Maybe I expected waaay worse, but the two's aren't that bad.... Mikey and I have been praying together and asking our Lord for wisdom on being able to communicate with Niko so he understands what we are saying. Niko is like a sponge learning so much and growing up so fast, I forget there are things he doesn't understand and his curiosity of things sometimes are purely innocent to him. I have to allow him to discover new things but also help him along in the learning process. It's easy to just tell him, "No don't do that, it's dangerous, or your'll get dirty, or that's mine don't touch", and so and so on and so on. I started noticing that when Niko is done challenging himself with new things, or basically finished playing on his own and he gets bored, he starts asking us for attention. The way a two year old asks for attention is very similar I believe to a young adult who needs direction and guidance. What Niko does is, he gets on his truck and starts ramming his truck into the walls of our house. There are places in our walls where the paint is coming off because Niko rams his truck. Also he will get a hard toy and bang it against a table or wall in our house. Anything with loud noise and destruction to get attention is what he'll do. Sounds similar to a young adult huh? Once he gets like this, we have two choices; we can either choose the "loose it route" and say NIKO NOOO!! STOPP!! and trust me that does happen, or we can choose the "civil route" and say, "Niko that is not how we ask for attention. We understand you are bored and you are frustrated. Let's go find another activity to do". Mikey has been real good about making this a more common route. Once we choose the civil route we then give Niko an activity he can do to either help around the house, or something for himself to do. He loves to help us around the house. He will help me, put dishes away, sweep, throw trash, clean tables, put clothes away, clean his room, put books on shelves and stuff like that. I have to be very patient with him because projects like that I can just do on my own and like 100 times faster, but I have to remember he likes to be challenged in new ways,so I have to allow him to grow in that area of development.
One day Mikey was shredding papers in the office and he asked Niko to help him throw papers away in the kitchen trash. I was in the kitchen washing dishes and I didn't know what Mikey had told him but all of sudden I saw Niko coming to the kitchen with handfuls of papers in both his hands and throwing them in our kitchen trash. As I observed him more I noticed he would walk down our hallway with two handfuls of paper and he would stop in our living room to drop one handful off on our coffee table, then walk over to the kitchen trash and use that empty hand to open the trash so he can dump the papers, then he would walk back to the living room coffee table, grab the rest of the papers that he left and take those to the trash. I was amazed that my two year was already problem solving on his own! WOW!
I love children's development stages! In fact I went to school and learned more about it because I was so interested on how their brain works at that age. I was going to college to become a Child Psychologist but came out with a Teachers Degree. I am so blessed that I went to school to learn all about children because I am truly enjoying my 5 college years here in my own home with my children. I desire to continue using my degree here at home. I believe the Lord gave me a Teachers degree so I can home school my own kiddos! I have desire to home school!A true and real desire! I get excited even thinking about it! But I will share more about that later :)
We have sooooo many stories about Niko and all that he does! It is never a dull moment with him! I am so blessed and proud of my two year old. Thank you Lord that Niko is a boy who loves being challenged. I pray that he will use that special gift for your glory and allow himself to be challenged daily by You. I pray he will grow a desire to serve you and follow you always!
Our Nathaniel is growing like a weed! And here in El Paso the weeds grow and grow and grow... Nathaniel is all about smiling now. He opens his mouth when we talk to him and has big big smiles! He is now officially sleeping through the night! YAAAAAAAAAAAAY! There is still like one night out of the week where he has troubles but for the most part he is a sleeper! YES! Mommy is soo happy! Nathaniel also loves Niko! Niko comes around and always gives him kisses. I love how Niko loves Nathaniel :) Nathaniel won't take his eyes off of me. Once he's done eating he makes sure I'm still around. It's so cute. I love the way he looks at me! It's like I'm the most beautiful Mommy he's ever had! LOL! :) :) All to say my little blonde is not very little and I have a feeling he's going to past Niko in height. Thank you Lord, for allowing my little man to sleep through the night. Mikey and I are loving the rest we are getting. May Nathan grow and grow and grow but more may he grow a love for you and be a man after Your own heart.
Here are pictures and videos of our boys! Mikey put cubbies in Niko's room to separate and organize his room more. Niko has been good about knowing where all his toys go now. Enjoy all these different pictures!
One day Mikey was shredding papers in the office and he asked Niko to help him throw papers away in the kitchen trash. I was in the kitchen washing dishes and I didn't know what Mikey had told him but all of sudden I saw Niko coming to the kitchen with handfuls of papers in both his hands and throwing them in our kitchen trash. As I observed him more I noticed he would walk down our hallway with two handfuls of paper and he would stop in our living room to drop one handful off on our coffee table, then walk over to the kitchen trash and use that empty hand to open the trash so he can dump the papers, then he would walk back to the living room coffee table, grab the rest of the papers that he left and take those to the trash. I was amazed that my two year was already problem solving on his own! WOW!
I love children's development stages! In fact I went to school and learned more about it because I was so interested on how their brain works at that age. I was going to college to become a Child Psychologist but came out with a Teachers Degree. I am so blessed that I went to school to learn all about children because I am truly enjoying my 5 college years here in my own home with my children. I desire to continue using my degree here at home. I believe the Lord gave me a Teachers degree so I can home school my own kiddos! I have desire to home school!A true and real desire! I get excited even thinking about it! But I will share more about that later :)
We have sooooo many stories about Niko and all that he does! It is never a dull moment with him! I am so blessed and proud of my two year old. Thank you Lord that Niko is a boy who loves being challenged. I pray that he will use that special gift for your glory and allow himself to be challenged daily by You. I pray he will grow a desire to serve you and follow you always!
Our Nathaniel is growing like a weed! And here in El Paso the weeds grow and grow and grow... Nathaniel is all about smiling now. He opens his mouth when we talk to him and has big big smiles! He is now officially sleeping through the night! YAAAAAAAAAAAAY! There is still like one night out of the week where he has troubles but for the most part he is a sleeper! YES! Mommy is soo happy! Nathaniel also loves Niko! Niko comes around and always gives him kisses. I love how Niko loves Nathaniel :) Nathaniel won't take his eyes off of me. Once he's done eating he makes sure I'm still around. It's so cute. I love the way he looks at me! It's like I'm the most beautiful Mommy he's ever had! LOL! :) :) All to say my little blonde is not very little and I have a feeling he's going to past Niko in height. Thank you Lord, for allowing my little man to sleep through the night. Mikey and I are loving the rest we are getting. May Nathan grow and grow and grow but more may he grow a love for you and be a man after Your own heart.
Here are pictures and videos of our boys! Mikey put cubbies in Niko's room to separate and organize his room more. Niko has been good about knowing where all his toys go now. Enjoy all these different pictures!
