Baby Book Entry for Lincoln

I could not resist blogging about our youngest, fattest toddler - Lincoln (aka "FatFat", "LumpLump", Lumpy Bear", "LubLub").  His baby book is in a sorry state (as is usually the case for babies who arrive anywhere after second place!) and I don't want to forget just how amazing he is at this age - 28 months!

He has always been mammoth a big boy and unlike Adam, kept his health and muscle and fat as he grew into toddlerhood.  He met his milestones and his silly, playful personality blossomed.  He loved to copy his older siblings and try to keep up with everything that they do.

But at 27months, we weren't really paying attention to his motor skills and the extent of his vocabulary was "Mahmoo", "Dahdoo", "car", and "star."  With the speech and motor and auditory processing delays we've seen in Adam (4) and the auditory and sensory processing delays in Reagan (7), I guess we just didn't think twice about fretting over where Lincoln would fall in his development.  We just expected to meet whateever needs he may have, as the Lord led us - just as with the others.

Just last month, however, we were surprised to see a huge jump in his development - namely his speech but also in other areas.  In just a few days of time he moved from starting with 1-word communication to using 3 words in a sentence!  We were shocked that he could sing many of the words to his favorite nursery rhymes.  He could ask for "want more nuts" or "need a coat" or "read a book."  He sings "Jesus Loves Me" with us already! All from nothing!  Obviously he had been quietly soaking up all the world's input around him.

We also noticed that he is able to do fine motor activities such as gripping crayons (something that Adam has only recently started doing) and playing with big brother's tiny Le*go sets.  He started using his sign language at the same time the words started coming out (we'd tried signs for the last 12 months since he wasn't talking, but to no avail!!). He doesn't fall down all the time or sit funny or turn his legs funny but runs as fast as he can after his siblings and piles on top of them.  He can climb in and out of crib on his own (again Adam could not so this surprised us) and turn door knobs to open them.  He will not be left behind and insists on doing everything that he can  by himself - zipping, feeding himself, putting on his shoes, page turning, playdough, coloring.  His independent nature amazes us - he is the most determined of the four for sure!

We've also noticed that he knows his colors and most of his shapes.  He seems to be learning them from the things that Adam works on (at home and at perschool) and from the tons of books that he insists on being read to him (thankfully Reagan loves to read to him too)!  Tonight as I was being silly with him at bedtime, I noticed that he could copy any face that I made at him - sad, mad, puckered lips, silly half opened mouth.  This seemed strange that he could actually do this!  Is this what 2yo's  are supposed to be able to do??  I don't recall these details from my others (certainly not Adam) since I don't write enough of it down nor can remember far enough back.  I would like to think that our new food plan helped to jumpstart this progress (Ms. Speech Therapist has seen a huge improvement in Adam as well), but I don't know - only that his speech showed up the week after we started the diet. Hmmmm...

Anyway, I just had to get these things down....before they slip away and out of my memory and into the chaos and noise and busyness of life.  The unique personality and development of our fourth little blessing just thrills me and reminds me of God's obvious work in our family!