Everybody always refers to the terrible twos, and I have yet to have a problem with two; it's always three that gets me. Lately Laura and I have been fire and ice together thanks to the lovely personality I like to refer to as "three". There are a few specific areas we're struggling in: listening and volume. Due to the first one, the time out chair is frequently visited in our house these days, and even some days I threaten to spank-when she's really pushing my buttons. Alex was a naive three, Laura is clever and anything but naive. For example she will blatently do something she knows she's not supposed to do, and when I look at her and tell her not to, she pushes the envelope just a little farther-while I'm looking. And often times she has a smartass response to what I say (I don't know where she gets this from), perfect example would be: "Laura, will you pick your toys up please?" "No, you do it mom" said in a somewhat quiet voice, "What did you just say?"-"I said I like you mom". Unfortunately, she learned this dialogue from me and Jason, I will typically say something smartass to Jason, to which he'll ask what I said-my response, "I said I like you". Yeah, I should have known that one would haunt me. Volume, this is one I struggle with, until I had kids-I was a fairly quiet person in nature. Laura's loud volume makes my skin crawl, kind of like when you are all the way across the grocery store grabbing something you forgot while the kids stay with Jason and you hear this loud annoying sound, that's usually Laura's voice carrying all the way to the other side of the store, and we all know that if I can hear it-it's loud.
Normal three year old aside, Laura is doing great, she's learning to write her name and even shows an interest in flash cards and reading already. I'll use her to my advantage in motivating Alex;). She loves makeup, nail polish, dancing, and playing dressup with her leotards. In a world where mean kids are the norm, and it makes me cringe to send my babies off to school; I have complete confidence in Laura to hold her own.
Onto Miss Ainslee, hard to believe she will be 18 months the end of this month. You know I'm in denial when she goes into the closet and pulls out the potty training seat, and I insist on putting it back! All bottles are gone, pacifiers, everything baby-like. She's been replaced by a little toddler whose temper has emerged in the past few months, she's starting to get past the 'throw myself on the ground and roll around a little' phase, and onto dealing with her feelings though. She'll throw a cheap shot at Laura here or there, but it's usually quickly replaced by a kiss or a hug. She's an entertainer: she makes goofy faces, likes to laugh at her brother, play dress up and dolls with her sister, and she's just trying to keep up w/ the Jones-growing way too fast. I mentioned her love of water, she also enjoys going to open gym at the gymnastics center for the YMCA in FDL on Friday mornings. The girls can run, jump, and climb on all sorts of stuff and she loves every minute we're there.
She's still a petite little girl, but very much keeps up with the big kids. Most days when Alex and Laura head outside she's right behind them grabbing her boots out of the closet. She recently had an ear recheck-tubes look good and are still secure, lets hope those baby's last us through this winter. I'm not sure if it's because she's grown a bit and her ear anatomy has changed, or if it's the fact she's no longer in daycare, but she just had her very first cold of the winter. I'm enjoying a healthy year for her, and continue to enjoy watching her personality. You know, cause she's the only one who can't talk back anymore;).
Last but certainly not least, Alex recently caught this big walleye with his dad, and Grandpa Wuest while we were up north over New Years. He's as proud as can be, and keeps asking when his mount is going to be back so he can take it for show and tell. He might have to settle for just taking a photograph. But he's also gotten a little egotistical about it too, he's turned down fishing on Lake abago (Winnebago) with Papa cause he can't guarantee that they'll catch big ones. I'm sure my dad laughs inside, hopefully he realizes it's not about what you catch-but spending time with family that's more important-I know he will.
He just got his first report card back, and we're very proud of him. He's doing well in most areas, he just hasn't shown much interest in reading or writing-which I'm guessing for a boy in Kindegarten that's probably pretty normal. Jason and I try to help in his class on a weekly basis, and all the girls in his class are all gung-ho on reading, reading to themselves, reading to others-aloud. Why would he have a need to read, they do it for him! It's fun to see the dynamics of his class, and just to see him among his peers.
Also our 'good' Alex returned. The behavior issues we had prior to Christmas have since passed, thanks to my nephew Jimmy, who now taxis Alex to school in the morning. I'm all for public transportation, but Alex was on the bus for over an hour in the mornings. . . a few K boys+lots of time on their hands+a bus driver who hears very little=a very strung little boy when he arrived to school. He still rides it at night, so I haven't lost all faith in the school systems transportation.
Very proud of all my kids!
Most people who know me are probably not surprised that the movie Kingpin is one of my all time favs. "You see bowling for money, that's my only vice. Here's your drink sugar, ok two." is the frame depicted in this photo from the movie. 
