Hup Holland!

A nice present from family in Holland.  Yannick is the only one who hasn't been to Holland yet, not that the other boys remember going.  We will have to change that!

Looking a bit tight around the middle!

On a side note, our friends, the W family, who are missionaries in Slovenia are here again for 2 nights.  Our Wyatt is happy to have baby Wyatt in the house again.  However, Wyatt is not a huge fan of baby Wyatt's head adjusting helmet (he had surgery in March to correct his lack of soft spot) b/c he said it looks like it hurts.  Which is doesn't, and does not affect baby Wyatt's disposition at all.

Wyatt Squared

A couple we knew when we lived in Albuquerque are now missionaries in Slovenia.  They recently came back to the US to have their first son.  They were passing through Chicago and stayed with us for a few days.  Their son, much to Wyatt's pleasure, is named Wyatt.  Our Wyatt loved that there was a "baby Wyatt" in the house.  He talked about him endlessly.

Here are the two of them chatting after breakfast. Our Wyatt would often ask what baby Wyatt was doing, or where he was, or what he wanted to do.  Our Wy likes his own name apparently!

Wyatt the Riot

Wyatt has a good imagination, we think.  Here he is, being part "baby bird" (which is his favorite cuddly persona) and part Batman, while sitting in his "command center", which is really Yannick's baby chair.  When he said he did not want to go back to preschool b/c he would rather play at home, I believe him.

Oh yes, and it's probably about noon here, and yes, he is still in his jammies!

Superhero Nails

Today I painted my nails blue.  Wyatt thought this looked very cool.  After thinking it over, he asked if I would paint his nails too.  He said "they look like superhero nails".  I explained to him that usually just girls paint their nails to look pretty but if he liked it, then I would do it for him too.  He then calmly explained to me that many of the superheros have colored nails.  Hulk's nails are green, Torch's nails are red, and that he wasn't sure but he thought that Thing's nails were probably yellow.  I could not argue with that.  So I painted them.  Then texted a picture of them to the family.  Art called me in about 3 seconds saying "Do we need to talk??" :)

Wyatt and Mommy's blue fingernails

While not socially acceptable, Wyatt thought it looked very tough and was quite proud of his nails.  I have to admit that it caught me off guard every time I saw them.  Later that day, when Zachary got home from school, Wyatt proudly showed off his "superhero nails".  I was expecting Z to laugh at W, but instead I heard "Cool!!  Mom can I have red??" Sadly (or luckily?) I did not have any red polish, and Zachary lost interest.

[editor's note] A few days later, after I had taken all the polish off, he wanted me to paint just his index fingernails blue.  He said "that's because that is where the electricity is shot out".  Again, I obliged.  Perhaps I won't when he's 10, but he's 3.  I never thought my life would involve me painting my child's fingernails.  I thought I lost out on that when we had all boys, but there you go, I still got that life experience! :)

Wyatt Swim Class

While we were not super excited about Wyatt in preschool for the Fall, we WERE excited about his swim lessons w/ preschool.  He has made SO much more progress with the Y than he had with us (same as Zachary, and many kids).  With us, he would not jump into the pool w/out holding our hands, and now, jumps in no problem, and even "swims underwater", though that is really putting his face in the water.  We are thrilled.

Wy wearing his shark swimsuit doing a great job kicking!

Wyatt is Baby Bird sleeping in his Nest

Wyatt loves to pretend that he is a baby bird.  Often he needs to make himself a nest.  Today's nest was made of many stuffed animals.  He was very proud of his nest, and when it came time for a nap, he requested he be allowed to sleep in his nest.  In the words of Wyatt, I said "Sure, Why Not?".  So cute!

Wyatt napping for real in his baby bird nest

Wyatt enters Preschool

This summer, we had decided to NOT send Wyatt to preschool at 3yrs old, like we did with Zachary.  First of all, I wanted him to be home more and not at school.  He does not need the socialization that Zachary desperately needed.  Second, now that we are not on scholarship, it is WAY more expensive.  We definitely wanted to send him when he is 4yrs old to the M-F Pre-K at the Y, but not the Ladybug class.  HOWEVER, an opportunity came up where we would be doing a favor for a family in our bible study group.  They were going to go back to Singapore for the fall quarter and wanted to make sure their son had a spot in preschool when they returned in January.  The only way to ensure this was to get someone to sublet his spot essentially.  So that someone is us.  We are now sending Wyatt to preschool 3x a week from 9-12 until the end of December.

Wyatt is EXCITED, especially since he will have his OWN school.  Also, his "good buddy" Alex, who was in his gym class with him last year, will also be a MWF Ladybug.  He was very calm and relaxed about the first day - very different from Zachary who was quite anxious.  Wyatt walked into that classroom like he owned it and had no hesitation playing with the toys or going up on the loft.  Some of his confidence was probably from his being at preschool so many times with Zachary - it was not a foreign concept.  The rest of his confidence is just him.  He is much more self assured.  Here is our little preschooler:

What a goofball!

At one of the tables getting ready for "morning work"

Humoring me with a smile while coloring

Checking out the cars area

We are so proud of our little guy.  It was such a different feeling, leaving Wyatt for the first day than it was leaving Zachary.  With Wyatt, I had no anxiety about him being sad or scared...perhaps a little anxiety about  having a potty accident.  Wyatt said "thanks Mom, see you later", a little kiss, and I was on my way!

Now back to the apartment to keep packing - 2 days until we close on the house!!

Just Wyatt

My middle boy.  Such a surprise he has been with his little brother.  I expected ambivalence and jealousy and I got love, attention, excitement. Wyatt is thrilled to be a big brother and he is doing a great job at it!  Here are some things about just him.

Found him sleeping like this at nap time - for some reason his blanky needed to be a turban!

Here W is "reading" a book he has memorized - so cute!

3 Years of Wyatt

I'm hoping that I can continue this for the next 15 years!  It is so fun to see the changes!

Our blue-eyed monster on his 1st birthday

Cutie on his 2nd

Hamming it up on his 3rd

Hope I remember to put them all together and give it to him as a graduation from high school gift...or save it for a future wedding present or something when he's old enought to like it.

Wyatt crazy sleeping

Wyatt is very much like his DaU in that he prefers to sleep with his feet hanging off the bed a bit.  This night however, we think he went a tad overboard!!

Wyatt Gym Class

Wyatt LOVES gym class.  He loves the class, and he also loves that he has his own "class" that he goes to while Zachary is at preschool.  It is one of the best 40 minutes of his week.

This week's setup - each week has a different set-up of equipment

Wyatt doing a forward roll on the cheese wedge mat

Wyatt's favorite part of class is using the parachute!

Wyatt doing the parachute with his "buddy" Alex (in blue)

They go under the parachute and do some things, including "napping" which is always cute.  Wyatt is here with his buddy Alex

Singing "Wheels on the Bus" b/f parachute during circle time

Doing some jumping up and down at circle time

Wyatt doing the "teddy bear goodbye" song then off to hug Ms. Mary (who is also the gym teacher for Zachary's preschool)

We did not sign him up for the spring class because we were not sure how things would be with the baby coming.  So we just came by class today as a visitor on their last day of spring class.  I had not taken any pictures/videos of gym class over the past months, and wanted to make sure it was well recorded.  They don't have gym class in the summer, and we'll have to decide if we will sign him up for it in the fall.

Wyatt still trying the potty

We have not given up on Wyatt getting potty trained.  Here's our best effort:  Wy sitting on the potty, watching a video, drinking a juice box.  Alas, nothing.  One day!

At least he is willing now!

Wyatt's long overdue haircut

After Zach got his haircut today, it was Wyatt's turn.  Wyatt was long overdue!  He looks so much cuter with very short hair.  I think the short hair makes his blue eyes pop.

We set up Art's computer in the kitchen this time, instead of the dvd player, so he could watch Thomas the Train videos on YouTube, which are very short (4-7min).  We did this b/c giving Wyatt a buzz cut does not take very long, so a 22min video would be superfluous.  Particularly because they boys still needed a bath and it was 7:15pm already.

Wyatt's crazy hair - and cheesy fake smile

Spiderman dropping by for a quick visit, and to watch some Thomas the Train

Handsome new Wyatt!

Potty Training Wyatt - Second Attempt

A few weeks ago, Wyatt had his first attempt at going "cold turkey" from diapers.  He woke up, told us he's never wearing diapers again, and wanted his Buzz Lightyear underwear.  Since Staci did this as a small child, and never went back, we thought we'd encourage him and see what happens.  Well what happened was I took him to the potty about 11 times over the course of the morning while we were at Aldi, PetSmart, and the Y to watch Zach's swim class.  Then, a mere 2 minutes after the last potty attempt, I look over and see Wyatt playing in a puddle of water.  After 3-4 seconds, it occurs to me that we are 30 feet above the pool and there should not be a puddle of water there....Wyatt had finally relieved himself.  Sigh.  Luckily, I was ready for this, and he "cowboy walked" his way to the locker room with me and got changed into a diaper.  After that he tried a few times to do pull-ups only.  Still to no avail.  He has yet to produce anything in the potty.

Today was the second attempt.  He again said "no more diapers, only underwear", and again, we decided to try.  Here he is, proud of his underwear, and strangely, my headband which he likes to use as "goggles" while he swims on the floor.

Wyatt sporting Buzz Lightyear

The result of the 2nd attempt:  15 minutes later, a puddle on the dining room floor.  This failed attempt has led to the proclaimation "no more attempts at no diaper until something has been produced in the potty".  Sigh.  We'll get there.  He has the desire, but no clue yet what his body is doing.  He will often tell us, after us asking if he has #2 in his diaper "no, it's just gas".  One day!

Art's Sleepover with the Boys

Tonight I had an FBOW meeting.  The boys are always excited when I'm going to leave the house w/out them b/c then they get to build forts, climbing walls, and mess-of-pillows with Art.  This is a HUGE production that involves the mattresses coming off their beds, couch cushions gone, everything.  My only rule is that everything is cleaned up when I get home...I want no evidence of their shenanigans left behind.

Tonight, when I got home, the house was dark, and this is what I found in the living room:

The couch with no cushions

My first thought was "HEY!  He did not finish cleaning up!".  Then, my slow brain (it was about 10deg outside tonight!) remembered that last night, Art promised that he would have a sleepover in Zachary & Wyatt's room tonight.  That would explain the dark house, and seemingly no one (aka Art) awake to greet me.  I stand there in the front room for a moment until I hear snoring, and realize that Art is REALLY asleep in their room.  Here's what I saw when I peeked my head in there:

Art asleep on the floor (presumably on the couch cushions) between Wyatt's bed

and Zachary's bed.

I covered everyone up w/ their blankets, including Art, and got ready for bed.  Art awoke at some point b/f I went to bed, and relocated to our bed.  However, around 4:30am, Zach came into our room, crying.  When I asked what was wrong he says "MOMMY, do you know where DaU is?  He was sleeping in our room and now he's gone!", tears and everything.  Needless to say, Art relocated, again, and spent the next 3 hours sleeping in the boys room.  I woke up, late! (my morning for preschool carpool), at 7:20am, with everyone still sleeping in the boys room...everyone still asleep after my shower, and STILL asleep even after I put breakfast on the table.  The slumber party finally made its way to the table for breakfast at nearly 8am.  Apparently, everyone sleeps better when the 3 boys are in a room together.  Duly noted!

Wyatt says goodbye to his Paci

It finally happened.  We told Wyatt that if he chews a hole in this pacifier, his last one, that we could not buy another one.  No more paci once that one got a hole in it.  We told him that they don't make pacis for his age, and that they are bad for his teeth.  This morning he showed us that he could put his finger in the hole in his paci, so we threw it away.  He threw it away actually.  Not a trauma for him at all, but this was before breakfast, and no telling how nap time would go.  I put Zach down for a nap in our bed, so Wyatt would not keep him up if he was crying, etc.  Wyatt had a difficult time for sure.  Nothing like the trauma it was for Zachary - it was his lovey after all!  He whimpered a bit, did a bit of crying, and insisted that he could not go to sleep without his paci.  I got it out of the trash, cut the end off, past the hole, which left just a 1/4" or so on there, and let him have it, in case it would make him feel better to just hold it.  However, since he could not suck on it, he was NOT interested, and put it back in the trash.  What a trooper, throwing his own pacifier in the trash!  I felt so badly for him, but nothing to do.  I did lie down with him in his bed, hoping that would help him go to sleep, but it did not.  He gave it an honest try, and after 2 hours total in his bed, I let him just get up.

This made me VERY nervous about going to bed.  I would not have planned for him to give up his paci TODAY of all days.  Tonight was mine and Art's date night, and the boys were to go to bed at the Mangrich house.  I was so so nervous about how Wyatt would do.  I would have cancelled it totally if we didn't already have tickets to a play.

I warned Steph and apologized profusely...promising to come home immediately if Wyatt would not stop crying.  Turned out I need not worry because he did just fine.  They never heard anything out of him, so if he was whimpering and sad, he was quiet about it.  Plus, I'm sure he was exhausted after no nap.  WHAT A RELIEF!  Again, one of those Wyatt things that, had I known would not be a trauma, I would have done months and months before.  I have to remember that traumatic events for Zachary are not necessarily traumatic for Wyatt.

Wyatt making potty progress

We attempted to start potty training with Wyatt a few months ago, but had a major setback when the "little" potty pinched him.  Now he won't sit on it which is fine, but he has also been afraid of the "big" potty.  We have finally gotten him over that hump and onto the potty - thanks to the help of Smarties.  Here he is, showing off his new skill.  He hasn't produced anything yet, but is more willing to sit there to humor us.

Wyatt happy on the potty (with a privacy airbrush added)

Wyatt knows what's good!

One of my FAVORITE junk foods is from England.  Their cheese puffs called Wotsits.  Staci and Creed brought back 3 bags for me from their stay at Oxford.  WHICH I DON'T HAVE TO SHARE!  However when we got back home from our Georgia/TN sojourn, there was a package for us from our friend Joanna R(f)T...containing another three bags of Wotsits!!  A little slice of heaven!  There was one caveat though, I had to share them with my boys.  So today I did, at lunch.  Wyatt, my cheese lover, liked them as much as I do, apparently

Wyatt licking the inside of the Wotsits bag

Happy Christmas from Wyatt

Merry Christmas!  I tried to get the boys into Christmas shirts, but Zach did not want to wear his jingle bell reindeer shirt.  Wyatt was very eager to wear Zach's shirt, so I let him.  That made his Christmas!

Wyatt happy in Zach's jingle shirt

Wyatt by the tree

Wyatt jumping around to make his bells jingle and singing

Wyatt crazy sleeping

Zachary had a series of posts, back in August 2007 I think, showcasing his crazy sleeping.  Finally we have one of Wyatt!  Not sure how this was comfy enough to fall asleep, but here you go...

Wy crazy sleeping