c.h.a.n.g.e.s.

Some gorgeous Fall Pictures, I was able to capture last week! Loving the color of the trees...but, now comes the SNOW!

Wow... seems like a lot of changes have occured since my last blog post... ;). I guess that is what happens when you are a piece of a busy family of 4, with two of them being toddlers/preschoolers.

JACK

First, our guy, Jack, now being 3 - has shown us what 3 is all about. And, that is sometimes good, and sometimes... well, difficult and frustrating. I think for not only Brian and Myself, but also for Jack. He is very independent, and trying so hard to do everything himself, and sometimes that tends to get him into a bit of mischief. We have, with the constant discussion with his teachers, decided to take Jack out of preschool for a while. He is having an incredibly difficult transition there, and it has become more of a negative place for him to be than positive. I feel sad when I think that his adjustment is not as I imagined it being, but mostly I feel sad for him, in that, I know he enjoys being there when he is not in "thinking time", or getting into trouble. But, it seems that most days that is not the case. I, believe he is just truly not ready.

He just turned 3, he has had many different changes (that we may view as small, but to a 3 year old, they are huge), and Jack isn't big on change... At.All.
Some changes for example being, that now that Maggie is mobile, more talkative, more active - we are seeing the ambivalance he has had towards her changing into, at times, jealousy and that in turn leads to aggressive behavior on his part towards her. He has also transitioned from his crib to a toddler bed this summer, and that is something that we are still struggling with. He also is beginning potty training and I think I don't even need to give an explanation on that one :).
He is such a sweet, caring, thoughtful, intelligent, adventurous and loveable guy. I hate to hear that he has spent a portion of his time at school in "thinking time" AKA "timeout", or that he isn't adjusting well, that he seems to not have the attention span that the other children have, etc. So, rather than leaving him in an environment that is fun (sometimes), but not the best (most times), we have made the decision that he will take a break from preschool, and re-enter when we think he is ready. We are not sure if that will still be Sweet Peas, or elsewhere.

In the meantime, I am going to start a weekly Gymboree Family Gym class with both Maggie and Jack. As, well as in January, enroll Jack in either soccer or swimming through our local Parks and Rec., and have him do that with Brian. I do think that he needs an outlet for all of his energy, and that school is where that outlet is for him right now. We are hoping that these changes will be positive, and we will have a happy boy - and that the time spent at Sweet Peas won't affect him negatively in any way.

They both love eachother dearly, and even with "disagreements"... when one is not home, the other is always looking, asking, wondering where brother or sister is... that makes my heart happy!

MAGGIE

Onto, Maggs....
We met with the Pediatric Orthopedist last week to have her feet looked at. We were referred by Maggie's Pediatrician (see past post for more info.), and the Orthopedist believes that the reason Maggie is having difficulty walking alone is due to hyperflexibility. Unfortunately, this is something I have passed on to our little princess. The Orthopedist had me do a few exercises - and then said "Yes, I'm sorry to tell you Mom, but you have passed down your incredible flexibility to your little girl"...

Showing her "flexibility" in the tub... with the way she is sitting... somewhat hard to see in this pic, but all others would need to be sensored ;)

She is also doing some deep reading in the tub... you know reading and telling me about Cookie Monster (note the book is upside down :p)

Oh Dear.... is all I could think! And, of course, that I was so thankful that it wasn't something much worse, and this is something that with Pediatric Physical Therapy, and shoe inserts she can work through... but, it is something she will most likely deal with throughout her life. As in, having to wear proper shoes, etc.
So, tomorrow we head to have her feet casted for the inserts, and hoping to start Physical Therapy next week!

Definitely NOT a morning girl :)

Thanksgiving...

Lastly, Thanksgiving is this WEEK! I cannot believe it is already that time! I look back at pictures of last years Thanksgiving, and how much the kids have grown, and it's amazing to me how much they have changed... along with how much our lives as a family has changed in just one year.

Jackson - Thanksgiving 2009 (only 1 year ago...)!

Having fun with Family, and Reading Books at Nana Bette's house...

and, now...

Our Guy - November 2010

What a year a difference makes!!!

Maggie - Thanksgiving 2009 (she was a whopping 4.5 months old)!!!

Hanging out, and playing with Daddy at Nanna Bette's house...

and now...

OUR GIRL! November 2010

I think when they go from infant to toddler, it really shows a HUGE difference!!!

We will be home this year, it will be the first year that we won't be spending it with extended family. However, we do have Brian's good friend, Jay from Law School - and Jay's cousin coming to have dinner with us. So, it will be nice to have some guests.
But, to say that being without extended family will be easy or forgotten is not the case.
It may be a difficult day in that regard, but we plan on making it the best day for ourselves, Jack and Maggie. And, also, reflecting and remembering all we are thankful for. There is so much!
(There will be a post on this, I hope, later this week)....

Until then, I am posting a video below, above (the posting is a bit difficult sometimes, with the settings - ie. why the video is not in THIS post)... I'm not usually one to post a "pop music" video - especially on our blog... but, I have an aquaintance who's 6 year old daughter is going through some extremely SEVER and LIFE THREATENING health issues. They will be in the hospital in San Francisco over Thanksgiving (as their daughter had yet another surgery today - it was successful), and she had posted this video. After watching, it truly made me think about all of our attitudes/thoughts/opinions, etc. of others. And, how our actions affect others. Just as possibly, Jack being in the wrong environment (preschool) may have made him feel as if he was a "bad boy", etc. That example is so minute to what others are or have gone through, but after thinking about Jack, Maggie, Brian and My own struggles (again, no comparison), I really realize how my actions and attitudes towards others, not only affect them - but are an example to my children. 

And, although some of us may be struggling in one form or another, we CAN get through it. And, we CAN come out of difficult situations as Postive and Healthy People, that in turn, can pass that on to others (most importantly our own children, or the children that are in our lives).