Justin Update

So now that Justin is a big boy of four years, what is he up to?

• His very favorite thing right now is Veggie Tales Larry Boy.  He wakes up and points to the TV and asks to watch his shows.  Every day.  All the time.  He loves dancing to the songs and listening to them (and trying to dance) in the car too.  We have had to implement a rotation to choose what is played in the car so that I do not go crazy listening to assorted Veggie Tales music.  I even called and complained to my sister about sending another Veggie Tales CD.  (Even though I kind of asked for it...)
• He is growing!  He may still be on the third summer of 18-month shorts, but we have been able to take out the tucks that we sewed in two years ago to keep them from falling off.  And I think I see his knees peeking out from under them!  Plus he got new orthotics this week, another sure sign of growth.  We hosted a Flat Stanley doll this past week (actually, his name is Flat Diego) so he went with us to meet Justin's orthotist.  Justin actually got Veggie Tales characters on his orthotics this time.  He thinks they are very cool!

• He has had a veritable verbal explosion!  Randy and I both agree that in the past month or so he has added another huge set of new words to his vocabulary.  And Miss Sarah brought out a list of words that he said during speech therapy just during the last 15 minutes or so because she was noticing that he was saying so much!  Even some new words that surprised her (like "rain", which I have never heard yet, although I was really trying to make him say it the other day.  Maybe if it would rain...)  He is saying and learning words like kids usually learn (hearing and repeating) instead of the usual drilling and reinforcing that it so often requires.  Yeah!  And others are understanding more too.  Double yeah!
• He has been struggling with learning to jump (not squatting excessively and then springing off with both feet).  Swimming has really helped because he wants to jump off the edge like the other kids and the teachers stand back pretty far waiting for him to jump.  He has done a fairly good version of jumping for a couple of weeks now, at least in the pool.  It should transfer to ground level soon.
• He rocks at the playground!  He can climb up and slide down without assistance.  I can sit on a bench off to the side and almost relax.  I still watch rather hawk-like, but the hovering has subsided.  He loves it!
• His OT skills are improving too.  He is learning to draw circles and follow a path (like from one point to another) staying in the lines on a page.  He does so well, and he works hard.  It helps that most of his sessions are early enough that he is not exhausted from his early wakings.
• Potty training:  Yuck!  He does well if I do well.  If I don't, he doesn't.  He doesn't really care about it and I am am not sure how to make him care.  I have tried all his favorite things (like TV) and after a while he stops caring about them.  I gathered some new ammunition from the Christian bookstore (CDs, stickers, toys, a stuffed Larry Boy doll) and we're trying again.  I lose focus myself, so I can see how he does too.  It really stinks.  I still have a dream that someday, he'll be diaper-free!
• Sleeping almost requires its own entry because of how much of our lives it consumes.  Not doing it, but trying to get little boys to do it, pondering how to improve it, stressing because of the lack of it, and brain-storming solutions to it.  Nothing much better here, but I think maybe my attitude toward it is better.  I am not running to their room 15 times from 5 am to 6:30 am to get them back to bed.  I let them do as they will (within reason...), and put them to bed at 7 pm.  Or earlier.  Not kidding.  I am enjoying the quiet evenings (I get to "nest"!)  And I am trusting God for an answer.  God knows what it is and I ask that he opens my eyes and shows me the answer at the right time.  I can say it much easier than do it.
• He knows so much.  He tells me all sorts of things that I don't understand, but I am getting more of it every day.  He knows so many songs and games and he wants to be involved with everything.  He wants to go to Travis' soccer games, go for walks (he can say "walk" and "park"), and make phone calls to Pop or Me-Me or Nana.  He has an attitude and a preference.  And that is getting tough!  But humorous and entertaining too.
• He is very sweet.  Whenever he hurts himself (often) he needs to kiss himself to make it better.  He gives hugs when people are sad and he pats and rubs their back as he hugs.  So compassionate!

That's about all I can think of right now.  He is such a doll and I love being with him (and Travis too!)  So glad their mine, at least for a little while!