As of this month, Will is 45" tall (58%) and weighs 41.8lbs (31%)!
Will has been really concerned with the exact definition of words that refer to increments of time. For example, words or phrases like, 'later', 'soon' or 'in a while.' He wants to know exactly how long 'soon' is. He done the same thing with words that refer to quantities, like 'few' or 'a couple.' Now that he has those definitions down, he repeatedly asks me how many minutes 'a while' is. I usually tell him purposefully vague answers (as the exact meaning of those words are often vague) and he doesn't appreciate that. I try to tell him that those words do refer to a definite time period, but he insists that that should and that I should tell him what they are! He is such a little Michael!
Since he started taking a lunch to preschool, I have been packing it for him, but letting him have major input into what goes in it (if he picks out the food, its more likely he will finish it). But now that Daniel is here and I have less time to spend packing lunch in the mornings, I have been more and more letting Will pack his own lunch. Most mornings he eats a corn dog, a fruit snack and an apple sauce pouch. Sometimes I will throw in some dried cranberries or some fresh fruit, and sometimes the corn dog is a nut butter sandwich or a quesadilla, but for the last few months at least, the corn dog has reigned supreme. Its not the healthiest lunch ever, but he packs it and eats it and that is the most important thing right now!
Anytime the weather is decent, and especially if it is sunny, I send the kids right outside to play, immediately after nap. If its sprinkling or freezing, I only make them be out there for 30 minutes, but if its otherwise decent enough, I prefer they stay outside for at least an hour. The funny thing is, that both of them complain about it, but then end up having tons of fun anyway. Will in particular will ask me how long they have to be out. If I tell him an hour, he throws a fit, telling me 'thats too long!' But if I tell him '30 minutes' for whatever reason, that seems acceptable. Fortunately neither of them have any real sense for time. So Will sticks his head in the door about every 30 minutes, and asks me if its been a half an hour yet, and I tell him, "15 more minutes!" Then they will go out for another 30 minutes before Will sticks his head in again. In this way I can stretch 30 minutes into two hours of outdoor playtime! Sneaky mom ;)
Speaking of physical activity, Will has decided, out of the blue, that he really likes yoga. I think he did some yoga at his aunts house one time and really enjoyed it. So for Christmas he requested a yoga mat and my mom gave him her old one. He asks me about once a week to put on a yoga DVD for him, and he will do the whole hour long video! Its a great way to entertain him, and he spends DAYS afterwards, talking about how strong he is, and all the new muscles he now has. Its pretty adorable!
We were eating sausage with dinner the other night and both boys were really going to town. I made the comment that these boys sure love meat and that there were no vegetarians in our household. Will then took his fork, stabbed 3-4 pieces of meat, took a bite, and then quipped, "well I'm eating a vegetarian right now (clearly not understanding what that word means)!" This caused me to chuckle, but then Michael said, "well that pig probably WAS a vegetarian!" At that point I totally lost it! I haven't laughed that hard in a while!
Will has been displaying a bit more aggressive behavior lately. If I tell him to do something he doesn't want to do, he sometimes will lash out and in a gruff voice, tell me he doesn't have to do it. I assure him that he does and that he is NOT allowed to talk to me in that tone. Generally I've found that if I can get down on his level, and ask him whats wrong, or give him a hug or otherwise reconnect with him, it helps to cool his aggression and calm him down. But I don't always have the patience or awareness to try that approach and sometimes his rude behavior really makes me mad! I need to remember that he is starting to grow up and increasingly have his own ideas and opinions and I need to actively work to not make everything into a power struggle. Whew parenting is HARD work!
Will has been really concerned with the exact definition of words that refer to increments of time. For example, words or phrases like, 'later', 'soon' or 'in a while.' He wants to know exactly how long 'soon' is. He done the same thing with words that refer to quantities, like 'few' or 'a couple.' Now that he has those definitions down, he repeatedly asks me how many minutes 'a while' is. I usually tell him purposefully vague answers (as the exact meaning of those words are often vague) and he doesn't appreciate that. I try to tell him that those words do refer to a definite time period, but he insists that that should and that I should tell him what they are! He is such a little Michael!
Since he started taking a lunch to preschool, I have been packing it for him, but letting him have major input into what goes in it (if he picks out the food, its more likely he will finish it). But now that Daniel is here and I have less time to spend packing lunch in the mornings, I have been more and more letting Will pack his own lunch. Most mornings he eats a corn dog, a fruit snack and an apple sauce pouch. Sometimes I will throw in some dried cranberries or some fresh fruit, and sometimes the corn dog is a nut butter sandwich or a quesadilla, but for the last few months at least, the corn dog has reigned supreme. Its not the healthiest lunch ever, but he packs it and eats it and that is the most important thing right now!
Anytime the weather is decent, and especially if it is sunny, I send the kids right outside to play, immediately after nap. If its sprinkling or freezing, I only make them be out there for 30 minutes, but if its otherwise decent enough, I prefer they stay outside for at least an hour. The funny thing is, that both of them complain about it, but then end up having tons of fun anyway. Will in particular will ask me how long they have to be out. If I tell him an hour, he throws a fit, telling me 'thats too long!' But if I tell him '30 minutes' for whatever reason, that seems acceptable. Fortunately neither of them have any real sense for time. So Will sticks his head in the door about every 30 minutes, and asks me if its been a half an hour yet, and I tell him, "15 more minutes!" Then they will go out for another 30 minutes before Will sticks his head in again. In this way I can stretch 30 minutes into two hours of outdoor playtime! Sneaky mom ;)
Speaking of physical activity, Will has decided, out of the blue, that he really likes yoga. I think he did some yoga at his aunts house one time and really enjoyed it. So for Christmas he requested a yoga mat and my mom gave him her old one. He asks me about once a week to put on a yoga DVD for him, and he will do the whole hour long video! Its a great way to entertain him, and he spends DAYS afterwards, talking about how strong he is, and all the new muscles he now has. Its pretty adorable! 
We were eating sausage with dinner the other night and both boys were really going to town. I made the comment that these boys sure love meat and that there were no vegetarians in our household. Will then took his fork, stabbed 3-4 pieces of meat, took a bite, and then quipped, "well I'm eating a vegetarian right now (clearly not understanding what that word means)!" This caused me to chuckle, but then Michael said, "well that pig probably WAS a vegetarian!" At that point I totally lost it! I haven't laughed that hard in a while!
Will has been displaying a bit more aggressive behavior lately. If I tell him to do something he doesn't want to do, he sometimes will lash out and in a gruff voice, tell me he doesn't have to do it. I assure him that he does and that he is NOT allowed to talk to me in that tone. Generally I've found that if I can get down on his level, and ask him whats wrong, or give him a hug or otherwise reconnect with him, it helps to cool his aggression and calm him down. But I don't always have the patience or awareness to try that approach and sometimes his rude behavior really makes me mad! I need to remember that he is starting to grow up and increasingly have his own ideas and opinions and I need to actively work to not make everything into a power struggle. Whew parenting is HARD work!
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