Probably tougher on Mom and Dad...

Today we put Jazmine in the toddler room at church. (They have three different age group rooms for the kids not old enough for Sunday School.) That was a first for all of us! She has ALWAYS been with me. She has never experienced anything like that or a daycare type of thing before. (We kept Isaac with us because we knew that he would freak out in the nursery. Plus he doesn't feel good with all these teeth coming in, so we didn't want to irritate him more.)

We got to church early because the last time the room had already hit it's limit so she had to stay with us, and we want her to have the interaction. Well, being as it was the early service PLUS daylight savings, hardly anyone was there. She was the only child for about 30 minutes. The three workers there were great with her. One lady was reading Jazmine books which is her favorite thing to do when she isnt' causing chaos!

Lenny and I took turns peeking into the room without her seeing us like every 5 minutes because we were worried about our babygirl. And I must confess we took her out of the room early. But it's because we felt bad. There was like 7 or 8 other kids by about 9:30 and they were all broke up into small groups playing, but she was just sitting in her chair looking at her books or standing watching the other kids. She never interacted with them, but she also never cried. And she was very interested in what they were doing.

We figure if we are consistent with taking her every week, then she will start to get used to it. It was so wierd to watch my little bundle of personality and energy just sitting there being so still and so quiet. But the minute we took her out she started talking up her usual storm.

Putting her in the toddler room at church serves two purposes. For one, she will start to hear a message about Jesus at a young age in terms that are easier to understand for her than the sermon we listen to. Secondly, since the children are with me all day, they don't get very much outside social interaction, especially with chilren their age. I dont' want them to be the children that really struggle when it is time for a Pre-K or Kindergaten program. Jazmine already knows her alphabet, can recognize what letters are what, can count to almost 30, knows her colors and shapes and all of those sorts of things because I work with her on them. But social interaction with other children isn't something I can just teach her from home.

BANG! CRASH! BOOM! THUD! ....AGGGHHHH!!!!!!

That is what I heard while I was in the kitchen getting my angel of a toddler Jazzie Mae a graham cracker. I dropped the box of crackers and RAN to the bedroom as fast as I could, to see my dresser, all it's contents, and everything that was on top of it in a pile on my bedroom floor. However, the screaming toddler was nowhere to be seen.

THAT would be because she was UNDER the pile that was my dresser. I stood the dresser back up and pulled Jazmine out of the rubble. Thankfully there was not a scratch on her. She was just a little scared. However as I was carrying her back into the living room because there was broken glass and tons of choking hazards now on my floor, she looks back at the mess and says "It's broken, Mama. All broken."

Thanks for pointing that out Jazmine....I was confused about that!

Just checking in

Isaac is now walking (he has been doing it about a week, but is just now making an extra effort to do it alot more)!! I will put video up of it in a couple days, but he is so funny! He falls, and then claps for himself along with us, then gets up to try again. Jazzie loves it, too, and always tells him "good job Buddy," and "one more time". He is also just like his sister, and has already been trying to run. In fact, that is the main reason he falls when he falls. He likes to try to take off running after his sister. They are pretty funny.

Jaz has been talking like crazy. And I often wonder where the things she says come from. Today I asked her about if she wanted to go big girl potty, and she looks at me and says "I suppose", then heads to the bathroom. I suppose????? Where did THAT come from? LOL! Yesterday, I was having her say her name so my friend on the phone could hear her say it, and she said it kind of quiet so I asked her to say her name again. She says "I already said it, Mama!!". Oh Boy!!

They have been keeping very busy this last week, leaving me barely any time to breathe. However, they do make me stop and laugh out loud more times in a day than I can count, so I guess it balances out!!!

Silver Falls State Park

Not this Saturday, but last, we took a trip to Silver Falls State Park. It was absolutely gorgeous. There are several falls there to see, a lodge you can stay at, a cabin that rents out for events, place to swim, camping, kids playground...but it is so spread out that it still feels super private. We really enjoyed it and can't wait to go back! But anyway...I forgot to post pics of the trip so here are a couple.

Our trip to the park

About three blocks behind our apartment, is a little neighborhood park. It is nothing fancy, and doesn't even have swings, but it is a nice walk and Jazmine loves the slide!! We went there the other day and here are a couple pics and a short video of Jazzie sliding. (No video of Isaac because it was just me taking them while Lenny was at work, so there was no one to hold either him or the camera. - Next time, though!)