exam somehow, and then the diagnosis: astigmatism in both eyes and also, he is far sided (hard to see close up).  Both of these issues can (and usually do) correct themselves in children.  So then came the fun part! Picking out the glasses.  We went the day after the exam, and this time we brought along little brother Jack and Grandma Jan. It was a much more enjoyable experience for Quinn!  And I think he looks just like a mini professor.  He's doing great keeping them on for the majority of the day. I'm just so glad he can see more clearly now. 

Friday, April 12, 2013

The boys are growing











These two little boys are growing fast!  Having a three year old and 15 month old are fun ages.
 
Language skills are going through the roof for Quinn. He is able to have an impressively long and detailed conversation with us now. He has a knack for story telling, he can remember events in great detail and his interests are becoming apparent. It's great! At three years old he is still a huge reader. He can sit for hour(s) and read. He loves to both listen to someone read to him, and he also loves to camp out in bed with a dozen books nearby and read to himself.  Going to the library is a fun outing for Quinn. He is so excited when he sees all the books, that he doesn't understand why he must whisper and not run!  He is becoming more interested in crafts. Craft time around our house is very unstructured. Basically, I give Quinn a huge bin of 'craft stuff', paper, stickers, glue stick, scissors, stencils, markers, pens and pencils and let him 'create.'  I'm pretty sure he is going to be a 'lefty' (like me!) He knows how his name is spelt (cannot write it yet.) Although, he usually says: Q U I N.  He's doing great with staying dry all day and night, and is such a sweet and tender hearted little guy.  He is very kind and empathetic to Jack. Of course, he loves to take toys from Jack and tease him (Ex. here Jack, have this truck!) (and as Jack reaches for it, swipes it away).  He is learning though.  He is getting more confident when separated from me (ECFE helps in this area. It's his early childhood education class entitled: Practically a Preschooler and the gradual separation helps with the transition to preschool for the upcoming Fall school year. ) Steve and I took Quinn to his first movie in a theatre on Sunday. It was such a fun memory for all of us. We had lunch beforehand and than stopped at the bookstore to kill 15 minutes before arriving to watch The Croads.  Lately his favorite show is 'old school Scooby Doo'.
 
Jack is growing and changing daily as well. I just took him in for his 15 month wellness check, and he is healthy as can be.  He's our little peanut, at the 15% in weight and 47% in height. Tall, skinny and most importantly: healthy. I'm so thankful for the boys health.  
 
Jack loves to jabber. He is very good at saying dada and mama. And let me tell you... he gets on a role and can jabber on and on about mama, dada, dada, mama, so fast and with such enthusiasm. Bless his little heart!  He is sleeping well at night. We usually put him and brother to bed at 7:30 and they sleep until around 7-7:30am.  He is a very good eater!  He can sit in his highchair for a very long time and just graze.... :)  He's like his mom in this way.  He is very affectionate with Tucker. He loves to snuggle with mama, throw balls and wrestle with dada and play beside Quinn.  I can see that he is becoming more interested in us reading to him, but he's not quite as excited about it! He is a climber. Lately he has been reminding me of a little mountain goat.  He will climb up on the toy box or his little toy slide (amongst many other places), and look so gleeful and giddy (and PROUD). He has such a cute smile. I'm not kidding, it melts my heart. I think I might say: 'He is just so cute,' about a hundred times a day. And I am pretty certain that his eyes actually sparkle, from time to time.  I think he's going to be blessed with a super laid back, go with the flow personality. He smiles easily and one doesn't have to work too hard to get him to smile!  

Monday, April 1, 2013

Easter Morning - 2013

Easter 2013 ~ Quinn, 3 years old and Jack, (almost) 15 months old.
 
March 31, 2013

It was a very nice Easter for our family. We enjoyed a nice church service with my mom and dad, with a small lunch afterwards. And when I say small, I mean, only us and them!  Either my siblings had to work or are living out of state now. Although we missed everyone A LOT, we also enjoyed a quiet and peaceful morning and afternoon. The boys loved all their grandparent's attention!

Later in the afternoon we loaded the boys and all our Easter egg goodies up in our car, and made the trek over to Steve's cousin's home. This was the busy house, with all the aunts, uncles, parents, sister, cousins and grandpa.  Thanks SO much for having us over, Kim and Sean. You guys have such a beautiful family (such sweet, well behaved and very cute kiddos!) and home. We enjoyed celebrating the Easter Holiday with family, remembering that ALL of our sins have been washed away by the death and resurrection of Jesus. He is RISEN! Hallelujah!
 
 Quinn is super duper good at avoiding pictures (at ALL cost). I try and be sneaky, and 'pretend' I want a picture of something Quinn is holding. So I'll say, "Quinn, hold that little puzzle up for me." He knows EXACTLY what I'm doing, and purposely blocks his face! 
 Look at Steve's snazzy dazzy argyle socks! Or as he says, gargoyle socks.


Easter egg time!

 Quinn's helping mom get everything ready, so we can dye and decorate our Easter eggs!
 Here's the decorating 'crew'.
 The eggs are dyed, now it's time to put stickers on them!
 The girls took their work very seriously!
 They turned out great! We have been eating A LOT of hard boiled eggs!
 Nice one!
 Happy sisters!
 Quinn preferred putting stickers on his face, rather than the eggs!
 Coloring was next...
 I wonder what they're discussing. It looks important!
Fun day with friends!