Corban is 18 Months and Gabriel is Silly

Corban had his 18 month check up on Monday.  He decided to have some really good timing and have an ear infection when we went in.  He had a cold the week before but really seemed fine other than that.  He woke up once crying the night before his appointment but that really was the only indication that something was wrong.  He's been getting teeth, so I just assumed the occasional whining was due to that.  He hasn't had the best week though.  One of his teeth is really causing him pain (he's actually walking around with his hand in his mouth), he is now digging in his ear, and he had to get a couple vaccines on Monday.  He hasn't been in the best mood and I don't really blame him.

I still don't know what to do with his hair.  I was thinking if it got a little longer that it would settle down, but it doesn't seem like that is the case.  Now I just think of his hair as a part of his wild and goofy personality.  

Besides the ear infection he's doing great.  The pediatrician said that he should have about 10 words at this point, so I was trying to count them up.  If animal sounds counted as words he'd have no problem.  As of now he routinely says: Mama, Dada, bye, hi, nuh uh, yeah, and head.  He signs for milk, more, all done, and help.  He sometimes says something close to the parts of his face (eyes, nose, ears, mouth). He does a good job of communicating what he needs though.  He was not very happy this morning and I guess he wanted me to sit with him, so he grabbed my hand and walked me over to the couch.  Then he tried to push me down to sit.  Then he climbed up with a book and sat in my lap. 

Corban is still so in love with cows.  He has to point them out everywhere.  I just had to buy him his own stuffed cow.  Now he sleeps with the cow and the sleep sack (and here we have a picture of the cow wearing the sleep sack).

The doctor didn't write down the exact percentages when we were there on Monday, but he is 35 inches (98th percentile), and 25 lb 14 oz (which she said is about the 50th).  Still tall.  And the hair makes him look even more so. 

His Valentine's Day monkey friend from Gammer (and the sleep sack)

He has claimed Gabriel's chair as his own (with his sleep sack)

Corban loves story time at the library, the Children's Museum, and Romp and Roll class.  Here are a few pictures from today's class.  When it was rest time in class and everyone stretches out on the floor for a minute of quiet he went and sat with the teacher.  Apparently she's more fun than his mommy.

And here are some little things about Gabriel that come to mind:

Super Heros can often be found in our house

Gabriel loves Super Heros.  How do little boys get sucked into them without even watching them on TV?  He wants to be Batman, Spider Man, The Incredibles, and many others.  The other day during rest time we kept hearing a "thumping" noise.  When I asked him what was going on he said that he was Spider Man and was throwing his webs against the wall (I'm still not sure what he was actually throwing against the wall to make the noise)

Fireman at the Children's Museum

A few weeks ago I was in the car with Gabriel and following conversation took place:

Gabriel: when are you and Daddy going to move out of the house so I can get married and live here? I'm ready to grow up

Me: why do you want to grow up so fast and who are you going to marry?

Gabriel: so that I can reach high things. And I'm marrying Marie! We can go out to eat and someone will watch our kids

Me: how many kids do you have?

Gabriel: we don't have any yet

Me: well how many will you have?

Gabriel: two. And they will be boys. I haven't thought of their names yet though. I'll have to get a job

Me: what will you do?

Gabriel: I'll work at church

Me: that's a nice idea. You know there are other jobs too doing all kinds of things. 

Gabriel: I could just get one where I help people 

I picked Gabriel up from preschool a couple weeks ago and saw this.  My first thought was "please tell me that he didn't get into a fight.  He's 4."  Thankfully he just had a collision with another boy's head.  He is currently also missing almost an entire fingernail.  He smashed his finger in the door a few weeks ago.  Earlier this week almost the entire nail came off.  Ouch.

This is very random, but the other day when we were driving Gabriel said that he was going to make a movie.  Upon further questioning I found out the following:  

It's going to be in the theater in a million years.

It will be about chocolate chips that are astronauts.

The chocolate chips are scared of aliens.

Chocolate chips have very large families.  One bag of chocolate chips is one entire family.

Another random thing.  The other afternoon I was on the phone and Gabriel disappeared somewhere in the house.  I normally think nothing of this.  When it had been several minutes and it was still quiet I went searching.  He was sitting in the refrigerator with him entire hand in a tub of frosting (I also have no idea how long that frosting was in there.  I have no recollection of what I used it for).  When I asked him what he was doing he started screaming "I was hungry!!!!  I was just getting a snack!!!"  He was not very happy to have to stop and wash his hands.  For how annoyed I was at the time, once he went to bed that night it made me laugh.  He looked with Winnie the Pooh with his hand in a honey jar.

Gabriel's new favorite toys are Playmobile.  He got some knights for his birthday and a plane for Christmas.  He has been working really hard at reading, so since he is halfway through the workbook we're working on we let him pick out a Playmobile toy.  He plays with them so creatively.  It's fun to listen to.  Here he is with his new police station:

Besides Playmobile, during rest time he most often listens to CDs, plays with Legos, pretends to be a super hero, and changes his clothes.  Sometimes it's into a costume.  Sometimes he likes to put on a matching hat, gloves, and scarf.  Most often though he just changes he clothes into some random outfit.  The last few days he's also gotten dressed before he comes out of his room in the morning (he climbs his toy cubby to reach into the closet and get a shirt).  A welcome change from the boy who has previously screamed when asked to change clothes in the morning.

"Mommy, take my picture!"

And on a closing note, I actually wrote most of this blog post yesterday and then didn't post it.  How can I post it at dinnertime today you ask?  Because I'm not home.  While these boys may seem cute and funny, many days they are far from either.  Today was one of those days.  The day was one long stream of crying, tantrums, and whining, followed by almost no nap or rest from either boy.  Gabriel actually said at one point "Mommy, I don't care about your feelings.  Just mine."  Lovely right?  I asked Taylor to please bring home a pizza.  When he got home I left.  I am eating dinner alone because this mom is done for the day and because I have a husband who understands that.  I just felt that this little disclaimer was needed to remind myself later of the reality of day to day with little people.  It's hard and it's long and some days it feels like nothing that I am doing matters.  And I think of this Tim Keller quote that I read yesterday: 

To say Jesus is making everything work together for your good means 

that not only are bad things part of his plan but also little things.

I can think of many things directions to take that thought, but as for today, my day has been made up of little things.  Some are little things (or big things) that I failed at.  Like when I yelled at Gabriel before his rest time.  Or told him, not very nicely, to stop talking (for he is a constant stream to chatter.  Mix that with a screaming brother and it's a quick trip to frustration).  Our day of little things make up the bigger things.  While I am too tired to expound further, it helps me to know that my little things are important to God, and that the little things that I do matter, as well as the fact that He is teaching me in these little things about my sin, my failures, and His grace and love toward me.  So as to not start crying in Panera, this blog post is done.  I'm not even reading any of it again for editing purposes.  It is what it is.