Drew stuff

I feel like we have turned over a new leaf with this kid.  He has been so pleasant lately.  Not that he didn't have pleasant days before, but we were all having a rough go at it for a little while there.  Mike had this epiphany after our Utah trip that if we gave him something to work toward, it would help with his attitude.  He was reintroduced to skylanders when we were in Idaho and came back talking about nothing else.  We found a great deal on a starter pack, 3 figures and the game, and told him that if he worked on being polite and didn't pitch any fits for a few days, he could get the game and one character and then earn the others after that.  I'm telling you, it transformed that kid.  He was so excited and so into it.  We practiced consistency as he worked toward his goals and ultimately, we just wanted to get him into good habits.  He has earned 1 more since then and is working on Freeze Blade next.  He still has his moments when he gets really frustrated or forgets to ask nicely or practice patience but I think we are headed in a good direction.

I've started making sure to give him more 1-on-1 time too because he thrives when he gets that.  It is hard with 2 little sisters dominating a lot of my time and I'm so used to him being independent.  I am trying to cherish his cute little self more and more and it is helping us both.  He is absolutely precious to me. 

He is SOOOO good with Jillian.  I cannot even count all the times that my mama heart melts when I see them together.  She smiles so big when he comes around.  This morning he woke up and started playing skylanders so when he came in the kitchen for breakfast (I only had to tell him once that it was ready and he came, y'all, I'm telling you...new kid!)  and saw her in the chair, he said "Jilly!! I haven't seen you all day, sweet girl!"  My heart couldn't handle it!

He and Susanna are kind of their normal selves together.  Sometimes they play well together and sometimes the fight like I don't even know what.  He lets her get under his skin so quickly and she totally knows it.  I still think they are each other's best friends though, and I absolutely love that.  All-in-all, he is a great big brother.  He is learning new lessons every day and sometimes the things he says just amaze him.  There is a video on the Mormon Channel app that he loves to watch about bullies and we watched a new one last night that he requested to watch again and again because he recognized the story from church on Sunday.  He asked why the boy gave away his coat and so we talked about how we can bless other people by being generous and giving.  

He said he wanted to keep his all of his shirts!  And we told him he can, but that the lesson is really about loving people the way Jesus loves us and sharing our blessings with those around us.  I'm not sure he fully grasped it, but we're working on it!  He's a hoot ;)