Interview With a Four Year Old

We are now looking at a four-year old little girl... and what a girl she is! My sister Sanni took some great pictures of the kids to mark their birthday milestones. It was freezing outside so they had to be quick! We are pleased that we got a few shots of their personalities. Thanks again sis! 

I decided to interview Reina as she can definitely speak for herself. Really, she has had quite the vocabulary since her second birthday. Reina has really developed into a special person. I remember the first time I held her in my arms at the hospital and my first instinct into her spirit was that she was older than me. I still believe this to be true as often our conversations feel like I'm the younger. She is so quick and witty, and always has been. There is so much to love about our big girl. I love that she enjoys learning and wants to be "good" at her work. Sometimes she gets frustrated if her uppercase "R" doesn't look just right, but always tries again. She can pretty much write the alphabet if verbally told a letter.
She is not shy at telling you that she loves you. I laugh how when she wants to sulk she says, "Don't talk to me, I'm shy." (Yeah right!) I love how she likes to keep her things clean and neat, but I've realized that she needs to learn some flexibility and patience. She and I are gonna have to both work on this together.

She is kind. At times she may throw an age-appropriate tantrum and copy-cat negative responses that she has seen, but she feels bad and always wants to resolve her behavior and make it right. I love that she has a conscience. I love that she adores her brother...laughs with him, protects him, makes him happy. 

I love how she is full of spunk and is an active girl. She is inventive, organized, and a born leader. She does like the girlie ponies and princesses, yet loves the mud and snow of the outdoors. Reina is a "jokester". She loves to laugh and make you laugh. I REALLY need to get her into acting because we would be sitting pretty with the money we'd make off of her. Okay, we love her too much to do that, but I would consider it if an acting scout came around. I guess we'll just put her in plays and other stage events since she seems to love it. Hmmm, could it be that both her parents like this?

Interview with a Four Year Old:
 
What is your favorite color?

"Purple, pink, ummmm yellow."

What do you like to do at Mummi's house?

"I like to do coloring, playing with Princesses, and I like to do, hmmm, playing with friends and drinking water AND going outside AND going to the twirly slide and I think that's all."

If you could go anywhere on vacation where would you go?

"To Artica (referring to Antarctica?), to ride on an airplane, to play a game, and to sleep."

What is your favorite Princess?

"Princess Sleeping Beauty. Actually I like Arial."

What is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast?

"Cereal...stick kind (fiber) and pillow kind (frosted shredded wheat). Is there a next question?"

What about for dinner?

"Spinach." Me: "That's your favorite? No it's not." Reina: "Actually yogurt and burritos."

What's your favorite things to do with mommy?

"Play games." Me: "What game?" Reina: "Freeze tag." Me: "We've never played that." Reina: "Dance with mommy." (Now thinking about it we did play freeze tag in the summer. She might have a better memory than me.)

What is your favorite thing to do with daddy?

"Dance also."

Reina: "Pause. I have to go potty SUPER BAD."

What is your favorite thing to do?

"I like to do ballet and do lipstick."

Who is your best friend?

"That I don't know really. It's Miia." (her cousin)

What else do you want people to know about you?

"Uhhhhh, play games... and dancing." (said in a robust voice)

(Throughout the whole interview she is asking if she can be done now so she can go play.)

Growth Stats:

Weight: 37.3 lbs / 69th percentile

Height: 40.9 in / 76th percentile

 

 



The Big ONE

That's right, ONE whole year has passed on the calendar for our BLG (Baelor Leevi Guinn). We have loved nearly every minute of his presence in our family! Sometimes I can't believe what an easy baby he has been and wonder if I'm getting the sweet side now and the sour side later?

Baelor is all smiles and snuggles. He gives great big hugs, bites, and pats to show his affection. He enjoys wrestling and could see him being quite good at this later on due to his small stature.

One of his favorite things to do is play games including being chased around the house, peek-a-boo, or his recent favorite, throw everything on the ground while in the high chair!

By the age of one, he can take up to eleven steps but still prefers crawling or walking along furniture. He is a sure-footed fellow just like his sister was. Very careful. Actually, by the time I am posting this he can easily walk across one whole room, stop and hold onto the wall, then walk through the next room. I'd say he's walking 90% of the time.

His favorite foods are anything he can eat all by himself. Often we have to trick him into spoon-feeding by giving him a spoon to hold himself. He likes to feel in control. He'll eat pretty much anything finger food-like. Favorites are probably blueberries, pears, broccoli, and bread.

We are slowly phasing out nursing. He still likes it, but I'm ready to have a full night's sleep. We are also trying to kick him out of our bed as well. He still sneaks his way into our bed around 2am during a feeding and I fall asleep and forget to put him back. I haven't been too strict about this as most nights I enjoy snuggling with him, but not a good habit. On occasion we have given him formula during a middle-of-the- night feeding to help with the phasing. Going great! He is taking formula again. We have been so diligent with nursing that it's okay to add formula on occasion.

Baelor has four teeth on the top and four teeth on the bottom. He is showing signs of his daddy's hairline, but very blonde (almost white).

He relaxes with his binki at sleep time while rubbing the little balls on his blankie while listening to the songs on his Glo-Worm toy. He likes textures and music.

Enjoys showing off with goofy faces that might resemble your face when smelling a pair of putrid socks, or he'll give the biggest "cheese" face that squishes his cheeks, eyes, and mouth to mere slits.

LOVES bathtime with sister! His favorite is getting up to the dangerous metal faucet (bonking it on the way up without crying) then immediately slamming down in sitting position to make the biggest canon ball splash. He is extremely fast and determined in the water, so you better not get in his way. He actually seems out of control when it comes to baths, the only time he just goes without thinking.

The proverb "Live Well, Laugh Often, Love Much" applies to our little guy. Happy Birthday Bails of Hay!

Growth Stats as of January 16, 2013
Height: 28.5 inches / 10th percentile
Weight: 18.2 lbs / 1st percentile
Head: 17 inches / 0 percentile
 

2 for 1 Birthday Deal

Baelor turned ONE on January 2nd. Reina turned FOUR on January 8th. What better way to celebrate than one party for two kids! Now is the time to do it, while they are still okay with sharing. We decided to have it at our house since many relatives haven't seen our house yet. .So in a way it was a birthday party and housewarming party! You know how I like multi-functional things. We comfortably fit 14 adults and 13 kids.  The theme I chose for a boy/girl party was CIRCLES/DOTS.

I tried to have all things round

Round table with balls hanging. Dots on the table cloth. Reina even had her polka-dot dress on.

100% homemade chocolate and carrot cake with edible circles. Baelor even devoured a slice of carrot cake!

Circle food including grapes, tangerines, meatballs, beef slices, rolls, and some other non-circular food.

My favorite idea was the gumdrop tree! I stole the idea from Pinterest, but rather than nasty spice drops stuck to a bare tree, I opted for Dots hanging from a lively tree.

We couldn't invite all of Reina's friends, but some of her closest friends came including: Abigail and sister Emily, Cousin Heleena and family, Cousins Logan and Lauren and family, Elizabeth, and all the grandparents.

I was suffering from an eye-infection (hense the red and gooby eyes), but was on medication for it. It was a little stressful since all the Christmas decor had to be taken down, party planning and prepping, and a trip to the doctor. I think I did well with controlling my stress. I like everything to be perfect. It was not. My cake was quickly decorated (although the cake itself turned out scrumptious) and  was more of a leaning Tower of Pisa. A quick brush of my hair was all I had time for, nor any makeup due to the eye infection. Most of those people see me at my worst anyway. Great birthday party all around!

Christmas 2012

We had a rather simple Christmas this year. I am glad for that as life has been quite hectic. It started out with visiting Grandma and Grandpa Scarborough a few days before and enjoying the simple "country life". We usually stay the night as our visits with them are not as frequent as other relatives. We got to visit with my step-mom, Connie Jo's family and meet some relatives for the first time. How families grow and change! Every year they do a fun gift exchange game that has become popular. It's not a white elephant gift exchange, except for ONE white elephant gift that is passed on every year, THE ANGEL. Think of this like getting the "old maid". People who get "THE ANGEL" try to sneakily wrap it to look like something different as to trick people into getting it. I was just boasting about how I never get it. I got it. The one good thing about getting it is I don't have to shop for a gift next year :)

They recently lost their peacock so we found one for them :)

It started snowing while we were there...didn't pack any snow clothes so Christmas dress and boots it was. Reina was so excited! She loves the snow.

Christmas morning was simple. Just our small family at our own home. We didn't wake up early or late, just normal daily time. We didn't open presents until breakfast was eaten, stockings were stripped, and hair was did- yep, giving daddy a much-needed hair cut. While the kids were enjoying their stockings I got started making a pie for Papa Will. Part of his gift the last few years has been a homemade peach pie, his favorite. After opening gifts we joined Papa Will and Mummi at their house along with my sister Sanni and her family, and Richard's parents (who were visiting) for Christmas dinner and games.

We have really kept the purpose of Christmas alive in our home with viewings of the Nativity, Christ-centered music, and teaching Reina the reason for celebrating Christmas. We love to hear her say, "I want to see Jesus. I love him SO much." 
  This year she understands the concept of Santa, so we left cookies out for him and she enjoyed the goofy stocking gifts and Rapunzel doll that he left for her.

Santa really knew what Baelor wanted- a riding toy! He can't reach the pedals yet, but he loves to push it all around the house while blasting all the different noises and songs.

Paul and I were really spoiled this year because we have lots of "new" things for our home that we have collected the past few months. I'll get to the before and after pictures in a few weeks. In addition to new furniture and accessories, we got a soundbar for our tv that not only gives excellent sound for movies, but also plays my little ipod, radio, etc. I love multi-functional things! Paul got me a blu-ray player for our bedroom. I don't really care that it is a blu-ray player, but I did want something that will play Netflix, Pandora radio, etc. since our xbox is used for this purpose downstairs. I love movies and shows in bed since I fall asleep anyway. Perfect! I got Paul a GPS for the car. Seems we are always printing out directions for somewhere. We don't need a smartphone except for the GPS function so we decided that it is cheaper to just buy the GPS.