A quick update on Christian

This summer has been so great! I have absolutely loved being home with the kids. Christian did summer camp, we went swimming almost every day, there were day trips (not as many as I would like!) to the bay and beach. We spent tons of time with family and friends and generally did everything you would expect out of summer. It wasn't all fun and games though...we worked hard! Jared is still keeping up a grueling schedule with two jobs, and I also did bookkeeping for a local tax company. In addition to work, being pregnant during summer was basically the worst thing ever. There were so many days where I thought that I would never be cool again! But when I look back at all of our fun and adventure, I am so grateful for the time home that I got to spend with the kids.

Christian is growing like a weed. At his 4 year doctor appointment, they determined that he is the size of an average 7 year old. He is on their heart watch list and he recently had blood work done to see if he has the same genetic mutation as others in the Joyner family. We hope to receive those results soon. He has also started preschool...which has become the bane of my existence, but he is THRIVING. He has made a few friends, and although he is way ahead of other kids and isn't coming home learning a bunch of new things, the social and physical outlet has made all the difference for him and our family. He attends 5 days a week from 12:00-3:00. It is an absolute pain because I have to get him and the other kids out of the car twice a day (the second time during Leila's nap!) to sign him in and out, and that is just no fun at all. But as I am so often reminded, this will be my life for the next few years! He continues to be a chatter box, often getting lost in specific details. While it drives me crazy, I love to watch how his mind works as he thinks things through and applies it to what he already knows. He tends to correct people because he is sooooo specific, and that will definitely be a character trait we will have to work on as he gets older. However, although he may correct others in an unintentionally obnoxious way, he makes up for this with his kind and generous heart. Rarely will you see him raise his voice or his fists. He reaches out to anyone needing a friend, and speaks kindly to his friends and family.

At 4 1/2 Christian loves:
Dinosaurs
Dinosaur Train
The Santa Clause
Oatmeal
Sour Patch Kids
Lego sets
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles...especially Raphael and Michaelangelo!

His best friends are:
Elaine
Gavyn
Kaylen

Grandma took CJ and Elaine to Lake Tahoe for their first overnight vacation

Some of CJ's artwork on Snapchat

Building his very first Lego set. He LOVED it

Working on writing his letters

Mommy and CJ date

Time to clean up that mop of hair!

Two peas in a pod

He is so silly and makes me laugh constantly

Body Slam!

His little tan line!

He made a few new friends this summer - his favorite being Jaxton

Dad tried to be cool and create CJ's name....Christian was NOT impressed

Arts and crafts time! His least favorite, but he is tolerating it well

This is from his trip to Utah with Jared and Leila.

I love that he sleeps just like his Dad

Family Breakfast - it doesn't happen often and it was a nice treat!

He somehow got covered in dirt and he looked like a hobo!

Swimming in our backyard

And of course, his Mom is awesome and got pictures with his two favorite Ninja Turtles!

Christian, we love you! Thank you for being such a bright and joyful light in my life.

Leila Turns 2

Leila turned 2! It seems like she has been throwing temper tantrums since the day she was born, so in a way, it is nice to be able to brush off her fiestiness as just part of the terrible two's.

Here are some of the things I have learned about her lately:

1. She has a serious My Little Pony addiction.
2. Any soft stuffed animal makes her happy, and she carries a bag around full of them.
3. Leila has an intense love of animals and music.
4. Food she deems edible (and believe me, the list is short) is also usually dance-worthy.
5. She likes making funny faces.
6. If she could be the star of Big Fish, she would be. Water, is like breathing to her. She needs it to feel peace and is constantly trying to climb into the shower with me.
7. Mac and Cheese is inedible unless it is Kraft Easy Mac. I don't know why. I can't explain it.
8. Sliced strawberries are also inedible. After watching my BFF Emily feed her a TON of strawberries that I could never get her to eat, I realized the only difference was that the strawberries were whole! Picky, picky.
9. Although she thrives on independence, she really really likes  needs physical touch.
10. Since she has trouble regulating her body temperature, if there is a hot tub by the swimming pool that she can use to warm up, she can swim all day.

Here are some pictures for your viewing pleasure.

Mid-spin

In their Sunday best - probably one of my favorite pictures!

The pig-tails...so cute!

Costa Vida Rice and Beans have made her "edible" list

My water baby enjoying grapes after a long swim

I love everything about this picture. This is her post-drumstick face.

She loves skateboarding with Daddy

The Diva in her favorite place at the park.

The sleepy girl on her birthday

For her birthday, we celebrated by going to Black Bear Diner so she could have whipped cream and strawberries on her waffles. It was a fail! It must have been because the strawberries were sliced. ;)

We got her a bubble machine for her birthday. Excellent purchase. It has already gotten a TON of use.

Just some of her shenanigans. She fights so hard to be independent and ultimately, things like this happen.

Her favorite outfit.

Her My Little Pony collection is growing thanks to Auntie Beth!

This My Little Pony shirt was a gift she just opened and immediately wanted to put on over her birthday dress.

Blowing out her candles.

Anyone who knows me knows that raising Leila is the hardest thing I have ever done. She is spirited, independent, and knows exactly what she wants. Her trouble communicating (more on this to come) has just enhanced the problem for us.

HOWEVER

As I have changed my focus and started to treat her more apparent qualities as real strengths, instead of inconveniences, I am starting to really gain an appreciation and love for who she is. And with that appreciation, our relationship is healing. I know she is 2, but I almost feel like she is meeting me halfway. Instead of a continuous power struggle, there has been a lot more love and enjoyment. When I posted on Facebook on her birthday, I said, "You are the hardest thing I have ever done, and I thank God for you every day." I meant it. I am so grateful for this confident and strong willed little girl. She has the ability to be tough and sweet at the same time, and in a world like we are living in, I know she will be a strength to those around her. In fact, I had the chance to go back and read part of the words from her Baby Blessing that I wrote down.

"...We want to bless you with faith, courage and strength as you are here on the earth during the last days. We bless you to be a beacon to those around you, both to friends and family and that you will be the light that others are looking for...."

It wasn't until I re-read these words that I really gained some perspective into who she is. The fiestiness...that is actually strength, isn't it? Knowing what she wants and going for it? Courage. She is so strong and I think she is going to need to be, to be a beacon. Reading this has really changed my perspective with what I would have called her "lesser" qualities a few months ago. I just hope that I can raise her in a way that promotes these strengths, but mostly that I can just keep out of her way long enough to let her grow into who she is meant to be. Leila, I love you. Happy 2nd Birthday.

The Kiddos

My kids are at such a fun (and exhausting!!) stage right now! They are constantly making me laugh, and I am grateful for that!

Leila is almost 2, and still not talking much, but that doesn't stop her from having a huge personality! In the Joyner family, we know that Adalena is the original Diva, but Leila has become a close second. She can give looks that kill one minute, throw a tantrum worthy of a youtube video, and then snuggle in and hug you around your neck so tightly you never want to put her down. One of my favorite things she does right now is spin in circles, or pretend to go off balance and stick her arms out saying, "Whoa, whoa, whoooooaaaaa" and laugh. She is constantly pushing limits and reminding me that she is her own person. I never really understood how a parent could have a power struggle with their kids...I get it now. I constantly feel like she is fighting to be the alpha!

I caught her mid-spin

Daddy's girl

A cutie in pigtails

Swimming and grapes, what could be better?

It is chocolate, I promise!

Christian is a completely different kid. At four years old, he is definitely coming into his own. He can be loud and funny, or shy and sensitive. He constantly keeps me on my toes. In so many ways he reminds me of Jared; physically and especially his demeanor. Mostly though, he has Jared's knack for getting around rules without actually disobeying. One day, a few weeks ago, I took the kids to eat at the Mongolian BBQ place by our house. It was after the lunch rush but there were several people still sitting at tables eating. We had finished and I was waiting for Jared's to-go order to be finished and the kids were kind of running amuck. Christian was running up and down the aisle of tables with his arms out like an airplane and making funny noises. I called him over to me and said, "Christian! There are people eating and you are running by their tables and putting your arms in their faces. Stop it!".

So what did he do? He ran down the aisles with his arms out like an airplane, but ONLY if there was no one sitting at the table he was running by. If he ran by a table with someone eating, he would quickly put his hands by his sides until he was clear of them and then immediately restore his arms back to airplane position. I laughed because I was so impressed that he found a loophole!

Christian is also starting to get the hang of humor. Jared was watching Fast and Furious (6, I think), and toward the end of the movie there are two girls fighting in an airplane and one of them shoots the other girl with a harpoon gun and she goes flying out the back of the airplane. Well Christian comes in right as she is being shot out of the airplane and he says, "Whoa Dad. Did you see that?" and with arms outstretched he says, "She was like, 'I Believe I Can Fly'"! lol It was amazing.

Learning to fly a kite

Miniature Golfing

Drawing Ninja Turtles

When I was in Vegas, I saw these two and knew I needed to take a picture with them for Christian!

His grumpy morning face with customary cereal in his bowl with a straw...which is a must!