Catching Up

Well, in just under a month, Ben & Ella will be 3. Time goes by quickly - people who say that aren't kidding.

This past weekend, after learning about this place called Country Village in Bothell, we went to go visit it. I read on their website that they had a train and Ben & Ella have been talking about trains and busses all the time. So we went there this past Saturday when the weather was just beautiful. We got there, and the train ride wasn't ready yet so we played in a little playground that they have there for a while. Ben & Ella enjoyed climbing the ladder to the top of a pirate ship and also rocking on some horses down on the ground. They swung in the swings too. Nicholas enjoyed walking around. He was put into the swing but quickly voiced his disapproval as there were things to explore here. There were also roosters walking around - two of which started to fight when we were there.

After a while, the train ride was ready. It was a small little kid sized train but big enough for adults to go too. Ella & Benjamin really liked it and wanted to go on it again - as well as go into the bouncy house too. We decided to go into the Toys that Teach store. They got to play with a model train set for a while before we told them it was time for lunch. Benjamin went quietly after being told he could pick out a train to bring home. Ella - not so much. I had to take her kicking and screaming - ugh. Eventually, we went out. I went to go order some food while the other three watched the ducks in a little pond. The food was just eh and Ben & Ella apparently felt there was too much to look at to eat anything. Nicholas, since he didn't get a morning nap, was a bit cranky. So after lunch, we headed home so all 3 could take a nap.

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Apparently, the kids at daycare/preschool have been eating outside at lunch when it's been nice outside - as they should. And since then and since we went to Country Village, Ella keeps talking about a picnic. So when it has been nice outside, we eat our dinner outside. Ella wanted to eat outside last night but since it was windy and threatening more of a downpour, we did not. She was not pleased. No matter how much I told her it was cold and wet outside.

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Nicholas has been saying a lot more words lately. He said a big word the other day - outside. He hasn't said it since though. He knows what it means too. If you ask him to go outside, he heads straight for the door. He has said door before as well and something that sounds like bear. Before last night, if I needed to calm him down or get him to go to sleep I would give him this polar bear that he just is excited by. Last night, it just wasn't cutting it. I tried to get him to calm down (he was overtired - he fell asleep on the way home last night and the night before) but nothing was working...until I gave him this stuffed orange bull. He was happy with that - put it under his head and fell asleep using it as a pillow. Eventually, he moved off that so I could take it out of his crib.

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Other words that Nicholas has said - kitty or cat; nice (usually said when he is touching the kitty); and what's that. I'm sure there are others, but I'm blanking on them.

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Benjamin has informed me that his name is not Ben - it is Benjamin.

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Benjamin is doing better with potty training but still not quite there yet. I thought he was doing really well when we went to Country Village and to church and he wore underwear the whole time without wetting himself, but apparently, that wasn't quite yet the consistent behavior I want/need. He forgets to tell the daycare people when he needs to go and he forgets to tell us until it is just too late. We're trying though. He's only going to be 3 next month and I said my goal was to have him trained by the time he was 3 1/2 (at least day time training - nighttime training is something (I heard) I just can't control - that is more up to their body to mature to that point).

Ella - is great with her potty training...when it comes to pee. With poo - still an issue. I just don't know what to do. They have their 3 year checkup soon, so unless it has somehow worked out by then, I'll be asking the pediatrician for advice on this one.

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A while ago, I started to sing "lullaby" to the kids at night in hopes it would calm them down to go to bed (sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't - usually the latter). Anyway, the other day we were driving home and Ella starts singing it to her bear. SO. CUTE.

Now the version of Lullaby I sing doesn't have the same lyrics though it has the same melody and sometimes I forget my own lyrics. I'm surprised Ella hasn't told me that isn't the way it goes when I do that. It all started this way because I couldn't remember the actual lyrics. My lyrics are like this:

Lullaby and good night
Go to sleep my three children
Go to sleep now, Go to sleep
And rest your pretty eyes
Go to sleep my 3
Your mommy loves you
Go to sleep my 3
And I will see you tomorrow

Lullaby and good night
Go to sleep my little Ella
Go to sleep now, Go to sleep
And rest your pretty eyes
Go to sleep Ella
Your mommy loves you
Go to sleep Ella
And I will see you tomorrow

Repeat for Benjamin & Nicholas.