Jon & Kate Plus 8

When I first starting watching Jon & Kate Plus 8, I had a hard time with it. It stressed me out. The last thing I wanted to watch during my precious free time was a show about stressed out parents. I gradually came around and began to enjoy it as a show that I could identify with (even though I have just 1). Now that Austin's a little older, I let him watch it with me and he loves it. It's the only show that we watch together. As I watch Jon & Kate's little ones grow up and my little one is growing up I get all warm & fuzzy inside. It has been so much fun sharing what we like with him as he gets old enough to appreciate new things. I think these stages were a direct reflection of what I was going through. At first I was overwhelmed, no doubt about it. Then, I regained a little spare time. And now I thoroughly enjoy sharing what I like to do with Austin.
When Austin was a newborn, a friend of mine with an 8 year old, said "Now's when it gets fun. You can do things with them" and I was thinking 'I'm having fun now!'. But you probably enjoy your kid at every age and think that every moment is special.

Austin Goes to the Movies!

So it's been snowing for what - a month straight? Although the idea of a white Christmas sounds good, it actually has been somewhat of a pain. I've been excited to enjoy this holiday season with Austin now that he's 2 and is super fun, but we haven't been able to do all the things we've wanted to do because of the weather. Today we were going to go to The Lights of Christmas at Warm Beach (rescheduled from a different snowed-in weekend) but the snow was still on the ground so we decided to go to the movies with Austin for the first time, which is very exciting for us. I got nervous beforehand because I thought of all the ways it could go wrong. However, we had two free passes and Austin was free so we really didn't have anything to lose. Once we got there I realized that I had nothing to worry about. I underestimated Austin's love of watching TV. He sat in my and Brian's lap almost the whole time, captivated by the movies (mostly the dogs and babies). We saw Marley & Me. He loves watching dogs on TV so that was a better bet than a cartoon, and more fun for Brian and me anyway. He did great, better than we could have hoped. When a scene would fade out, in the seconds before a new scene would begin, Austin would say "More?", scared that the movie had ended. He got up and walked around during the last 15 minutes of the movie, but that's fair for a 2 year old. When we left the movies, it was snowing big flakes once again!

Some Cool Things

I'm almost too tired to write, but I feel like I need to document all the cool things that Austin has been doing:

• Making this Christmas the best I've had since I was a kid by enjoying all the fun things we've been doing like cutting down a X-mas tree, decorating, looking at X-mas lights, etc.
• He's saying a lot more words now. So many that I have officially stopped writing every single one down. I am thrilled that I can no longer keep track.
• Here's a big one - he no longer finds getting his shampoo rinsed out traumatic. He is FINALLY over it, at 2 1/2. In the shower, Brian showed him how he rinses his own hair and how even though water gets in his eyes it's OK. Now when I talk to Austin about taking a bath he smiles and says "eyes".
• Today we danced together. Hand in hand, we danced to several X-mas songs. It was very fun.
• Today he played in the snow for the first time. Although, he has no boots or gloves that fit him. And to my dismay the huge selection of sleds at Fred Meyer was picked completely clean. I am mad at myself for not buying one when I saw them there a couple weeks ago. Oh well.
• He's super helpful, which he has been ever since he could be. But now he can do some small chores all by himself and when I ask him to do something, he usually does it. OK, "usually" might be a stretch, but many times even if he complains about it, he'll eventually do what I ask of him.