9/1/25
W is mostly a very good kid. Good at following routine, school, dinner, bedtime. We try to find fun activities to do, but its hard with baby j and his nap schedule. W is thinking more about the future and the past, but still gets confused what was yesterday (thinking before nap is yesterday). He likes to help set the table, clean up, and help with baby J. He loooooves trains and has been reading the huge train book over and over again.
9/7/25
Dilemma how to discipline W. Traditional time outs? Discussion about sin and consequences? Or focus on addressing emotional needs and language of understanding? It frustrates me that it seems like W is willing to listen to everyone except for me. I feel like I have so little power, authority, sway. It hurts when he says, "you don't care about me!" How much do I take these to heart? At one point I would say something, and W would say "no" or "not true." And I would refer to google and show that's what google shows. Ab made a good point google shouldn't be our reference of authority. Need to remember to use the Bible.
10/16/25
W finished doing his GT testing few weeks ago. It's strange such a little kiddo is going to do testing. Also strange that he has to test with other kids who are a year older than him. Even during the test, all the other kids are a head taller. Some sources say they do curve grading based on age (in 3 month chunks), we shall see if its true. Some of the questions on the practice test definitly seem pretty hard like the mirror image and simple arithmetic analogy questions. I feel like its all a crap shoot... cuz depends on where he gets tested, who is the Proctor, how much they do or don't "help" or repeat or allow time to think, or who the other kids are and if they are distracting, how much sleep they got, whether w was in the mood that day, whether he got distracted by something else like snacks... one source said it took them 3-4 hours, and w's Proctor said it would be less than 2. Thankfully it was less than 2. Afterwards we tried to pry and ask him questions to understand what happened, but it's all a mystery.
He said: It got harder and harder. The "brown part" was the hardest (whatever that means lol). He got most of then right. When I asked how he knew he got some wrong, he couldn't answer. One of the kids didn't want to answer more questions partly through. They had 2 snack breaks (and he just ate seaweed). There were cutting questions (the mirror image questions), and regarding if there analogies, couldn't get a straight answer. When asked if there were 10 questions or more, he said many many more. He answered all the questions, didn't skip any.
Initially when he was supposed to go in, he was wrapped around my leg and didn't want to go in.
10/21/25
W has been drawing people recently. It's so funny how all of his people have very prominent belly buttons. His family portrait has everyone with a very large belly button. Not sure what his obsession with belly buttons is...but everytime he sees a person without their shirt, he always screams. "Belly button!!!!"
11/1/25
W read an entire book! Granted, each page had only 1-3 very sentences that focused on the -in word family...but still! He sounded out all the words! (With some correction). Good reading W!
Today was also a very sweet moment: W helped Jasper with his cube shape puzzle (putting shapes in a cube). We were so proud of W and Jasper. W is such a good big brother, teaching his little brother. So kind!
12/3/25
Thanksgiving highs and lows:
Playing Board games from library (gnomes at night)
Cooking together (Wesley put 4 pancakes on his plate after making them, and enjoyed making apple pies. It was the 4th generation to make the pies)
Playing kickball as a family, trying tennis.
Talking to friends at Thanksgiving dinner
Lows:
Jasper being sick and refusing to eat vegetables
Older kids not wanting to play with Wesley at Thanksgiving, or playing rough with him. Wesley saying “are you my friend?”
Wesley missing nap or going to bed late , and being grouchy afterwards
Difficulty scheduling with AB parents. Mom anxious about getting sick, weather.
10/25/25
Now W says "why???" for everything, even when he actually means how.
12/21/25
W loves trains, boardgames, and asking why. He's learning how to read and do simple math. He passed the GT test (94 percentile verbal, 85 percentile nonverbal, 96 percentile quantitative), but we may still redshirt him for his size. He understands when I speak Chinese to him, but he always responds in English...sighs...as expected.
12/29/25
As the year comes to a close, and I reflect on W...I can't help but think what a sweet, lovely boy he is. I love this age! He is so fun, talkative, smart, curious, and such a joy to be around. Even when he's upset he's still very cute. Even though at those times, I'm sure I don't think this way. Although it can be sometimes taxing when he responds with "why" to every single thing, I need to remind myself that it's his way of learning from the world and I should appreciate this curiosity. Glad he's willing to talk to me now because I'm sure he won't as a teenager (breaks my heart to think of him growing up and as a teen).
Today we played Azul with him, and he won! Other games we tried were Carcassonne (without the farming and strategy is kind of lost on him), Gnomes at Night (he does pretty well except for hard levels need some help), Pokémon Labyrinth (need some help), Hoot Owl Hoot, Outfoxed. Of course, the strategy is hard for him, but I'm so happy he can play some games because we really like games! It's just difficult to play games with him when J is around because J just destroys everything and causes chaos. Can't wait until J is W's age, but then W will be much older... sighs.
Sample why questions:
Why are there only 3 floors (in this elevator)? Why does Saturn have rings? Why is Uranus tilted?
In a book we are reading: why are there mountains?
1/1/26
We went to putt putt at speedy's (really good deal, bogo $9 for 18 holes), and W had his 1st hole in 1 at putt putt!!! Woot!! So funny he waa trying to teach his friend how to putt putt even though he himself doesn't always hold it right.
2/7/26
W has been consistently NOT napping at school. And he gets soooo cranky. He goes into hyper drive, no body control mode and also every little thing sets him off. The other day I told him he wasn't writing his P's correctly and I erased what he had written and he got so upset I erased it he went into a rage. I couldn't unerase it and so he went into a tantrum, throwing things, and needed a time out. Upset during time out, the time out got extended.
It seemed like every day he was getting a time out immediately or soon after arriving home. And yet he still resists going to sleep at night. We usually go up 8p to do his routine and read until 8:30p for bedtime, but with no nap, we've moved it to 7 or 730p. Ab and I have a disagreement on how early. Ab prefers 730p (which often drags to 745p), and I want 7:05p. This even caused us to have an argument... I was so tired of W having tantrum and behaving poorly and finally we even got a note that he was throwing sand and scraming/kicking at school, so AB allowed me to do 7p. I think it's working better, but maybe the time outs are working? Or maybe he's just growing?
2/15/26
Trip to Austin. 3 hr drive to Austin.
Visit State Capitol, tour: Houston statue, painting surrender of Santa Anna, then TX become state. New legislature with black, but then none for next decades. Portraits of governors. Visit Senate chamber, see portraits including Ms Opal who started Juneteenth celebration. Underground expansion of Capitol (so big!).
Terry Black BBQ Michelin restaurant: melt in mouth brisket and ribs!
Enchanted Rock: 0.7 mi hike to summit, then inner loop. So impressed W and classmates and sister hiekd 3 miles that day! They loved the walkie talkie.
After disagreement with my dad in car, and we got to restaurant and I said to W "Sorry." W said: "It's ok mommy, I know you tried your best." What a sweet angel. It makes me cry out of love.
Lake Travis. Skipped rocks.
Mini farm
W loved playing with the bunnies in the bunny parlor. Literally little cubbies where bunnies stayed and kids got to put ribbons on, brush, feed, pkay doctor with, everything. Sooooo soft and adorable.
Flemish giant: huge rabbit. Like greens.
Feed: ostrich, emu, miniature horse, goats, deer, munt jack deer, wallaby. See: lemur, fox, coati.
Bluebell creamerie: observation deck, huge scoop for $1
4/6/26 Faith school meeting for W (4.5yo)
Hit all the preK goals. Progressed beautifully. Building on what he knows: writing, sound out words, sight words. Only one who's mastered everything. Reading small books, sound out words. 3D shapes.
How's temperament since he stopped napping? Over last month, last month, a few time really emotional usually after nap time. But able to self regulate better recently.
How's eating: same amount as other kids.
Really loves art, creating things. Helper, help others out.
4/24/26
At astros game:
W asked: Why is he number 99 (referring to Aaron Judge).
Ab: you can pick any number you wanna be.
W: Can we pkay soccer? I will be number 4 and you can be number 60.
J really liked Orbit. He would walk over there and point, then get scared and walk back. And he lived popcorn. He would open his mouth really wide and try to fit as much as he can.
5/9/26
W drawings:
Pumpkin
Baba on a bridge
Rainbow car smushed in the water (when we asked for clue he said it was like a car. And a vehicle. And it goes in the water, but sinks.)
6/6/26
We did a food distribution with Houston food bank and CCSC. W said he liked doing it and wanted to do it every day! It warmed our hearts to hear it!
Today was quite crazy. It rained and stopped, and rained A LOT. We were all soaked despite the tents, but it was nice when the sun came out. W handed out bags of 10 potatoes, got tired and switched to handing out half gallon milks. At the end we were bagging plums. There were soooo many plums all in one giant box (box prob 5' x5').
W had been so good at going to sleep at night after the routine...but lately, he has been refusing to sleep again. He keeps on coming out his room, complaining of one thing or another. It's likely because he naps during the weekend and then isn't as sleepy at 8:30p. Not sure what to do...threaten him with no legos next day if he comes out, but then we say ok to go to the potty or drink a little water, so then he does that a bunch of times. Or today he was crying loudly because it's "too dark." 🤦♀️ But if we don't do the nap, he is so cranky!
7/4/26
W's sleep had been so bad. He was coming out more than 5 times each night (too dark, I dont like when you are not here, i have one last thing to say, what if i dont remember in the morning, bunny wants a hug, what if there is a fire? What if there are bad guys? ...). We finally tried to say the same phrase whenever he comes out, but then he would get so upset bc we were putting up new boundaries. He would scream and shout and at even pull the monitor cords bc he felt he wasnt being heard (event though we said, you are upset and you really want to tell us something, but it's time to sleep). Finally we decided to allow him to talk to us on the monitor, and he may have come out once, but it was much improved from before.
Today was a big improvement. He ate spaghetti, he ate burger, he dunked his head in the water willingly. All these things hopefully will continue... hoping he is willing to try these new things and do new things thay used to make him cry or say no.
Quotes:
Ab: Are you going to be a baba?
W: yes!
Ab: Are you going to have a boy or a girl?
W: A boy because baby j is a boy!
Ab: hahahaha (baby j is always gonna be a baby???)
After we sang happy bday to AB:
W: But we have to go somewhere first.
Before going to sleep:
W: Mommy, you are the best mommy!
Yw: Thanks! You are the best Wesley!
While W is showing Ab how to do a lego owl:
W: Let me help you, this part is a little tricky.
After a time out and I gave W a hug and told him I love him:
W: Mommy, I love you 100%!
Trying to say lemon turnover:
W: lemon flipover!
W: When I grow up and have a baby, Im going to call him joy. And if I have another baby, I will call him Jesus.
After racecar themed rollercoaster, first thing W says: "Did we win?!!"
YW: Did you like that? (regarding rollercoaster)
W: Some parts were not comfortable.
With baby sitter:
Baby sitter: Will you cry when you go to sleep?
W: Sometimes I cry when I wake up because I don't know where I am
Baby sitter: Do you read 3 books?
W: Mommy and daddy only let me read 2 books. (haha, so honest)
While baby cousin H sleeping:
W: You will wait until she wakes up to go?
Aunt M: That's right!
W: You don't want to lose her!
Aunt M: haha, ya we don't want to lose her! That would be bad!
W: Mommy, did you make this? (regarding pork belly stew)
YW: yes I did
W: I feel like this is the best food!
Yw: Mommy and baba are responsible for you and J, so we worry about you.
W: when I grow bigger, I'll be J's dad.
W: Pharoah Pharoah ah baby let my people go, ooh ahh, Yaya, Yaya.
After visit to friend's house (Dr. BH) with fun toys:
W: I want to marry that person and live in that house.
When W couldn't fit his name on one name tag, he put the rest of his name on another name tag
W: I want to have eight kids, so that both of the cars can be filled up!
Listening to the song "Circles" on radio:
W: what are they running away from?
W: I fell asleep but my toes did not
W: how do you finish work?
Ab: oh work is not fun like your school. I have to work hard. There is no playing or reading books.
W: is there a playground?
Ab: oh no playground. I have to work to get gas and food.
W: Do you have to get gas every month?
Ab: when you get older you can have your own children!
W: one of them will be Jasper.
W: What if no one wants to marry me?
W: Let's watch soccer on the TV so we don't have to pay right?
W: Do you know everything?
AB: No, I don't know everything
W: I don't like it when you're gone...
AB: Oh, I know all that stuff. But I don't know everything in the world and I'm still learning.
W: Yes, I'm learning from Ms. Samantha, and I tell you and you learn it from me.
AB: I learned stuff when I was at school.
W: What did you learn at school?
AB: I learned math, reading, playing violin...
W: Do other countries have a parade too? (Re 4th of July parade)
AB: Yeah they do, but on different days
7/22/26
Yw: see the time? When we go home, we have to go up to read.
W: I dont want it to be nap time!
Yw: Ya, sometimes you want it to be.
W: I have decided it's only going to be playtime
W to AB: Why do you always listen to mommy? You're bigger than her.
Yw: why do people say "feel free"?
Listening to song on car radio:
W: this song is too slow, skip!
W: I want to be nocturnal
Ab: why?
W: then J won't take my toy
