Okay, so I might not be the best blogger ever, but we've been busy (I feel like I'm on repeat!) No, but really, we were so lucky to get to go to Nantucket for two weeks in early July and then one week after coming home I had PRK eye surgery, which had a bit of a rough recovery period. I'm finally feeling back to normal)ish) with my eyesight and that is without any glasses or contacts! It is so nice to wake up and see Marissa's face when she walks in our room bright and early in the morning, instead of having to reach over for my glasses and then see her. To see her first expression as she walks in the door is just priceless.
In the midst of all that, the kids have been changing by leaps and bounds. Oliver could have a career as a baby stunt(baby)man, that is for sure. In the last week alone, my heart has been suffering from serious palpitations on a regular basis. And, all of this is after we had the house baby proofed from top to bottom, or is that side to side since we are in a one story house? Anyways, I digress, is this because I don't want to think about how I can't leave him alone for a nanosecond? In the last three days, Oliver has climbed up on the dining room table at least one hundred times, of course a fall to the hardwood floor would hurt and maybe even break something, but he'd probably be okay, but the day he first did it of course, I had put a scorching cup of hot tea in the dead center of the table, I stepped away for under ten seconds, came back in and he was sitting in the middle of the table about to scald himself severely. Sheesh, that was a close one, the speed with which he scrambles up there is frightening. I think I removed him from there about 20 times plus alone today.
Then, there is the rocking sheep. Picture a cute fluffy sheep that is a rocking toy. Can the boy just rock amicably on it? No, I think not. I'm sitting a few feet away from him on the couch when he proceeds to stand up on the sheep's back without holding onto anything and crack up laughing, ummm, Oliver, newsflash - not funny to Mommy.
Other things that Mommy is not enjoying, exploring the potty in inappropriate ways- "Oliver, this is not a water table!" I've been going through hand soap at an expedited rate. Of course, you can;t lock the toilet lid when there is a three year old who needs quick access and the door in this old house won't shut... The dog's water bowl holds phenomenal appeal to this kid. The other day I ran to the bathroom and heard a loud crash, I came out and not only had Oliver dumped the water bowl everywhere, but he managed to dump most of it directly on his head. He's also gone head first into the tub, climbing in while empty (thank goodness!) I just can't keep up. He thinks it's hilarious to climb in the dryer. Basically, if it's not supposed to be done, Oliver will do it, and he'll do it with a sense of humor. Oh, and he's getting strangely proficient at somersaults and I'm pretty sure would prefer to live upside down by how often I find him in this position each day. Phew, I'm tired just thinking of it. Compared to Oliver, Marissa was just so not into things. We never really baby proofed with her, She was very cautious when trying things. She'd always hold my hand in the parking lot, unlike Oliver who literally tries to run away. Despite all his trouble making ways, I just want to eat him up and he has proven that he is an extremely tolerant human being based on a his tolerance for an abnormally large number of kisses that I bestow on him on an hourly basis. He also has a wicked sense of humor. He is easy going, incredibly sweet and loving and so strong! He can hang from the shower door if I take my hand off him, like he's doing a chin up, what a little monkey. He is really into the two baby dolls in our house that have been ignored for the past two years by little ms. Marissa. Oh, how he hugs and kisses and cuddles those babies. It is just the sweetest thing ever. He is also REALLY into trucks and buses. He gets soooo excited when he sees them while out and about, saying "WHOA" over and over. He will play with cars for a looong time, that and the sandbox are the only ways to get this kid to sit still! He's finally gotten into reading this summer, especially at bedtime. Favorites this summer have been, Dinosaur, Dinosaur, Chugga Chugga Choo Choo (he laughs at the page with the teddy bear, why, I have no idea), Thomas and the Christmas Tree, Goodnight Gorilla (he always laughs at the page with just the eyes), The Fire Engine. It's been quite fun to finally be able to read to him and so different for Marissa who could literally be read to for hours at a time at this age in one sitting, and she's still the same way! A girl after my own heart.
Marissa has been really into Olivia lately, I think she loves that he has a little brother who is her little "bother" just like her. She is dressing herself everyday, and I'm not sure if she can't reach the dresses on the rack in her closet or she's over them, but shorts and tees have been it this summer. She is fully in the mode of doing absolutely everything for herself, sunblock application, cooking her food, pouring her water, buckling her car seat, obviously, she still needs a lot of help with some of these things to do them safely, but I try to do it in a way that she thinks she is doing it or I will do it as discreetly as possible. Since Oliver is so reckless lately, I do feel like Marissa is often forced to be patient, not just waiting on me to do something for him first or stop him from hurting himself first, but also she is extraordinarily patient with him getting into her business. If anything the older he gets, the more he has to do exactly what she's doing, eat what she's eating. She really is an amazing big sister. She is soooo proud of him when he learns new things and brags to everyone about what words he knows. She tries all day to teach him new words.
Marissa has really come out of her shell. I am so excited to see her at preschool this year, she is such a social butterfly. She has just blossomed, she says "hi" to everyone she comes across, she makes at least a few friends each time we hit the playground, she is bright and inquisitive, she is all about why and how and when. She is almost four years old and when I type that, it makes me start tearing up. She is getting so big, but more than ever, she really is getting so big. It isn't easy to carry her anymore, she is so strong, the baby fat is gone, except for her belly. She really is empathetic, she has always been this way, but it is even more dramatic than ever to me. She will hug me and console me over everything. She can feel sorrow for people who are not here with us, but are suffering far away. She is really into trying to be funny. She loves to sing "Stick out your tongue and close one eye cause you sure look like a funny guy," while doing said things. She still loves to sing and dance, to read, to do art all day. She is getting really good at writing her name, which is a long one! Her drawings have been amazing me lately, some of my favorites have been portraits of daddy, cherries with legs, and all sorts of different figures. She is still my snuggle bunny. She loves to cuddle mamma in the morning, she makes me feel calm when I am stressed out, she has a very sweet disposition. She has started Itty Bitty Sports at the YMCA and she loves it. She loves practicing the skills at home, she loves the games, but she does not love any sort of confrontation. The coaches were trying to teach them to guard in basketball and Marissa flat out would not do it, she did not want to try and get the ball away from me! I think this is very much her personality. I have to say, I don't like confrontation either!
The big news is she is turning four on Friday! As she says, "I am really really close to my birthday. Can you believe I am going to be four?" Well, no, mommy cannot believe you are almost four. And, then kindergarten, where has this last year gone? I was watching a home video of her the other night waking up and opening her presents on her third baby and she was just a baby really, she had a baby sounding voice, she looked little, she was just out of diapers for good, she hadn't gone to school yet. More than ever now, she is becoming her own person, she amazes me everyday with her questions, her zest for life and cleverness. I'm feeling like my kids have stolen my whole heart lately, and I just feel so lucky and blessed. I could go on and on, could you tell? I'm hoping to get back to more regular blogging now that my eyes have healed and we aren't planning any big trips coming up. Daddy has been busy at work think billing 80 hours a week busy, we miss you daddy! Off to finalize a certain very important birthday girl's details!
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