Hitting the six month mark between birthdays is the perfect chance to sit and try to write down some of the special things about Austin right now. He's kind, funny, super opinionated, and just the best brother there could be.
Stats: Mostly moved into all 4T things. He seems to have hit a height growth spurt and has grown out of all the 3T pants that he was wearing. Most of them we have to use drawstrings with because they are too big around his waist, but he's definitely growing into them.
I interviewed him about some of the things that he likes right now:
Interview:
Favorite Color - Blue
Favorite Food - Special Wraps (Chicken Cordon Bleu wraps)
When you grow up: A machine maker. (He used to say a builder, but it's recently turned into "machine maker".
Favorite thing to do: play with Daddy - chase the monster.
Books do you like to read: Dragon Masters
-- For Austin's birthday, he requested an airplane birthday cake. I asked him what he liked about his cake and he said "It was fun to look at. It was yummy." He's an airplane loving boy, and it makes me happy that he was pleased with this simple attempt at an airplane cake. He wanted to include this picture because he "still really loves airplanes".
--Austin says that when he grows up he wants to be a "builder"(recently changed into a "machine maker"). He has a natural curiosity and is very engaged when we do STEM activities. He likes exploring how things work together. Below we used salt and chalk to see what happened, we also used marshmallows and spaghetti to make towers. He spent a long time making his tower stand and was so very proud of himself. He builds a lot with blocks, magnet tiles, and pretty much anything else he can.
--He has his share of tantrums and fit throwing when he doesn't get his way, but he recovers quickly and doesn't hold a grudge. I appreciate that about him.
-I also feel like I need to add that we've been struggling with potty training and he's gone through a major regression. Sometimes I worry that it's a sign of something deeper that is going on, and wonder if it's tied to his speech delay, but mostly I just try to be as patient as I can be with such frequent accidents. I wish I knew what to do to help him with the process but I just keep hoping that it will get better and that if I keep loving him and do my best to not get upset (which is really difficult sometimes) that it will work out. I wanted to include this because I think it's important to remember the difficult things along-side the good things - even if the good things far outweigh the bad.
---He's really good at calming down and presenting solutions to the problems we are facing. Sometimes I get really stubborn, even though he's presenting another solution to the issue and I have to remind myself that he should probably be rewarded for taking the time to think of another way to get what he wants instead of stubbornly insisting that I get my way. He's even gotten really good at asking for things like "Can I try again tomorrow?" Or "Can we buy another one next time we go to the store." and then calming himself down. I'm really impressed.
-He's also very stubborn. A lot of times the solutions he presents are really just another way for him to get exactly what he wants, without a whole lot of compromise. But as I said about, I really appreciate that he stops and tries to think of ways around the situation.
--Loves helping me in the kitchen. Whether it's doing dishes or making food, he's my number one helper. He helps me make pancakes and knows just what to put in next - and he loves using the measuring cup to make his own pancakes on the griddle. Basically, anything that I'm making from breads to breakfasts -he wants to help and is very interested in the whole process.
-Austin loves smoothies. He'd eat them for breakfast every day if he could.
-We read the Tale of Despereaux together as a family and decided that we would use that as the base for our Halloween Costumes. Austin wanted to be Despereaux and he loved his costume. It was perfect for him. The hat, the big ears, and especially the sword! He loved that needle/sword. He made a haul trick-or-treating and was pretty taken with the whole Halloween experience.
--He loves Lydia. They have this special "language" that they talk in called "Silly Language". They mostly just talk in garbled sounds and made up words. However, there are a few words that always mean the same thing. Austin's name in silly language is "Brees-la", Lydia calls him that and he definitely responds. I asked what her name is and they gave a few variations of "Fwee-da". That's all I know. It changes a lot, but it makes them happy to be speaking in their own language and I love watching the special relationship that they have together.
-He has loved all the snow we've gotten this year. He likes sledding and has spent a lot of time in our backyard with all the snow we've gotten this year.
-Talking Time. I don't have many pictures of this part of Austin's life - but it's a huge part of his life. We go to a class every Wednesday morning for an hour (plus 20 minutes of travel time each way). He has homework/sound practice that he works on every day. I've had lots of people tell me that they can understand him much better than they used to, and that gives me hope that this speech therapy is working, but it's hard for me to see much progress. I try to tell myself that I'm too close, but he often gets frustrated and I get frustrated too (not at him, just frustrated that I can't help more) when there seems to be such a lack of progress. He has been particularly working on the K- sounds and G- sounds which are hard. But he is working hard and I'm SO proud of him. When they first introduced the K sound, he couldn't even make the sound. He physically couldn't. But he has practiced and practiced and now he can! It takes much longer to translate into conversational speech, which is the frustrating part, but I'm truly so proud of how hard he works to make sounds that come so easily to other people.
-Christmas! The only thing that he asked for this year was a Snow Shooter. A real, genuine, snowshooter. One that made snow. Similar to a bubble machine, but snow instead of bubbles. Oh man. I had no idea what we were going to do for him - because I was sure he was going to wake up on Christmas morning in utter disappointment. But I was telling a friend about it and her four-year-old daughter said: "That sounds like daddy's snow-cone machine". Yes! It was the perfect idea and he's been so happy with it. He got a bunch of other things, too - but he was just so happy and grateful for all of the things. He's such a sweet boy and Christmas was magical for him this year.
-He gets into quite a lot of mischief when he follows Lydia's lead. Like putting every single thing that they owned into Lydia's bunk. Better than the times that it's every single soft thing on the floor so they can jump into it from the top bunk.
--Some pictures of him being sweet. He has a big heart and he is very affectionate. He is also learning to navigate big emotions and I hope that he always is able to keep his kind nature as the central part of his personality.
-- He likes to be just like his dad. He often requests to use "Daddy's shampoo" while in the bathtub, and will ask to use "Daddy's gel" when doing his hair. He uses David's deodorant (to the point that David has given him his own deodorant stick) and likes to pretend to shave after David is done in the morning. I love that he wants to be like his Daddy.
-Dentist appointment - no cavities! Woot!
-More examples of cooking and helping in the kitchen. Austin made this self-portrait out of pancake batter. He was so proud. Ha. Also, every Thursday we do this special activity called Poetry Treat Time. We make a snack together, set the table with china plates and cups, and read some poetry while eating the snack. I think it's tied with Tech-Tuesday for Austin's favorite part of our week. He loves helping make the snack, loves pouring the juice, and loves eating the snack.
-More building and experiments.
-We were given this shirt, and it quickly became Austin's favorite. He especially loves wearing it with these super tight grey leggings and I laugh EVERY time he wears it - he looks just like a Trekkie to me (Star Trek). He, obviously, has no idea. He just thinks it's comfortable. But I laugh all day long.
-We went on a train ride to downtown Salt Lake and he loved the whole experience.
-He loves matching his clothes with Caleb and they do the funniest chest bump together when I dress them alike. The stick out their tummies and bump them up against each other and they both say "Matching!"
More pictures of him from the past six months. I wish I could remember all the tiny details of this stage right now. I know I'm forgetting SO many of them. But I guess the thing that I want him to remember most when he comes back someday to read about his childhood is that I loved him every single day. Austin, you are important to me - you always have been and you always will be. I love spending my days with you. Reading endless Magic Tree House and Dragon Masters books with you. Making food in the kitchen with you. Letting you play in the bath while I work on something in my bedroom. Watching you concentrate while you're building a structure or a "machine" and hearing you proudly say "Mom, look what I made!" Watching you be the best brother to your siblings. Just being with you.
I asked everyone what their favorite thing about Austin was, and these were the replies:
Daddy- "You know? There are a LOT of things that I love about Austin. But one of the things that I love most is his smile. And I love the way he laughs. When Austin laughs, it fills up the whole room with joy."
Mommy - "I love Austin's hugs. He knows when I'm feeling down and always makes me feel loved."
Lydia - "I like to play games with Austin. And he's nice."
Caleb- "Austin play?"
Dearest Austin, we love you. All of us. We are so lucky to have you in our family.
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