Words, bracelets, bikes, and nuts

Momentous times at the Workman household.

Anika's speech is really taking off.  Because of our schedule today, she was finished with her nap as BJ was going down for his, and I couldn't keep her quiet!! Many evening on Skype BJ and Brandon have a hard time talking because she is so insistent on yelling out her words for Daddy :)  I'm so proud of the progress she has made, she's doing awesome!!  She is very insistent on acting and doing everything the rest of us in the house are doing- she likes to make trips to the bathroom to sit on the potty (but doesn't actually use it yet), take her babies for a walk with her purse in hand, and loves to have her wrist filled with plastic interlocking rings as her bracelets (despite actually owning some bracelets of her own).  She loves to laugh and giggle and has gotten to the stage where she cracks herself up :)

 Here she is "reading" with BJ, with her bracelets, and her favorite "loveys" in hand.

BJ also is growing in leaps in bounds.  BJ received a bike from us for his 4th birthday, which we took the wheels off and have been using as a balance bike all winter.  Last weekend Brandon decided BJ was ready for his wheels on his bike.  He explained that we weren't going to use training wheels and that if it wasn't fun we weren't going to bike, but BJ was up for the challenge.  He started practicing after church on Sunday, and after nap time was ready to show me his moves.  I was skeptical, but as always, should trust my husband's judgement ;)

Today was another great milestone for BJ.  After failing his peanut challenge last fall, our allergist was anxious to try and see if we could introduce other nuts into BJ's diet in hopes that nut "sensitization" would help him outgrow his peanut allergy.  We arrived early this morning ready to test Dr. Dan's theory, and BJ was up for the challenge.  Due to some miscommunication, I had to leave the hospital shortly after BJ's challenge had started, and he had to stay with Dr. Dan while I was gone.  He made Dr. Dan's day, reading "Curious George" and talking his ear off, while continuing to challenge nuts until I came back.  The day was a success.  BJ "passed" 6 other nuts, pistachio, almond, cashew, walnut, pecan, and hazelnut.  He ate all of them without complaint or hesitation.  This gives us the go-ahead to allow him to have any nut other than peanut as long as we are confident the food is not contaminated with peanuts.  We celebrated with cashew chicken and nutella pie for dinner tonight.  BJ has already asked if he can have nuts with breakfast tomorrow :)

Anika's new words

Anika is a bit delayed in her expressive speech- I have no doubt she will not stop talking after this improves, but we are working with a wonderful speech therapist Judy.  In 3-4 sessions Anika is signing and attempting to speak more. It's great!  Officially I think her first word was mama, but since we kept waiting for more and better defined words, we may have missed the next few.  Now she signs please, all done, more, sleep, milk, and sometimes shoe.  She is saying quite a bit more too- mama, dada, brother (which is a bit more like bo-bo), please, yes, no, wa (for water), uh oh, sometimes up, happy (although we haven't heard it in a while), bubble, hop.  Today after Judy was here she did animal sounds really well.  It is so cute to hear her say "ruff, ruff" "meow" "moo" and occasionally "quack, quack" She's so proud of herself.  AND she loves her "school" when Judy comes- she has started running around like crazy when she comes.  What a sweet talking girl.

  Here we are at the zoo on the Carousel.

Mice, coolant lines, hearts and Jesus

Brandon had a rough night tonight.  Rental cars, mice, and coolant hoses do not mix.  He was stranded on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere Texas.  He called to pass the time and talk with BJ (which he does almost nightly).  He sent pictures of the coolant hose that was chewed through, the mice bed below it, the tow truck, just like a good Daddy who knows his vehicle obsessed 4 year old.  Then later tonight as I'm putting him to bed, BJ looked sad.  I asked him why and he said he was worried about Daddy and the mouse and the car. We called Daddy to check on him, who reassured BJ he was safe in the cab of the tow truck with his new friends Chris and Albert.  We hung up, feeling much reassured.  I reminded BJ that God was also in the tow truck keeping Daddy safe.  BJ: "But where is God sitting, Mom?" Me: "Where do you think BJ?" BJ "I don't know"  Me: "Maybe next to Daddy, cuz you know he can be everywhere.  He's next to you, next to Daddy, and in Mommy's room all right now"  "And you know where else God is BJ?"  BJ: "Where?"  Me: "In Daddy's heart" BJ: "Why"  Me: "Because Daddy asked him to live in his heart with him."  BJ: "Well is he in my heart too?"  Me: "He can be if you want to ask him to live there.  Do you want to ask him to live there?"  BJ nods.  We prayed together to ask if Jesus would live in BJ's heart, then we went to bed.  I'm not sure how theologically sound that was, but thank you Jesus for the faith of a 4 year old, who melts my heart on a daily basis.  And dear God, please help me have the words to teach him.

Monster trucks in heaven and Dr. Workman

BJ likes to be sung to before bed.  Usually a new "silly song" with or without tickles.  I'm running out of songs- what is a girl to do?  So one night, I sang- "When the saints"  BJ always the observant one, wanted to know where they were marching in- I explained heaven to live with God.  He asked when we would go to heaven to live with God.  "When we die, sweetie, we get to live with God, isn't that cool?"  A very concerned scared boy starts to tear up and shakes his head no.  "I don't want to die"  Then a slightly panicked Mommy starts back pedaling and calling for Daddy to help.  "Oh sweetie, you aren't going to die until you are very old, older than Grandpa"  (Sorry Grandpa, you are the oldest person he knows :))  "Well does God have toys?"  Me (realizing he is calming down) "Absolutely buddy, lots of toys"  BJ: "Does he have monster trucks?' "Yes" "That I can drive?" "Yes, BJ, that you can drive"  "Inside or outside?"  "Outside BJ, and Mommy and Daddy and everyone you love will be there"  "Okay"  The next morning, BJ bounds down the stairs to inform Angie "Guess what Angie, when I get older than Grandpa and die and go to heaven, God gots monster trucks that I get to drive"  :)

BJ also was quite precocious and hysterical playing vet the other night.  Clearly he's been listening to mommy on her on call phone calls.

"Dr. Workman, my horse is sick, can you help him"  "Well what's wrong with him?"  "His tummy hurts"  BJ checks him over- heart, lungs, ears.  "Mommy, you can't feed him so much, if he wants to eat, only three times, not four, and try some breast mik, if that doesn't help, bring him back on Tuesday."

"Dr. Workman, help my glow worm is coughing"  "For how many days is he coughing?"  "3"  "Okay" (checks him over) "You need to clean out his ears"

"Dr. Workman, my elephant can't poop"  (Thinking, and checking his computer)  "Better try some prunes, and what milk is he drinking?"

"Dr. Workman, my Larry is sick, will you help him?"  "Well is he an animal?"  "He's a cucumber" "Mommy, I don't see veggies, try Dr. Seuss, I think he's here on Sunday"

Start them young :)

 There's nothing like a beautiful Colorado day and your kids and husband covered in grease.  Can't even start them too young.

And for your viewing pleasure, like mother like daughter.

Desserts

"Thanks for letting me have 2 desserts tonight, Mom." You are welcome my sweet boy, but in my defense, the first was a baked aaple wrapped in a reduced fat crescent roll with mostly cinnamon on top. "I'm ready for my second snore" "Why do you think you need a second smore after 2 desserts BJ?" "Cause we made 2 [marshmallows]" Good thing he ate his veggies at dinner :)

My caring children

Some days I don't agree with this blog post title. . .but when I really think about it, they are.  Case in point today:  I've been struggling with some nasty tendinitis in my right shoulder since July.  I've done months of physical therapy, a steroid injection, and had to modify my activities  including bicep curling BJ- which breaks my heart.  It has improved, but still limits me some, and has been irritating me.  Today BJ even asked me if we could work out together (Yay!) and if he could climb on my back for push-ups (bummer- since I'm not supposed to be doing push-ups).  I realize that I'm still really active, but there have been some moderate annoyances that have limited some of my activities, and I'm not ready to feel this old :).  So today, I went to see an orthopedic surgeon to get some more help.  He offered another directed injection, and I jumped at the chance given how much the last one helped.  So my sweet wonderful children sat calmly and quitely next to me on the table while a doc put a large needle in my shoulder.  BJ even held my hand and offered that I could squeeze it tight if it hurt.  What wonderful caring kids- so proud.  Here's hoping we'll be back to bicep curls and "weighted" push-ups soon.