A Word For You Kids

(This post has been sitting in my drafts for some time now, waiting for pictures.  Alas, having just moved, I'm unsure where to find my camera cable so I don't have any updated pictures to share.  I'll add pictures when I can.  Until then, I need to publish this post so I can get on with some others!)

Teryn
You, my son, are a little handful! Communication is still a struggle but you're getting to the point we can somewhat rationalize with you and that makes things a little easier. When you refuse to eat we can ask you to take just one more bite before you leave the table and you usually do. I gave you a slice of leftover pizza for lunch today and you picked at it for a bit but then left to play. You came back hungry a little while later and demanded a corn dog instead but I told you you could wait until dinner if you didn't want to finish your pizza. You initially threw a fit but then you got past it and ate every last bite.  You came to me with eyes wide open as if to say, "surprise!" You gave me a high 5 and I rewarded you with some Smarties. You were pretty happy and I was too :) you've recently decided you can turn on your light and play after I lay you down for naptime or bedtime. I got stern with you today and may or may not have convinced you that it's not OK, we'll see.  You love your little brother when you want to love him but you push him around when you don't. You tear the cushions off the couches and jump on them like trampolines when I'm occupied elsewhere. I think the biggest factor in your defiant, rambunctious behavior is cabin fever. We have been stuck inside for over 4 months and its wearing on all of us.  I can't wait to get you outside again. I hope it returns sanity to our household.

Ryder
You are always the one who brings me back to earth. You are starting to express more of a temper than usual but you're still so happy and laid back that you keep me grounded.  You just turned one year old and I can't believe it!! I feel like you're still so little, yet your recent intellectual growth reminds me you won't stay little for long.  You've started mocking my actions and sounds.  You respond to me when I tell you "no." You're taking more time to figure toys out and you love books.  You still love anyone who will give you attention.  You're a great sleeper and eater.  Your taste buds are quite opposite from your brother's.  Teryn lives on carbs and you live on meat and protein.  It's obvious in your body compositions too. Teryn is an energetic lean bean and you are a tank.  I bet you rival his weight in the upcoming year.  Like I said though, you've recently started expressing more of a temper.  I gave you a pb&j sandwich the other day and you opened it to lick off the insides.  I closed it up again and you got upset with me. You tore it in two and squeezed it between your fingers, all the while screaming at me.  I grabbed a wet cloth and pried the sandwich away from you so I could clean your hands and you escalated like crazy.  I ended up taking you from your seat and just sitting you in the living room where you could carry out your fit alone.  After a few minutes I went back in and swept you up. By then you were ready to be comforted and we snuggled for a minute.  It was a new thing to see such a little monster come out of my sweet baby boy.

Baby Girl
You are an active little thing! You especially love my belly button area for some reason?  90% of your movement happens right there and it's pretty entertaining.  I don't have a whole lot of time to focus on you throughout the day with everything that's going on but I sure cherish the moments in the morning and at night when I lay in bed and feel you.  I wonder who you will look like? I think you will look more like Ryder than Teryn?