Tennis

Today Canaan wanted to play tennis with the racket and tennis balls her Aunt Diana and Uncle Corby gave her while we were visiting Texas in May.  She was using both legs, but I happened to get a picture of her in action.  Mostly, she wanted me to hit the ball off the deck so she could go find it.  It was a fun game while it lasted.  While she was running around to get the ball, I played with Max.  He appreciated the exercise.

Now that Canaan's hair is finally beginning to grow, look at those curls.  Today was a particularly muggy day which made the curls really defined.  Cute!

Picnic on the deck

Wednesday evening was beautiful, warm, and sunny.  So after Matthew finished fixing the fence with our neighbor, we had a picnic for dinner on our deck.  It was so nice to relax outside for a bit before bath time and bedtime.  (In this light, Jude's hair does look red.  I haven't been able to figure out what color it is yet.  Sometimes it looks brown, sometimes a little bit blonde, and other times red.)

back to daycare

Last Monday, Jude and Canaan started daycare.  About 3 weeks after I quit my job to stay home with the kids, Matthew was laid off as his company ran out of work for their civil group.  The day we found out, I asked my boss if they had replaced me yet.  It worked out for me to return to work while Matthew stayed home with Jude and Canaan.  Matthew started his job Friday, June 22nd.  So for at least a little while, the kids are in daycare.  I took these pictures when we got home Monday evening.  They both did GREAT!

We visited daycare before we started so we could meet the teachers and make sure I knew where I would be going.  Canaan wanted to stay that day rather than going home with me.  She was excited to go back and kept asking me Saturday and Sunday if she was going to daycare that day.  I think she's missed the structure and playing with so many kids.  She really enjoyed her week.

Jude's teachers said he did great as well.  He ate well, slept well, and smiled all day long.

Sunday evening and Monday morning I wasn't sure we'd survive the week.  But I am thankful to report that things went really well.

Jude's 1st food

Jude is now 6 months old!  Jude's pediatrician said she was happy with his weight and that we didn't need to start solid foods, but we could if we wanted to.  I didn't want to wait any longer to feed him his first rice cereal.  I'm not sure how much of the rice cereal he actually swallowed, but he did not put up a fight at all.  He's had cereal the past 2 days and seems pretty interested in it.  I think it will take him a while to really figure it all out, but I have no doubt it will happen.

His cheeks are extra rosy in these pictures.  He was not feeling well at all yesterday.  Friday he got some shots.  He has also had a cough the past few days.  He had a fever on Friday and did not sleep at all Friday night.  Thankfully, he took a nap on Saturday and slept well last night.  I've never seen him wear this blank stare on his face for a whole day, it was unusual.  Poor baby.

Jude was back to his happy and smiley self this morning.  He has not taken to the pacifier or to sucking his thumb, but he can be found chewing on his finger frequently.  He loves to put just about anything in his mouth.

Canaan's 1st bike

We had gorgeous weather the Saturday after Canaan's birthday.  We bought her first bicycle (a Skuut).  We took a picnic to the park so she could ride her bike around.  She loved the helmet and didn't want to take it off for her nap.  But once we got to the park, she was more interested in swinging and playing in the water.  She got into the lake up to her chest.  Matthew asked her if she had gotten wet and she said, "just a little bit" while holding her fingers up.  It was a fun day at the park!

THREE!

Canaan turned 3 on May 23rd!  She is growing up so quickly.  We are really enjoying her...she is so fun!  She is really into Dora the Explorer right now.  She was excited to see the Dora balloon and gave it a hug.  She likes to go on adventures like Dora does on her show.  Rather than make a gluten-free cake that Canaan would not even enjoy (she's not much for sweets), we had ice cream for her birthday.

 

About a month ago, Matthew single-handedly potty trained Canaan.  She has done outstanding!  I have been really impressed with her since Matthew told her we were finished with diapers.  I was skeptical, but she has done great.  She has woken us up a couple of times in the night to go to the bathroom and even wakes up most mornings dry.

Canaan still has red hair and blue eyes.  It's taken a long time, but her hair has been growing.  And it looks like it has some curl in the back.

She recently saw an allergist so we can figure out what exactly is going on with her.  She's been eating gluten-free for the past year which has helped some with the diaper rash she had, but did not completely get rid of it.  The allergist told Matthew she didn't think Canaan has food allergies (she did the skin test on her back).  So she told Matthew to bring Canaan back once she was potty trained.  She plans to have Canaan start eating gluten again for a few months so she can test Canaan for celiac's disease.  Since the doctor doesn't think Canaan has food allergies, we have taken her off soy milk and let her have dairy.  It has had no impact on her at all.

Canaan still loves Max.  She likes to play with him in the backyard.  She wants him to follow her around...which she accomplishes if she carries food around with her (we discourage this).  She cuddles with him.  She wants him to sleep in her room which he is not interested in doing.  She wants him to go with us in the car everywhere we go.  And she loves to give him treats.

She likes to pretend.  She likes to pretend she is taking care of us and cooking for us.  She also pretends like we are characters in a video she has seen or a Bible story.

Canaan loves animals and is always telling us a snake, shark, spider, etc is coming for us.

She really enjoys being outside...going to the park, taking Max to the park, going to the zoo, playing in the backyard.

She's been a good big sister over the past 6 months.  When Jude is upset, she will sing him a song.  She will hand him toys.  She tells us when he is crying and sometimes tells us he is hungry.  He loves to watch her.  As soon as he hears her voice, he starts looking for her.

Our church nursery ends at 3 years old, so Canaan has started going to big church with us.  She has done a great job so far.  I hope to be more prepared soon with a church bag with quiet activities she can do in church.  It is tough for a 3 year old to sit still and quiet for so long.

We get such joy from watching and interacting with Canaan!  We're so glad she's our little girl.