The Holbrook Family: May/Early June 2013

Things have been fun and really busy around here. Now that school is out, we are staying busy with trips to the museums, the pool, playing outside, and meeting up with friends. Charlie just finished a week at Preschool Camp where they learned all about gardening. He had so much fun. I was sick at the time, so it was great to have every morning with just one rug rat.

Here are a few more notes from May/June:

Charlie:

We have good days and bad days with Charlie. He is usually very sweet, but definitely has his moments of tantrums. They are almost always because I won't play with him or I can't pick him up while making dinner, etc. I hate those times. It makes me sad for him and it frays my nerves, but I try so hard not to give in. That part is so hard too, once he gets going like that, I can't give him what he wants at all. I don't want to make him go to time out just because he is upset, so I usually tell him he needs to go in the other room to "take a break" and he can come back when he gets himself together.
He tells us he loves us without any prompting now and the other day he told me I was beautiful as I was putting him down for his nap. The kids knows how to make me melt!
His two year molars are coming through and for a while he was really fussy and cried himself to sleep several nights in a row.
We continue to laugh all the time at the things he says. His talking is amazing. The things he remembers shock me.

Yesterday on the way home from the aquarium he said, "I'm tired."
He often tells us that "Holly's cute."
He was laughing in the car and when I asked what he was laughing at, he said, "laughing at myself"
I saw him fall out of his bed (while watching the monitor) and then climb back in. When I went to get him he totally lied about it and claimed he never fell out of the bed.
During his last tantrum he said "got self together!" when I suggested he leave the room until he could stop crying.
When he is disappointed he says, "Oh man!"
Whenever he is talking about something in the past, he says, "Last night...."

He was starting to have trouble playing by himself again, but as soon as he went back to school for camp, it got much better.
He loves swimming (with his floaties on) and REALLY wants to jump off the diving board. We're in swim lessons right now. Today he was able to kick his feet, paddle his arms, and put his head under and blow bubbles at the same time. We also let him jump in and then pull him up rather than catch him (so he has to hold his breath). He's making progress!
Charlie's favorite things right now are bulldozers, Jackie, playing baseball outside, playing golf, seeing friends, Bubble Guppies (a TV show), and granola bars.

Holly

Sweet Holly continues to be a good baby. She doesn't have much choice. When Charlie cried, I picked him up. When Holly cries, she often has to wait. And eventually she stops.
She sleeps great at night, often 8-10 hours.
I was beginning to worry about her head shape, so I took her to the doctor. They thought it was fine, but said we will continue to watch it. I did some research on the internet though and now I'm still worried. I think she has a mild case of flat head syndrome (brachycephaly). It will probably even out, but just to be sure that it does, I am trying to keep her off her back more. Unfortunately she doesn't get much tummy time because she always throws up.
She is still very smiley and she can almost laugh. She smiles and makes noise at the same time but I wouldn't call it a complete laugh yet.
She still spits up a lot. Last week I ate a bagel bite - ONE BAGEL BITE - and she spit up horribly for 2 days! I am a firm believer now that the dairy makes a huge difference.