Seasons change, kids keep getting older...

I can't believe that summer is already over. We had such a mild and enjoyable summer, and it was abruptly cut off with a really cold fall! Although I dread the impending winter, I really love this time of year. I am so looking forward to seeing the boys experiencing and enjoying the season and the holidays.

My little Cole is five months old now. This is such a fun age. He is no longer a fragile infant, but a roly poly, happy, giggling little baby. He has finally started rolling back and forth, and holding his head up when he is on his belly. For the longest time, whenever he was on his belly he would just lay his head down and suck his fingers. I was starting to wonder if he couldn't hold his head up, or just wouldn't! This new milestone has opened up a whole new world at playtime! He kicks his little legs and tries so hard to get to toys in front of him. I have a feeling he will be mobile soon! I know Aiden can't wait for that day! He is really good with Cole for the most part, but every now and then he gets a little too excited and forgets how much bigger he is than Cole. It's ok, though, because Cole never gets hurt, and usually thinks it's funny. He can sit up unassisted for a few moments, like a tripod, resting on his hands while leaning forward. He can't do it for long, though, because he will fall over backwards! He has started babbling some consonant sounds, like "mm-mmm" and "huh-huh". I can't wait for him to start saying words, it is such a fun and exciting process! Just the other day, he was sorta whining, and he looked at me and said, "mmuh... mmuhhh". I said, "Did you just say Mama?". He smiled, stuffed his hands in his mouth and squealed! It was like he was saying, "You understood me!!". It was precious He has started teething, and is chewing on everything in sight. The poor guy has had a rough couple of weeks healthwise, too. I took him in because he had started coughing, and within a day it was a horrible, chunky sounding cough and wheeze. The doctor ordered x-rays, and it turned out that he had croup, but it also looked like he might develop asthma. They also think he might have a gluten allergy because his intestine was so full of air that it was pushing his other organs up and compressing a lung! I was told to stop giving him oatmeal, and do rice cereal instead, if anything. Well, I waited two weeks before giving him the rice cereal. Less than 3 hours later, it all came back up, projectile vomit style. It turns out that it had soy in it, and Jon was allergic to soy as a baby and would have the same reaction. Poor kid can't have anything! We go back in a week to see what the next step will be! Even though he has had some issues lately, Cole is just the happiest, sweetest baby you could ever hope for. These days, Cole's favorite things to do include blowing slobber bubbles, chewing on anything he can get his hands on, being tickled and squealing about it, laughing at Aiden, being read to, and rolling all over the floor while playing

Aiden is such a big boy these days. He started preschool a few weeks ago and is loving it. The first few days were a little rough, but not nearly as bad as I expected! He cried for less than 5 minutes, and spent the rest of the time following Miss Jane or Miss Ria closely and getting a hug or a hand hold when he needed it. By the second week, he was an old pro. He would ask me to stay, and his lip would get a little quivery, but he wouldnt cry. Well, just a couple days ago, when I came to pick him up from school, he wasn't waiting there looking for me like he usually is. He was playing at a table, totally enthralled with what he was doing. I came in and sat down by him, expecting the joyous "Mommy!" that I usually get. Instead, he looked up, and matter of factly said, "Hi, Mommy." and went back to playing! I had to do a little convincing to get him to leave! I am so relieved that he is enjoying it, and that I am able to have some one-on-one time with Cole. Since starting school, I am noticing that he is starting to play with his toys by himself for longer stretches of time. He is also starting to do imaginary play, which is fun for us to take part in. I found a cute little play kitchen at a garage sale that I bought and put in the dining room. Every day he is in there cooking us breakfast and pouring us "ginks". While he still has his moments, it seems like the terrible-ness of the twos is starting to wane a little bit. Unless he is overly tired or hungry, you can usually reason with him to some degree. He is also really into helping mommy out around the house, and helping with Cole. He is obsessed with the vacuum and broom, and I think that Santa might have found a working child sized vacuum to leave under the tree this Christmas! He is starting to talk up a storm. I love hearing what goes on in his head, but sometime I just wish I could have a little quiet! He is quite the blabbermouth.