JJ Update

With the move of Sam downstairs to share a room with Peprah, JJ immediately claimed the TOP bunk in his room where Sam used to sleep. In his own words he says he is moving up top “because Samuel will be too scared to sleep up there.” Now, JJ is not the most daring of individuals I have ever met, so I wasn’t sure if he would actually end up being too scared to sleep up there! But, he proved me wrong! 4 days in a row of being a top-bunker and still going strong! JJ has had quite a blast the past week re-organizing all the rooms, helping Sam & Peprah settle into their room, getting a dresser all to himself, and figuring out what clothes he wants in which drawers. Seriously, he loves packing, unpacking, organizing, picking up, putting away, etc. In fact, each night we go around and share our high point and low point from the day - and on Sunday (room moving day) his high was getting to organize his room! (His low was when Jayla tore his freshly colored picture off his bulletin board). Jake and I joke that someday he is going to probably work for the moving company Two Men & A Truck. He is still playing hotel at least once a day!!! Here he is driving to the hotel. He roped Jayla into going on this road trip….

More than once Jake and I have been searching for an item such as our deodorant stick, or Jayla’s toothbrush, or a book, and now we’ve figured out that the first place we should always look is in JJ’s suitcases!!!!

JJ is also really enjoying taking pictures. He’s always wanting to take my camera and snap some shots. The other day at the park he took this one at the top of the playset….

Thought it turned out kind of cool!

JJ has also found a new love for Berenstain Bears books! My mom was cleaning out and found my old set of probably about 50 of the BB series books. So, she sent them over, and that is all JJ wants to read now. The little lessons in each book are actually really good because a lot of the issues that brother and sister bear go through in the books are what we are going through with JJ and Jayla. Like tattling. Somewhere along the line, JJ has begun tattling on Jayla for anything and everything. I wasn’t quite sure how to handle it or put a stop to it. Then I read what Mama Bear said in her book, “tattling is telling just to be mean.” Good definition Mama Bear. I think I can take it from there.

JJ is now also able to re-tell the happenings of the day in story form. So, he can give Jake a little recap of things that we did, complete with sound effects, voice changes, excitement, sadness, seriousness, etc. It’s one of my favorite things now to just listen to him talk about the day from his perspective. It just makes me realize how observant he is with all of the little details that he remembers.

Lastly, I have to share this picture….

The other night after dinner and baths I was busy folding laundry and Jake was working on his computer at the kitchen table. JJ had been helping me fold, and then he disappeared for awhile. After about 10 minutes I went looking for him and I ended up finding him downstairs hanging in Peprah’s room! Peprah was doing his homework and JJ was content as could be just hanging out and watching cartoons! :)