I'm grieving the fact that summer is pretty much over for the Ellsworth family. This is highly unusual for me. I am not a fan of hot weather and lack of daily routine (all components of summer), so I'm usually ready for summer to be over by about the fourth of July. One month of summer is enough for me and I'm ready for fall and back to school. However, this year is different. This has been the best summer I've ever had. Not because of any exotic vacations. Not because of long days at the pool (we only swam about a half dozen times this year). Not even because Tom has been home (one of the normal high-points of summer for me).
But because of this little guy and his brother and sister (and their daddy too).
I was fully prepared for this summer to be hard with the adjustment of a new baby. And it has been in some ways. However, for the most part, it has been pure delight. This summer has been filled with lots of baby kisses and cuddles, movies, games and just good family time together at home.
I always feel like my kids do more growing (physically as well as every other way) more in the summer than in the 9 months of the school year. I'm not sure why. Maybe because they spend a lot of time outdoors in the sun and getting exercise. I think also they spend less time fighting off the cold and flu viruses of the school season. It just seems like they change so much from the end of school to the beginning of the next year. Because of that, I thought I would record some of the changes I've seen this summer in the my three little blessings.
Isaac
Isaac is obvious. He went from being in-utero to born into the world. He has grown TREMENDOUSLY! He goes for his 2-month well check next week so I'll have exact stats then, but we've weighed him on our scales at home and we think he's around 12-13 pounds. That means he's gained about 4 pounds this summer. Also, Isaac went from newborn to baby - and by that I mean he learned to eat (really well), sleep (3 good naps and through the night solid) and interact with his loved ones (smile, coo and laugh). Isaac is an extremely easy, contented baby and seems to have a very teachable spirit, which is something I pray to develop in all my children. He has entered our family with ease and joy and adapted completely.
Peter
I thought this would be a hard summer for Peter. I was so sure that he would have such a hard time learning to share my attention with a baby brother, but I was wrong. My little tender-hearted boy fell in love with Isaac from the very first moment he met him and has loved him ever since. In the next few months, we will start putting Isaac in his crib in the room with Peter at night and I have no doubt Peter will be thrilled.
Peter has grown a lot in his communication skills. When Peter began talking, he quickly developed his own language. We dubbed it "Peterese." At first it was funny, but then we were concerned that he might have a developmental delay and need speech therapy. We have to alway remember that there were 30 minutes of his life where we do not know how much oxygen was delivered to his brain during cardiac arrest. However, as we learned his language, we realized that his words were not abstract babbling, but very specific things that made sense to him based on what he was learning. For instance, car was "bunda" (with a long "u"), a variation of "vroom, vroom." Food was "umda" (again with a long "u"), because we always emphasized "mmm, this is good" at mealtimes to encourage him to eat. As cute as this was, we couldn't let him continue speaking his own language if we wanted him to ever function with other people and especially with other children. We have really stepped up our expectations for words - like not giving him what he wants until he says the right word - and Peter has done well. This is still a work in progress, but at least Peter is speaking far more English than Peterese. What can we say? Our son is bilingual:)
Peter's play habits have also matured. He is much more imaginative in his play - talking to his toys and having them talk to each other. He loves books (which also helps his communication skills). Peter is learning to like puzzles and I plan on doing a lot of those during homeschool this year.
One of the biggest changes we've seen in Peter is an association with family worship, church, prayer, the Bible and God. We are so thrilled that he recognizes these things and that they are important. We need to get him a children's picture Bible because he's been carrying around a copy of "Grimms Fairy Tales" and calling it his Bible (because it's big and heavy and dark-colored). He lugs this big thing to family worship at night and opens it up just like we do. We've been able to avoid him taking it to church, but we can't hold him off for much longer so he needs his own Bible.
Peter has also loved the movie "Cars" this summer. I got it from Netflix shortly before school was out because I figured having a new movie for him might help the transition to a new baby some, especially when I needed to feed Isaac. I was right in that it did help, but I had no idea how MUCH Peter would love that movie. He would watch it every single day if we let him. "Cars" will always remind me of this sweet, good summer as well as that wonderful day a couple of weeks ago when Peter had his echo that was "normal."
Alana
I've already posted some about what a help Alana has been to me this summer. She has willingly played with both brothers as well as been a great errand-runner - like diapers, clothes, burpie-cloths, etc. Alana knows her chores to do each day/week and often gets started without being reminded or asked. She has grown physically and is definitely not a little girl anymore. Alana also has a very teachable spirit.
Alana will be 10 next month. I cannot even believe that! Her birthday will be bitter-sweet. I'm sad to think she will be in double-digits, but at the same time, I feel like I enjoy Alana more and more with every stage. She is my firstborn and the one who made me fall in love with motherhood.
Tom is already back to school and we will begin homeschool on Monday. Summer is over and I'm sad, but I do look forward to a new year and fall, holidays, etc. If I've learned anything this summer, it's to take things ONE DAY AT A TIME. This is obvious, being that I really don't have any choice, but it is something with which I have always struggled. The Lord has been dealing with me about this and teaching me to trust Him daily. I have a long way to go in this area and a lot of "growing up" myself.
I was planning on starting potty training after Labor Day weekend, but Peter just seemed so ready and I thought there was no time like the present. Also, since Alana and I are easing into the school year, I figured we'd get the first two weeks of potty training under our belts before school really starts full-time.
Here's Isaac getting some big-sister comfort after his trip to the Dr.
