A little love a whole lotta fighting

At some point in the last two weeks my children really started fighting.  Before I would say they fight over toys, but really that was just snatching from each other while making someone cry.  Now they push, pull, slap, pinch, bite, and hit each other when they are mad.  They get mad a lot.  Especially Maxwell Andrew.  He hits, pushes, slaps, and grabs everyone the most and then cries when you tell him no.  He is a very sensitive little guy.

 

Aiden

Aiden continues to be the happiest baby.  He is constantly smiling and laughing.  If there are three babies getting into things he can usually be found some where else playing alone with a toy.  He likes pushing the buttons over and over learning what sounds they make.  He also is the first to repeat our words back.  So far he has said dog, ball, and whoop whoop.  Yes I said “Can I get a whoop whoop” and he replied with “whoop whoop”.  He has just now started clapping.  This is a big deal because for so long everyone else has clapped along with us as we sing “If You’re Happy…”, but finally in the last two days Aiden has started clapping at home.  SO excited.  He also started standing unassisted on Friday of last week.  He won’t take any steps behind the push toy, but he does walk along toys still.  We moved the big toys away from the chalk board wall, and he is now pulling up on the wall and walking along it.  Aiden’s favorite game is currently throwing the ball, or anything that he thinks MIGHT bounce.  That isn’t true almost everything he picks up he does a bounce check on it.  SO if he picks it up expect it to be thrown.

Sickness Update:  Aiden hasn’t been coughing much at all since starting Prevacid and lowering his pulmicort dose.  If for some reason he doesn’t get that prevacid dose though you can tell a difference so we make sure that isn’t forgotten.  He got a virus this weekend, but it was thankfully a 24 hour stomach virus.  It was zero fun for all involved.  Because of the virus we weren’t able to dress up and go do anything for Halloween.  

 

Maxwell

He can be so happy and having so much fun, but as soon as anything flips his switch we’re done.  He will scream like crazy if he falls, someone tells him no, someone closes the door he was crawling towards, someone takes his toy…you get the point.  He cries a lot, but he laughs a lot too.  He CAN stand unassisted and he CAN walk, but he doesn’t often choose to do either.  He has walked  half way across the room to get to me.  Not very fast, but he did an awesome job walking.  He still enjoys crawling more because it is so much faster.  He is on soy milk due to his lactose intolerance, and since switching we haven’t had any real issues.  He knows what he wants and what he likes, and isn’t a big fan of anyone telling him no or not allowing him to do whatever.  He is such a sweet boy with really sensitive feelings.  Max loves to play with our textures book, and I’m thinking of getting him a doll with hair so he has hair to mess with  that isn’t attached to a screaming child.  He does very well climbing the stairs at home.  We are always behind him to help if he needs it, but usually he just goes right up them with no problems.  He also still enjoys bath time.  One of his favorite times of the day. 

 

Alexis

I often call her Hot Mess Phillips because she is just that…A HOT MESS.  She gives the best hugs, and is often thinking she is in charge.  She will walk up to the others if they are in a group and clap her hands once like she needs their undivided attention.     She still uses a pacifier, and often has to fight off others that think they want it.  She is the only one that uses the paci while the others just take it from her and hold it to chew on.  She is working on going up stairs, and uneven surfaces to get her balance better.  She is fearless, and will take off if given the opportunity.  She is still not a big fan of strangers, and needs to warm up to someone new before really interacting with them.  She is our best eater, and can often be found laughing at one of the other babies.  She laughs at Maxwell constantly during dinner when he starts sending cheerios flying by banging on the tray of his high chair.  She thinks it is the funniest thing.  She loves to laugh.  If you tell her no she often will cry and give you a hug, but then go right back to what you just told her not to do.  She isn’t a Momma's girl or a Daddy’s girl.  She would have to be still for more than five seconds to lean either way.  She and Aiden are equal opportunity smile and hug givers.  They love the world.

 

Carolyn

This girl gives the meanest looks, and the sweetest smiles.  She is walking more and more confidently now.  Sometimes she still gets scared (especially when she tries to copy Alexis by climbing on top of things), but mostly she is doing great and having fewer scared moments.  When she has a scared moment she stands really stiff and screams/shakes until someone comes and saves her.  Often a gentle voice and supporting her calms her, but sometimes she just needs to be held for a few minutes after.  She is the one out of the group that is constantly being pushed over, stepped on, shoved, and rolled on.  She is the smallest and hasn’t yet figured out how to defend herself yet.  I fear for the other babies when she realizes she can give as good as she gets.  She doesn’t eat as much as everyone else, but she is also the smallest.  She lets us know when she has had enough and is ready to move on to her milk.     She is a cheerio hording crack-head.  Yea I said it.  Today she was seated next to Aiden and was eating the cheerios on his tray instead of the ones on her tray.  We really need to work with her on sharing.  HAHA!