So Jaxon is now 8 months old and Maddox is almost 3. Where has the time gone? Jaxon has improved so much in the last month when it comes to being fussy when he's not being held. He plays with toys a lot and is on the verge of crawling. He always ends up on all fours and thinks he is stuck. But mostly, his mode of transportation is rolling. He rolls all around the house. Jax is still very much attached to me and has a very difficult time when I leave him. I tried to go to a local gym to workout and left him at the childcare. They came to get me 10 minutes later because he was inconsolable. The second I walked in and held him he stopped crying. It was very disappointing because I was really looking forward to being able to go to the gym since the weather is too cold for us to use the jogging stroller. I'm realized that part of my sacrifice as a mother is being fat. Well, Jaxon finally found a love for solids and all food. He wants a bite of everything I am eating and gets very mad if I'm not quick about sharing. He loves graham crackers, ritz crackers, popcorn, baby cereal with apple juice and his absolute favorite is ice cream. I haven't really been giving him a lot of baby food just because I'm lazy but I feed him cereal once or twice a day and give him lots of snacks in between. Basically, whenever Maddox or I eat, he gets to share. Jaxon is still an amazingly great sleeper. He is doing a lot better at decreasing his feedings in the night too. Jax has such a cute smile and laugh. He is so in love with Maddox and his daddy. He also loves bath time and taking showers. Jaxon is so special and such a huge source of happiness for our family. He is super chubby and has a fat kid laugh that is contagious. Everywhere I go people comment on how cute and chubby he is. I couldn't ask for a more perfect baby for me in my life right now. He reminds me to slow down and enjoy my baby while he is still small and dependent. He gives me love and affection every second of every day. His touch and smell automatically comfort me. He is my little sidekick almost always attached to me and I'm obsessed.
Maddox has progressed so much in the last 2 weeks with his speech. He had a speech evaluation this week and a couple ladies came to the house to evaluate him. They are going to let me know what their recommendation is in about a week. But he is starting to put two words together on his own so now instead of just "Look!" he will say, "Look, Mama!" or instead of "Sorry" he will say, "Sorry, Jackie." He is also starting to say a lot more phrases and sentences. And he is repeating everything I ask him to when we are reading books. I am starting to see a lot more of just how sweet and loving he is now that he can express what he is thinking. For example, he has recently started saying "Sorry, Mama" any time he thinks he may have displeased me or done anything he wasn't supposed to. It actually makes me really sad so I'm trying to teach him that he only says sorry when he does something wrong on purpose or accidentally hurts someone.Yesterday at Walmart, I bought some lotion and he was sitting in the main part of the cart. I told him not to touch it and in about 30 seconds of looking away, Maddox had squirted lotion everywhere. It was all over him, the cart, and an entire shelf of an aisle. I was furious but being that we were in the middle of walmart, I didn't yell and just started cleaning it up. I definitely let Maddox know with my body language and my huffing and puffing that I was not happy. After a couple of minutes of watching me, unprompted, Maddox said, "Sorry, Mama." It was so sincere and I could tell he genuinely felt bad. I still told him that what he did was wrong but I also got to see that he has a soft heart and didn't like making me mad. Maddox has become addicted to TV and his Ipad so we are in the process of weaning him from both. It has not been fun and there have been hours of screaming, tantrums and crying but it has to happen. Although I will say he is attracted to very educational shows. His favorites are Little Einsteins which teaches him about music, math, and literature and Umi Zoomi which teaches him colors, shapes and numbers. Maddox is also very good at puzzles. He can put together puzzles on his own on his ipad apps. He is still obsessed with cars, trucks and trains. And he still has an incredible amount of energy. We went to the Detroit zoo for the first time a couple of weeks ago and he caused a scene because he started chasing the ducks and geese that were walking around. He wanted to touch them and apparently normal kids don't because Maddox was the only kid chasing them and everyone stopped to stare and laugh. I was trying to stop him but I had the double stroller and Jaxy in a carrier so it took me a while. Anyway, Maddox ran circles around us at the zoo and didn't stop until I strapped him into his car seat. He has endless energy! Maddox still is a very picky eater and only eats hot dogs, tortilla chips and anything with maple syrup. He also loves tortilla chips with salsa and/or guacamole. He loves nursery and his teachers seem to really like him. Maddox is learning to share and take turns which is difficult for him. Usually, he will share after much coaxing but then right after he has given the toy away, he will throw a huge tantrum. But at least he gives the toy away. Not we just have to work on the reaction. Maddox is still very affectionate and we spend time snuggling after his nap and in the mornings. Maddox also still sleeps on the floor of his bedroom by the door every single night. And most nights, he cries himself to sleep because he wants out. I wonder if he will ever sleep in a bed and if he will ever just fall asleep instead of fighting it. I can only imagine what that would be like. He still has a child lock door knob on the inside of his bedroom which may have to stay for another couple of years. I'm hoping that once he and Jaxy share a room all of our bedtime problems will be solved. Ya, right. Ha ha. In the meantime, we are doing the best we can. Conference was a couple weeks ago and there was a talk that I loved that I hope to remember when I'm struggling with being a mom. It's by Elder Wilford Andersen and he talks about parenting and practicing patience. This is my favorite quote:
"When our children are little, we can sing them the lullaby of love unfeigned, and when they are obstinate and refuse to go to sleep at night, we might need to sing the lullaby of long-suffering. When they are teenagers, we can tune out the cacophony of arguments and threats and, instead, perform the beautiful music of persuasion—and perhaps sing the second verse of the lullaby of long-suffering. Parents can perform in perfect harmony the tandem attributes of gentleness and meekness. We can invite our children to sing along with us in unison as we practice kindness toward a neighbor who is in need.
It won’t come all at once. As every accomplished musician knows, it takes diligent practice to perform beautiful music. If early efforts at making music seem dissonant and discordant, remember that dissonance cannot be corrected by criticism. Dissonance in the home is like darkness in a room. It does little good to scold the darkness. We must displace the darkness by introducing light.
So if the basses in your family choir are too loud and overbearing, or if the string section in your family orchestra is a little too shrill or a little bit sharp, or if those impetuous piccolos are out of tune or out of control, be patient. If you’re not hearing the music of the gospel in your home, please remember these two words: keep practicing. With God’s help, the day will come when the music of the gospel will fill your home with unspeakable joy.
Even when performed well, the music will not solve all of our problems. There will still be crescendos and decrescendos in our lives, staccatos and legatos. Such is the nature of life on planet earth.
But when we add music to the dance steps, the sometimes complicated rhythms of marriage and family life tend to move toward a harmonious balance. Even our most difficult challenges will add rich plaintive tones and moving motifs. The doctrines of the priesthood will begin to distill upon our souls as the dews from heaven. The Holy Ghost will be our constant companion, and our scepter—a clear reference to power and influence—will be an unchanging scepter of righteousness and truth. And our dominion will be an everlasting dominion. And without compulsory means it will flow unto us forever and ever."
