A lot has changed with the children since I last wrote in July. Jude's language skills are excellent and I understand 80% of what he is saying now which makes life much easier and entertaining. I have found him in the garden throwing leaves all over the path, saying "messy!" and then proceeding to take a stick and vigorously swipe at the leaves saying "brush, brush!" He's definitely got my organising obsessive compulsive disorder. He has a special place for everything. Moving objects from one surface to another - if you watch him closely he kneels on the ground in front of a chair, bed or table and drives his car from left to right and then right to left, turning them at the end of the 'road' as if they were driving and met a roundabout at each end. The objects never travel backwards. Fascinating.
Jude is very much led by his emotions, tentative and sensitive. He lives in his imagination. And extremely bossy! He now says "hand" and takes your hand and then says "this way" and leads you to wherever he wants to go...often outside to the garden or the car. If we go out he picks up as many cars as he can carry to take with him and hugs them to his chest - getting very upset if one drops or gets taken.
He towers over most kids the same age and yet shies away from confrontation. A gentle giant most of the time. But if you do manage to get to him, he becomes extremely vocal. He is hyper aware of every tiny thing going on around him even though it looks like he is in his own world. If he spots someone going somewhere he wants to join, he is up and following in seconds (with his 50 vehicles) He has a great sense of humour and finds it hard not to laugh if you make fun of him or chase/tickle him. He has inherited my intense frown and stare - the first male in the family to do so. I often hear James saying to him now "don't give me that death stare like your mother" which makes me secretly smile. When he does it to me, I do the same back and then he laughs. He's realised that he can't get around me as easily as daddy.
When travelling in the car he will tell you about every object that he passes. Yesterday we were doing the hour and a half journey back from Noosa and I was trying to get Ivy to nap. For this I needed Jude to stop nattering and understand that Ivy was trying to sleep so he needed to be quiet. He managed an entire 20 seconds. Ivy finally went quiet. Next thing I know Jude is exclaiming "truck! Car! Road! Bus! Trees!" - he just can't help himself. James is shaking his head and I am trying not to laugh. His favourite foods are now scrambled eggs, yoghurt, omlettes and fish fingers. Toddlers are such fussy eaters! You know when he likes something because he opens and closes his right hand twice. And sometimes more obviously says "nice!" or "ooh ooh."
He's good with a ball and loves to run. Not sure football will be his thing though...he throws the ball at the net from behind rather than getting it into the goal from the front...admittedly he does get the goal though! He also loves animals and regularly visits next door's duck and chickens whilst also putting his hand in their above ground swimming pool -"Splash!"
Ivy is the exact opposite of Jude in many ways still. Relaxed, boisterous, easy going, very cheerful.
And is his match in other ways. Very astute and aware of her surroundings and very chatty.
She loves music and has a great lilt to her tone when she exclaims. The musician in the family perhaps?! In fact she has been known to crank up the musical mobile at 2am if I have to change her. Every morning when she wakes, she holds my head in an iron grip while offering a big wet sucking kiss on my cheek. She laughs when you tickle her neck or play peekaboo and her face lights up whenever you talk to her. She is now sitting by herself on the sofa and handles objects with great coordination and determination. You'll often see her with a foot stretched in the air or a toe in her mouth.
The only time she gets cranky is when she is tired but I have her on a good routine now...which FINALLY involves them both being simultaneously asleep for an hour which gives me time to get things done or take 5.
Ivy loves her solids - mainly fruit. Not so keen on yoghurt or cereal yet. And I've given up trying to make her take a bottle...although her first tooth is coming through so that may change soon! Jude has been getting upset for the past couple of months when he sees me breastfeeding and after trying every possible avenue to calm him whilst not distracting Ivy, I've had to resort to putting him in his cot for 25 minutes for Ivy's 5pm feed so that she has peace and quiet to lead into her night sleep and Jude can scream upstairs. Doesn't seem to make a difference that he has milk, dummy, books and toys at his disposal. That being said, he is affectionate with her - holding her hand or giving her kisses. They are fun to watch interacting and we have now entered the 'sharing' territory where Ivy will pick up one of Jude's toys or vice versa and a tantrum ensues when one can't get his way!
Our recent trip to Noosa reunited Jude with water - nothing has changed. He LOVES to be in it and around it, whether it's the beach, the river or just a pool. Swimming lessons are now a must. It wasn't warm enough for me to dip Ivy in the surf so we watched from the sand while James and Jude braved the cool ocean. Nanny Barbs joined us for a couple of days and the kids are really warming to her. Jude was dragging her outside at every opportunity.
I started my 'Image Consultant' training last week (which is different to being a personal stylist as it covers behaviour and communication rather than just appearance counsel) and have already received good feedback on my first completed assignment. It's fun to be learning again and I'm excited by the subject and like how it compliments my existing knowledge in communications. It's a bit of a juggle time wise with the kids but I just have to be patient and accepting of the fact that I gradually need to chip away at it - an hour here, half an hour there.
Jude is beginning to understand why James is not here some of the time..."Daddy work" he pipes up on the days he is in Sydney. Or sometimes when he wakes in the morning he'll say "Where's Daddy?" and seems to accept my response of "Daddy's at work."
I could share a million funny stories of what they get up to. We have two very amazing children in our lives and count even the most challenging of days as a privilege. Well, at the end of them at least! :-)
Hope you have been keeping up with all the videos I post too. There's a few gems in there.
Love Nic x
