Nature vs. Nurture

As an educator, and now as a parent, I have often thought about the nature vs. nurture debate. I am of the opinion that both play a role in a child's development, but I am unsure how much influence each has. Some "nature" traits are obvious - I look at Jack and he definitely has Troy's skin tone that tans in about 5 minutes; Brett already seems to have my skin tone so he will forever be putting on sunscreen (poor guy!). Other "nature" traits are a little more mysterious, but definitely on the nature side - sometimes when I look at Jack sleeping, I can see something in his face that reminds me of my dad. I can't pinpoint what it is, but it is definitely there. However, there are so many things I see in my kids, especially Jack as he develops more, that I can't figure out if they are traits that he was simply born with that have been handed down through a series of genes, or if I somehow subconsciously pass these traits on to him without even realizing. Here are some of my daily mysteries:

• When Jack is tired, he loves it when I gently stroke his hair when he lays his head on my lap. I remember my mom doing this to me. I can still remember feeling soothed and calmed by this. I don't know if I instinctually did this with my child, or if somewhere in my memories I remembered the feeling and wanted to pass it on to my own child.
• I am a worrier. My mom has told me that her mother was a worrier. She said if my grandma didn't have anything to worry about, she would worry about that! That sounds just like me. I already see a little bit of a worrier emerging in Jack. My mom fell on some ice at Christmas. Jack must have asked about 20 times throughout the day if Gran was going to be ok.
• Troy gives me a hard time that my kids get the "gift of gab" from my side of the family. I admit that the Sinclairs are storytellers. We like to tell every detail of an event, which makes our stories long. But I also think of it as a way we share our history. I know my family better through the stories we have all told. Jack has picked up this trait. He will tell long stories and provide many details. Even Brett will coo and gurgle more than any other baby I have ever seen. We'll take the gift!
• My dad is a gifted writer. Perhaps he missed his calling. All of his children are also writers, to some degree. While these days I am sometimes too tired to put a sentence together, I know the skill and the talent are there. Jack is already showing signs of being a potential writer. He loves to read books. A few weeks ago I asked him if he wanted to make up our own story like one of the books we read. He loved it and wanted to do it over and over!
• My mom has told me that my Grandpa Sinclair was an excellent house painter. I love painting. I was truly disappointed when I was pregnant with Jack that I could not help paint his nursery because I wasn't allowed to paint. Lately, Jack has been asking me to get out the paints because he wants to make something "beautiful."
• I am an organizer. For me, everything has a place. I remember my house being that way when I was growing up, so I know my mom is an organizer, too. Jack definitely has this trait. He knows exactly where all his toys go and will get irritated if they get put away in the wrong spot.

Why Jack Loves Playgroup

I asked Jack today what he liked about going to playgroup. Here are his answers:

• I like to play with the trucks - the bulldozer, and the digger, and the one with the long thing on it. (He had to ask me if I had written all that down because I initially just wrote trucks!!)
• I like to play kickball with the Little Mermaid ball.
• I like to play with Gracie.
• I like to eat Cheerios for the snack when we hear the story. (Although I don't remember there ever being Cheerios for snack!)
• I like the songs.

I loved getting to take Jack to playgroup when I was off on leave. I know Jack loved going, as well. I am so grateful that my sister is willing to pick him up from daycare on Thursdays and take him to playgroup with her now that I am back at work. It is just one of the multitude of things she does to help me out! She is always willing to watch my kids, to pick things up for me at the store, and deliver whatever she has picked up or I have forgotten at her house to my doorstep! I am so lucky to live right down the street from her so she and I can see each so often, but also so our kids can grow up together. I am very blessed to have a sister that is as wonderful as mine and is also my best friend!

Here are some pictures of Jack at playgroup the last time I got to go with him:

Brett at 4 Months

I can't believe Brett is already 4 months old! He is turning into such a little character!

• Brett has truly lived up to his nickname, Chunky Monkey. At his check up he weighed 16 lbs., 11 oz. That put him in the 90th percentile for weight. He measured 25 inches long, which put him in the 50th percentile for height.
• Brett is such a smiley baby! If you just look at him and smile he will give you a huge grin back! I love to look at him and smile when he first wakes up because he gets this happy look that I'm sure says, "Hey, I didn't know you would be here when I woke up!"
• Brett is a huge eater! He still wants to eat about every three hours. He tried cereal for the first time and ate the entire bowl!
• Brett is a mover and shaker! When I was pregnant with him I used to talk about how much he moved in there. I joked that he was having his own party in my belly! Now that he is out, I can see what he was doing in there! He gets excited and his little arms and legs get wild!

Here are some pictures from this month:

Brett in the exersaucer for the first time: The big belly!!

The first tastes of real (sort of) food:

5 Things...

In the spirit of being more grateful for my blessings, here are some thoughts... 5 Things I Love About Jack:

1. Without me ever teaching or encouraging it, Jack likes to put everything away where it goes. He will tell people where his toys go.
2. He knows the "real" names of at least a dozen dinosaurs.
3. When he gets hurt and I ask him if he wants ice or a band-aid, he usually says, "I ok, Mama. I a tough guy."
4. He will play football or baseball for as long we will let him. We have yet to discover his limit. Lately, with the cold weather, we have discovered he will also play Uno for hours!
5. Whenever he has something to tell me, he starts with, "Hey, Mama..."

5 Things I Love About Brett:

1. His rolls of fat! He loves to lay on the floor in just a diaper and he looks so fat - it is adorable!
2. His crooked grin.
3. He is such a blankie boy! He gets ahold of one and it immediately calms him down. He can't sleep unless he is wrapped up in a blankie and has a little blankie to hold.
4. He sometimes smiles when his brother is getting in trouble, which just makes me laugh. However, he also always smiles when his brother talks to him, which is one of the sweetest things I have ever seen.
5. He wrings his hands when he is hungry like he really is worried we are not going to feed him!

5 Things I Love About My Husband:

1. He is great at what he loves doing - coaching football. I don't think he knows this (he will now!), but the first time it ran through my mind that I loved him was when I was watching him on a football field.
2. He is a great dad. He will wrestle, play games, change poopy diapers, and make bottles like none other!
3. He lets me do whatever makes me happy. Whether it is working part time, going out with the girls, or putting in new floors in half the house, he says yes.
4. He drives the junky car and uses the cheap cell phone so his wife can have the nice ones.
5. He loves me every day no matter how crabby, or absent minded, or selfish, or crazy I happen to be that day.

5 Things I Love About My In-Laws:

1. They love my kids in a way no one else does.
2. They treat me like I am truly family and have from the beginning.
3. They never judge us as parents. Even though they probably know from experience, they let Troy and I figure out what we need to ourselves.
4. Three words - Big G's Tacos! :)
5. They are always willing to help us and are incredibly generous with their time and money.

Christmas!

We had a wonderful Christmas filled with lots of family and friends! Here are some pictures from our month long celebration!

Is this Jack, or is it Shrek? Jack HAD to have this hat from the dollar store!

Jack's friend Gracie - made more beautiful with stickers! Jack loves Gracie and talks about her all the time!!

Chunky Monkey - with his monkey!

Like father, like son...

Cousin Kyle, Brett, Cousin Erin, and Jack