WAY Too Long!

I feel so bad that it's been over a month since my last post. It has been an incredibly busy month around here, as March usually is, because of Daddy getting back into coaching track (meaning he's home less), Rabbit's eleventh birthday, me being sick for several days, parent/teacher conferences (which meant I had reports to prepare and then three evenings of work - with the kids hanging out at work with me for a couple hours each evening until Daddy could pick them up) - it just all adds up.

But we have moved past the worst of the nightmare schedule, and I finally feel I have time to share a little about what Kellin has been doing. We've had some nice progress over the past month in several areas. So . . .

Kellin is chewing small pieces of apples and bananas! These are the first softer/mushier foods that he really chews, not just his usual dry, crunchy foods like crackers and cereal. AND he is really learning how to scoop foods with a spoon. He will now feed himself bites of oatmeal and yogurt (but I still have to prompt him for each step - "scoop, lift, eat" - or he just sits and holds the spoon). Still, we are a couple tiny steps closer to him really feeding himself.

Last week, when I dropped Kellin off at daycare, he cried when I left. I mean, really cried, and was still crying as I walked out the door. He has been clinging to me or fussing a little as I leave, but this was the first full-out cry. And when I arrive at daycare to pick him up, he turns toward me and holds out his arms as soon as he hears my voice. I think his attachment to me is growing stronger by the day and that makes me SO happy. Kellin has even come to me from Daddy (who is still his favorite) a few times without getting upset. And he's fallen asleep in my arms (for a nap, not at night) several times over the past few weeks.

Kellin seems to be slowly getting more understanding of using the potty. He has learned the "potty" sign now but mostly only uses it when I prompt him. Still, just this afternoon, we were outside at a park and he signed "potty" out of the blue. Since there was no potty there, I couldn't take him, but as soon as we arrived home, he signed it again and pulled at his pants. When I brought him inside and to his potty chair, I discovered that his diaper was just barely damp, and he immediately peed in the potty. I call that a success! I don't know if he is ready to be truly potty-trained, but he seems to be moving the right direction.

Talking? Kellin is no longer saying "mama," as he was for a couple weeks. His newest "word" is to say "Eh!" loudly when he doesn't like something, which seems to mean, "No!" We'll see if this one sticks around.

Some of the skills that we are working on with Kellin right now:

Trying to get him to turn on toys that are not just buttons (switches to slide, dials to turn, etc.) - and he starting to get it, a little, but he seems to still think he needs us to help him.

Sequencing toys like stacking rings and nesting cups - Kellin can take the rings off and put them on, and he can take the cups out and put them back in - but he needs me to help him get them in the right order. He has no concept of bigger/smaller yet.

Putting coins in his toy treasure chest - he has completely mastered putting the coins in when the slot is horizontal in front of him, so I have started to turn the treasure chest so the slot is diagonal or vertical. This is difficult for him and can be very frustrating, but he is getting better!

Jumping! If you tell Kellin to jump, he bounces up and down and occasionally his feet leave the floor a little bit. It's so cute!

Overall, no earth-shattering progress, but the baby steps continue!

A few pictures:

Rabbit's birthday. Is she really ELEVEN??

Tigger with a playdough creation

Tigger with his beloved Mr. Sox

Hunting for Easter eggs!

A peaceful moment while Rabbit, Tigger, and Pooh played Monopoly together

Pooh LOVES playdough

Exploring nesting cups

Look at him sitting criss-cross like a big boy!

So the pipe thing is Kellin's pusher (a pre-cane). Somehow he got himself stuck inside it.

Hanging out in Mommy's classroom

Asleep on my lap. Not the best angle for a picture, but he looks sweet.

Walking outside. Do you see he is holding a stick?!

And the many faces of Kellin. The other kids and I had been playing Racko at the table, so we gave Kellin some cards and a card-holder too. I took a bunch of pictures because he was making the BEST faces: