Phase Change Recollections

It's tough to keep up with all of the different social networks that we are on. I currently only maintain a few of my accounts, namely with Instagram, Facebook, and Blogger. One challenge with having all these is posting news. Facebook and Instagram keep me connected with friends and family, but the blog is our family history. So when I make a big announcement, like we are expecting baby number three in October, it doesn't always make it to the blog as quickly as it is announced to the world. We are eagerly anticipating #3's arrival.

Deep thoughts, by Finn

Finn's vocabulary has been exploding lately. A few things he has been saying and doing lately include:

• "I don't want to"
• He has brought Madie to tears by going up to her, pointing at her and repeating with each fervent point, "Baby. Baby."
• Nods his head and knows how to use it
• Says hi to everyone, even if it's pouring rain and we are driving by someone that is walking outside

Madie Takes a Big Step Forward

Madie has always had a very sweet side to her. When she turned three, this changed into the thrashing three's....and formidable fours. Something has changed these past couple of months. She has noticeably matured in her ability to deal with challenges, be more helpful than usual, and is becoming much more independent. Not as many meltdowns, either. I don't know if something shifted during our trip to Utah, or not. Whatever it is, things have been better. She has been extra sweet and patient to Finn despite his aggressions toward her. When we got back from Utah, we brought Kaitlyn's purple comforter for Madie to use on her bed. The morning after putting that comforter on her bed, she had taken the initiative to make her bed without being asked. She has been doing that every day since.

A funny thing that Madie has been doing the past few months is reciting movie scenes while holding movie covers. For example, she can easily sit down for over an hour and hold the cover to Frozen and recite entire scenes and sing all the songs. Who needs figurines when you've got movie covers? Honestly, I've thought about getting her some figurines but I think she would prefer the movie covers.

Another funny thing was when she requested that I read her Pinkalicious. I think we have read this book hundreds of times, and checked it out from the library repeatedly. While I read, sometimes I'll substitute names or words with more familiar names/words. While reading Pinkalicious, I tried this tactic and was corrected immediately. By the third correction, she looked at me and said "Dad, how about I just read this book to you." I was taken aback, but handed her the book to see how she would do. She pulled the book from me, opened to the first page, and started reciting word for word from memory (she doesn't know how to read yet). This isn't a 5 page cardboard page book. This is like a >15 page book with at least 2-3 sentences per page. Some have 5-6, and she nailed it! She's got an incredible memory. She mastered the first Article of Faith in about ten minutes.

Mal Stirs the Pot

Mal just finished participating in Acadia Community Theater's Les Miserables. She played the role of the woman that is mean to Fantine in the factory. You can see the video here. She did an excellent job and put in a lot of hard work and time, along with everyone else involved. They have been working on this since the beginning of the year, so a long time coming.

The Promotion

I was promoted to Manager, Environmental Health & Safety Operations at work last week. It's something that has been discussed since last October and has finally come to fruition. I've been building a strong resume with great work experience during my short career, but had I been an outside candidate there is no way I would be considered for this position. Many of my coworkers and upper management have expressed great confidence in my abilities, and I'm certainly up for the challenge. Although the responsibilities significantly increase, it will be a huge blessing to our family in the long-term.