Oh, how I love this little family of mine.

Oh, how I love this little family of mine. Someone said that Charlie and I have the same expression in this photo and John and George have the same expression. So true, and so funny. 

Some recent things I want to remember:

-Charlie was being naughty and not listening when I was asking him to stop doing something. So I used my stern "mom" voice to tell him to stop. He quietly said, "Be careful, Mom, you're going to make me cry."

-George has been spontaneously saying, "Thank you" for things. It sounds like "tang doooo".

-George has had a couple of nasty bugs that have given him diarrhea for 4 weeks. :( He's been a little grumpier than his usual cheerful self, but overall he's been pretty long suffering about it and will point to his diaper area to let me know he's pooped again.

-John and Charlie went to a Home Depot kids workshop and built a bird feeder together. Some of Charlie's favorite things are building things, using tools, and being with his dad. It was a total hit. (Thanks for the great idea, Mark and James!)

-Charlie is busting out the funniest little phrases. The other day, I was helping him go potty and he said, "Good job, Mom. You're a great helper," as he gave me a big hug.

-Along with that memory, he has learned about the concept of best friends and he always tells me that I'm his best friend. And that he's mine, too. I'm so lucky.

-Charlie has latched onto the remake of My Little Pony on Netflix. I love watching it with him (what girl born in the 80's wouldn't??) and he always tells me that his friend Rainbow Dash is flying next to the car as we drive along. He insists that the very tomboyish but female Rainbow Dash is actually a boy. We're working on teaching him how to have a conversation with people and when he gets stuck or bored while talking to other adults, he always asks them who their favorite My Little Pony is. When they don't know, he helpfully will tell them one. For the record, Mommy likes Princess Celestia, Daddy likes Pinkie Pie, Grandpa likes Cheerilee, Sam likes Spike, my friend Andrea likes Fluttershy (although I tried to convince him that Apple Jack would be a better fit).

-Both Charlie and George have had an upsurge in their interest in reading books. I am loving it! I'll find them both reading on their own throughout the day and reading lots of books before bedtime has been part of the bedtime routine recently. We are regulars at the library.

-George is working on going to bed at night without me nursing him to sleep. The combination of my upcoming 24 hour trip to Boise and way, WAY too many night wakings have prompted me to start the weaning process. He still nurses several times during the day, and I am still nursing him to sleep for naps. Just changing this one habit has been so great! I swear he falls asleep quicker and sleeps better throughout the night when John or Grandma puts him to bed instead of me. I usually nurse him out on the couch (not in his room) then John takes him in, reads him some books in the glider (sometimes with a small bottle of coconut/almond milk), and then puts him in his bed and rubs his back for second and then leaves. What? So easy. I hope it sticks. Next up? Finally transferring Charlie into a bed.

-And now one about Johnny. He's been building fun contraptions in the basement for the boys and plotting with me about our backyard renovations. He's working hard at his job and acting as a peacemaker between two factions that aren't quite seeing eye to eye. He stops by doTERRA to pick up orders for me almost weekly. He's pretty great, and we like him a lot.