Faulty Toddler Logic: Grow a BIG TREE

At the dinnertable, Sydney announced "It's going to take a long, long time for our little (3 foot tabletop artificial) tree to grow BIG like our other (7 foot artificial) Christmas tree."

MOMMY: Like when pigs fly?

SYDNEY: Huh?

MOMMY: Never mind.

SYDNEY:  A long, long time... Right, mommy?

MOMMY: Maybe...

Gift tags and Dear Santa Letter (from Silas), written by Sydney

Dear Santa,

My brother wants PLANE and HELICOPTER.

Love, Sydney

ADORABLE!

SANTA LETTER - 11/23/13, age 4.5

Sydney is also VERY PROUD to be making almost all of the gift tags on our Christmas and birthday presents this year! (He is starting to ask "How do you spell..." a lot and is eager to sound out words. AWESOME for just 4 years old!)

11/17/13 GIFT TAGS

 11/19/23 gift tags

Olson family pic 2013

Silly little turkeys

Touched by a Love of reading

This morning, upon waking, Silas was upset that I was busy doing things around the house instead of falling into our normal routine. He dragged me into the living room, patted the couch and demanded "Mommy... SIT DOWN!!! You need to read your book next to me. That's what we do!"

I had started to read in the mornings while he sits in my lap or next to me. He watches (his choice) a kids show off of PBS.

Lately, he plops his head onto my chest or shoulder and announces "Mommy, I love you!"

(Heart melts into a puddle; LOVE THAT BOY!

• • •

Normal routine, Mommy = glasses on, go potty, pour juice cups for boys, make chai tea for mommy, enjoy hot chai tea and snuggle time with Silas while reading a book and watching tv.

Normal routine, Silas = check fridge for juice cups, yell at mommy, diaper off, feed cats, go potty, get juice, snuggle with mom while watching PBS kids.

• • •

Sometimes, he'll bring me a different book and ask me if I can read it to him. Other times, he just asks me questions about the book that I am reading. It is so sweet!

• • •

When asking him what he wants to do for fun (while Sydney is at school), he often picks "go to the library to get more books" or "go to the bookstore".

Sydney's Letter 2013: Dear Santa

This afternoon, Sydney grabbed a Halloween pencil and some paper, wanting me to help him to write a letter to Santa. Earlier in the day, he was reminiscing about our Elf on the Shelf (Barney) and how cool it was when the Elf had cooked (our North Pole Breakfast) for us.

I thought it would be easiest for him to write "I am a good boy" BUT Sydney insisted that he had to write "I am a good listener."

I did convince him that "I want one of those Sliver dinosaur car toys that changes into a Brachiosaurus" was too long. Instead, we settled on "I want a Vtech Brachiosaurus" as well as the consensus that I would print out a picture of it. (He was concerned that Santa wouldn't know which one he wanted.)

When Mike came home from work, he found us laying together on the kitchen floor working on Sydney's letter. Sydney was THRILLED to tell Daddy all about it! (Mommy had tears in her eyes, feeling rather verklempt.)

Date: 11.12.13 by Sydney, age 4.5

Right now - a look at SARAH (November 2013)

Right now, Sarah:

• injects herself with Copaxone 5-6 times per week. My prescription says EVERY DAY, but I've gotten the OK to do less if I want to. I opted to give up my arms, specifically my left one because I tend to hold kids on that side. Lately, the boys (in their excitement to help me with my shot) have been encouraging me NOT to skip any shots. (I give myself shots... FOR THEM... hoping that the shots will help me to remain active in the lives of my boys!)
• snuggles with our cats (Eddy and Otto) after the kids go to bed. They can't wait to hop into my lap or onto the bed with me when the house is quiet and they have me to themselves. (Just like old times....)
• loves to watch Parenthood on NBC!
• hates mice in our house; our cats caught ONE in early October and we've not found ANY evidence of any since. Hoping THAT was our first and last of the season.
• enjoys making cards during my $5 therapy session at Peg's house.
• dislikes handwashing dishes; seriously, I'd prefer to clean toilets any day!
• coughs A LOT, wets a little. ;)
• wakes early (thanks to Silas!)
• attends MOPS for the first time ever
• leads the MS support group and feels that it is SO rewarding to do so

Right Now - a look at SYDNEY (November 2013)

Right now, Sydney:

• enjoys Bagels with butter & cinnamon sugar for breakfast on days when he decides NOT to have Cinnamon Life. (Now that we've stocked up on cinnamon Quaker Oatmeal Squares, he's stopped requesting those.)
• prefers to ride the tractor at school during BIKE WEEK, which we're told is most challenging to ride. His teacher told us that he often rides it!
• protests naps, but falls asleep easily in the car in the afternoon
• goes to bed easily at night because he is SO TIRED (skipping a nap!) In events that he DOES nap, he's often awake until 9:40pm, making an incredibly long day for Mommy!
• hated the Charlotte's Web movie because the spider died
• searches for TWINS whenever we pour Cinnamon Life
• loves to build things!
• is addicted to television
• had an AWESOME report card from Parent Teacher conferences
• is drawing The Mouse, The Big Hungry Bear and the Red Ripe Strawberry from memory at school, bringing home a page or two at a time, claiming that he's going to make his own book
• LOVES the Rhyming Dust Bunnies book
• enjoys stickers
• gets mad if Silas attempts to pick the same kind of cereal as him
• is very protective of his baby brother; he helps watch him by the street and while we are shopping so that no one will steal him
• demonstrates some stranger danger (We used to think that he would go home with anyone)
• loves getting movies from the library
• sits quietly and looks at new library books
• is still a lap snuggler!
• takes his night diaper off as soon as he wakes up
• scribbles jagged lines across the paper and announces what he's "writing"
• is starting to remember his manners when he becomes bossy or demanding and realizes (without our prompting) that he has to use good manners and ask nicely for things
• LOVES to drink juice!
• has thick, wavy hair.
• prefers to wear sweatpants or nylon pants; he really does NOT like to wear blue jeans
• wants almost EVERYTHING when we walk through a toy aisle; he used to look at everything and decide which item he wanted to put onto his WISH LIST, but now, he just wants... well, EVERYTHING!!!
• takes all of the pillows off of mom & dad's bed
• is learning SARCASM; he often announces "Hey, that's sarcasm!" (i.e. "Thank you! Thank you SO MUCH for dumping an entire box of cereal onto the floor. I love that! It makes me REALLY happy!" We also use examples such as "Grandpa Lowell LOVES snakes!" or "Mommy just LOVES bats!"
• is suddenly becoming fearful of the dark... and monsters.... etc. He does NOT like to be alone
• turns himself into a dinosaur a lot; a T-Rex, I'd guess because he has tiny claws. (Mommy often reminds him "Hey! Put your claws away!"
• plays alone very well, as long as he knows where an adult is at
• thinks he is THE BOSS of all of us
• loves to play with the tripod and to take self-portraits with mommy. He also LOVES to play with their little kid camera.
• enjoys BOYS NIGHT because they watch tv and then, he can sleep in the big bed with Daddy and Silas.
• has the BEST BABYSITTER!!! The boys LOVE when Emily comes!
• loves to build things in the garage with Papa Olson.
• says that Piglet's BIG movie is his favorite, but we sadly don't have that one on our cable box anymore.
• smiles a lot!
• refuses to get his hair "cut" BUT will agree to getting it "trimmed"
• was tricked into getting a chiropractic adjustment; he had announced that he did NOT want the doctor to "fix him" but I was able to convince him that the doctor needed to look for tickle spots. (That was OK.)
• likes to whisper in your ear, but it is very difficult to understand him most of the time.
• enjoys going to see Daddy at work; likes to "ride on the tractor" outside of the store. (Sit on the floor model of the ATV's.)
• accepts the fact that the yellow car in the Walmart lobby is only for good listeners to ride on. NOTE: A ride = mom singing ABC's ONE TIME and then, it is time for Silas to take a turn! (They have NO IDEA that those cars take money and actually move!)
• loves to rhyme!
• enjoys bedtime a lot because he LOVES to sit and read books! (We go to the library often! He LOVES when we get brand new ones!)
• likes to help Mommy with her shot at night; putting the red part on (or taking it off) is his favorite part!
• thinks that it is AWESOME to go to our neighbor's house to play with Mason's old Thomas the Train table.
• says he's going to be a fire-fighter when he grows up. (Interestingly, when I just asked him this question, he announced that he wants to be "a fireboat driver" because we don't have one of those in this town yet. I wonder if he learned that during his tour of the fire station or if he just has an active imagination.)
• is still obsessed with Halloween right now and requests to make a new costume almost every day
• is a picky eater!!! (He'd live on cereal or PB&Nutella and drink "skinny boy milk" if we'd let him! Canned tuna meat is also a favorite of his.)
• drinks out of BLUE sippy cups.
• does NOT like time-outs anymore, declaring that he is too big for time-outs.
• gives great hugs
• rubs kisses in more often than wipe kisses off.
• builds forts next to the couch, with pillows
• talks A LOT!
• is really good at puzzles
• is an incredibly sweet little boy

Right Now - a look at SILAS (October 2013)

Right now, Silas:

• is suddenly sassy. "NO!" is his new favorite word, I'm afraid
• asks WHY, but doesn't really expect an answer. 
• struggles to poop on the potty chair, preferring to secretly do it in his big boy pants or diaper
• wakes up dry 4-5 times per week
• will only go potty on the toilet when HE wants to, but can sometimes be tricked into it because he doesn't argue when the timer goes off.
• will change his behavior at the very threat of a time-out
• is missing his last two year molar, but has started to chew on his hand lately.
• LOVES LuLu the dog and getting a sucker at the bookstore.
• is a human alarm clock, waking between 5:40-6:20am, but almost always very close to 6.
• asks to eat "gummy things" almost daily (fruit snacks... a gift from Bev & Frank)
• has attended MOPS childcare twice and freaked out both times
• sucks his right thumb
• waits until Daddy finishes his last speck of food before asking "NOW can I sit on your lap?" during dinner
• eats almost everything!
• demands a cup of juice upon waking
• used to ask for BOB THE BUILDER as soon as he woke up, but has now started to ask to watch THOMAS instead.
• wants to eat a picnic outside almost daily
• runs to the front of the room at the library, standing next to the storytime librarian when it is time to sing songs. (Hokey Pokey, etc.) He sings, smiles and dances in front of the entire room full of people, thinking nothing of it
• rushes to hold the hand of the storytime librarian when it is time to do ring around the rosie
• gets his hand stamp on a piece of paper at the library
• wakes up in the morning AND from afternoon naps, announcing "I had a happy nap!"
• pays attention while we're driving and announces things like "Mommy! This is NOT the way to Daddy's work!!! THIS is the way to Daddy's school! You are going the wrong way!!!" as well as "Huh? Where are we going? I've never been on this road before." AND "Red Light. Stop. Green light. GO!" (He also tells me that I went through a red light, as he looks out his window and sees the red for the side streets.)
• thinks butter and sour cream are foods.
• is getting good at memorizing children's books.
• announces "That's NOT funny. That's a terrible joke." to Sydney whenever Sydney tries to make up his own joke.
• often gives the reason "Sydney did...." whenever he's crying and we ask him what is the matter. Sometimes, Sydney isn't even HOME when he does it. (NOTE: often Sydney IS to blame, but NOT ALWAYS!)
• is an instigator that sometimes likes to "irk" his big brother. (They do it to each other, I'm afraid!)
• talks almost non-stop
• is an AWESOME EATER and an AWESOME SLEEPER!
• gets mad when we call him "MISTER" or "BABY"; he'll snap "I'm NOT a Mister! I'm a Silas!" or "I'm NOT a baby; I'm a Silas!" ALSO, when I tell him, you're ALWAYS going to be my baby, he corrects me - telling me "I'm always going to be your Silas!"
• plays rough; you'd NEVER GUESS he's only 2.5 He's also great at motor skills - hopping, climbing, running, jumping, skipping!
• thrives on routine; gets mad when Daddy forgets to have them brush their teeth on Boys Night.
• likes to wear a clothes hanger around his tiny waist and pretends to be an airplane; drives mommy crazy!
• likes to get a TRIANGLE donut with chocolate frosting - WITHOUT SPRINKLES!!!
• steals all of the gadgets from the kitchen drawer when no one is looking
• gets excited over heavy equipment; still says BULL-DA-BO-ZER for bulldozer. (LOVE!!!)
• loves to take the tiny shopping cart to run errands. He LOVES to go to Fareway to buy bagels and to Walmart to grocery shop. He's a great little helper!
• know his colors and counts very well
• thinks that the last line on our house rules sign says SILAS, but really it says SMILE. (Most people call him SMILEY because he is almost always smiling!!!)

UPDATE - 12/8/13: Silas is no longer potty training. He has reverted back to diapers for most of the time. (Although, a few times, he has taken his diaper off on is own and declared that he is a big boy and doesn't need it.) He HATES going poop anywhere, but in his diaper. He's showing NO INTEREST in wearing big boy pants right now. He's no longer waking dry most mornings. Giving him a little bit of breathing room again... he'll get there when he's ready.
 He's still AWESOME at going to the bathroom before a bath/shower. He also likes to go potty for Nana Olson, to make her proud. We'll keep trying! (Developmental email recently talked about regression... and them wanting to do what is comfortable for them.) ALSO, our sweet little boy has been getting rough and tumble; he holds his own agains his brother's 23 month advantage. Silas has pulled a fistful of hair from Sydney's head on more than one occasion. (Naughty!) Two-and-a-half IS a tough age, as I recall.

Sydney's signature at 4 and a half

Sydney and Mommy were busy coloring while Silas was napping. At the top of his picture, I asked him to write his name. He starts his name with the first Y, announcing that he's BEST at making Y's and that those are his favorite letters to write. He then, goes back to add the beginning S and follows up with the DNEY of his name. I couldn't wait to scan it or photograph it; he's really improving. We've seen it a few times on school papers, but I haven't witnessed him writing it on his own before; SO PROUD! Not bad for only 4.5 years old! :)

Way to Go, SYDNEY!!