Reid is 3 and a half!!!

Meanwhile, Reid is going to be 4 years old in 4 months!! That floors me, 4 is officially nowhere near babyhood anymore:(





Reid is VERY interested in trains right now. We of course have the train table, which he LOVES and plays with everyday. In addition, anytime we go anywhere that has a train table we have to go play there too. He still watches a show called Extreme Trains a few times a week which is a documentary about different kinds of trains. So we know all about steam trains, freight trains, refrigerator trains, etc. We have also taken to putting on You Tube and we look for different train videos. Consequently, Reid knows how to use a mouse with the computer, which terrifies me!!





He is still rocking out on his guitar. We got him a guitar after Christmas that simulates real playing, he doesn't get that yet, but LOVES to pretend he is playing and he has some moves!! He also loves singing. Probably, my favorite thing right now is hearing him belt out "Just a city boy, born and raised in South Detroit, he took the midnight train going any where" although the version from Glee. It makes me happy:)





We have had a nice summer off of school. In fact Reid didn't mention the lack of school until a couple of weeks ago when he said "Mommy, we haven't been to school in like forever". He is not very excited about getting a different teacher and different classroom next year, but I know he will get over it immediately. This summer we have been doing a lot of Gymboree and Playgroups. Reid does Sports class on Monday mornings, then School Skills which is a 2 hour class on Tuesday. This class has been helping him learn to write his letters, and introduces some science, and reading as well. The added bonus is that 2 of his buddies are in there with him.



We have been trying to reinforce Reid learning to write his letters and his name. We bought some work books which do some repetitve tracing of the letters. We also got him a Leap Frog toy that has a little writing thing on the bottom. It uses lights to teach the kids how to write the letters and also teaches some tracing skills. He is getting pretty darn good. He hasn't written his name all together yet, but can now write each letter independently. It is fun to watch. We have also introduced a bribe for him. When he writes his name he gets a new Thomas train. Along the same lines, at night when we read Chicka Chicka Boom Boom as has become our routine, I am now signing the letters to him, and he has gotten pretty good at trying to do them too.



As I mentioned in Ryan's update, we have been dealing with some sibling issues between Reid and Ryan. Reid spends a lot of time in his room in time out since he can't seem to restrain himself from inflicting harm on his brother (actually very rarely does he actually hurt him, but the potential is there). I think this is an impulse control thing and probably a 3 year old thing, but I have a zero tolerance policy.





Reid just recently started standing up to pee, I didn't realize he was tall enough until we were met with a toilet I didn't want him to sit on. He thought he was pretty cool. So far it isn't too messy. If their bathroom starts smelling like urine we may have to reconsider:)

Reid's new thing also is arguing with us, or more accurately trying to compel us to come around to his point of view:) If we tell him he is going to bed, he will get really loud and say "NO I AM NOT GOING TO BED, OKAY?" It always has an Okay at the end which is amusing on the tail of a definitive statement.

He continues to say things to us that are hilarious on a daily basis. Like today when we were in the bathroom at the mall he said "Mommy your pee is stinky but mine is not". He is so sweet:)

He is starting to act out scenarios, use his imagination, and talk for his toys. He has a high-pitched voice that he uses to do that.

His eating habits are interesting. He eats a HUGE breakfast. A bowl of cereal in addition to an egg, sausage, and a cup of OJ. This morning he added some pineapple to that. Lunch is usually okay, he has finally developed the standard issue crust phobia, only he has taken it to the next level by eating only the inside of a wedge of fruit and leaving the peel. It is not that he doesn't like it or won't eat it if I tell him to, he just avoids it. By dinner time it is like pulling teeth to get him to eat in a timely manner. We have tried different approaches, usually the desert thing will get him, but even then sometimes, we are all long done with our meals and Reid is still there. I am continuing to try and refine methods that won't eventually give him an eating disorder.

I guess that is a pretty thorough snap shot of a day with Reid. I am really enjoying him, when he is not trying my patience:) He is a very kind and gentle child, we have been blessed with him.