Staying Up! All Night Long!

Louis was really excited about staying up till midnight to watch the ball drop. He nearly made it last year before falling asleep right before midnight. We took a trip over to the mall so he could pick out some new bed sheets for his new bed. It was going to be his first night in Leah's room, now Leah and Louis' room. While at the mall he asked if we could go over to Ikea. We stopped there for some frozen yogurt. He kept asking to go upstairs to look at their bed (Kura bed from Ikea) but the store was closing soon. He also likes to walk around and look at all the room set-ups.

After hitting the mall we headed home for dinner and to celebrate together. Leah and Gabriel were wired the entire night. Dancing, running around, playing while Louis was more lowkey, relaxing mostly. He did ask to watch his favorite videos and listen to his favorite songs of 2012. The top one being Psy's Gangnam Style. Other two faves are both of the same song--Somebody That I Used To Know.

Attempts at cheesy photo op of the kids

Story time with Dad

 Around 11 or so Louis started to drift off. He made me promise to keep him awake. Every few minutes I'd yell out how many minutes till we started to countdown the ball dropping in Times Square. It did the trick. He managed to keep himself awake.

The kids were happy to get up and count down together.

Shortly after Louis went off to his new bed. We didn't even get a chance to put his sheets on the bed.

3rd Birthday Partying Continues!

Today was Louis' 3rd birthday party with a few of our close family friends and immediate family members. Louis picked out a dinosaur theme for his birthday months ago and was very happy to see everything hung up. We had grandparents, cousins, aunts, friends. Lots of people came to celebrate and love on Louis. Lucky boy. Lucky us for having him as a part of our family.

I'm a BIG BOY now!

Louis has been looking forward to his third birthday for months now. He started planning it after Gabriel's birthday back in July. He knew exactly what he wanted as far as decorations and food went. It was a big deal to be a "big boy". We never say anything for babies or for big boys around here but it's how he began to think of turning 3. Makes sense. He now wears "big boy" underwear and uses the toilet like a "big boy" and sits at the "big boy" table. In his mind these are all BIG deals and they are. Seeing him grow into a big boy has been a great experience. He takes such pride in all the things he wants to do. He keeps trying and trying. Overall once he sets his mind to what he wants, he gets it.

It's hard to remember that he wants all this independence now. I'm used to helping him first but now I wait for him to tell me, let me know when and what he needs help with. He's learning that it is perfectly okay to ask for help, that it is okay to need help. I point out situations where I sometimes need help to show him that adults don't always do everything on their own. It helps him when he is frustrated and trying over and over again and not quite getting it right.

Can't wait to see what our big boy does next.

Louis enjoying his snack like a 'big boy' and Gabriel not far behind, also at the table.

Happy 3 years!

3 years have come and gone and our Louis is 3!




He woke up this morning and came downstairs to tell me "I woke up and I am three mom! How does that work? How did that happen?" "I don't know kid, I do not know" I said.

My days with Louis usually begin at 8 am and end at 8 pm. We have 12 full hours together every single day. While exhausting at times to be so busy with two little boys, it's a good kind of busy.

Louis is the best conversationalist. I never get bored of listening to him. He asks a lot of questions and has an incredible ability to recall past ones. His vocabulary continues to grow and impress me. He expresses himself well.

He is funny and lovable. Over the past year he's become a bit more expressive in his emotions and at times overwhelmed by them. We've been working together on ways for him to get through them. I know that this is a part of his emotional growth and needs support. Not always easy to deal with the tantrums and whiny moments but I think we have a good system in place.

He loves to dance. At least twice a day we have a dance party session. Usually one when Leah is done with homework after school. We've been learning a lot of kid songs and nursery rhymes with the help of Youtube and Pandora.

Socially he interacts and plays with other children well. He enjoys their company and looks forward to seeing them. He continues to have a wonderful relationship with Leah and Gabriel. They do have their sibling spats but they never last very long. We are learning to balance everyone's needs as best we can.

He also has his quiet moments where he just wants to be alone. I try my best to give him these moments. We bought a gate and put it up between our front room and rest of the house so I could give him a safe space to himself when he needs it. One where he can play with his "big boy" toys and not have to worry about Gabriel being all over them. Though most days he'd rather just be with Gabriel.

He continues to learn his letters and numbers, his early reading skills are developing. He loves flashcards and worksheets. I've noticed his math skills are developing fastest. He can do simple addition and subtraction. He has started to ask me to give him word problems to solve. He takes time to go over it all with Gabriel, which is great.

In the months leading up to his BIG BIRTHDAY Louis took on a lot of "Big Boy" things he wanted to do. He decided he was ready to be out of diapers for good. We picked out an Elmo potty chart, got the family on board and off we went. About a week or so in he was good to go. We're now 3 months down the line and he's been doing really well. He is now talking about going without the pullup at night. He still loves his highchair for arts and crafts but asked if he could sit at the "big boy" table for meals. He is insistent on at least attempting things he wants to do on his own a few times. Hard to break the habit of always doing things for him first but we are learning to let him try. He is more than capable of doing most of what he wants after a few tries.

He is into fashion, the clothes he wears, continues to love hats and to style his hair. He reminds me a lot of Leah in that sense. They both will get dressed up in their finest dress and then run around, throw themselves on the floor and play.

Just a fun, loving kid who tells us he loves us every day. We're lucky to have him. Looking forward to the next year.


Some of Louis' Faves at 3 years old

Favorite Food - Cheese

Favorite Outfit - It's a tie between his turquoise cord pants with button down plaid shit and his rainbow striped sweater and the same pants

Favorite Book - The Three Little Wolves & the Big Bad Pig


Favorite Game - Elefun, Candyland

Favorite Toys - He has a few - Mega Blocks, dinosaurs, American Girl Bitty Baby & Bitty Twin and Matchbox cars.

Favorite color - Started the year with orange but he's moved on to blue these days.

Favorite Activity - anything arts & craft related--especially painting

Favorite Song - Part of Your World, Skinamarinky Dinky Dink, Gangnam Style

Favorite Movie - The Little Mermaid

Favorite TV Shows - Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood, Strawberry Shortcake, Bo On The Go!

3rd Birthday Fun

After Matt got home from work we headed out for more birthday celebrating. Louis picked Friendly's for dinner followed by Chuck E. Cheese's.

Party Friends

Louis had a birthday get together with his neighbor friends today. We've watched our kids grow up alongside one another. It's been extra special living here with neighbors all sides and all the children.

The kids played, the moms chatted, we had some pizza followed by cupcakes.

Wake Up Call!

As excited as Louis has been about turning 3? Leah has been close to just as excited. Birthdays are such a fun time around our house. We decorate for each one and celebrate for days. We have countdowns and special breakfasts. Followed by lunches and dinners all for the birthday person.

Louis asked Leah to make up a funny dance for his birthday so shortly after waking up Leah put on the dance for him. She stayed home from school to spend the day with him and it added to making his birthday extra special.

Gabriel helped out too

Louis had a really good laugh

Afterward Louis opened up his birthday gifts before Matt went of to work.

Both the boys liked the Lalaloopsy Pirate doll

Louis and his dinosaur rain gear- he couldn't wait to put it all on

Santa is Here!!!

Louis was so excited to see Santa today. We had a change of plans this morning and were all dressed up with nowhere to go. Off to the mall we went.

Louis waited and waited and waited for our visit with Santa. He was so excited when our turn came. When asked what he wanted for Christmas first he said "projects" then after some thought he said "well mom you do a lot of those so maybe I'll ask for crafts" then he thought some more and said "well you do those too so maybe cars?" so that's what he asked for, cars. He sat right on Santa's lap and put his own hands right in his lap and just enjoyed the moment.