March Milestones

This month, we've been so busy working on kickstarting HOPE for Ari, but I still have milestones to report! Gabriel & Ariana turned 25 months on the 19th, and Isabella just turned 6 months on the 27th. Gabe has learned how to use his fork and spoon. He sometimes still prefers his fingers, but I'm hoping I can instill table manners within the year. Speaking of manners, he has begun saying "thank you" (inconsistently still), "you're welcome" (even rarer), and "excuse me" (very consistently when he burps) -- so cute! Gabe has been doing a great job of putting puzzles together. His favorite puzzle is his fish puzzle (thanks Cindi!), which took me a solid 5 minutes the first time I tried it. It's confusing! Gabe throws those pieces in in 20 seconds or less. I think he might have it memorized though, which is equally impressive in my view :). Gabe has been a little bit of a... um... two-year-old lately. His favorite words are "no", "mine", & "owww". Of the three, "ow" (as in 'that hurts me') is his favorite and my least favorite. He uses it as a default word to mean no, stop, shut up, mine, leave me alone, or any other of these wonderful phrases. So, when we go out in public (as rare as those times may be), I get a lot of looks from people who must think I'm pinching my kid. It's great. But even that word, I have to say, beats the alternative which is his screaching. Gabe is still a screamer, and nothing is squelching the habit. No amount of ignoring, reprimanding, time-outs, or other reactions/non-reactions will obliterate this behavior. Anyway, I love him just the same, and he sure knows it too.

Aside from the deviance, Gabe's personality is really starting to shine. He has such spunk. He loves socializing. He is constantly requesting the "park", "parties", "friends", and "boys" (boys refers to his friends/cousins). I love how he is so confident around other kids -- I was shy as a child, and at times it was no fun. Gabe has his shy days too, but in general, he is always looking for ways to have fun. He is a great leader, and always seems to have a group of kids tailing behind him and copying his moves (he loves to play 'follow the leader' with the park kids, and he is always the leader). The other day, at the McDonald's play place, every time he took a break to get a french fry from Daddy (every 2 minutes or so), the entire group of kids on the playground would follow him and wait while he ate his fry, then follow him back to the playground. Hilarous! This is just so foreign to me, I find it so amusing. Lastly, we've been trying to look for an in to start potty-training, but I haven't found it. I bought him a whole box of Cars stickers, and I told him that they are for when he goes pee or poo on the potty. He gets so excited at the mention of those stickers that he rushes to the potty & sits right down (we pull off his pants & diaper). Trouble is, he just has never gone in it. I know he knows because we've gone beside him, we've ran the faucet, thrown water in his potty, etc. It hasn't happened yet. So, as soon as it does, I will be right there with the stickers, and I will soon thereafter committ to officially training him.

Ariana has been starting to babble more this month. I frequently hear her making consonant chain jabbering, which is so exciting! She has done this in the past, but it tapered off. I hope she continues to progress this time. Sometimes, she has even imitated a sound or two. She has said "baby" and "mama" each once upon request. I'm not calling them her words yet, because well, it was only once. She does, however, say "hi" on a frequent basis (not every time) but most times when I walk into the room or put Isabella beside her. I love it!

Prayers with Ari are so sweet. When we say it's time to pray (meals, church, bedtime), she smiles excitedly and clasps her hands together, then she waits patiently while the prayer is being said (smiling all the while), and when we say "In Jesus's name", she says "Aaha" (which is Amen). She's so precious.

Besides the accentuated stepping that I mentioned in the Anat Baniel Method post, nothing much has changed in the area of gross motor. She did, however, get to borrow a stander from her PT. She did really well in it, and liked it very much, so we're starting the process of getting one ordered for her. Standers are for Ari to practice standing and strengthening her leg muscles while in the correct positioning. This is good for her physical development (standing stregthens bones & muscle, corrects posture), as well as emotional (social interaction & inclusion), and mental development (seeing the world right side up while interacting with toys & people). We are also in the process of getting her a Augmentative Communication Device, which is a small computer to help speak for Ari. It also helps her with fine motor coordination and learning language. All assistive medical equipment is provided by the state, thank heavens.

Ari has started getting a little attitude this month too. Although she's still the sweetest girl ever, she has started to protest little things like drinking her milk or doing the bedtime routine. When she gets really angry, she curls her back like a kitty and tries to bite (usually my shoulder). Those moments of temper flare are still few and far between. And while biting is not allowed of course, the rebellion is her way of asserting her independence, and I can totally appreciate that.

At Isabella's 6 month well-check, she weighed 18 lbs. 2 oz (85th %tile) and measured 23 3/4 in. (55th %tile). This month Isabella has started babbling consonant chains instead of just cooing. When she does this, she opens her mouth really wide to speak -- it's so cute. I wonder if she thinks that's how we look when we talk.

Isabella is rolling all over the place. She and Ari can be on opposite sides of the room, but they manage to find each other in a matter of seconds. Usually, they both end up sucking on each other's limbs -- it's too funny, really. Bella is also starting to sit with support (with a hand hold or propped on her hand). It is still tricky for her, because of the uneven limb issue, but she'll get it soon. While sitting in her Bumbo chair, she gets really brave and twists all around to reach objects on all sides of her. Grabbing has become her new favorite thing to do. Bella is really beginning to assert herself with the siblings. She has begun to have tug of wars with them, which she looses, naturally. She's a great sport about losing though, and she doesn't quit trying.

Bella is on a pretty regular nap schedule now (2 1-2 hour naps), but in a schedule pinch, I tend to interrupt her naps in favor of saving the other kids theirs, because she's less crabby when she's tired then they are. She is still nursing and eating solids (baby food) about 2 times a day. Isabella is showing a wonderful funny side to her personality this month. She still loves bouncing in the jumper, putting everything in her mouth, being tickled, and being sung to. She really is a great baby.