Peter's birthday is at the end of this month. Last night he sat eating his ice cream sandwich and turned to me to ask "Mom, I'm wondering if you'll make me a birthday cake for my birthday." Why, yes, I will, you cutie. Parenting Peter right now feels like the two polar ends of the spectrum (although even as I write that I know he could be a lot more of a stinker). He can be very thoughtful, and he can be very belligerent. Usually the later comes when I have not given him a certain percentage of the day of undivided attention. I'm positive there is a direct correlation. And even working side-by-side doesn't seem to cut it. Last week I was working in the yard a lot, maybe a little obsessively, I need to remind myself the weeds are NOT my personal enemy and don't exist to drive me crazy, and would give Peter jobs to help me out along the way. He seemed to be enjoying the jobs and we were having a pretty good time. But by the end of each those days, he had found himself in some pretty big trouble for significant mess making, etc. I was upset almost each evening last week, and he was in trouble. So, I'm not sure of the solution but my observation is that Peter is a very bright kid, who needs to be kept busy doing good so he doesn't have time to find less desirable things in which to engage. I feel like this is stretching me way more than I would have imagined having a three year old would! Maybe a more experienced parent would chuckle, but I just sort of thought the little kid stuff was easy and the big kid stuff was when it got more challenging. That's probably true and this is preparing me for way bigger things. But I also feel the gravity each day of how I parent him now having a profound effect on him later. It is WAY harder than I ever imagined to bite my tongue, and not yell or say cutting things when I get frustrated. It is also way more rewarding when we have a good day together than I could have imagined! Not only is his soul growing and stretching, so is mine. I can either give in and respond negatively, and become that person. Or I can choose to rise above, count to ten, concentrate my efforts and faith in him, and become that kind of person. I want to be patient and loving in each interaction but am definitely so far from that. Right now I feel like we are at the point that he knows how I will react, so if he wants attention, he'll throw a bad behavior my way so he can get it. Pretty tricky! There just aren't enough hours in the day but ideally my goal is to not have anything else pressing on my plate so I am constantly giving him love and attention so he doesn't feel it's necessary to do that. The tender thing about it is that if I even give him the smallest attention, he'll cling to it. Like this week we are at the beach and I told him I brought the Friend to read to him. Right when we got down here, he told Grandma and Pops about it and was so excited to be anticipating reading a magazine with Mom! I guess the other thing I'm realizing with my heart, even though in my mind I know this, is that he is not my kid so that I can control him and have him act just how I want him to. This especially has been brought to my attention when he acts his best and way exceeds any expectations I might have for him. If I put him in a box of expectations, good or bad, I can sorely inhibit his growth.
Well, enough of the parenting analyzing. We could be here all day:) On to the cute stories...
Last night while deciding sleeping arrangements: I want to sleep with Great-Grandma Powers because I love her so, so much.
Peter has a pair of boots that he loves. For a while they were calling his cowboy boots, then they were his fishing boots and now they are his superhero boots.
Peter has been so sweet to Lucy lately. He stops what he's doing when she gets a boo-boo and asks in a fatherly voice "Are you okay, Lulu?" When she's napping he asks when she'll be up. He shares with her and constantly wants to give her hugs, to her chagrin:) In this way he has grown up so much in the last month, often aware of someone else's well-being.
Peter has blossomed at school! His teacher told me at our conference earlier in the year that he was an observer. He would cautiously watch the group at an activity and then decide if he would join. It wasn't a criticism and she was positive about it, saying what a great quality to have, especially once you get into high school with peer pressure, etc. But it also didn't seem to me like he had a lot of friends at school, and often told me that the other boys were picking on him during playground time. When I would be the parent helping for the day though, I wouldn't see anything of the sort, and on the contrary it seemed like the kids wanted to play with him and he was interpreting, tag, for example, as someone chasing him in a mean way. But just after Christmas Miss Stephanie asked me "Does Peter seem to enjoy coming to school more?" I hadn't thought of it but when I did, yes, he was. "Because he is so engaged and excited about everything now!" He also talks about the other students a lot and wants to have them over for play dates. I don't know why I didn't get on this earlier in the year to help him feel more a part of the class but he just didn't seem interested and he only wanted to play with cousins previously. I'm so glad for this change of heart, as I see him enjoying preschool, making good friends there, and feeling more confident.
Speaking of preschool, his teacher does the cutest thing called "Breaking News" during circle time. She'll ask the kids for any breaking news they might have. They say cute things like "I got a new bike helmet," "My cat had kittens," etc. Peter took the opportunity to tell everybody that "my mommy has babies in her tummy," which, by the way, isn't true:)
Randomly at dinner: Freeze dried celery! That's what astronauts eat!
When I asked him to eat his dinner one night: I don't love it!!
When I asked him not to jump off of something high because it's dangerous: NO! Not for everybody! Not for bad guys and for Jesus!
Peter to Jill: I have to go pee!
J to P: For real?
P to J: Yes, real pee!
When Kevin and I were discussing Iron Man: Why are you guys talking about my favorite super hero?
Then a long discussion ensued about whether or not super heroes are real.
About his future life: When I get 96, I'm going to name my kids Miss Lisa and Miss Stephanie. 96 is a daddy age.
Peter surprised us the other night at Family Home Evening by coming with a lesson prepared. He had drawn a picture of Jonah in the belly of a "blue whale." I'm not sure if that part is in the bible? Anyway, it was an adorable picture and an accurate lesson, which he was introduced to through Veggie Tales.
Lucy loves a little whipped cream on her waffles. She also loves it off her waffles.
My mom sent me thirty numbered gifts for my thirtieth birthday! So thoughtful, especially since each gift was something so useful, many of which I had been needing.
Kevin and the kids got me this fire pit. We've been putting it to use and loving it!
Why, yes, I will have a doughnut! (Pictured in her "Maxwell" jammies.)
I'm serious about my swinging! Lucy has recently become passionate about the park! She loves going, and she's so fun that I love taking her! She will swing for a LONG time, and she also loves to climb the little steps and go down the slides. Again and again. It's great!
Peter is equally passionate about anything in life. He lets you know when he's not into something but he also gets so excited about the littlest things. It makes everything so fun! Bring it on, world!
Some of Lucy's treasures that I find stashed everywhere...no wonder it feels impossible to keep this place picked up!
Sunday morning before church, because they looked so scrumptious!
An adventure with Peter and Lucy to the zoo! Dad was off of work, we had a great day.
Chatty Lucy! Who knows what she's saying but she's saying somethin'! She'll go up to strangers and start spouting poignant, apparently, wisdom. She waves and her hands and furrows her brow and you know she is on to something.
This gorilla wanted to be friends with Peter!
Happy Valentine's Day! Thanks for making the pizza, Kev! I think it's our best one yet! We went on a lunch date that day and decided that's the way to go - no crowd, cheaper food, less stress!
Waiting to get Jill's cast off. Peter was very supportive during the whole thing.
I have to tell this story. Our friends were over for dinner. They asked Jillian about her cast and the husband said "There is a cool saw that they will use to cut it off. It's cool because it won't cut you, and it tickles." Then my friend, the wife, says "That's what I thought so I told my little brother that, but he got cut really badly by one. I mean..." It was pretty funny. Jillian took it with stride, so that helped, but we were are laughing for a while at the slip-up.
Luckily she did NOT get cut, and even laughed when her cast was coming off because it tickled.
Doreen got some free tickets to see Les Miserable at the theatre in Raleigh and invited me to go with her. It was a blast! Our seats were really close and the show was amazing! I love this play. Thanks for watching the kids for me, Matt, until Kevin got off of work, and Kevin, once he was back! And thanks for inviting me, Doreen!
Ah, saturdays! I'm trying really hard to enjoy them. I usually feel pulled in different directions because there is so much work to be done, and a lot of times Kevin is working, and I want to teach the kids good work habits. I also have so many fun things I want to take the kids to do and Saturday is the best time because Jillian is home. And then some Saturdays the kids just beg to stay home and do nothing but play together. This particular day was a great Saturday. We got a few jobs done, and then we pulled out this cardboard box and made a town on it. It takes so little to make these guys happy. 
A trip to the science museum with friends. So fun! This was the best picture I could get of the five of them. Five is a lot of children to try and get in one frame!
Peter's preschool class, with a few missing. Again, a lot of three year olds to get in one place.
Peter's teachers, Miss Lisa (L) and Miss Stephanie (R).
Another zoo day, this time with Grandma G. It was a little bit of a bummer because I got a ticket on the way there and then most of the animals had been brought in because of a tornado warning. We had a fun walk, though, and saw some bison and elk afterall. Lucy looks deceivingly clean in this picture! At the time it was taken she had the habit of stuffing her mouth completely full and then spitting all the food back into her hands. So gross, Girlfriend!
A Saturday afternoon picnic on the porch. Lucy looks so big!
