Stories of the Heaths: Daily Life in October

The weather is getting colder and Preston is getting older and needs more stimulating play. I have had to get a little more creative (steal ideas from pinterest and other friends) on how to keep Preston busy. I got this idea from Lanae while she was here. I filled a pan with water and dish soap then gave Preston a straw to blow bubbles. After sucking in water once he learned his lesson to remove the straw before breathing.

He got very good at getting the bubbles to build up

With a little of my help we got them really big.

Of course one of the best parts was splashing and making them all pop. Since then he likes to blow bubbles in everything. A treat for him is a big cup with a little milk and a straw.

Our time to play on the slides is quickly coming to an end. He still loves every second of it. I love when he counts off for himself whenever he starts to run or just before going down the slide.

"set, set..." (in his whisper voice) "doe" (how he says go)

I've been a little worried how Preston would respond when his sister gets here but after seeing how much he loves infants and just wants to hold and take care of them I think he will love having a little sister. I'm sure there will still be some adjusting and acting out as he learns his new place but nothing will be sweeter than watching him love his little sister.

This is his cousin Grant. He doesn't cry when we hold him because he wants our attention like we thought he would. He cries when we hold him because he wants to be the one holding him.

At the end of September and beginning of October Preston had quite a few sick days. He was cranky and didn't want to do anything so I let him watch the TV and use the tablet more often than normal. Who doesn't like watching movies when they are sick? On days like that it's the only way I got anything as simple as loading the dishwasher done. Little did I know I was just feeding a fire. This kid loves screens. Especially when the screen has Mater or Lightning McQueen on it. When he finally started feeling better he was a bit addicted to the tablet and got so mad when we took it away or just didn't let him have it. I first tried limiting his use but it's hard to decide when one situation is acceptable to use it as a babysitter and another isn't. I finally hid the tablet and said absolutely no use for at least a week. It's been several weeks now and the tablet is still on the high shelf in our room. We have given him our phones to play with when there is nothing we can do to make him sit still, like when I'm at the doctor's office and I've turned movies on the TV when I go to take a shower but the beast has been tamed and our lesson has been learned.

This was one of the first "no tablet" days. He had been looking in it's normal place in my nightstand then came to sit on the chair thinking I was getting the tablet ready for him. Much to his surprise, I was not getting the tablet. I was getting books. I was thrilled to see that he was just as excited about reading. Unfortunately the books don't keep his attention as long as a flashing screen but they work in most cases.

One of our new favorite activities is sticking pipe cleaners in the strainer or threading them with cheerios.

I went looking for a white sheet at the DI and came out with some treasures for Preston. This giant truck and train were a dollar each. Best two dollars spent. He barely let the cashier ring them up and even though they were a little difficult to have them both on his lap in the car he insisted. He's had them a week now and he still pushes the truck around all day (the train is his second choice if he wants one for each hand or needs one for daddy to push). If he's upset about anything all I have to say is "where's your truck?" and all is forgotten as he goes to play with it.

My good friend Camrie had to go back to work two days a week now that her little Jackson is 6 weeks old. I am lucky enough to watch him on Mondays. This last Monday was our first time and it was so fun having a little baby in the house again and getting a taste for what it might be like having two. If it's like that then life will be great. I just need to have my patience level stay like that and Preston has to have good days every day.

Just watching Jackson sleep

I remember going to the Peppermint Place all the time growing up. It was a candy factory and store. It's been a long time since we have gone because they closed. A little over a month ago I noticed a sign near Jared's work announcing the opening of the Peppermint Place. The little girl within got really excited to be able to share with my husband and son what I used to love doing with my family. This week my mom and I finally decided to take the kids and check it out.

They don't do extensive tours like they used to but it was still fun to watch them do some of the detail work and stock up on their seconds of succors, candy sticks, and peppermint powder.

Proof that he is an addict, We were in a store full of candy and the most exciting thing that Preston kept coming back to were the statues of lightning McQueen and Mater.