Hi! I feel like it’s been forever since I’ve done a little C+J update. Not that there is any huge news to share from them but it’s always fun to see where they are at certain stages of life. Especially after a year of uncertainty, lots of time spent together and a lot of growth (it’s funny when that happens when you least expect it).

School Plans This Year

Charlie is about to be 5 in September and Jack will be 3 in November. They are 26 months apart for those of you who are new around here! Charlie doesn’t start kindergarten until Fall 2021 because he misses the September 1 cut off here in Illinois. He will be doing another year of a 4’s program which honestly turned out to be a gift. Jack will be staying in a 2’s program until later this fall and then will finish the year in a 3’s class. Our boys do a preschool/daycare combo at their daycare which is curriculum based for half the day and the rest of the day is creative/social. We currently have them back at daycare 3 days a week and they are SO happy. It’s amazing what social interaction can do for their behavior. Our school is being extremely cautious of COVID and we feel really confident with all of their choices to keep it safe for the families and kids (things like smaller classrooms, masks, temperature checks, no parent contact with classrooms/teachers, constant cleaning, etc.). I have had numerous conversations with our pediatrician who has told me that it is the best choice we can do for them for now! If school shuts down again then at least they were able to spend time with their friends and teachers for whatever amount of time was available to them!

Charlie

Oh boy this child. It’s funny, with each stage you kind of look to your friends with older kids to ask “does 3’s get better? is 4’s better?” and just each age brings a whole new level of something. Charlie is a CHARACTER. A little entertainer who loves to get a good laugh out of you, is always going, going, going until he crashes and talks and yells and is loud just like his dad. But he is also sensitive, hates to see people sad, tells everyone they are his friend, loves his family so much, is so incredibly enthusiastic about EVERYTHING and just has the sweetest little (BIG) personality. He gets really frustrated when he doesn’t do something right the first time. He has high expectations for himself and never likes to disappoint anyone. I love watching his wheels turn inside his head. Always doing, drawing, puzzling, building, stacking, reading. He is my best little buddy, loves to help and accomplish things, loves to go do anything and everything but also loves to lounge on the couch with you.

Jack

In June, Jack got his tonsils and adenoids removed and a new set of tubes put in his ears (his second set). Over the past year and a half we had noticed numerous ear infections, ears draining, swollen lymph nodes in his throat, runny nose, fevers – it seemed like every other week he was fighting some sort of virus or on another medication. His first set of tubes done in February of 2019 was successful for about 5 months but then his right ear kept fighting infections which led to lots of drop antibiotics which eventually led to a fungal infection in his ear and then having to remove the tube all together in August 2019. We had been waiting for the left tube to fall out before addressing other issues and once it fell out in February we had planned to do some other tests to figure out if we wanted to move forward with removing his tonsils/adenoids.

Then COVID came in March and all plans were paused! Actually, at the start of COVID, Jack was on some medication for what was a high fever, swollen lymph nodes, yellow snot, etc. I had gone to the pediatrician assuming it was ear related but no ear infections, negative flu + RSV. He was sick for about 2 weeks (COVID?) but had these lymph nodes in his neck that remained swollen or almost 2 months later! So in MAY, we made an appointment with our ENT to get the ball rolling on his procedure and voicing concern over his lymph nodes. We ran numerous blood tests to check his levels and realized it was in his best interest to get his tonsils out with the other procedures (we were on the fence because he is so young and worry over the recovery). Turned out to be THE BEST DECISION EVER. Jack was a happy kid before but wow, night and day difference. I’m so so happy we decided to do everything in one full swing! The recovery was a good 10 days but he did way better than we expected.

His conversation has increased, his breathing is better, he is more active, less lethargic, his appetite has GREATLY improved. Just across the board it’s the best thing we could have done for him. Jack is our old soul. He is sensitive, needy, sweet. Whenever we are out he wants to go “back home.” He is happiest on the couch, cuddled up in your lap. He hates when any one of us is away from each other.

*also I always receive questions about Jack regarding the pacifier and potty training and sleep. We dropped the pacifier in March! He replaced it with his forefinger, ha. Jack is not potty trained. He isn’t showing any interest yet at all so not going to rush it. He is still in his crib but we are going to transition him and put him in a room with Charlie soon!

I was telling my mom that both of my boy’s entrances into the world are perfect examples of who they are. Charlie was born 7 days early and came into the world like he was riding a slip n’ slide (ha!) and with Jack I was induced 6 days late and he probably would have lived in my body forever. I love their differences and I’m so grateful for both of them. They have become the best little buddies the past few months and it’s so beautiful to watch their relationship and love grow.

I can’t believe how much they have grown in the past few months! You see them (all day) everyday and little by little nothing seems to change but then one day you look at them and they are 3 inches taller. It’s crazy! I’m so proud of them. These photos of them make me happy.

I stocked up on some of our favorite items for kids from the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale this year – items like these rainboots, new Adidas sneakers, our favorite Vineyard Vines shorts (so comfortable and cute!) and cozy fleeces for fall. Charlie asks me to wash these shorts every day because they are his favorite. They are that sport/almost golf short material but with an elastic band. My boys love them. I also have to talk about these Little Giraffe Luxe Baby Blankets because they are my boy’s most prized possessions, make the best gifts for new babes and I have their favorite colors stocked in case we lose their beloved “DeeDee.” They are pretty expensive for a baby blanket so getting them on sale is a must!

A big thank you to Nordstrom for sponsoring this post!