MacHaffie Kids

Helpful

June 25, 2006

Our children have started being helpful. Because they can get behind the couch, we have started emptying out the bookcases. Owen and Andrew saw me picking up books and putting them on the couch, and they started helping. I walked around to the front of the couch and helped stack the books as the boys handed them to me.

After that, Owen handed me books off the couch while I put them away into boxes. And then tonight they did the same thing.

Nancy bravely took the boys to church this morning by herself. I’ve been at an aikido workshop for the past four days. Nancy said that the boys didn’t even wave goodbye as she left them down in the nursery, although they did look for Grammie and Grampie. The boys were very sweet to a little girl that was down in the nursery with them.

Andrew can now join his brother on top of the couch without our assistance. Nancy has worked hard with them on how to get off the couch safely, and they seem to be taking it to heart (as long as they are paying attention, anyway).

Andrew’s new word this week is “garden”. He says it very clearly, but we’re not sure yet if he knows exactly what it means. He may think it means “plants”, but we are working with him on it. His other new word is “bam” or “boom”. We haven’t figured out yet what he means–we’re still working on it.

Both boys have been very talkative on the phone this week, although it still comes and goes. Sometimes they just look at the phone or push the buttons.

The boys are understanding more and more, even though their vocabulary is still very limited. Andrew is solving that problem by continuing to make up his own signs, though. He does seem to be learning the clock sign, though.

The boys were working on eating off of plates tonight at the restaurant. They did very well, but we still need to keep an eye on them as they eat. They also worked on blowing on their food to cool it off. It is very cute to watch them.

Pictures

Andrew playing the little piano at Jill’s house
Andrew playing little piano

Andrew eating from a plate

Andrew walking on gravel with Daddy

Both boys playing the little piano at Jill’s house
Boys playing little piano

Boys at the new wildlife refuge in Tualatin
Boys at the wildlife refuge

Owen with his Cheerios

Owen chewing on a spoon

Owen eating Jello

Signing progress

June 17, 2006

Andrew is starting to use his signs a lot more. He even makes up new signs which we have to figure out. Holding his hand to his ear and talking is the sign for phone–that one was easy to figure out. Owen has learned to do the bath sign correctly. Instead of one hand back and forth across his chest, he now does both hands on his chest up and down.

Andrew was very sweet to Owen yesterday. Owen fell asleep in the Great Room, and before we could move him, Andrew came over and fixed Owen’s blanket, then patted his back. Of course, Andrew then started playing with Owen’s feet.

The boys have been getting up early in the morning for anything from half an hour to two hours. One night when they slept through, Ahgah woke me up. We think a lot of it is coming from teething–Owen in particular seems to be having a lot of problems. One night he wouldn’t go back to sleep until half an hour after Nancy gave him Tylenol for the pain. Hopefully we will be getting over the last of this teething soon. Their canines have almost broken through.

Andrew was sleeping in the playpen yesterday. He sat up, still asleep, and first started to slump to the left, then corrected himself. Then he started slumping to the right, then corrected himself. Finally he drifted back down to his side, all without waking up.

Owen can now scramble up our couch unaided. I knew we would only have a short time from removing his other climbing devices before he figured out how to get onto the couch. The boys have also figured out how to get behind the couch, so we will be doing some cleaning and rearranging over the next few days.

The boys are getting pretty good at climbing the stairs with mommy or daddy present. We let them climb the stairs to go have their bath.

The boys are becoming quite accomplished with their spoons. They can actually put the spoon into food and bring most of the food back up to their mouths. They still have a ways to go yet, but they are definitely making progress.

We have been trying to get the kids to talk on the phone (especially to Grammie and Grampie) with no success. We were in church on Sunday, and my mom handed Andrew a turned-off cell phone to play with. So when it got quiet, Andrew pipes up saying “Daddy” into the phone, over and over.

Andrew can hear music when we are out and likes to point at the speakers. If he sees live music, there is no moving him until it is over.

Pictures

Owen reaching for applesauce

Daddy holding Owen

Owen standing in his PJs

Andrew playing in a canoe

Andrew leading Grammie

Andrew playing Wheel of Fortune

Flu

June 10, 2006

We all came down with the flu two weeks ago, which is why we missed updating the site for a week. But we’re all feeling better now, and we did get some good pictures this week.

The kids have learned (or made up) a sign for bath. They rub one hand across their chest, as if scrubbing. The offical sign for bath is to use both hands and scrub your chest, so they are close.

Nancy found out that Andrew can sign, but he usually lets Owen sign for him. However, Andrew wanted something, and Owen wasn’t signing for it, so Andrew got frustrated and made the sign himself.

Andrew is very good now at letting us know when he needs to be changed–sometimes even if his diaper is barely wet. Apparently, last week he told the cat his diaper needed to be changed. No word on whether or not the cat complied….

We have now removed all footstools and the piano bench from the Great Room. Owen was finding it far too easy to climb up on those items, so they have been removed. This is only a temporary slowdown, I’m sure. We seem to just be creating smarter, more agile babies. We still need to clean out the book cases before Owen gets up there and removes the books (and other items).

My parents came down over Memorial Day weekend and we got the second bedroom in good shape. We still need to get the tape off the windows (and we’re waiting for a few more boards), and then I’ll try to get a picture up. It looks really nice. Nancy is going to use it as her sewing room for a while.

We went to the park today after we went to the farmer’s market. You’ll see some of the pictures below. The kids had a great time. They really like going down the big slide with mom and dad.

Andrew is learning to dance. He bounces up and down to music fairly well. Both boys are still fascinated with music.

Owen opened up my hand today, put a piece of paper in it, then closed my hand. I guess that was easier than just handing it to me.

The boys know where they are supposed to be to fall asleep. Andrew is supposed to be in the playpen in the computer room, and Owen is supposed to be in the Great Room with a parent.

Pictures

Andrew showing Nancy how to go down the slide