AGoG, Part 2

AUSTEN MAKANA

What can I say about Austen? Austen was, is, and always will be my extremely exuberant, strong-willed child. He baffles me and sadly, I have the least patience with him. I remember when he was born - I thought that he resembled a yellow (jaundice for the longest), skinny monkey but quickly bambucha-ed out into a roly poly baby. He has always been a terrible sleeper which continues to this day as we're still hearing "a cry in the night" although things are getting considerably better now that he's four.



Austen is STILL not toilet-trained. Granted Dallen took a long time too - but having 3 in diapers is a killer. Although we are professional diaper changers, Lad and I are absolutely sick and tired of changing diapers. Especially, stinky ones from our 2nd oldest child. We've tried rewards, stickers, charts, underwear, punishment, bribery, promises of good, promises of bad...no go. He still doesn't seem to KNOW that he's going, often asking me "did I go poo?" I say, "well, it sure smells that way!" Urgh! Austen got picked in the lottery for Kamehameha preschool also - for which he needs to be fully toilet trained - I don't think we're going to make it. It would be nice to pay half of what we're paying now. It would be nice to reap the benefits of being part-Hawaiian. But alas, the toilet seems to elude Austen for now. We have a month and a half more...wish us luck!

So, we may press on at Alphabetland. Here's this year's "school" picture. We were late that day, arriving after 8:00am and he was kind of sleepy - but, the Teddy Bear Portrait people always take nice pictures. He's photographed waist up because he never wears shoes - shoes are worn only to school on rare field trip days and on Sundays to church. I can see his wide feet being a problem later in life.



Austen is a train freak, especially Thomas and Friends. He has been INTO trains since about 2 years old. Dallen never showed much interest but Austen - he lives and breathes trains. He plays with them for hours, sleeps with at least one, brings one most places he goes, knows ALL the names of the trains - what they do, what show they were part of, etc., watches them all the time and can spot Thomas and Friends toys or DVD's anywhere in a store. Saying that he loves them is really putting it mildly - Lad says it's an obsession. Maybe it is...

Austen is a water baby as well - he loves to play in water and is in his second session of swimming lessons at Leahi Swim School. It's nice because the swim school picks him up at preschool and drops him back when the lesson is done. He gets a kick out of riding the bus. He will start soccer in the Fall and he is super excited about that - the jury is out as far as how coordinated he will be at sports. Picture Charlie Brown and Lucy when he tries to kick a ball. But anyway, he's excited...that's the main thing.



Austen is my most loving child. He loves hugs - to give and get, he tells me he loves me all the time, he is the only brother that constantly calls Chyler a "princess" or he will say "she is beautiful". When talking to his sister, his tone of voice is always at a high pitch and he just loves to see her. He's a good pal to Dallen now - whew, he used to bug the heck out of Dallen. Now, he and Brennen go at it. Mostly because Brennen is now the bugger and he the buggee. He has his very special friend Sophie from church - talks and asks about her constantly. Sophie is the only person outside the family who he has actually entrusted his beloved pillow to hold while he runs around the outside of the chapel. And Sophie must be a good friend to him too because Austen's pillow, at times, is super dirty looking from being dragged all over the place.

Austen is also the child that can throw a solid hour-long temper tantrum. There is no distracting him, no soothing him - he'll just go for it. I look forward to the day he has his own children - I hope he gets at least one just like him. HA! I love to watch him sleeping because he is super serene (like all kids are) and it gives me the needed refresher especially after particularly wild and hard day.

Some other things about Austen: He runs everywhere, hardly walks. He's the loudest as far as shrieks and screams go. He still has some trouble with speaking clearly but he's improved by leaps and bounds. I still don't believe the speech therapist when we had him evaluated last year - "he's right on par with his age group" - then why can't I understand him??? Anyway, big improvement this year. He still carries his pillow everywhere he goes and MUST have it to sleep. He also MUST have the stars pillowcase on it. He loves strawberries and watermelon. And the place he loves to be the most?? Grandma's house. Nothing else compares.