Zeplin Junior - {4yrs 5mo}

🔹 Zeplin is growing and maturing a little more every day. He's starting to develop a sweet empathy for others, including me and his sister. The other day I stepped on a toy and squealed in pain. Zeplin, with a sweet voice and concerned look in his eyes, said, "Oh mom. Are you okay!?" Just the sound of his voice alone was enough to calm me - it was so sincere.

🔹 On the flip side, he has been telling us to 'leave him alone - a lot! He just wants to play by himself as of recently. It's not unknown territory for me - I love being alone. I want to respect him but I don't want condone a future of solidarity. I have to make him go out and play occasionally.

🔹 We are still taking Zeplin to karate but he's been acting like he doesn't love it anymore. He told me that it's because he doesn't have his yellow belt yet like a lot of the kids in his class have. We had to explain to him that it's because they're older and have been there longer so he just needs to keep at it and eventually he will get his yellow belt. I think it motivated him for the most part. He asked master Kyoshi what he needed to do to earn his Yellow Belt and master Kyoshi told him he needed to listen better and follow directions. Zeplin does all things in the name of fun (and funny) - he's kind of a class clown and I have a feeling it's going to take him a little longer to get that yellow belt he so desperately wants.

🔹 Zeplin really loves spending time with his extended family. He's always begging us to take him to his grandparents or his uncles. As we've been establishing a relationship with my sister who lives in Meridian, he's been asking to go there too. 

🔹 Zeplin still loves to study and learn. He's really into drawing pictures and telling stories from them. He drew me a picture recently of him running away from the rain. It was adorable. He enjoys doing pages from his workbook. I need to work harder at being patient with him though.

He was working on a page in one of his books when he asked me for help. I explained the directions to him so he could complete the page but he still couldn't do it. I got so frustrated with him that I took the book from him and said he was done for the day. As I was closing the book, I noticed it said, Kindergarten/1st grade Math. I felt horrible. He's not even in preschool and he's been completing work books for grade schoolers and I just crushed him.

 I invited him back to try the page again but he didn't want to do it at that moment. (I was so broken hearted) but eventually he came back to me and we finished the page.


🔹Zeplin, well - all of us actually, got a head cold in the middle of the month and it wiped him out for a few days. I hate when my kids get sick but Zeplin gets extra cuddly and sweet and I love when he comes to me for snuggles and a back rub. 

🔹 Zeplin is becoming more interested in health and food. He talks about eating good food to give him energy. Of course he's a little boy and wants junk food too, but he's doing better at acknowledging good food vs. bad food. He won't eat at McDonalds with his uncles anymore (he actually calls it PooDonalds). He acknowledges that I am always working out and how he can get his energy up to burn the energy he needs to be healthy.
I love it! I love that he's not focused on the word diet (like his mom) but he just eats because he knows he needs energy and he knows that he needs to burn some energy too. Gosh - he's just such a smart little motivator.

🔹 In the early/middle of the month, Zeplin got a head cold. He got it from me after our anniversary trip. As soon as I heard his first cough, I knew he was getting sick. He fell asleep halfway through the first day and when we tried to get him to wake up and go potty and take some medicine, he threw a fit. Matt and I had to force meds into his mouth and when we did, he kept it contained in his mouth. I rocked him back and forth as he whimpered and whined. I asked him what was hurting and why he was still whining so when he opened his mouth, all the medicine fell out. I was so upset. Matt made him get in the tub and take a little more medicine. This time he had no option to spitting it out because he immediately drank some gatorade to wash it down. I was so blown away by his antics. 

🔹 Speaking of antics, Zeplin has been getting in a lot of trouble for lying. We told him to eat his dinner - instead he threw it in the garbage and lied that he ate it. 
Then we told him to clean his room and put away his laundry. He threw all his laundry into this closet and shut the door..... 


🔹 Matt has been fixing up our big wheeler so we can go riding this summer. While Matt works on his project, Zeplin has been using his tool to fix his 4 wheeler. It so cute to watch them working out in the garage together. 

🔹 Zeplin brought me to near tears (in a funny/endearing sort of way) the morning of 5/12. Matt stayed home from work because he caught our sickness. When Zeplin came down that morning, I told him I had a surprise friend in my room (Looking back - it was not a good joke or phrase to use.....) Zeplin, hesitantly, went into the bedroom where Matt was hiding in the bathroom and Zeplin immediately took off running back to the living room and started crying. He said, "I don't want you to have another friend. Just Daddy! Daddy is your only friend. He's my best friend." I cuddled him and continued the joke until  I took it too far and he had huge tears in his eyes. I yelled for Matt that our joke was over and he came out to hug Zeplin too. He loves us and our family so much that it would make I'm cry!! I love his sensitivity to our family. 

 🔹Zeplin desperately wants Dexter to love him but Dexter doesn't really appreciate Z's attempts at making him do anything. Dexter bites and attacks Zeplin - it's pretty sad. But whenever Dexter actually does something cute with Zeplin, he begs us to take a picture! Lately Dex has been snuggling with Zeplin when he's quiet on the couch and he lets Zeplin pet him. But as soon as Zeplin starts going crazy, Dexter freaks out. Maybe they're learn to love each other. . .