Eliot You Are 4! An Update

At your pre-school graduation ceremony

Surprise surprise, this update is overdue but this time it's just a couple of months late! There have been lots of changes in the time since your last update too!

General/Milestones



I suppose the biggest change that is about to happen any day now is that you're about to become a big brother. You're not exactly excited at this prospect but I'm sure once your new sibling is here and things have settled down you will love being a big brother. You are keen to have a sister so we have been working on helping you understand it might be a brother which at times you are really not happy about! You have said you want to push the pram and help change (non poop) nappies so I'm looking forward to your assistance.

You are also about to start 'big school' which you have told a couple of people you are 'worried about'. It is a big change as you were so settled in your pre-school and had lots of lovely friends but you are soooo ready for Reception and you'll make lots of new friends which is part of the adventure!

You don't realise it yet but you love to learn, you ask questions and soak up lots of different information like a sponge. I think you will be much better at maths than mummy was, you count to 20 and beyond recognizing the numbers, if there is an unfamiliar number on a bus you will ask which number it is. You know the 'plus' and 'minus' symbols from one of your number puzzles and have an understanding of what they mean. I have a feeling math's is going to be one of the things you most enjoy at school.

You still enjoy books, mainly at bedtime but there are occasions where you will sit and look through a book by yourself, telling the story. We went through a phase of  practicing letter sounds with your alphabet cards every night, you know the alphabet sounds and can read and spell bus, cat, dog and a few other words.

You're still not keen on drawing and writing but have started to draw pictures of people which are very cute! You occasionally spontaneously decide your going to try and write something, like the other week when your tried writing letters from your name.

Before the summer holidays you did have a settling in morning at your new school which you went in to confidently and before pre-school broke up you had a graduation ceremony which made mummy very emotional! You were given a certificate and leaving gift by your key worker, Lisa who you you enjoyed joking around with and called 'pineapple head'.

 

 Earlier on in the year with the help of some of your pre-school staff we made a break through with potty training! You use the toilet independently, although there are still times you avoid going and hold wee in. We're still working on poo's but you have made such progress to where you were at Christmas.

 Your behaviour continues to be extremely challenging at times, when you're good you're really really good but when your at the other end of the spectrum you like to push boundaries to the limit or have epic meltdowns. I must add though you were a complete angel at pre-school so I hope your good behaviour carries on in your new school!

You had your three year boosters at the beginning of the year, it was a struggle to even get you in the room. There was a nurse on either arm ready to get the two injections over together. I had phoned to pre-warn the nurse of your phobia but I don't think she realised how difficult you would be. Thankfully we are over and done with all your immunisations, so hopefully there won't be anymore injections for some time!
You did have tonsillitis in June which meant you needed antibiotics which was a bit of a nightmare as you don't take medicine. Four times a day was a challenge but we bribed you with sweets and a sticker chart. You would let pre-school staff give you the antibiotics without any objections which was rather frustrating.
 

 Eating



Over recent weeks you have all of a sudden become quite fussy with food, you ate cheese (cheddar) and cheese sandwiches like there was no tomorrow! Then one day you declared 'I don't serve cheese anymore!'. So you've quit eating cheddar but will have soft cheese sandwiches, you've also gone off cucumber saying you don't want it. You do still love egg and will request egg sandwiches or an egg!
Of course you still love naughty foods and would quite happily eat them all the time. As I've said before I know you ate more of a range of foods at pre-school so hopefully you will do the same at school.

Not keen on having a picture with mummy at your pre-school graduation

Sleep

You were sleeping through pretty much every night until around June. You have been waking up most nights and getting into bed next to mummy. I think all the changes that are due to happen are playing on your mind and this is disturbing your sleep.

On a trip to Southend with Nana J & big cousin Ella

Weight

I'm sure you've been weighed at some point but I'm not sure how much you weigh at the moment.

 

Clothes

You are wearing most clothes in size 4-5 years. Some 3-4 clothes still fit but as I've said before it can vary so much though depending on where the clothes are from. You do seem to have had a growth spurt and are as tall as some children who are a year older than you.

Pretending you've just had a workout at the gym!

 

Likes/Dislikes

Likes...

•  Trains & buses (still)
• Making traffic jams with all your vehicles
•  Toy Story (still)
• PJ Masks and Transformers Rescue Bots
•  Playing games such as snakes and ladders
• Playing rough games with daddy
• Going on train, tube and bus journeys

Dislikes...

• Hand dryers, if we're in a public toilet you'll sing 'I don't like the dryer' over and over again to stop other people from using them, even though you use them on some occasions.
•  Showers
•  The dark.
• being told off
• consequences
• Queues and waiting

And Then You Were 3 (and a half)...An Eliot Update

This update has been sitting in my drafts since just after you turned three back in June but I just haven't got round to writing it! So it's more of a three and a half update!

General/Milestones

You have progressed soooo much since I wrote your last update , I'm not even sure where to start!
You are a real chatterbox and your vocabulary has continued to grow, people have commented how well you talk for your age. You started reading print in the environment last year when your were two. Back in November 2015 Grandad told me you pointed to a jar of marmalade and said 'Tesco' as that's where it was from and you recognised the branding. Since then you have learned pretty much all the supermarket names as well as other familiar print that is seen out and about. Whenever we drive by a supermarket lorry, you always call out the name of the shop.

You still enjoy stories, especially at bedtime although you often request the same couple of books for several nights running! I bought you some alphabet cards and have gone through letter sounds with you, although we haven't done this for a long time! You recognise a few sounds but are definitely more interested in numbers at the moment. You count to 14 before getting muddled and recognise numbers to 12 and a few random numbers that you've seen on buses, like 88!
At the moment you're not really interested in 'writing' but will usually happily 'write' in cards for people, holding the pen/pencil/crayon with your whole hand.
Not much has changed with what you most enjoy playing with, you're still obsessed with buses and trains but you have also developed a liking for Toy Story after we went on your first holiday abroad to Disneyland Paris in the summer.

You play with different children at pre school now and often talk about them at home. It was lovely to hear that you've become 'best friends' with a little boy who struggled to settle at his previous nursery but you have helped him get used to his new setting. You do have a lovely caring side to you.
You are very confident and will happily talk to anyone and will wander off which worries me!

We've seen the podiatrist a couple of times but she's not worried about your walking on tiptoes and doesn't think you have any problems with your feet. It has improved a great deal and you don't do it very often anymore.
We have two big battles at the moment, potty training and your behaviour. Back in the summer you deiced all by yourself to use the potty by yourself to go for a poo and then did one again after that, you were so proud! Since then you have not been keen on the idea of using a potty or toilet, I thought you would get into the swing of it with your friends at pre school but unfortunately you got yourself in a bit of a state getting upset and holding wee in for hours, so we have stopped trying for the moment.

You continue to be a happy little chap, but your behaviour can be extremely challenging, you are a 'threenager' for sure!

You woke up with chicken pox on Christmas day but I suppose  a good thing is that we've got it out of the way now. I was due to book your immunisation boosters but have delayed that due to you having chicken pox. I'm dreading it because you have  massive needle hatred and hated having the meningitis jab.

Celebrating your 3rd Birthday with a trip to the transport museum

 Eating

Overall you are a pretty good eater, your current favourite has to be cheese sandwiches which you request way too much! You still enjoy pasta, yoghurt, cucumber and all the naughty things that you shouldn't eat too much of. Your love of banana has dwindled and you rarely eat it but you have begun to eat cooked carrot. I do know you eat more of fruit and veg at pre-school.
 

Sleep

You haven't napped for a very long time but I still  think you could do with a short one as you often fall asleep if we're in the car.

At night you usually sleep through but there are occasions when you wake up crying but you usually settle fairly quickly. I do have to stay with you until you fall asleep at bedtime.

 

Weight

You haven't been weighed recently.

Having fun at the river festival

Clothes

You are wearing clothes in sizes 3-4 and 4-5 years. It can vary so much though depending on where the clothes are from. 

Likes/Dislikes

Likes...

•  Trains & buses (still)
•  Toy Story
• Dinosaur Train (TV progamme)
•   Harrassing Mimi which upsets mummy...alot
• Playing with daddy

Dislikes...

• Hand dryers (still) although you use the one at pre school apparently
•  Smoke alarms
•  The dark.
• being told off
• consequences

A story By Dummy..

You were around two weeks old when I first gave you a dummy, from the start you were pretty keen and your journey with dummies began....

They were a huge comfort and helped you get through your short stay in hospital when you were admitted for pyloric stenosis at six weeks old.

 

They of course were one of the things that helped you drift off to sleep and calm you down when you were tired or cranky...

Keeping you happy when out to lunch!

Keeping you calm after dinner at Bluestone

Yep, for almost two years, dummies were a very good friend of yours (and mummy & daddy!)



You made them look cool in your own kinda way!



They helped your patience when mummy made you do a blogging related craft activity!

And kept you company whilst walking on our first family holiday

Even the dummy was chosen over chocolate on  your first Easter!



 

 

 And again this year, your dummy helped comfort you when you spent the night in hospital after a febrile convulsion.

 

For almost two years, dummies were a big part of your life but one day mummy decided it was time for the dummies to go. I knew you would be ok without your dummy, the time was just right. I was aware there might have been difficult times and times I would be tempted to give you a dummy but you were a star!

Its been three months since you had a dummy, you really are a grown up boy!

 

xxx

 

If anyone one would like to hear how and why I got rid of Eliot's dummy be sure to check out my video :)



Eliot's 2 Year Update

 

This update is way overdue Mr Eliot as you turned two, two months ago!Sooo much has changed since the last update...

General/Milestones

You started pre-school back in April which you seem to enjoy. Apparently when daddy drops you off sometimes you don't want to leave him but once he's gone play happily. We had your first parents evening back in July! Tracey, your key worker said you're doing really well, you love messy play and cars (we knew about the cars!) She said your language was great for your age and that you play nicely alongside others. You're not quite at the stage of playing with the other children yet but you do love playing with your cousin Ella.

You love playing with Ella!

Your language has come on leaps and bounds, you have so many words in your vocabulary and pick up new words all the time! We have to be very careful what we say as you repeat things!!! You can put simple sentences together, everyone comments on how good your language is.

We had your two year health check the other day and the health visitor was happy with where you're at. You are 93.3cm tall now and the health visitor said you would be about 6ft when you stop growing. A tall boy! She said your slightly heavy for your height but I think you are going to be a boy who has a rugby player build!

We spoke about potty training which I don't think you're quite ready for yet. You've had a go at sitting on the potty but not used it, you did put your toys in there though!

I spoke to the health visitor about you walking on your tip toes, with and without your shoes on. She has referred you to see a podiatrist so we are waiting for the appointment.

Overall you are still such a happy little chap, you can be demanding and difficult at times which can be difficult but you are clearly a determined little boy. Terrible twos are in action for sure!

We are very proud of you, especially with your development you can count to ten, you understand what two objects are and will count them. You talk so well and have started to say please and thank you without being reminded.

 Play wise you are still obsessed with vehicles and play with your cars, lorries, buses and trains all the time. You also get very excited about trains and buses when we are out too.

We took you to a trial session at Little Kickers football last weekend, you enjoyed it but pretty much wanted to do your own thing! I think we are going to enrol you though so you have a hobby!

A rather big thing is that we took your dummy away before you turned two, you quickly forgot about it and didn't ask for one after a day or two of not having one.

 

 

Eating

Apparently at pre-school you eat really well, often asking (demanding) for more. At home you can be slightly fussy at times although there are some foods like cucumber and strawberries that you will eat now when you wouldn't before.

Your favourite food has to be pasta, you always ask for pasta! You're also quite partial to a Happy Meal but obviously we limit those! If we drive past a McDonalds though, you do request to go in.

 

With Nana J

Sleep

If we're out for the day or you're at pre school, you won't have a nap but that does lead to you being tired and cranky. If we're just at home I put you down for a sleep and you usually nap for about two hours.

At night you have been waking up crying sometimes. I'm not entirely sure why. I think it may be down to back teeth coming through and definitely down to bad dreams. At Nana's you said there was horse in 'mummy's bed' so I think you had a nightmare. You still talk about the 'horsey' now!

Sometimes when you are unsettled during the night I've brought you into bed with us. You fidget and wriggle around a LOT!

 

Weight

At your two year check up with the health visitor you weighed 16.8kg.

 

Clothes

You have grown a lot and mostly wear clothes aged 2-3 years but also fit into 3-4 years! It's crazy how sizing differs in different shops!

 

Puddle Splashing

 

Likes/Dislikes

Likes...

•  Puddles
•  Vehicles
• You love playing with your big cousin Ella
•   The cats, although you have been testing the boundaries with Mimi and stroking her too roughly
• Peppa Pig

Dislikes...

• Hand dryers but they don't seem to bother you as much as they did
•  Smoke alarms
•  Horses. You cried your eyes out when a horse trotted over to us.
• The Dyson
• Wasps