Emma and Nathan's Update!

Here's a look at some new pictures and what the kid's are up to.....

Nathan is as funny as ever and talks constantly. He does ask a lot of questions, but mainly he just talks about whatever he is doing. He has come up with his own funny words lately and gets right in your face and says something silly like booah booah booah or ahhhhh juishy juishy juishy and then laughs hysterically at himself. He cracks us up so much! He knows all his colors, the ABC song, can pick out some letters and numbers and is starting to sit and draw and color for more that 10 seconds. He prays at dinner time and bedtime on his own and usually it goes something like this. “Dear Lord, Thank you (for) our blessings. Keep (us) in (our) time of need. Help us to be good children. AAAAAAmen.” He squints his eyes the whole time instead of actually closing them. It is really hard to close our own eyes during his prayer because it is soooo cute to watch. He is still Mr. busy. The kid still doesn’t stop. He’s always moving. I guess this explains how he still takes a 1 ½ hour nap in the afternoon and sleeps from 7:30 pm-7 am. He sings a lot! But the funny thing is - he prefers to sing songs like Jesus Messiah or Holy, Holy, Holy instead of a traditional children’s song. He enjoys playing with his big sister and she enjoys that he takes direction well from her. I often catch them playing house and they actually have dialogue going back and forth now. Way cute! He still loves his play dough, trains, cars and trucks and has lately really been into animals and babies.

Here is Nathan comforting Emma's "Baby Amy".

Emma is growing up emotionally. She is starting to get embarrassed at times and her feelings get hurt very easily. Her heart seems tender as she grows into a little girl. She doesn’t shrug things off like she used to. Lucas and I continue to build her confidence and encourage her to talk to us about her feelings and go to prayer. She still enjoys dressing herself and we continue to let her unless it is a sundress when it’s snowing outside etc. She changes 5 times a day, but is getting better about hanging her clothes back up instead of putting them in the laundry. She is physically talented and is still doing well in ice skating. She would love to take a dance class, but we have had a hard time finding a program that has classical ballet for her young age or at least a fundamental class that does not have what Lucas and I would consider “inappropriate steps and costumes” for a 4-year-old. I took her to a gymnastics gym a couple of weeks ago and she was so comfortable on the equipment and the coaches were surprised she had never had any training. It’s so hard to find a balance and not get her involved in too much because she would enjoy and excel at so many things. So for now we will stick with preschool and ice skating and maybe pickup a gymnastics class or T-Ball this summer. She still continues to love crafts, reading and imaginative play with all her babies, animals and dress up outfits.

Here is Emma in one of her "outfits" and her babies.