This fall has been busy, busy, busy for the Johnson family! I feel like I've been saying "I'm in a busy season" for the past 6 years, and I'm finally realizing that this "season" is really just my life! Rees continues to LOVE kindergarten and he has learned so much. He is reading really well and has made remarkable improvements in his handwriting, using both upper case and lower case letters, and even writing sentences! The first week of homework had me scared for the year because getting him to finish one page was like pulling teeth. However, now after doing it a few weeks, he has become quite a "self-starter" and is able to finish it with very little help from me! I am so proud of my hard working boy. It's so cute because Cole, wanting to be in school soooooooo bad, sits down and does his "homework" with Rees.....I have leftover worksheets from Rees's preschool that keep Cole busy. So he too has learned a lot - writing his name, recognizing letters and numbers, cutting with scissors, and coloring in the lines. Oh, speaking of "pulling teeth", about 2 weeks ago, Rees asked me to check if he had any loose teeth. Now he has been having me check periodically, and his teeth have been rock solid. Well, that is up until this time....sure enough, he has 4 loose teeth! This was quite an exciting discovery! So, he has now been eating apples regularly and wiggling them every day. I can't wait to share the news of the first one coming out.
This fall has also brought the start of SOCCER for both the boys! This is Cole's first year playing, and seeing him in soccer shorts and shin guards is about the cutest thing ever. As Uncle Jason and Aunt Kerry say,"serious cute overload!" Rees got new shin guards this year and his first pair of real soccer cleats. Cole is THRILLED to be borrowing cousin Ben's old soccer shoes. Rees is on the red team (naturally) and Cole is on the green team. Now we haven't really had the best luck with our boys trying to play team sports, so we really weren't sure how this season was going to pan out. The first week was very challenging. It was so hot outside, and although the boys did well in the warm-up, they both kind of freaked out and refused to participate once the "game" started. We were bummed because we thought for sure this was just a phase that they would have grown out of by now! Now I have to give the disclaimer so it doesn't appear that we are "forcing" our kids into sports. Last year Rees said he didn't want to play, so he didn't play, and we were fine with that. But this year both boys told us repeatedly that they wanted to play, and we made sure it was THEIR decision. But with that decision comes the responsibility of being a team player and having a good attitude. We were able to get out of them that they felt scared during the game because "there are too many kids running around so crazy." Talk about a relief to finally know the root of their refusal to participate! So, we have spent the past 2 weeks talking with them about David and Daniel and how to overcome fear. We are amazed with how much they have changed! They have both done a great job "being brave and playing tough" and they are finally realizing that it's a lot more fun to actually play instead of pout on the sidelines. They have both done some great kicks and even scored a couple goals. We continually tell them that doing a good job isn't about scoring a lot of goals, but it's about having a good attitude and trying their best. I am so proud of them....they are making the choice to play with a happy heart :)
Fall News in Selah's world is all about TALKING!!! Seriously, on the day that Selah turned 18 months (September 19th), she began speaking in sentences! Talk about a milestone. I have stopped writing down her "new" words because there are just too many to keep up with. Her comprehension has also increased in the past couple months. In fact, on Sunday I was in my bathroom getting ready for church and I told Selah to go to the toyroom and tell the boys it's time to go. Sure enough, she went toddling off and a few seconds later I heard her hollering "Les GOOOOOO!!!" I just cracked up! She really does understand most of what we are saying. Yesterday she ran to the door when she heard Chad and the boys coming back from school and said, "I wan see Ees an Cole!" A few words she has added to her vocabulary in the past couple days that I am not too thrilled about are "me," "mine," and "no." I don't recall the boys learning these words until they were 2! This girl may be sweet and cuddly, but she is also tough and can hold her own with two older brothers. If they try to mess with her, she is not afraid to share her opinion! She is becoming quite attached to Daddy these days and asks for him constantly. Every time she sees him she puckers up and follows him around until she gets a kiss. I'm pretty sure if she managed to say "Daddy, please buy me a pony" he might not be able to say no! She has sure won her Daddy's heart :) Selah is also getting into dress-up, and it seems she is always finding something to use as a bracelet or necklace. Just tonight I had to pry my hair rubberband "bracelet" off her arm before putting her to bed and she was NOT happy! Last week I actually painted her toenails for the first time....again SERIOUS CUTE OVERLOAD! She is so much fun and brings us endless joy! The older she gets, the more she is really starting to look and sound like Cole. They have the same eyebrow expressions, the same pouty eyes, and their cry even sounds the same. We are starting to get them mixed up in pictures too! It has been fun to see them become little buddies during these last few weeks as Rees has been gone at school.
