Truman Update Dec '10 - Present

Oh my baby boy, its difficult to go from you being 4 months to 7 months old. Essentially, in this time, you have mastered sitting, eating foods like puffs, graham crackers (you prefer home made foods versus the Gerber packaged ones). You have such a love of life! Nobody, and I mean nobody can make you laugh like your big brother. You are so happy all the time. I can think of only one thing that makes you cry consistently - and that is putting you in your car seat, then in the car when its dark out. You hate it! I honestly believe that when people dream of having a baby, they dream of your demeanor. Just happy, sorta placid, easy going, easy napper, and a love of bath time!
I love morning times. FIN practically makes coffee for us now, you wander around in your Elmo seat or jump in the jumpy seat. You tolerate hanging out without complaining to be picked up - I think mostly because everyone is always giving you attention. You love your doggy Winston. He is very tolerant of your grabbing his fur, probably because he's waiting to clean your face or eat the puffs out of your hands. Below are a couple of videos I have of you and your brother just laughing and you and Winston. You two in the tub is just way fun!
You had your 6 month appt. and you weighed 18 lb 12 oz - 75%; height 26.5 inches 50%; 75% for head circum. I know since then you have put on weight because after we got back from AZ, you got an ear infection and you weighed 19 lbs!


I love you Mr. T. I pitty the fool who don't know you!
-mama

FIN Update Dec '10 - present

With the delay in updates, you can tell the boys keep the parents busy! So I have to write these memories down before I lose them, so here's the past 3 months:
Potty Training
I went to potty training basics website instead of using one of the 3 retarded books that I bought. Books all were "train when you have time in sessions, use fluffy positive language, blah bah". I put a potty on the floor in the kitchen, put FIN in big boy pants, and made him practice taking his underwear on/off/on - told him to use the potty or time out. After 2 accidents, that was about it. Now poop, well thats a different story. FIN was afraid to poop on the potty. He would wait till the last last minute, run to the potty and go. It was an awful process, but lets face it, he potty trained now.
Christmas
All I wanted for Christmas was a potty trained boy - and I got it! We stayed in for the holiday. G&G Dahlke came over and we just enjoyed time together as a family. Grandpa made a wooden carriage wagon for the boys. Its beautiful! It will be perfect to walk down the ravine (not so sure walking up will be a treat though). We had lots of food, movies, nap time. Christmas morning was so amazing to watch - Santa Claus brought FIN a new truck. That night, we went to look at lights in Lake Forest. A wonderful holiday!
Happy New Year
For New Years, we had the Nunez clan over. We celebrated New Years until 8pm - when all kids turned to pumpkins - grumpy ones.
January
Its like with potty training came this boost of confidence, independence, and language. FIN babbled still when people would talk to him, and now its mostly stopped. Back in school, FIN no longer hits other kids as a lack of communication - he is the big boy.
We took a nice warm trip to AZ to visit auntie Sara, uncle Henry, & cousin Maddy. They moved homes, and now have horses in their back yard. We pet and fed the horses, and hit up the Phoenix zoo. Mama & Dad even got an evening out with Sara & Henry and Binky's Cafe.For Grandpa Dahlke's birthday, we went to celebrate with him by taking him presents, sharing cake, and going ice skating!
February
FIN is retaining all the holidays - he still asks about the Christmas tree and when Santa gets here. He talks about hearts and Valentine's day. This year, he was my Valentine, and I bought him a little trainer golf set. Boy is this winter getting long! Can wait for swim lessons to start, summer school, summer sports - FIN has so much ahead of him. We are longing for days to play at the park & just be outside!!!

All in all, FIN, you are growing so fast. I barely remember the baby you were, because you are a big boy, and an amazing big brother. To say you love your baby brother Truman is putting it lightly. You are always hugging, kissing, talking to him - I know its too much to hope that things will never change, but for now - you two are best friends. I know there are little nuances I'm missing, like the little flu you got and your poor Leapster was a casualty of the vomit episode in the car, or how you hate to use public toilets because the flush scares you, or how you love the movie Top Gun because you are going through an airplane phase, oh the little daily things that I'll try to keep up on.
I love you FIN - everyday with you is as usual, an adventure!

Visit with Grandma Dahlke

This is my Grandma Dahlke - my dad's mom, and besides my mom's step dad Eugene Indgjer, Rosalyn is my last living grandparent, and my childrens' great grandmother. I wish we didn't have to visit her in a senior living center, but nonetheless, it was time with my grandma. I have a lot of memories of her - all good memories. She isn't the kind of person that tries to make a lesson out of everything, she let us be kids... probably because my dad and his twin brother Russ wore her down to let her just have an attitude with kids that boils down to, "ah heck with it", and I mean that in the most lovingly way possible. She always had nice Christmas's at her house, and had a present for everyone. She graduated college when she was in her seventies, and I most love the memory of her coming over to see us after her yoga class - and no I'm not talking as though she is gone. Due to recent unfortunate health events, she now lives in a senior living center as an independent senior, diagnosed with beginning alzheimer's disease.
Why am I going into this - well, I'm using this as a reminder that she is still here and during this time of year when we are all hustling to perfect the art of gift giving, and possibly preparing for the inevitable family dilemmas, that there are people that just want the gift of time with you. No gifts, perfect meals, just being there - time.
I wish I could have spent more time with her today, but there was a virus floating around the senior center and we were shoo'd out by a not so nice nurse that seemed to forget that the residents there need family, and not just other residents to get by - but lest my babies get sick, we left and she cried. I'll still only have the good childhood memories - and I'll get back to see her and spend time.
Now FIN & Truman, let this be a lesson to you - you always make time for your mother!
I love you, and so does your grandparents, and for that matter, your great grandma.
-mama

Christmas photos 2010

I am really starting to love age 3

For nothing other than you feed the dog unsupervised and your dinner is branching out to the fiber-zone (shredded mini wheat cereal).
FIN, you used to talk to me in babbles. Now you talk to me. Sure it takes some prompting, but you are starting to recall things, details of your day that just are neat to your mommy. Today when I picked you up from school, I asked you what you did. You didn't answer right away, and when my questions started to get specific, like, what was your snack today, you replied, "oranges". You did this on Friday too, but your answer was, "Challa" bread. It really melts my heart!
Now as soon as you use the potty 100% of the time, me and FIN are going on a date!

Things said by FIN...

On Saturday, you went to a classmate's birthday party. Afterwards, we went out for dinner at the local Irish pub&restaurant. FIN sat down and when the server appeared, she asked, "What can I get for you?", FIN promptly responded, "How about some dinner!", server: "Ok, what would you like?", FIN: "I want some french fries!". Your conversation, while simple, was so cute!

5 Months & 3 Year 2 Months

Oh brothers! This past month has just been my favorite! FIN, you are coming along to well in pre-school. Your language is just amazing - everyday you say something new to me and it catches me off guard, and I wonder, "did he just say that?!". For example, tonight we had our neighbors over for dinner, and they asked where Truman was, and you so clearly responded, "He's asleep upstairs". Now I know, not a huge revelation, but it was clear, you understood, and you responded on behalf of your brother. You amaze me how much you love your brother. Getting pictures of you two isn't difficult, but one of you is always blurry. Here are a few I got recently - one of you and your brother in the tub, and another of you playing with Truman in his exersaucer:

Truman - you are 5 months old today. This past month we have started you on solid food. Its done an interesting number on your digestive track - interesting in that your digestive track has stopped and my obsession is with whether or not you have poo'd. So we talk about poop... more so than usual in our house. You as well have amazed me in the past month. You are much much more alert, and your personality is just so sweet. You love to laugh! I'm also hoping that you continue on this awesome sleeping pattern of yours.
I took this video of you the other day. I was imitating the noise you were making and you just started laughing.
Love my boys! -mama

Nov 2010 update

Truman took his first airplane ride to San Diego with mom & dad, while FIN stayed with G&G Garage (aka G&G Nissan; Dahlke). It was a great first plane ride. He slept for 3 of the 4 hour trip. We went out for dinners and to San Diego zoo with auntie Jess Wallace.

In the mean time, FIN was busy with G&G going to the farmers market, and petting zoo, and getting dressed up for Halloween. FIN went as a shark this year. Winston had a shark costume too, but we A. forgot to send the costume along, B. the dog was too fat for his costume.

The past month went so fast - Truman keeps getting bigger every day, and FIN becomes more of a big boy (except for telling us when he has to go on the potty - I know that's coming any day).

Coming up, Truman will be going on another trip to the West Coast with mommy to see auntie Saralyn/Alanna!

Truman - 4 months

Hey Mr. T,

I had to compare you to your brother, you are heavier than he was at 4 months... and shorter.

Weight: 17.4lbs - 90th percentile

Height: 25" - 50th percentile

Head: 75th percentile

You have hit all the important milestones as well! You have been such a happy baby! I cannot believe how fast time has flown by. You sleep like, well a baby, and you babble a ton. Last weekend you had your first real babysitter, Laura. She tried to give you formula... you weren't impressed. Good thing I have no plans to wean you anytime soon.

Love Mama

3 Years Old

Dear FIN,
You turned 3 years old yesterday. For your birthday, we packed up the family and went to Sheboygan to the Blue Harbor Resort water park. The Cripe cousin's made it, both sets of grand parents, and the Argueta's were there too! You had a Lightening McQueen cake that you loved!
I enjoyed the fact that when I picked up your cake it didn't say Happy 3rd Birthday FIN... it in fact said, Happy 3rd Birthday SIN. The woman who made your cake had about as keen of hearing as her voice (not so much at all), I wasn't upset, she just scraped off the S and replaced it with the requisite F. So I digress, you spent the weekend ripping open gifts, eating lots of sugar, getting lots of sugar from family, and playing in the water. It did take a bad parent move on my part of tossing you down a slide to get you into the idea of going on the slide about a hundred times, but I knew you would dig the water slide - just needed that push.
Today you took treats to preschool with you. You took rice crispy treats. I spent an hour with you at school while you ate treats, played, and had special books read in honor of your birthday. I never thought I would get teary at a birthday, especially such an early one, but you made me so proud. You are truly the best of me and your daddy. I love you baby!
-mama