update on kids

Jeremiah had his 7-month check last week. He was 18 pounds already! This may not seem too amazing to some, but considering that my others were around 15 or 16 pounds on their first birthdays, this astounds me! At 3 1/2 years Ruthi is around 24 pounds and Joshua just topped 40 pounds at 6 1/2. As big as he seems to me, Jeremiah is pretty "average" weighing in at the 45% on the growth chart (for your standard 7-mother, not even age-adjusted for his month-early birth) and about 60% for height.

Everyone says Jeremiah is a carbon copy of Rick. Such a cutie (yes, both the Daddy and the son)! He still has an almost-non-stop smile and the most contagious giggle. He's been able to get up onto all fours for a good couple of weeks now and has gotten one or two knee steps toward crawling, but still hasn't really figured it out quite yet. But he has finally figured out how to scoot backwards across the floor on his tummy at a pretty good rate of speed, so is becoming noticeably mobile and less frustrated than his beached-whale tummy swimming of last month. That is, at least the frustration is abated until he backs himself into someplace and can't figure out how to get out again.

If Jeremiah's Rick's carbon copy, I guess Ruthi is mine. Though I never noticed quite so much physical resemblance until I skipped her standard pony tails and pulled her hair back into a big girl hair style (like I was wearing) for church this morning. Looking in the mirror together I was shocked at the "mini-me" reflection looking back, next to my own. Ruthi's going through perhaps a belated adjustment to having a new baby in the house, wanting to herself be a baby and acting out with some frustrating discipline issues. We are praying for wisdom in how to help her through this season. But she is also a wonderful little "Mommy" both to her baby brother and to her host of dolls and stuffed animals. I'm so thankful that God gave us a little girl.

Joshua is striving to become a carbon copy of Jesus. :) This little boy has such a tender heart. Obviously, far from perfect, but yearning to please both God and loved ones. Whatever he puts his hand and heart to, he does with gusto! Right now his passions are "Paper Mario" and "Harvest Moon" on his game player. We continue to pray to find some special young men in our neighborhood with whom to build solid friendships, but Joshua certainly enjoys playing with several little girls on our stree, especially Chloe who is exactly (to the day) 8 months younger and who will bringing a baby sister home from China soon. Joshua excells in reading, math, spelling and geography and also loving science, history, and anything to do with nature. His memory and aptitude for acquiring facts astound both Rick and I - neither of us were anywhere near his skill levels at his age. What a joy to help him daily seek out knowledge in his never-ending quest to learn.