Sunday, May 13, 2012

Cohen Turns 4

Okay this obviously didn't JUST happen...I have been SOOOO behind on my blogging lately. His birthday was Feb. 4th, and it's hmmm.....May13th! LOL!! But I'm finally getting my act together. What do we say about Cohen. He is a very spirited little boy. He certainly loves life and loves giving us a run for our money! Enjoy the pictures of his birthday party (Which we had at the park on a friday morning with his friends from church -those that wern't in preschool that morning-, his little in home preschool group, and of course Grandma Skinner and cousin LaRae) , mingled with the Cohen-isms of late :).

 As you can see by his cake below, Cohen was going through a major Thomas the Train stage.  He loooooooooves Trains. 
 Cohen also loves his sister Brinley.  He is the first in her room when she wakes up in the morning or for a nap....he brings her toys and talks to her till I come in.  Sometimes he joins her in her crib.  Brinley LOVES him back.  Sure they like to torture each other sometimes....but Cohen is so sweet to her, always telling her "It's okay Binley"when she cries

Cohen loves to sing.  He is a touch behind on the communication ability....great memorizer, phenomenol empathizer....energetic joyful kid......but when it comes to asking him open ended questions (What did you do today?  What did you learn at school/church?), he tends to repeat the question.....and has no idea to formulate how to respond most of the time....We are having him tested through child find this summer. The reason I bring this up in regards to his singing... , he loves it so much and is so good at learning songs, that that has been the easiest way to get and keep his attention.  It's the way we teach him gospel principles and educational learning as well.  I'm so greatful for music and the fact that it's an avenue to talk and actually communicate with my son.  When I feel so frustrated I remember that heavenly father blessed me with that gift and passed it onto my son.  I feel progress when he sings "follow the prophet" " Families can be together" and "Choose the right" or "Reverently queitly"  that he's learning those things because of music.  I see the hand of god in my relationship with my son and I am so so so  greatful.


This Spiderman house/fortress below was his absolute favorite present he plas with it every day.
Okay, don't get me wrong, he is as rambunxious as they come, and at time a game of swords ends up being too rough and owies on everyone.....but Cohen is friendly, and loving, and even includes the little ones in his play.  I do an in home pre-pre school rotation with some girls in our ward.....and Cohen is very popular around the younger siblings...(1 or 2 year olds)  He is always there to greet them with hugs and kisses and brings them toys when they cry.....  He loves to play with friends his age too, he does better with one on one play dates, in groups he tends to drift by himself or to the younger kids.
We took the kids to the ward camp out a few weeks ago and shared a campsite with some friends of ours that have a son  a year older than Cohen and a daughter a year younger, and they looooooved it.  There were some woods that backed up to our camp spot and the three of them would go play.....I know I'm such a good mom lol....well they were gone for a little bit so I went to go find them....Cohen was stuck in a tree saying "mommy...mommy....mommy..." Anderson had a flashlight shining it on cohen, and Minnie had a hammer and looked at me with her long curls and glasses with a huge smile and said "we are hunting animals!!!!!" I looked at all three of them and just laughed and laughed and laughed.  It was pretty funny.

We have started a sticker award system ....he gets a sticker when he listens and obeys, or is kind to someone or if he helps around the house....10 stickers gets a movie...he's pretty hooked on Madagascar at the moment.....he calls it Alex...It's nice to have some negotiating power these days :)
He loves simon says, loves the beach, loves to dance, LOVES to be tickled.  Loves to play with friends. 
He can count to 30, knows his abc's and the sounds that each of the letters make...he doesn't really like to color but he really likes painting.


Crazy kids :)  He has lots of friends.


He is such an important peice to our family puzzle.  He brings so much light and love into our lives and I thank God every day that he trusted ME with him.