Check up

Sam had his 4-year check up yesterday. The morning started off with him saying that he wasn't going to go. Then when it was time to go, Sam went into hiding. I got Abby and Matthew in the car and found him upstairs. He was not happy about the prospect of getting shots. He was quite distraught and crying on and off during the morning and on the way to the doctor's office. I had visions of him screaming, "I hate the shots! I hate the shots!" when it was time for his shots as I had heard a kid screaming that in another exam room on a different check up. However, once we got to the office, he calmed down mostly and was just quiet and anxious (chewing his fingernails/hands). He said he had to go poopy when we got there so I started off with him toward the bathroom and was stopped by the nurse who said he needed to give a "sample" so she gave me a little cup. Since Sam claimed he had to go poopy he sat on the toilet and I held the cup for him. I made the mistake of standing in front of him as he was a little overzealous in "aiming" into the cup and instead, sprayed me on my bright green shirt a few times. At least it didn't get in my face. But I had two very distinct lines of liquid across my shirt. And I mean lines, not drops. Fortunately, I was also wearing a white cardigan (one without buttons, unfortunately), but I was able to hold it across my shirt for awhile until the pee dried.

Sam has excellent vision and hearing, is growing like he should and seems to be doing pretty well for a 4 year old. When it was time for the shots, Sam got a little teary and his lower lipped quivered, but he "took it like a man" and afterward he said he was very brave and didn't even cry. He did have to take off his bandaids soon after the appointment as he associates "shots" and "pain" with the bandaid and not necessarily with the puncture from the shot. Someday he'll figure it out, but for now, taking off the bandaid produces a nice placebo effect.

Here are his stats:

Height: 41 1/2 in., 75th percentile
Weight: 35 3/4 lb., 50th percentile

The kids have been bathing together lately (I know we will get ridiculed for this by the children when they are older) and this is what they look like. Aren't they cute? And they are all looking at the camera! Wow.

And here is  our four year old with his new bike. He was shocked when he saw it and didn't really respond immediately. I wonder if he even thought it was his bike because it is so much bigger than his old bike. But he can ride it and he looks like such a big boy on it!

Sam got another Cars cake this year. He continues to be enamored by Cars. Although we don't own the movies and he's only seen Cars maybe two or three times (and Cars 2, once, unfortunately), he just loves Cars.

Although Matthew handled Sam's birthday pretty well for a two year old, he also had some unhappy moments. However, today when we got back from a quick trip to Iowa Sam was preoccupied with his new toys so Matthew got all the other toys to himself which he seemed happy about. 

Sam is 4!

Sam told me he didn't have to stand as tall to see himself in the mirror when we were in the bathroom yesterday. So, wow, our little boy is 4 years old (yesterday). And while he makes me want to pull my hair out sometimes, he can also be a sweet, polite, helpful little boy. So about the sweet and helpful part, sometimes he helps Matthew take his shoes off. He puts away his own clothes, helps make the bed, puts away some of the dishes, clears the table, is an excellent toy picker-upper (especially when motivated to do so before watching a cartoon)...and on and on and on!  He is also pretty organized as he was telling me on Thursday his plans for his birthday. He was going to get up, turn off his fan, change his clothes, have breakfast, play a little bit, go to the Y and tell everyone it's his birthday, come home, have snack, play, watch tv, have lunch, nap, then birthday! Yes, he really went over that entire list with Jason and I. Anyway, here is Sam.

September 21, 2008

 December 2008. Sam's love of everything TV began at an early age

March 2009

July 2009. His habit of chewing/sucking on a finger started at an early age (and continues today)

Christmas 2009

April 2010. Big brother.

September 2010

October 2010. Sam the walrus.

Spring 2011. Catching bubbles.

Summer 2011

December 2011. Big big brother.

Spring 2012. 

Come again for pictures of Sam's birthday party so you can see what a 4 year old looks like. 

Catching up

Well, we've done a lot over the past week or so and just haven't kept up with blogging. I went to Idaho for a work trip last week (Sun-Wed AM) and actually had a relaxing time and got some work done. Except for waking up at 3:30AM to catch a 5:30AM flight on Wednesday, I got some decent sleep and had lots of opportunities to read, hike and enjoy myself between work-related activities. Jason managed the kids very well and I think I will have to take more trips in the future. He did mention that meals with the kids are a nightmare and you can't get anything done when Abby is awake, and the boys are crazy and uncontrollable together at times. Aside from that, though, he did a grand job as a full-time father (with some help from Ken and Cheri, I believe). The kids were bathed, happy, fed and the house was in relative order (about the same as when I'm home) when I returned. Jason and the kids picked me up at the airport and I sat in the back of the van next to Sam. Abby was a little fussy, but not as fussy as I would have thought, so I leaned forward and rubbed her leg and she calmed down. As I was leaning foward, my head was close to Sam so he spent the car ride home running his fingers through my hair.

 Then it was back to mothering. The rest of the week was uneventful, which I like, and on Saturday we went to Arden Hills' Day (our community's one-day festival) which was held at the lake/playground/park area just over a mile from our house. So we walked there and had a lot of fun climbing on the city trucks, petting animals at the petting zoo, playing carnival games and of course, stopping by the beach playground for some exercise.

 The boys got to climb in a snowplow, a four wheeler, and a fire truck. Sam was very excited about the trucks,while Matthew was a bit apprehensive and serious.

 Although Sam didn't want the opportunity to hold and spray water out of the fire hose, he did step up to the firefighter cutout for a picture.

Abby did pretty well at the festival, although she was rather distraught being held by Daddy when the mommy-option was available. She's kind of like that. She seems to be pretty fine (most of the time) when I'm not around, but when I am, she lets the whole world know that she'd rather exercise the mommy-option. Although I must say that she's getting much better these days. It's a little sad.

Anyway, the kiddo also has two definite words these days "Hi" and "Da da" and she's started taking some steps. She is very eager to walk, but also reserved somewhat. I believe she's taken maybe 2 or 3 steps thus far, so she's not up and running yet, but she's well on her way. This is about the time that Sam took his first steps too, so they appear to be on a similar path in that regard. Matthew began walking a little later (just after he turned 1), but he was a rather large kid, so that probably slowed him down a bit. Nevertheless, we have no worries about our kids' mobility these day. Well, I guess no worries that they're behind developmentally. Our worries about their mobility are of a different nature...where are they going? What are they getting into? What are they climbing on/jumping on...and on and on and on.

After dinner antics

We've been eating dinner outside as often as possible during these waning summer days. Abby (and Matthew) can make a mess and its just nicer to have it outside and either 1) leave it or 2) sweep it off the deck into the grass. Plus we just pick up Abby and shake off her clothing and she's good to go. Then afterward the boys push their chairs to the side of the deck and lay down on them as shown below. They used to try to get into this position at the table and they would laugh and hit their heads and cry and then we said no more. 

 And Abby enjoys her meal despite the antics going on around her. Well, I guess she's not really enjoying it, maybe she's just tired.

 Bad food!

 Sam standing on the chair. We also put a stop to that. Goodness, the way that kid climbs all over chairs in all sorts of ways that are hard to imagine, it's really amazing he hasn't broken anything yet. Yet.