Max is in a tumultuous season right now. He can be so bright and cheerful one moment, and then angry and tempestuous the next. We're getting into the separation anxiety stage, so while I remember what's coming (and to be honest I dread it a little), I also remember that it won't last forever. It will give way to a new season, filled with new challenges, but also new things to enjoy.
He's cooing and making so many new sounds, and loves to hear his own voice. He lights up when we imitate a sound he's made, and responds with even more vigorous vocalizations. He started rolling both front-to-back and back-to-front before he was even 3 months old, and now he's a pro. He can roll from back to tummy in the blink of an eye, although he's usually not that happy to find himself that way. He wants to MOVE. He can already dig his little feet into the floor, push his bottom up into the air and propel himself forward on his belly. I fully expect he may be army crawling by 5 months. It's crazy, really. He watches Amy constantly, and we think that's the reason behind his intense desire to be mobile.
He's exploring textures, grabbing and mouthing toys, and chewing on his hands. I wonder if he will be a late teether like Amy or if, like everything else, he'll do that earlier too. He loves pat-a-cake and peek-a-boo. Being spoken or sung to are pretty high up on his list of Things That Are Awesome. He's an ambidexterous thumb-sucker just like Amy was (and still is!).
And Amy. She's practically speaking in paragraphs now. Her understanding and comprehension are sharp as a tack and she just loves to have our undivided attention. She's definitely a drama queen, as most 2-year-old girls tend to be. Whining is big right now, much to our frustration, but like anything else, it's only a season. She still adores Max, and I really hope she and Max will be close as they grow. She can't give him enough hugs, kisses, and love, and I think she'll be delighted when he can finally follow her around and interact with her. I think we'll still see some jealousy when he's able to play with "her" toys, but hopefully she'll continue to be loving and gentle to him as she is now.
As she continues to grow it's a lot of fun to see how our interaction with her changes. She's always busy and loves to learn new things. She loves to sing songs, and now knows most of her basic nursery rhymes by heart. She recognizes several letters, and we're working on numbers. She can sing her ABC's and count to 12.
We continue nightly prayer time, and she knows most of the Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory Be. George is excited to start teaching her how to pray the Rosary. I think she'll be able to understand a little more about Christmas this year, and we're excited to celebrate in South Carolina with my family.
I'll post some pictures in the next post, but at least now I'm caught up on the kids! We've had a very enjoyable fall...so I've got lots of posts up my sleeve!
Hope you're all enjoying the beautiful colors of Fall!
