December 2020

 December was wonderful.  I often get grouchy at the beginning of the month after Atticus's birthday.  The commercialism and stress of trying to show everyone we love that we love them was compounded this year by the increased shipping times.  Even though I ordered some gifts in November I had three gifts that I had a world of trouble over.  One never did end up making it.

Still, I was blessed with the opportunity of helping someone out early in the month.  It took guts for me but when I acted on the prompting I was filled with so much joy.  It helped me feel the Christmas spirit and that never left.  I don't share that to boast, only to remind myself of that in the future.  

Another thing that helped us feel the Christmas spirit was seeing Santa!  Our sweet friend had Santa visit her house and the boys were SO excited!  Atticus asked him for a Mandalorian nerf  gauntlet.  That was all well and good but there were NONE when I went to buy one for him.  The only ones you could find online were marked up to about 8 times the price.  We explained to him that Santa sometimes didn't make toys- he found them in stores to save himself time and since this one had sold out he probably wouldn't be able to get it for him.  He was disappointed but had plenty of other things he wanted in the Target magazine so we thought that was that. 

Then our sweet friend, Hillary, saved the day for our family again.  She ordered it through the BX and it came on Christmas Eve.  It was a Christmas miracle!  It totally distracted Atticus from the fact that he didn't receive the "Intendo Switch" he had requested in his final letter to Santa (which he stuffed in the mailbox with no envelope or stamp.)

He added that "N" to "Intendo" at my insistence but he is still calling it an "Intendo."  I love it!

Another Christmas miracle was that anyone who wanted to attend church was given permission to do so the Sunday before Christmas.  The 9th Circuit Court ruled that the caps given on church attendance were unconstitutional.  It was nice to have a win when it comes to our civil liberties.

Our little Lucy-Lu-Who is just the sweetest.  

At her 3 month well visit at the beginning of the month she was 12 lbs 5 oz and 24 inches long.  She has started laughing more often.  It's still very rare but she smiles all the time.  

She is starting to enjoy peek-a-boo more.  Just today on January 2nd she seems to have discovered her hands.  She kept holding them together all day long like she was praying and she was staring at them whenever she could.  She even grabbed my bowl at dinner for the first time.  Hinckley broke at least one plate so I'd better start using plastic.

She is, without a doubt, the best gift we could have asked for.  And she also gives us the gift of sleep.  She slept through the night many times through the month of December.  When she doesn't go all night she always gets at least 5-6 hours in a row.  It's incredible.  I had heard that babies could sleep like this but had a hard time believing it.  We are so grateful! 

We think a big reason she sleeps so well is her ability to self-soothe.  She is a total thumb sucker!  I love it.  It's like having a binkie that you never lose.

Here she is wearing a little Christmas outfit that Dane wore as a baby.  So darn sweet.

Here is Dane in that same outfit at roughly the same age.

She is doing great at tummy time.  She'll stay on the ground for 15 minutes or more sometimes.  

In the photo above she had just turned 3 months old.

We love our little angel baby.

As I mentioned last month, Atticus had a birthday party on December 5.  It was an army themed party and we had a blast.  Here are the boys beating on a pinata that Atticus and I made together.  We had an obstacle course, practiced marching, played "Drill Sergeant Says," and outfitted the boys in as much military gear as we could.  Atticus and Hinckley even wore some war paint.

Even Lucy wore camouflage for the occasion.  It was a party to remember.

Above you can see a to do list Atticus wrote.  I had written my shopping list and Hinckley insisted that he needed a list so we wrote one together (you'll see it below.)  So Atticus wrote this one above all on his own.  ("Math," Work out," Go for a run," "Good food, never eat treats.")

Though he didn't actually end up working out that day, he does love lifting the weights his dad just recently brought back home from his office.  In fact, one day when the Clancy girls came for a visit he grabbed a couple weights from the garage and came around the corner of the house just so he could lift weights where they could see him.  And he was even grunting as he lifted them.  You couldn't have scripted it better.  

He may still drive us crazy sometimes but there's no question that he has a good heart.  He is just wonderful with Lucy and when there's an emergency he rises to the occasion.

One such time happened just a couple days ago.  Hinckley was in the bathroom and I went upstairs to feed Lucy.  Atticus ran upstairs to tell me that Hinckley had broken our glass soap dispenser and the glass was everywhere.  Hinckley was barefoot and Atticus wisely worried he would get hurt.  I asked him to just hold Hinckley in one place until I got down there.  While I was coming down he not only obeyed but problem solved, putting Hinckley's shoes on him and then keeping him in one spot. 

He wasn't done helping.  As soon as I put Lucy down so I could deal with the mess he started playing with Lucy.  He didn't need to be asked.  He knew I needed him and kept her happy the whole time (and it took some time!)  I was so grateful and so proud of him.

I may have mentioned before that Atticus has a sweet little friend that he just loves (we all do.)  Well, he has started calling her his girlfriend.  He can often be heard saying, "She's in love with me!"

He definitely has no problem with this.  In fact, when some of his friends were teasing him about her and saying, "Maybe she won't marry you!" he challenged to fight all of them at once.  He fought very bravely and lost very quickly.  Bless his little heart, he came in crying and so embarrassed that he buried  his head in my shoulder.  He hadn't done that in at least a year.  

While I'm talking about his special friend I have to record a conversation I had with the two of them.  She told me, very matter of factly, "I'm in love with him," to which Atticus sheepishly admitted, "I'm in love with her, too."  

She then added, "And we already have a baby!" 

"What?!" I said, speechless.

"It's our raccoon!" she laughed, pointing at Atticus's stuffed raccoon, Trasher.  

Phew!  

Atticusisms:

• "You don't see that every day!" (When he saw me riding my bike while walking Max.)
• "I'm going to hit you in the nut!" (He had just heard the term "nuts" from a friend.)
• "I'm going to work.  I'm just finding bad guys to arrest." (As he walks out the garage door.)
• ("Atteekiss, this is the best day evuw!") "No, I think we've seen better days, Hinckley."
• "I'm going with what Daddy says." (Any time he hears us disagree.)
• "Dad!  You got a President Trump statue!" (On Christmas morning when he saw the punching bag his grandparents got for Hinckley and him.  It is orange, after all.)

Hinckley had a much better month.

He has gone a couple weeks of pooping exclusively in the potty.  I'm sure there will be a few more setbacks but it has been wonderful.  Hooray!

He's so funny.  He told a neighbor friend that she was his girlfriend (she's eight!)  He still wears his Batman mask a lot of the time (just not all day, every day like he was.)  

His memory is outstanding.  He can quote quite a bit from his favorite books (The Cat in the Hat, The Night Before Christmas.) Our favorite is probably the nativity book we have.  I  recorded it for family members because not only can he tell the Christmas story but he'll sing several Christmas songs along with it.  He was so confident that we had him do it again on Christmas Eve.  He led us by telling the story and then we would join him in singing the first verse of the songs.

He has been surprising me with his questions and understanding about Jesus.  He was struggling to understand the connection between Baby Jesus and Big Jesus but now he can explain it.  It melts my heart and builds my testimony every time.

Now, don't get me wrong.  As hilarious and cute as he is, he is still a really difficult child.  He was just awful on the car trip to and from Utah (he never naps, whines, needs multiple bathroom trips. Ugggh!) and he is SO stubborn.  He seems intent on learning every lesson for himself (he touched a cigarette that was smoking in a parking lot and didn't even want to tell me that he had done it.  Poor thing!)  He is starting to make up stories and blame other people when we ask him about the messes he makes.  

Still, we love our cuddly little Hincker-Stinker.  He is so sweet and methodical.  He loves to take his time.  For example, on Christmas morning he was still munching on the same chocolate he found at the top of his stocking.  Meanwhile, Atticus had blown through his stocking and was ready to move on to his presents.  It was comical to see the stark contrast between the two of them as we tried to slow Atticus down and speed Hinckley up.

Hinckley Speaks:

• "I'm going to use the fowus." (Puts his hand out and it starts shaking- he was trying to get a treat from the middle of the counter.)
• "Mommy, use the fowus." (He wanted me to send an object to him across the room.)
• "I went skiing and I bwoke my leg." (On the way to church.  He must have been thinking of my brother's ski accident and dreamed it was him...?)
• "I'm going to woh. ("war." He had grabbed a bunch of wooden skewers.)
• "Mommy, my wongs are washed away." (While in the bathtub.)
• "This is the Best Chwismus evuw!"
• "We don't use potty language!  Yeah!  Only with Mommy and Daddy, otherwise they'll get mad!" (A conversation he had some Legos having with each other.)
• "That's why." (Said after any explanation or statement- crazy as some of them are.)
• "And then I/he will die?" (Often asked after receiving a warning.)
• "I'm a howus." (While wearing a Cowboy hat.)

Here's a gingerbread man Hinckley decorated.  Below is a nutcracker that he painted.  It's horrifying.  He even pulled off its arm.  Poor nutcracker.

For Hinckley and his Joy School friends they put on a little Nativity play.  It was so stinking cute.  Hinckley was a wise man, just like Atticus at the same age.  We were short on children so I asked a reluctant Atticus to help out.  

 

While he wouldn't smile for me he loves the other Joy School moms so I was still able to get some smiles from Hinckley.

Here is Hinckley's to do list.  Most of the items were my ideas but pooping on the potty was his.  That made me happy.

Here is the Bobba Fett picture Atticus drew for Dane for Christmas.

Christmas morning.

The day after Christmas we drove up to Utah.  We lost a lot of sleep and the trip was short but it was so, so sweet.  

Oh yeah!  I had a birthday right before Christmas.  Dane got me an awesome present (see the kettle bells below.)  I got a pedicure and had a friend watch the boys for a couple hours.  It was the best birthday I've had as a mom.  

Goodbye, 2020.  It was a crazy year and my heart has hurt for so many.  For our little family, however, it has been a very good one.  I put together a little placemat using some of my favorite Christmas cards and it summarizes the year perfectly.

November 2020

November was a blur.  I lost a week due to some sinus trouble and so the month felt even faster than usual.  Even with it going by quickly, plenty happened over at the Maes household.

Atticus taught himself how to do cartwheels!  They're what I have always called "oompa-loompa" cartwheels but it's a great start.  I can't wait for our local recreation centers to open again so he can take some more gymnastics classes.

Another very exciting development has been the end of pullups.  He no longer needs them at night.  Hooray! 

His artwork for school is killing me.  You can see his loves daily: animals (often accompanied by little known animal facts) and the military.  He also likes to add blood to get a reaction, the little stinker.  His teacher is awesome and totally gets him (and all little boys, for that matter.)

He spent a LONG time drawing this gun case, with all sorts of weapons he would put in it.

Here he is with his friends from his kindergarten class.  Notice their computers.  He's never met these boys in person!  He was so happy when he finally made new friends from class.

Here are some wolves hunting.  You can see the "blud" coming from their prey.

He knows so much about animals that I've stopped arguing or looking up the animal facts he shares with me.  He's been right.  Every time.  It makes us laugh.  You gotta love the Kratt brothers!

And the biggest milestone that has happened?  He turned 6 years old!  Technically, it's in the month of December, but since I'm posting this late I'll share it now.  He requested pumpkin pie instead of cake on his actual birthday but we will be making cake with a battle scene on it for his army birthday party.  (You can see the pumpkin pies he drew below when asked about his favorite Thanksgiving food.) 

The kid is still one of the most appreciative children I've ever seen.  He LOVED every present he received so much and used them all throughout the day.

His reading skills just keep improving (he wowed me today) and he is such a sweet big brother.  He always tries to help when he hears Lucy crying, holds her whenever needed and has even learned to hold her while standing up.

What's really cool is how much Lucy loves him.  She's a little more hesitant about Hinckley (he's a little unpredictable) but is visibly relaxed whenever held by Atticus.  Makes my heart so happy.

Atticusisms:

• "You meanie head!"
• "I don't think I'll knock on _____'s door as much... She has a crush on me!"
• "Don't eat it all.  I know how much you eat... to make your milk."
• "Oh no!  Rudolph is swimming in the lake and he drowned!" (while working on an assignment.)
• "That picture is so good!  You should put it in a museum so people can see it!" (To his teacher.)
• "Best present ever- you, Lucy, Hinckley and Daddy." (said first thing in the morning on his birthday.)
• "Best birfday ever." (Said multiple times throughout the day.)
• "Worst birfday ever." (Said a few times, especially after banging his thumb.)
• "It's my birfday!" (Said to everyone he saw at the store and on the street.)

Things have gotten a little easier with Hinckley this month.  He's still very hard (without love and logic I think I would be at a total loss!) but man is he cute. 

He's still absolutely obsessed with Batman.  He wears his mask all day, every day (he has to take it off to sleep, to eat, to bathe and if he wants to wrestle.)  He is in character whenever his mask is on.  In fact, once I pulled it up while he was talking to see what would happen and he changed his voice, mid-sentence.  Honestly, it makes almost everything he says hilarious because it's done in his gruff, Batman voice.

We do have to draw the line when it comes to praying.  He's tried many times to pray with his voice.

He even went to his 3-year-old appointment with the helmet on at the beginning of the month.  The nurses and doctor loved it.  He was so quiet and afraid, it hurt my heart to see him cry.  He was trying so hard to be brave.  Thank heavens, after the initial inspection (with no shots or pain) he perked right up and got more chatty with his Batman voice.  He prayed at dinner a little later, "Help Eekee (Hinckley) to be brave again."

Speaking of his doctor's visit, he weighed in at 33.5 lbs and was 36 in. long.  So he's at an average weight but on the short side.  No surprise here.  He's a little muscle man, I tell you what!

Another obsession he has is with our new next door neighbor.  They moved in over the summer and she has a son Atticus's age.  He talks about her all the time (he'll wake up from his naps and the first thing he'll say is about seeing her and playing with her.)  He even told me he wanted to kiss her on the lips, ha ha!  I didn't realize boys this young could like girls but he definitely has a crush on her.  It's adorable.

As hard as he can be, he is still so sweet and compassionate.  Whenever Atticus is in pain he responds immediately.  A friend teaching Joy School said that when one of the girls started to cry he ran to her and hugged her, asking, "Are you okay?  What's wrong?!"  When I was struggling with my sinus headache (it got pretty bad for a couple days) he was so sweet and concerned and insisted on putting a bandaid on my forehead.  He has such a soft heart.

He has a favorite friend at Joy School who he gets to see three days a week.  When I asked him who his hero was Hinckley didn't hesitate- Huddy.  You can see his reasons in the picture we drew together.

He doesn't have any confidence in his ability to draw (I think he's a perfectionist- he'll say, "I can't do it!  You help me!" so he'll hold the pencil with me) but man, can he trace well for his age!  Here is one example below (Atticus wrote "Hinckley" above it.)

He came home from Joy School a couple weeks ago with this cookbook and it had us in STITCHES.

Hinckley Speaks:

• "You meanie head!"
• "You da wost mom evuh!"
• "I hope you have a pinata!" (Said to his cousin on his birthday.)
• "I'm okay!" (Said in his Batman voice after tripping and falling.  Such a funny moment!)
• "We never hit or kick or push..." (Sung with his Batman voice to Atticus when he was getting rough.)
• "Right now I Eekee ("Hinckley") but after I eat dinner I be BATMAN."
• ("Stop hitting the wall!") "But I'm hitting the pinata!" (He was practicing on the wall...?)
• "Mom, could you put Baby Lucy back in you tummy?"
• ("What did they bring to Baby Jesus?") "Gold, fwankincense and muw." (Said in Batman voice.)
• ("Wow!  You're a smarty pants!") "No, I a Batman smarty-pants."

Oh, Lucy.  She definitely has all of us wrapped around her little finger.  She is just so darn cute.

Here she is, below, on her first Thanksgiving.

She smiles a lot now.  Smiles are saved almost exclusively for when she can see someone's face.  We even had her first real laugh on December 3rd.

At her two month appointment at the beginning of the month she was 11 lbs 4.5 oz and 22 inches long.  So she's at an average weight and on the tall side- our tallest baby yet, so far.

She LOVES music and singing.  That's when we get our biggest smiles.  In fact, she coos so much when I sing to her that I'm almost positive she's trying to sing along.  Just the possibility of having a daughter who might sing with me makes me so happy!

Here she is in an outfit both of the boys wore at this age:

Atticus

Hinckley

Our favorite hour of the day right now is just before her bedtime.  We put the boys down and I'll hang out with her by the Christmas tree.  She loves the lighting and can get so animated as we sing Christmas songs.  

There is so much in the world that is filling us with anger and fear but for that hour or so we can forget it all and find peace.  It's a great, daily reminder of another tiny infant who changed the world- our Savior, Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace.