How the Girls are Adjusting

I think that for the most part, Elizabeth and Natalie have done really well dealing with life with a new baby. I am so glad they have each other because that has been what has saved us as we've been mostly cooped up in the house. They play together really well (they fight really well, too :) and that keeps them from getting too stir-crazy.

Here's a moment I caught on camera that I wanted to remember. It's a sample of the sorts of things they do together:

Putting on a play

They pulled a chair over to be the stage and Elizabeth would whisper Natalie's lines to her while she recited them. The funny part was listening to the lines. It was a cross between the Rumpelstiltskin story (the featured play in Berenstain Bears Get Stage Fright) and a talk in church.

Another way they spend their time is using up about 12 pieces of paper a day each in drawing pictures and writing things and giving cards to each other and to Joe and I. The paper scattered throughout the house is annoying and we are certainly not helping the environment but I don't want to discourage it since it is such good practice writing for Elizabeth. Natalie has also started writing some letters.

Last night was a particularly hard night for me with Nate and Joe ended up getting the girls cereal and putting a movie on before he left so I could sleep in a little bit. Elizabeth later gave me a piece of paper with this on one side:

And this on the other:
And she followed through on her word. She really was good today and very helpful. She's a good girl.

I had to post this for fun, too. Joe and I found this word in one of Elizabeth's many writings:

It took us a minute to figure out what she was writing and then we realized it was "drink".

Here she is in her soccer uniform at one of her games (edited for privacy):

Natalie has been so good during all of this. In fact I think we've had more behavioral issues with Elizabeth than with her since Nate was born. She hasn't gotten much attention lately but she is still so sweet. She has chosen a few ways to act out, though, including drawing on the walls (which she hadn't done since she was 18 months) and having accidents. We are having the hardest time ending the potty accidents. She will go days without an accident and then five or six days with an accident every day. I am trying to really reward her for staying dry and give her some more one-on-one time. We'll see if that helps. She stayed dry today at least!

Both girls love their new little brother and always want to hold him. They love to proclaim how cute he is and give him kisses. Neither one enjoys his fussy periods but they seem to handle it pretty well. Natalie gets upset at times but they both seem pretty good at blocking out his crying. And, blessing of blessings, neither one has ever woken up from his crying at night! They are deep sleepers, I guess. Joe and I can't really sleep with him screaming that loud but I guess they can.

I like this picture because of all of us I think Elizabeth has the most patience with his crying:

More than one time I have been helping Natalie with something and Nate has been screaming and I will find Elizabeth next to him saying calmly, "Don't worry, Mommy's coming back."

Here are some cute ones of Natalie with Nate. I think they look alike:

These girls love their brother!