Kiddo Update

Wyatt Scott:

-Currently loving Minihawks Daycamp where he gets to play soccer, basketball, and baseball. He says basketball is his favorite, though he does look sharp on the soccer field.

-Also currently taking Taekwondo (he got two months free at the MLT carnival) which is definitely challenging his discipline and attention span. He is excelling though - just yesterday he taught me a kata (series of blocks, kicks, and punches) that he has been learning. We also practiced his sit-ups, and he amazingly did 20 FULL SITUPS! I kid you not. It was impressive!

-Yesterday evening we went down to Ballinger Lake at sunset so Daddy could snap some pictures, and Wyatt took along some paper and a pen. He ran out to the dock, scouted a good spot, and sketched out a "lighthouse" (really a cell tower, but it did have a flashing red light at the top), the moon, and a fishing boat on the water. He also drew some ducks, the setting sun, and some lily pads from a second vantage point. His attention to detail, and his desire to create a picture reminded me at once of his father and his Nino.

-Has been very inquisitive (and combative) lately. He is constantly asking "Why this, why that?" It is definitely a challenge that is keeping me on my toes. Oh, how ready he is for kindergarten!

-Picked out a red backpack with a snake on it for school. It definitely made an impression on him when Nino told him that you can hunt snakes in the desert and eat them. He still talks about going and doing just that, and cannot wait for the camping trip we have planned next week!

-Is reading simple words, and spelling words by himself - Dad, Mom, Avatar, cat, etc. He is also counting to 100, adding and subtracting (sometimes in his head!), and telling time on a digital clock (this morning "Mom, it's 8:48! We need to go!").

Penelope Grace:

-Is clapping, blowing kisses (I adore this!), feeding herself, holding her own sippy cup, and waving (two ways - by flapping her arm up and down, or by opening and closing her hand)!

-Is army crawling all over the place, and working on regular crawling more and more. She can go about 4 paces up on all fours, but she prefers her fast scoot on her tummy.

-She strengthens her core and practices for crawling by pulling herself up into the plank position (yes, exactly as in yoga). She will stay in that position for up to 20 seconds at a time, sometimes pulling her knees in to crawl, sometimes not.

-Has now sat up from her tummy about 4 times, and is getting better at it all the time. She also is trying to pull up to standing from a sit, but hasn't quite gotten it. Though, once she's standing she is incredibly stable! She's also a little daredevil (or just completely unaware of the danger), and will let go of what she's holding onto in order to grab an interesting object.

-She is definitely gaining command over her body and you can tell that she is delighted with it! She may have gotten a delayed start what with all the tummy issues she had at the beginning, but she is on a roll now!

-One funny thing she likes to do is grab her legs and pull herself into a ball. You can pick her up and she will keep that position too! She loves her legs!

-She loves teddy bears! She currently has two (Wyatt's Deputy Bear that he said she could use, and Butterscotch.) She cuddles to sleep with them, babbles to them, and carries them everywhere! It is very sweet.

-Is babbling "baba" which sometimes we think means Brother, and sometimes Mama, "dada", "ssshhh", "lala", "gaga", and any combination of these.

-Is definitely more giggly now. She LOVES peekaboo with Wyatt, and is good at seeking him out when he ducks to hide, loves tickles and raspberries, and dancing and spinning.