Cleaning up

So today the boys got out the trains and made a big track and dumped out all the cars and trains and it was a big mess. We told Dallin and Tristan that if they cleaned it all up we would play a game after dinner. Dallin immediately got to work. He is a very motivated child when it comes to playing games. Tristan didn't really care. So I cleaned up the special tracks and Dallin cleaned up the curves and straight pieces. And Tristan was supposed to clean up all the cars and trains. Easy peasy, right? It was for Dallin. He finished in no time at all and Tristan didn't put a single car or train away. I put them all in a pile for him and gave him the bag and bucket they go in and told him that he wouldn't get to eat dinner until he cleaned them up. He is usually more motivated when food is involved, rather than a game. Well... 5 minutes later he was still playing and not cleaning like I asked. He was being so frustrating! So I told him again he couldn't eat until the cars and trains were cleaned up. Dallin heard me say that and asked if that included him and I said no, he did a good job cleaning already. And what did Dallin do? He said Oh! I will help Tristan! This is the boy who had just freaked out because Tristan was on the red chair that doesn't have a scratch. But he wanted to help Tristan clean up. I told him that it was Tristan's job to clean them up and that he didn't need to. But he wanted to. I headed back upstairs telling them that Tristan was to clean the cars, not Dallin. A moment later Dallin and Tristan came back upstairs.

When there was about 2 minutes left on the dinner time I reminded Tristan that he couldn't eat until the toys were picked up. So Chris went back downstairs with him and Dallin went running after them saying I want to help! I will help Tristan! It was so funny. Chris had to tell Dallin repeatedly to let Tristan pick up some of the toys and tell Tristan to pick up some of the toys. It was just so funny to have such differing attitudes and that Dallin was so willing to clean, which I feel doesn't often happen.

Laundry

This morning the boys opened the dryer and found clean clothes that Chris washed yesterday. They then proceeded to take all of those clothes out of the dryer and leave them on the ground in the laundry room. It is a good thing I cleaned that room for the first time in over a year on Friday. I even mopped the floor! So there was all these clothes on the ground and the boys were playing them. I told them to put them away and I went upstairs to take my shower. I was just about ready to hop in when Dallin comes into the bathroom with a towel. It had been in the dryer and he was putting it away. He was very proud of himself because he had rolled it up just like Mommy does. I have a shelf in the bathroom that all the towels go on and they fit best when rolled up rather than folded. He did an okay job with it but it was hard to tell it was rolled at all. I get in  the shower and Dallin comes back up with another towel and he told me that he worked really hard and rolled it really good. and he did! He laid it out flat and then rolled it up. I usually fold it a little first but it was nice to know that he was willing to help me with the laundry and also to do it the way that I want! I can't even get Chris to do it the way that I want most of the time.

Learning to write

A while ago Dallin was writing on the white board. I don't always supervise him, though after the marker on the wall incident I probably should. 

So I came out and Dallin had been writing letters and I wanted to quiz him on what he had drawn. If you look close you can see the B that he drew. It is a very good B and you can tell what it is. Then he wrote an I. And I know how much he loves the letter D so I was pretty sure I knew what the next one was. So I asked him what it was. 

Dallin responded with a big smile on his face.

"A submarine!"

hahaha

Brothers

I feel like it doesn't happen very often, but occasionally all three of my boys will play together and happily. It happened this morning! But even more importantly, it gave me hope that they will be great friends and support one another.

We have a toy that allows a baby to hold on to it and walk with it. We bought it for Dallin and Tristan used it and now it is Warrens turn to learn how to walk with it. Warren is very hesitant about it though. He holds on to it and bounces up and down and moves his arms but firmly plants his feet and doesn't move them. Such a silly boy. But every once in a while he would take a step or two. Dallin and Tristan were right there next to him. And if they ever saw him take those tiny steps, they would both get so excited and yell loudly express their happiness at him walking. Dallin at one point yelled out "Look! He is learning!" Tristan yelled "He is doing it!" and any time I tell them that Warren is learning how to do something, they get very involved and so excited for him to do it. Such as the stairs or walking, or learning how to go from crawling to a sitting position, or even learning how to drink out of a sippy cup.

I hope they always get so excited and want to help one another learn how to do things. I see Dallin and Tristan always showing each other how to do something and now they do it for Warren as well. Such good friends.

Yay Warren!

The last few days have been really busy for us with trying to finish our basement in time for the Superbowl party at our house. But we did it! While we were busy with that though our children suffered attention neglect. We just didn't have time for them. Especially Warren. Last night as soon as we got the t.v. downstairs we turned it on and let the boys play games and watch netflix while Chris and I were busily cleaning up and moving stuff downstairs. At this point we have most of what we need downstairs.

Unfortunately for Warren he is not very entertained for long with the t.v. and so he has been very lonely the last few days so Chris and I have been making an effort today to spend some time with him. Chris pulled out the big mirror in the living room and Warren loves he. He stares at himself, he dance, and most of all he stares at whichever parent is there with him at the time.

Once he was done with the mirror I was laying on the ground with him and he comes over to me and "walks" up and down the side of my body. After a step or two he drops his head and thunks me with it. He does it in a snuggly way though so it is cute. And he just thinks it is so funny. He always has this huge smile on his face when he does it. If you make a noise when he thinks he will start to laugh. I feel bad that we haven't had too much time for him but he is such a good boy and is the absolute sweetest happy baby ever!

He also loves to sit in our lap and play the "yay Warren" game. We sit with him and we just say Yay Warren and he claps. Then he stops, looks at us and waits and we say it again and he claps again. And he always has the biggest smile on his face. It is very cute. So anytime we say it, even if we surprise him with it, he will always stop to clap and smile at us. Chris has been doing that a lot this morning with  him. If for no other reason than to see him smile.