filling daddy's sandals -- not so easy

morning seems so long ago, i can barely remember. i do recall that there was one enthusiastic preschooler who bounded out of bed ready for the day. "I am very hungry; my tummy is very empty." He was sent with dad to take care of that issue. Meanwhile, the little one woke up and said "Bug downstairs, me too." Well there you go. Soon everyone was dressed and downstairs. Not that R's hunger made him eat any faster. He refused to eat until dad was sitting down. K did not eat any breakfast (or dinner for that matter) but she manages just fine. I knew there was hope for her as there were french toast sticks at school and even I like those. K and her daddy left for school and R and I had a little while before we had to leave for music class. Now that we have a digital box, we get PBS. I looked for sesame street but found super why instead. R was delighted to watch 10 minutes of what used to be his only tv.

It started raining as we drove to class. He went off to music class very quickly and seemed to have a good time. Today's theme was animals and they played the memory game. i think he did fairly well at that as we used to play that on the thomas the tank engine website. we got to school and he was pretty happy when we got there. i knew he had not missed pool time so i was a little relieved that there would be no tantrum. he got there and we were able to schedule a castle turn with ezra based on yesterday's promise. there was a quick good-bye (unlike the day before when i had gotten 3 hugs all the way to the door). Luckily i ran into molly, the head teacher of bungalow c -- k's bungalow. Molly's exact quote to me was "That daughter of yours." Yes, I know she is a spitfire. K's meow was in the car and i thought she might want it for nap time so i was able to pass it on without having to enter the bungalow which is a dangerous risk. i tried to peek in on her. it is such a rare opportunity to see our children without them seeing us. i always want to know who they are when we are not there. she was drawing with chalk on black banner with the other kids. of course, my daughter has some immense mommy-radar because even though it was just my eyes peaking over the top of a diamond shaped window, she zoomed in on me right away and ran to the window. i had to zoom around the corner so she would not see me. she must have been easily convinced that i was not there because i got one last glance at her playing before i left again.

at pick-up, ugly whining and screaming was my welcome. R just started with the high-pitched "no." so far i am trying the gentle route of tlaking and trying to calm him down. but i am losing my patience with this screaming and resistance. if he could just ask me, "mom i am working on a project, can i have 3 more minutes." i would say sure. but this high pitched, crying, screaming, thrashing, etc. is just annoying. i have to talk him through it and keep giving markers for stopping which he wants to challenge and then i have to get firm and physical. he was also covered in sand and i had to desand his legs, clothes, and shoes. what a mess. and i still got screaming. he and ezra were doing construction in the sand. this is a common theme and partly because we see so many construction projects to and from school. he was apparently doing a construction project in the sky.

i checked in with one of r's teacher to see if we needed to have a meeting with his transition and she seemed to suggest that he was doing well. she mentioned that he was toileting well and the meals were going fairly well. he at least tries things. so i am not sure if there are concerns anymore or if he has improved. hard to tell. i am hoping that they are pleased with his improvement.

K leaped out of the sofa when she saw us. the teachers were reading books and she seemed to be enjoying them. her note said that she had had a good time in the multi running around. she also had her longest nap at school that i can remember 12:15-3. must have been a tired girl.

R and i had a talk about his whining and breaking rules (rule: "don't say no when it is time to go). i told him that ezra's dad was probably not too happy about letting ezra play with a kid who broke the rules. i said i think ezra's dad will probably say that ezra could not have a playdate with R until he could follow the rules. funny how rule governed R is in so many ways and then the resistance that kicks in. the regret -- "i want to do it again" -- is difficult too because it does not mean that he is actually ready to transform immediately. i would be happy with immediate improvement. but instead the inability to start again or do it over is a mechanism for more anxiety and whining.

they both ate well in the car and apparently both had had good servings of macaroni and cheese for lunch among other things. they had sausage and cheese and smoothies when they got home. R and I had a talk and we hypothesized that his behavior might be difficult because he is hungry and not eating enough lunch. i am not sure that this is correct, but he and i are sticking to our story.

K came home and decided that daddy's sandals were the first activity of the evening. so on they went, on the wrong feet. this did not stop her from stomping around. K would not eat anything for dinner and R had a hard time settling in. he was very wound up. but finally i was able to get him to eat calmly with a princess rohan and khayaal the giant go to the beach story. he ate his enchilada and corn bread.

ruskin had a head ache and k was boisterous so they both went upstairs to rest/wrestle. there were some gleeful sounds. r played trains and had a nice surprise visit from masee who came bearing gifts -- a digital watch (and who says that blogs are not profitable!). he was excited and talked about his watch upstairs. k and i went to the store to get "milk bug, mine" and "tea, daddy, mommy." apparently among all the other things she keeps track of, our preferred beverages are on the list also. as we got closer to home, k said "boobie, home, night night."

R had a hard time going upstairs. K looked tired. We read the rest of the junie b. jones book. he was "scared" by her breaking the rules. his anxiety was very high and i did not stop reading. (junie b. gets her kindergarten graduation gown dirty, playing in it when she is not supposed to.) he was so "scared" about her violation of the rule. i will keep working on it. he seemed to fall asleep a little later than usual 10ish instead of 10. but that is pretty close.
no pictures again. maybe next time.

a good day

There are days where things change, sometimes for the worse, sometimes for the better. Today was a day when things improved. The general trend right now is that R has a serious case of the whininess and K is quite bossy. But we are able to laugh often (which is more about our ability to manage stress than about their behavior sometimes). The morning was uneventful and we got dad off to his meeting and mom to the post office and to work by 9:30. They were not exactly pleasant but we felt ok about everyone by the time we got to school.

One of R's classmates, Alexandra was walking when we got there and that helped him transition and be cheery about going in. It did not hurt that there was a planned field trip to joe's market for ice cream in the works. K had a more difficult time as Bung. C seemed a little short-staffed. but Tricia came to the rescue.

Of course, reception on pick up is another issue. R screamed and hollered and resisted like nobody's business when i got there. I tried the getting-down-on-his-level/let's communicate-and-talk-about-what-we-want-and-have-to-do. Nope. He was making a troll home with ezra which was amusing (does he know what a troll is?). and he was waiting for his turn in the castle room. i guess the good part is that he likes being there. the bad part is that since he can't tell time, he can never anticipate us coming and get ready to transition. perhaps we should by him a watch to wear. kristen promised that he and a friend could be first in the castle tomorrow. and i got some details about going to the pool tomorrow morning. i did learn that there were no ice cream during the field trip as the freezer was broken but everyone had cookies. apparently there was another dance party (the class note mentions the dances "the freeze," "Tooty Ta," and "mother gooney bird"). i mentioned that he has been very whiny this week and she said that it has been the whole bungalow. well it helped to know that it is not just him. not that it does not make me feel like a bad parent half the time anyway, but sometimes it helps to know whininess is a contagion.

K seemed to have a good day. The toddlers got to go to the preschool playground and my girl loves the big school bus there. Apparently she also "cooked" in the kitchen and talked on the phone. She also drew pictures and when asked what the drawing was, replied "khayaal." Self-portrait, age 2 on the magna-doodle. watch out art world!

Well whiny kid was crying and screaming all the way to the car and K was wanting to be carried and then wandering off the sidewalk into the street (a new behavior). i got discombulated and locked the keys in the trunk. luckily dad could come to the rescue. while we waited in the lobby, R threw himself around the room whenever he could get what he wanted (the book that K picked up first, the spot that K sat down first, etc.). Luckily, we ran into aunt tracey, gabe, and nathaniel. Everyone went for a drink of water and literally cooled down and became happy. by the time dad had arrived the whininess was declining to a manageable amount.

We were late to swimming but the kids were excited. K did not scream and refuse to go in as soon as we got to the parking lot so that was an improvement. she did scream, however, quite a bit in the water whenever i did something she did not approve of, which was often. R is like a fish. he swallows water but jumps, ducks, kicks, and scoops with gusto. it is very heartening to see that he is comfortable and likes the water. that was the goal of the course and we seem to have been successful. i think both will be ready for the beach. K was scared of the fountains and mushroom shower. she liked the spouts after class. R was right in the middle of the mushroom shower soaking it all up. she warmed up to walking in the pool and throwing her ring with pleasure. R has passed this level of swimming class (parent-tot) and is ready for independent classes!

We went for french fries while dad fetched his computer after the YWCA. R insisted that he wanted a mcD milkshake which mom has been denying. I explained that it was not good for his body and would not help him grow and that i would be happy to make him a milkshake at home (mine are Haagen Daz ice cream and orange juice). He told me that he likes theirs better. I told him that there was no vanilla or ice cream in those milkshakes, just chemicals. well this conversation sparked a desire to see the machines that make vanillin the chemical as well as another fifty questions about what is good for your body, about vanillin, about chemicals, machines that make chemicals, etc. the patter of conversation is quite clear: you say a statement, there is a 5 second pause as he contemplates it, and out comes another question. you answer that question, 5 second pause, ding, another question.

all my discussions of chemicals did not dissuade him and when we got to the drive-thru window, he wanted to tell them that he wanted a milkshake. i pointed to a police car and said well that would be breaking the rules and remember breaking the rules is not a good thing. when people break the law, the police have to come and try to give them consequences. we talked about how rules and laws were similar but laws were enforced by the police and were very important rules for everyone: like no hitting or stealing. i told him that companies had to pay the workers or that was not fair. and that people could not hit each other or people could not steal each other's things. well he had a million questions about laws. including the following. "do people have to wear helmets?" answer: "in some states, motorcyclists have to wear helmets. in most states, bicyclists do not even though it is safer for them to do so. seat belts are required in minnesota."

R: "what if your seat belt is broken or someone steals your seat belt." Me: "you have to go to the mechanic and replace it."
The arrival of the french fries (and what are french fries mommy?) stopped the conversation about rules temporarily. He did tell me as we pulled into the drive-thru lane that he was very smart, smarter than me. and then he added smarter than daddy too. well there you have it.

dinner was calm and pleasant. everyone got their desired milkshakes and ate their food. k and i went upstairs afterwards and took a bath. she and i had great fun "reading in bed." K held her book intentionally upside down and pretended to read. She also asked for water a million times, crawled all over me, checked out her balance by standing on the bed and bouncing while saying "jump jump,' and overall being a little shrieky goofball. r and his dad took a trip next door to visit lovette the cat and then took a bath. he was quite happy at bedtime and i read a magic tree house book. unfortunately, i was falling asleep and know that a lot of nonsense came out of my mouth as i mentioned manhattan and jelly but the story was about a tornado in kansas. we did however manage to snuggle and i think he was close to being asleep at 10 or shortly after. if we can get him to sleep by 9:30 i am happy to call that a good goal for now.

were we this whiny? and how did you put up with us?

Ruskin had an early morning meeting so I had the kids. We all slept late as sleep has been in short supply. All three of us were in the bed and did not open our eyes after Ruskin left until 9 am. But then, as is often the case, a child wanted the MIA parent. So R spent a considerable time being unhappy that Dad was not there. Hmmm. Not much I could do about that one. So K and I trooped along on our early morning getting ready routine while the other one rolled around in the bed wanting Daddy. Finally, everyone got downstairs where more whining ensued. The great thing about a toddler is that they are mynah birds. K copies a lot of whatever R does or exhibits empathy but she has not figured out how to whine exactly as he does... yet. Her attempts at whining were rather amusing and kept me from getting too frustrated with the older one. Breakfast was fine overall with everyone eventually getting out the door. The whininess did not disappear unfortunately. Both picked out books to take to school. K picked one that plays "This Old Man" when you press a button. R picked Punk Farm on Tour.

Dropping K off around 11 was kind of funny as all the kids were already in the foyer cooling down and quieting down for lunch time. K went straight to her old cubby and i had to show her her new cubby. she was upset until she realized that she did have a new one and that i was not just denying her the old one. She saw Tricia which made things a lot better for transitioning. She was very excited about showing Tricia her book and several kids had already gathered to hear the song before R and I were out the door. In Bungalow E, things were not as smooth. The other kids were clearly outside doing water play as there were stacks of clothes on the cubby. R did not want to change his clothes and go outside. So when I finally got him convinced that this might be fun, Kathy came and told me that they were heading in. Up went the pants and underwear, but now there was disappointment that we were not going outside. R and I had a short talk about how it is hard to do everything and this morning he had gotten an extra special treat of staying and snuggling for a few extra hours. Explaining trade-offs is not popular. he seems to understand choices but does not like always like the outcomes. i stayed until enough kids were getting dressed and it was clear that story time was about to begin. His book was first in line and the teacher was excited about it as well. As i was leaving, i peaked in on K who was sitting around in a circle listening to Kelli read a book. She saw me through the window. Previously, this would have led to many tears and unhappiness. Today, she smiled and waved. It was wonderful.

It felt like a long day at work as I had no meetings and could work. When I picked the kids up I was excited about seeing them. R, however, was less cooperative. He and Ezra were playing in the water table on the Engineer side. It was clear that he was not going to be ready to leave right away. And he did the resistance thing -- a high pitched scream, whining, and thrashing. we talked and he quieted down but remained whiny. K on the other hand was walking around the foyer with a bracelet she had made. She was very excited about it and her book.

R continued to whine most of the ride home and the transition to dinner. It stayed during dinner and afterwards. I just don't know what to do beside try to explain why it is not pleasant and give consequences. He asked to start over and I said sure and he was happy for a little while. But I don't understand why it slips back in so easily. K also did her screaming routine. Ruskin took her upstairs when that happened. she is two and sorting through her power relations. I suppose R is too but it is not fun to be on the receiving end. This is the less glamorous end of parenthood. We used divide and conquer as a management strategy. Ruskin handled K and I took R. Everyone ate their dinner and K and Ruskin went next door to check on Lovette the cat. R and I read Dr Seuss while he ate his veggie lasagna.

We all met in the back yard for ice cream and ball. The ball playing was the highlight of the evening. It was definitely nice to see the kids pass the ball back and forth to each other. Perhaps one day they will be able to play together cooperatively. In the meantime there was a lot of parental moderation with pulling one child off the other, directing turn taking, or telling one to stop whining about unfairness. For the most part, it was good to kick and throw the ball around with them. i will post pictures tomorrow.

At bed time, R told me about part of his day which was nice and rare. I had read the class schedule and knew there was going to be a dance party in the afternoon. But R told me on his own without any prompting: "mommy, we danced at school today. we had good music and i moved my body. i did not stop moving my body and moved it EVERYWHERE. It was fun. I danced like a acrobat and I liked the music." he also told me that at nap time he woke up frequently because of the noise. i wonder if that explains some of the crankiness today.

I tried a different strategy tonight with R. We read less in the recliner (also because my cold is making it hard for me read) and let him read more in the bed. he seemed to enjoy that. i came down at 9:30 and i think he if falling asleep closer to 10 instead of 10:30. Ruskin did have to make several water, urine, and blanket trips. but it is almost 10 and things are quiet so some progress overall. Things went well though we did a hit a glitch. R had so much water during his bedtime procrastination that he wet his bed at 11. He was so deep asleep that he only cried for a moment or two. we were able to comfort him quickly and get his sheets changed in about 10 minutes with him deeply sleeping again. whew

2 little crocodiles

Here is a photo of yesterday's project team
(and dad would be a great big croc, not a little one)

Mom fell asleep on the sofa and woke up at 4:30 when roomba started going. Go roomba! and then there were a few more awakenings. but everyone woke up in the morning and were good troopers at breakfast. Ruskin took them to school and dropped them off. It was K's first day as an older toddler. And R's last week as a Caboose. So everything is in transition.

They seemed to have a good time at school. R was playing blocks with Luca when i got there. He did not want to leave and kirsten the teacher had to ask a few times for him to clean up his blocks. Her tone was tired and frustrated. Along the lines of "In engineers, Linda will only tell you once to do something." I can appreciate her frustration and it played on my anxiety about his readiness. I think he is ready to move on. However, I know that they have more demands on the kids. R can be resistant to direction. We shall see. I asked Luca and R if they thought they could beat the bell at the count of 10 in putting the blocks away. And of course, the positive challenge was much more fun than the more punitive and threatening one. But, of course can we do that all the time?

k came running as soon as we got there. I did not even get a chance to see her play. her note said that she had a good day, pretending to cook for the teachers and hanging out with tricia. she was happy to go. So we all got ready to go swimming. as soon as we pulled into the parking lot, K started saying all done. She is so funny. We got inside and R just ran around the pool. We played crocodiles crawling on the bottom of the pool. That was popular! K liked getting the rings. R just threw his further and further to fetch it. It was nice to see him so comfortable and confident in the water. Unfortunately, he does not always remember to close his mouth and his odd habit of licking the ball was a little peculiar. K got a little fussy in the deep water. She wanted to be carried around. She enjoyed some of the games -- usually the ones involving an object of distraction. She also really liked walking in the pool holding hands. R crawled out of the pool still a crocodile and was a crocodile all the way home.

K and i stopped to see Tom Masa on the way home; he seemed to be working inside and gardening. He gave K ice cream which made her very happy. She was ready to say good bye once he brought us the pints of ice cream despite mom telling her that we were still talking. we got home and then both kids seemed to need lots of attention all at once. so dinner was chaos. K was extremely sensitive and would only eat dinner sitting in mom's lap and eating from mom's plate. well this was fine with mom except that it was spicy ch'kn patty. so she would eat some and then point to her mouth and say owie. and i would tell her do drink her water and then she would ask for more. she also ate some mashed potatoes, rice, and beans. We were quite messy. R asked if we were eating real chickens and we said no; ours were made from tofu. He asked how chickens are killed. we said to ask grandma sue since she grew up on a farm! sorry grandma sue.

Everyone had reading, bowel movement, and bath time afterwards. a gentle ending. The challenge tonight was reading a magic tree house book. for those of you who do not know of this series, it is almost as big as harry potter for the young crowd. it is about a brother-sister team who travel in time and space as "master librarians" saving books. what a great premise and children seem to love them immensely. the author has written over 40. we are on book 21 or 22. but the one that R had picked was about the civil war, so i had the joy of explaining war, slavery, and freedom to him. i am not sure he quite got it. the hardest part came when one of the characters said that he had no family to go back to as they had been sold. R asked what that meant. And i explained. he asked if they were sold in a store. I said no, usually, people were sold outside. He told me that it was unfair. he thought the idea of working on a farm was a good idea but did not like it when i explained that they did not get paid or to keep any of the food and that sometimes they got hit. But the part that seemed to really bring him to the brink of tears was when i said that they would separate the families, moms, dads, kids from each other to sell them. He was appalled. hard to explain human cruelty and yet it is clear enough for a four year old to understand. the next one we have is about tornados. R learns about segregation and the weather. sexism and volcanos. the science stuff sure is easier...

the many faces of K

yes that is a scrape on her nose and forehead. she had a tumble yesterday but it looks worse than it is.

Well last night was the longest uninterrupted sleep in quite a while. from 1-6:30 and then R joined us in the morning. we all stayed asleep until K and I got up at 7:45 and then woke the boys at 8 am. I think it is best to be consistent and at least try to keep him on schedule. We all went downstairs and i made cheesy eggs, R and R ate some and K ate toast. The morning was unfocused and a little unorganized. For some reason it took Ruskin and I some time to figure out what to do today. We are looking for a new bed for R and measuring his room to see what might fit. Well we finally divided up and went on our way.

R and I went to Creative Kidstuff for a tent sale that was chock full of good deals and then diaper shopping, the library, and JCPenney. R and K went home after groceries while K took a nap and Ruskin cooked mashed potatoes, zucchini, bacon!, and tuna. R ate his dinner while we read Dr. Seuss and Punk Farm on Tour. We really liked the first book Punk Farm about a band of farm animals who sing punk rock in wisconsin -- check it out by clicking on the green words. K woke up and we came down and listened to the punk version of Wheels on the Van and Old McDonald. True to their dad's musical tastes, both kids liked the punk music. R commented that it was wild and crazy. R and R worked on a small project I got for him while K and I ate.

Then everyone was outside in the garden and then in front yard playing. The best part of the day was stopping by our neighbor Auntie Moon's house where our another neighbor's daughter was playing. Carol is a great neighbor and always willing to play with the kids. Naomi and R are only about 6 months apart -- and she is tall and friendly. It was nice to see R, K, and naomi playing together. Poor K just wants to do what the big kids do. But she held her own running back and forth with them and being excited about chalk drawings, her cozy coupe, and the weeble wobble toys. After she left, R and Naomi played "oh the car has run out of gas" for a long time. They seemed well matched in terms of temperament and it was wonderful surprise to find a possible friend on the block. they seem to have similar interests for now and he clearly liked her and said that she was his friend. K and R had quick baths. R was very tired from his no nap day -- we read some more Dr. Seuss and some Mr. Putter and Tabby (the story of an old balding man and his old balding cat). It was a nice calm bedtime. K, on the other hand, was an active child late into the evening. When R got up to use the potty, Ms. K crawled out of bed and came to check on him and Daddy. But everyone fell asleep eventually. And I went down to clean up after Ruskin's feast and the kids toy activities.

sleepless in st paul (well minneapolis)

last night Ruskin and i watched "austism: the musical" a documentary by HBO. we were not sure why it is seen as so amazing and been nominated for so many awards. clearly it is about a hot topic and offering "hope" to viewers. but we are not sure what exactly it offers. yes with autism, social skills and self esteem are critical. but the documentary accept in bits did little to really raise questions. most of it was the standard dialogue. autism on the rise, most people imagine standing in a corner in a diaper banging his head, kids need help, and it is hard on families. but still none of it addressed systemic issues. the best aspects were discussions of who does the work in the family, how it impacts the parents (high divorce rate probably and women do almost all of the work), and what are expectations? Ruskin and I talked throughout and it was clear to us that while R might not have autism which we have felt from the beginning, there are some points of overlap that will continue to raise red flags in various institutions. As Ruskin said, "we are not out of the woods yet." I guess the rise of the tantrums, the interactions with his peers, and the documentary reminded us of how diligent we are going to have to be. and that we have a long way to go still.

you would think that all that activity would lead to a sound night's sleep. well i was downstairs until 3am working on sorting over a thousand photographs (you all can thank me later). i heard r around that time but dad must have gotten him back to bed. so we all slept without interruption until 6 when R wet his bed. this happens rarely as he usually wakes and uses the toilet, but once in a while it does happen. and this morning, because he was so exhausted, he just kept repeating i want to sleep in my own bed. well noone felt like getting up and changing the sheets. Ruskin tried to convince him to sleep with us (this is the usual preference), but today there was just plain exhaustion and inability to comprehend and cope. so a tantrum ensued. Ruskin tried to get him downstairs before he woke up K but it was too late. so i threw some blankets on his bed and brought him back up. but it was too late on that account so everyone was up and active at 6:20. Another lost night of sleep. Ruskin and I were barely functional. But I gave Dad some time to recover from dealing with a screaming preschooler and the two kids "helped" change R's sheets. we all got dressed and came downstairs and some breakfast was consumed by some subset. and we cleaned up and dad went to do neighborly things. and it was 9.

i have caught what everybody else has. usually because i get sneezed upon, kissed, and germed upon so regularly, i tend to be immune to whatever the kids have. but after 5 nights of 3-5 hours of sleep, i have no immunity and am sniffling, run-down, and sneezy like the rest of them. thanks everyone! so i did lie on the couch while K and i played for a half hour. then the other team came back and R and i strategized our day. Ruskin had an agenda and most of it did not seem kid-friendly, so the kids and i played blocks and trains while dad trimmed vines on the house again. we ate lunch by 11 and it was a good meal. R spent about 10 minutes telling himself a story. i did not get a chance to listen. but his attention span can be quite long. he can play by himself for a good 20 minutes. the self-narration i am less sure what to think of it. but it does keep him occupied. he was terrific about picking up his toys after lunch as i told him we needed to roomba the floors. he cleaned two sets of toys by himself without much prompting.

we decided a nap was good idea. k and i went upstairs around and slept for about 3 hours. we noticed R sleeping in his bed and started to wake him as it was 4. he only slept an hour (i was surprised he resisted the nap for that long). but he and his dad had done a project which always excites him . they are working on a doorway repair that sounded quite satisfying.

after a nice time outside having snack, K and R started fighting over some wood and the wagon. he is still pretty selfish and not as empathetic as i would like. in fact, after the struggle over the wagon, it was clear that R would rather just stand and guard the wagon rather than play. he was more interested in his sister not getting the wagon than he was in having fun. that certainly was not a popular choice in our family. so ruskin and i turned our attention to K and played ball with her. he did eventually join us but stood by his wagon the whole time.

the pleasant diversion tonight was visiting our friend sarah at her new home. she recently moved in with some friends and we got to go to a housewarming barbecue. the house was a lovely century old house typical of south minneapolis. her roommates were quite nice and the kids and i had a good time. poor k fell while running and got a scrape on her forehead. all the way home she said "boom, pack, home." which meant that i will get an ice pack for my injury when we get home. i think ice packs are sign of status at daycare and highly regarded. we picked up our farm veggies and headed home. she got some frozen edamame on her forehead while Ruskin and R got ready for bed.

The evening's quota of tantrums was clearly not up and there was some disappointment expressed as R felt there was not enough time to read in bed. I don't know if he got to sleep any earlier, but i did not give in and the lights were out by 9:30 though the tussling seemed to extend the bedtime. i am trying to give him a sense of consequent. it is hard because he says often "mommy i want to do it again." yes kiddo, i know. we all want our errors to disappear so that we can truly learn from them and not wait for another opportunity. it makes sense to me. correct what happened not just wait for another different situation. unfortunately, it does not work that way. and my little big has a hard time recovering when it does not go the way he wants. coping with disappointment in life is not an easy lesson. and i do not know how to make it any easier but try to point out consequences of decisions and how to do it differently next time or just accept what can be changed and what can't.

i am exhausted and have a lot to do before we go but am just too sick and tired to do much tonight.

wild and crazy guys

R and I were up late getting things ready enough so that we can go on vacation. I don't think i've been to bed before 2 in at least 3-4 nights.  and some of those nights, i've only had 2-5 hours of sleep so we are both really tired.  the kids slept in and r joined us in the morning.  both seemed fine for the most part though our patience was on the thin side with so little sleep.  

R got to OT (acrobat teacher) and he seemed kind of cautious at first.  but what kid does not like the kind of stuff they do -- doing a puzzle while on a scooter, climbing a rope ladder and going through a tunnel, throwing a ball, drawing, etc.  he was really all over the place and wanted to be on his own agenda.  we are seeing more of that and the tantrums returning these days.  these two things had kind of subsided as of late and this week they have returned.  i am not sure what is going on exactly.  i always want to blame lack of sleep but i can't tell exactly why it is the way it is.  but in this context it was not necessarily bad or unpredictable.  there are a lot of interesting things to explore in the OT room and a curious almost four year old is going to do it.  he does not have any problem doing things without asking which is interesting and telling.  (do we only take him to places where the setting is quite permissive?) 

after looking at the construction in the parking ramp, we headed out and he said that he was hungry so he started eating some lunch in the car. when he got to school, he did not want to eat lunch and was clingy and whiny.  he was leaning all over me and not eating. i stayed firm but said that i would sit with him during lunch.  he finally finished but was antisocial and very whiny.  i peaked in on k and she was on the older toddler's side sleeping in her cot.  i guess her transition has gone smoothly. 

when i picked them up, he was playing in the back room and had made some interesting block structures for his rocket ships.  he was not ready to go he informed and we negotiated some extra time while i went to pick up K.  she was outside and milling about with other kids.  seemed like she had a great day and sleeps better on the older toddler side as there is no crying to wake her.  i am hoping her naps will improve and she will get less cranky now.

as we were loading up in the car, we saw aunty karen who invited us to join them at pizza luce for dinner.  as it was a block from our previous destination and R and Mira had not seen each other in a long time, i decided it was a good idea.  We got the kids and a booth at the restaurant.  Well the 15 minute wait for them to show up did not bode well for the evening.  both k and r were rolling all over the booth.  there was screaming and shrieking. it was a mess. we put in an order and divided the miscreants.  dad and k went for a walk while r and mom read the city pages.  When mira arrived, the situation somehow went from bad to worse.  R copies mira.  and they both are quite wound up when they see each other.  this led to lots of up and down, rolling around in the booth, standing in the booth, and general inappropriate behavior.  it quieted down only marginally when the food arrived.  Everyone ate well with K eating the most of the kids!  We were able to have some adult conversation but Mira finished way before R and it was difficult to get him to finish eating as they were goofing off.  Well all that motion and eating did not go well for R who vomited all over himself while eating his second slice.  dad and K were walking round two so the rest of us cleaned up.  you would think that this would slow R down.  but it did not, even as we went outside to run out some energy, Mira and R did not listen.  at this point, he had several warnings and when we told him it was unsafe to run anymore as we were on Franklin, and he did not listen, he was stopped by his dad. Well R hit his dad -- twice. And that was it. we were leaving anyway, but, he was scooped up and he did use his words well telling his dad that he was angry at him.  his dad said that he was angry too because we do not hit in our family.  Ms mynah bird then started hitting me.  

I brought K home in my car, and R brought the other.  when we got home, R and I took showers and then it was bed time.  He is still awake but I am hoping with all of the wildness that he will crash soon.  not a pretty night.  

by the way, i do not seem to be able to post any video so i will stick to photos. 

2 year checkup

everyone was tired this morning.  well at least mom. K ate a good breakfast and went off to school with dad.  Mom and R went to music class.  he enjoys it despite the drive to minnetonka. one of his favorite aspects of the class is "relaxation time" when he gets to chew a starburst candy.  he was generally happy about going to school.  when i was at the center, i peeked in on K. She was in older toddlers playing with a toy in the midst of many other toddlers.  she seemed content, alert, and active.  i hear that she still makes a bee-line for lily when she gets back to younger toddlers.  but she really seems to enjoy being in older toddlers. 

i picked k up for her 2 year check up.  i old her we were going to the doctor and then for pizza.  i knew she had a shot coming today so i wanted her to have a good experience afterwards in case she was developing a fever.  

tallman was in good form as usual.  but k wanted nothing to do with him.  she hid in my shoulder the whole time.  a typical 2 year old response.  but she would forget occasionally and get curious and smile.  she is in the 80th-90th percentile for her weight (31 lbs) and 50th for her height (34 inches).  but the height is a difficult call as she is lying down so she can lose height easily.  she was very angry once she got a shot.  but recovered and said good bye to the computer, to the nurse assistant, and then to doctor.  

She had a good meal of pizza of course.  4 slices! r was kind of touchy. he only wanted his masee.  it was great.  she was a good sport about having to do everything -- masee, more cheese, help me with the pizza, etc. 

after dinner was a mild evening of k playing ball with daddy.  she is good at catching and even better at throwing.  she enjoyed her time with her dad.  r was a little silly.  we did some of her therapeutic exercises including bearwalking and crabwalking.  we have OT tomorrow.  I also got the word that R is moving up to engineers soon.  We worked out a schedule so that the six days he will be in school in august, he will be transitioning.  i think that it will work well.  when i told him about it, he asked me if he will get any presents.  funny (MATERIALIST) kid.

 

no use crying over spilt water

photos from last saturday

the night was awful. somehow i drank too much tea before going to bed (well several hours before going to bed) and i could not turn my brain off.  so at 3 am while i was in bed rearranging furniture to think of ways to accommodate a bigger bed for R, K woke up and was fussy.  and then R woke up scared of the dark and then this woke K up again.  And then K was fussy and R woke up again.  You get the picture.  so between 3 am and 7 am, the kids took turns waking up and needing help.  i was exhausted.

K and R were already tired but were good troopers in the morning.  we got dad to his 9am meeting on time.  R got to school in time to go to the pool and K to have a good chunk of time to transition to older toddlers.  and then i ran one errand and got to work.  it was nice to see R's social skills at school.  Ezra showed him his underwear but R was less interested in that and wanted to talk to Alexandra about the fact that he read Dr. Seuss' The Lorax at bedtime and that she had brought that book to school one time too.  He talked about the plot which is about pollution and the environment.  Though she was less interested in talking about it, R finished his story and I was proud of his initiating the conversation. I peaked in and saw K on the older side.  She was walking around with a necklace looking comfortable and happy.  Then Leann the teacher asked who wants to wear sunscreen and K said  me.  She was first in line and very cooperative. It's promising.

After school for swim class, R had a tough time.  I went to pick him up and he strongly resisted leaving.  he wanted to stay and play with Ezra.  This resistance to going to swimming class was unusual. We got inside and I de-sanded and changed him to help him transition to going. While I did that he filled four cups with water, one for each of us.  We carefully carried the cups to the car, but of course some spilled and he lost it and had a huge tantrum.  Kicking, screaming, and flailing.  He really lost it. This set K off and both were crying all the way to the pool. It was disheartening.  When he had had a meltdown the day before, I had let him cry it out and it ended in 3 minutes.  Since that was hard to do in this case as there was no place to let him calm himself down and that he seemed so overexhausted, it was hard for him to stop.  and he could not recover himself.  

When we got there K did not want to swimming either as she was upset.  She kept saying "no water." So I took her in and said that I would stay with her.  She calmed down enough to enjoy her water time.  We stayed in the shallow end and they had fish rings which excited her.  She walked around, reached for the rings, and even started bobbing in the water up to her chin.  At the end of the class, she asked for "more water." It was good to see her not afraid and enjoying herself.  We took our time getting out of the pool and hoped that R had recovered.  Luckily he had.  Dad and R had looked at bugs and trees and eaten some tofu  until things were better.  

At home, R ate a huge dinner (cheesy eggs, falafel, faux chicken, tortilla, tried peanut dip, and smoothie).  K drank mostly smoothie.  But both had had good snacks in the car as well. We watched some sesame street videos on Youtube followed by the rest of the IMAX: Ring of Fire video on volcanos.  Off to bath and bed.  R requested The Lorax again and K wanted an animal book.  He is finally falling asleep and it is 10:40!

Geez.  what a horrible cycle. 

Active volcano on the back porch

Predictably, R had a hard time waking up in the morning and did not wake until 8:45-9.  So breakfast was slow and took until about 9:45.  K was much happier and seemed back to her usual chipper demanding self.  She and I hung out in the kitchen while I made everyone breakfast.  Dad did dressing duty.  She ate several (soy) sausage links even before we got to the table so it was nice to see her appetite return.  She had some waffle with butter and a little powdered sugar.  I am trying to expand both of their repertoire's and while sugar is nothing to be excited about, i figure salt and pepper have been popular so perhaps powdered sugar might prove helpful too.  And then some dried cherries and some of sausage with cheese.  A hungry girl is good to see in the morning!

R is now speedy in the morning so I have been congratulating him for being a cheetah in getting dressed.  As many of you know we have struggled with the speed issue.  His dawdling had been driving us crazy.  At one level, I am proud of respect his speed -- he has his way of going through the world.  He notices many things and asks questions and explores.  He is relaxed in the world.  that is what kids are supposed to do.  On another level, I live in a capitalist world in which my time is marked and measured according to increments that demand that i be somewhere as well. and that his pace is not possible to live by. So we have been trying to figure out when is it appropriate and helpful to be a turtle and when to be a cheetah.  as my son reminds me "I can't be a cheetah all the time mom." no son, nor should you be.  But now that his fine motor skills have advanced enough to get his clothes on easily, he does not dawdle in going to the bathroom or getting his clothes on so much.  We have it down to 10 minutes (down from 40). And let me tell you, we notice the difference.  The only slow and time consuming part of the day now is eating which is still a good 30 minutes and sometimes 40.  Since the foods are more varied now, I think he is more interested in the food.  but in the bigger picture, i often want him to hurry to my/his next activity and he is on his own journey.  as a parent, it is difficult balance to respect, honor, and nurture the child he is and at the same time help him survive and thrive in the world we live in.  

Right now the repercussions are small but significant.  many of you know about trials and tribulations with the center and the observer who were giving us the red flag on his development.  i want to protect him from that and nurture who he is.  he does not often see the connection himself.  today we got to school around 10:30 and his peers were at the park.  and he wanted to go.  by the time we got going to the park, they were on the way back.  of course, he was immensely disappointed.  i let him thrash it out in the car by himself and this was a full blown tantrum -- kicking, screaming, and flailing and waited patiently where he could see outside of the car.  a few minutes later, he came out and i hugged him and tried to talk to him about him getting up earlier and how he could do more with his friends if he can get up earlier.  i tried not to browbeat him with it (which is probably my tendency).  and then gave him hugs and helped him find a special baby pine cone to take inside.  he was still sad but able to recover.  these lessons are hard, especially as i do not know what he learns and therefore is likely to repeat the situation.

k was sad at drop off even with lily there.  i am hoping that the transfer to older toddlers is going well.  i know she is curious but she tends to be quiet and observant when in a new situation.  she will thrive and her language will take off as she is with older kids.  but it will take her a while.

the waterworks was, i think, fascinating.  and of course, r did have a million questions.  his evaluation of it to me was "mom, the st. paul waterworks are so cool." so there you go.  that is pretty high regards. he was exhausted because of missing nap but it sounds as if he got to see big machinery, learn that we drink water from the mississippi nadi (his friend the river), and see the various stages of cleansing (some of which are identical to the ones in the magic school bus) made for a pretty good time even for an exhausted kid.  perhaps his silent lurking dad can fill in a few more details when he checks in on the blog.  

as my eyes were dilated, i was home in the afternoon and packed a picnic dinner for the park.  i met the rest of the gang there and we had a picnic dinner of grilled cheese sandwiches, spanikopita, cole slaw, pirate's booty, and dried cherries. not too bad.  the kids ate well and it was nice to be outside.  R was exhausted and even K seemed very tired (only a half hour nap for her!).  we saw uncle david, aunt andrea, and zora at the park as well. uncle david brought their new dog milo.  k who loves doggie woo-woos is also terrified by them so she started crying when milo was at her feet sniffing for food.  

they ate and ran around the park.  we did not listed to the music as much as everyone was tired and came home. we had promised R a treat.  our netflix of IMAX: Ring of Fire had arrived.  So everyone watched 15 minutes of volcano eruptions before bedtime.  K also worked on some ice cream.  and then it was off to bed. I think mom was the first one asleep out of everyone sitting in the big recliner chair.  so i am afraid i do not know how long it took for the rest of the gang.  but my sense is that the monkeys were asleep by 9:30 so early for him and late for her.  let's keep our fingers crossed that this means a good night sleep for all.  tomorrow R wants to be there to go to the pool with his friends, dad has lab meeting, mom needs to work, and k needs a good day to transition to older toddlers so it will be busy for all.  and then of course more swimming lessons after school.  (i am hoping my ears de-clog.  they have been congested with fluid for about 10 days and everything has been muffled for several days.  not a happy mom today with blurry eyes and muffled ears.  weird sensory experiences!)

Me too!

Well, last night Dad started sniffling and reaching for the tissues.  And in the middle of the night, Ms. K was warm to the touch and very grouchy.  Everyone seemed to sleep and around 6 R climbed into bed.  K was definitely unhappy when she woke.  Ruskin reported that she would eat no breakfast.  So off they went in the hope that perhaps the Center's french toast sticks might appeal to her.

R woke up crying oddly; I think he was in a deep sleep.  But he adjusted quickly and we had a nice snuggle talking about all kinds of things while lying in bed.  He was speedy in getting dressed and we went down stairs to make breakfast together.  We had agreed on "cheesy eggs" and bagels.  He helped mix the cottage cheese, eggs, and cheese together.  We talked about the difference between brown and white eggs, about how colby cheese is made (R says mixing cheddar with another cheese), and about salt and pepper (his latest passion).  He ate very well and I did not offer sausage at all.  He asked for cinnamon bread from my plate (which is unusual) and liked that well enough to eat two small pieces. All in all a good breakfast. 

At school, R ran off to play with Ezra.  I peeked in on K and she was on the playground with Lily.  Walking around holding her hand, and then leaning back and "knocking" her over onto the grass and laughing.  So despite being warm and having a low grade fever, she seemed to be well.

At pick up, R was playing with Luca and Ezra which was nice.  He warmed up to Auntie Amy (a former student of mine who is visiting) pretty quickly.  K was playing happily and seemed quite chipper, though when we got into the car she was not interested in eating which was unusual and indication of her feeling under the weather too.  Clearly "me too" is going on as K has caught R's cold.

Swim class was fun. R is pretty comfortable in the water and likes to be underwater though he seems to swallow quite a bit.  his lack of coordination also shows in that his kicking and scooping are rather erratic. K was not feeling well and rather fussy though she loves to jump into the water.  We watched for choo-choo's (the light rail) on the way home and even went by masee's house.  she was not home.  and that was because she was at our house.  the kids had a delightful time vying for her attention and sharing with her a hundred things.

after dinner, R got another volcano eruption and K went to bed.  She seemed quite tired.  my biggest difficulty as a parent these days is not being able to be disciplined and rigorous about stabilizing their sleeping patterns.  R stays up way too late (it is 10:30 and he is still self-stimulating to stay awake.) we go upstairs by 8:15, get pajamas, urine, teethbrushing, and 2 stories done by 8:45 and self reading until 9.  And then the lights go out and the questions start -- how was your day mommy, what did you do today, what is that shadow, etc.  we go to quiet time and i leave around 9:30 and then for the next hour, he needs his blankets on, needs to make urine, ask more questions, etc. he continues to self-stimulate rather than go to sleep.  this time it woke K up and Ruskin is upstairs dealing with that now. 

he said to me when i went upstairs, "i want to make urine but i can't turn on the water."   

ME: you can use a wipe and we can wash in the morning.

R: but wipes are pollution and bad for the environment.  i want to use water but i can't turn it on.

hard to argue with that (though i did tell him that wipes are made of cloth and will break down and turn into soil) 

how can he wake up at 7:30 if he does not fall asleep before 10? 

all i can think to do is make sure he wakes up at 7:30 everyday no matter how exhausted he is and eventually it will kick in.  (Hence the request to masee for an alarm clock for a birthday present!!!!!!!)

so tomorrow is an exciting day as he is going to the waterworks with ruskin and the MIT alumni association.  

he loves the magic school bus goes to the waterworks -- a book about the water cycle and purification process.

should be exciting.  (no pictures today)

Long day, short blog

Here are a few more photos from Ms. K's birthday celebration.

So Masee will have to fill us in on how the night went but the report I received suggested that R had such a fun night that he spent an hour asking Tom about his bike light, a jillion questions about the cats, and then wanted to trade secrets and stories.  He also expected to sleep in a sleeping bag and stay up late as that is what all the kids in the books do also.  The report is that he was up until 11:30 and up at 8:30.  

On the home front, it was a relaxed morning.  How quiet only one is. K and mom went to Whole Foods where K proceeded to eat every sample in the store.  She loved strawberries served on toothpicks.  She also liked the cheese, crackers, pesto, cookies, banana bread, pirate's booty, corn chips, bread, and cheddar.  The only things she did not like were pineapple and soy ice cream.  Groceries sure have gone up in prices.   

Daddy took R to the aquatennial but R fell asleep before hitting the lake.  So we missed the friends, the boat races, and the sand castle competition.  But at least the monkey had a nap. K had a nice nap too.  The highlight of the afternoon was erupting our paper mache volcano.  It was fun.  The winning combination was baking soda, followed by dish soap, and then vinegar mixed with red food color added to this mixture.  For dinner there was grilled tofu and veggies courtesy of Masee and pretty much straight to bed.  It was a fine relaxed day where everyone tried to recover from being so busy.

Tomorrow back to school and swimming class.

Always go for the red convertible

R found his way to our bed again this morning.  Mostly everyone woke up happy though there was some crabbiness by both kids at breakfast.  R is doing much better about getting dressed in the morning by himself.  This morning he was a little on the slow side and tested us.  Neither ate that much for breakfast but it is summer and meals tend to be lighter.

The highlight of the morning was going to Como Town which is a small area of rides in a park.  I took R once last year and K has never been on any rides.  They had no idea what the rides were but saw them and were excited about the "new toys."  I invited my friend MH and both kids like her immensely and call her Auntie Hot Hot.  She is one of R's favorite adults and generously volunteered to come with us.  It was helpful to me because it is difficult to manage them both on my own in a new environment.  I went to grad school with MH and we have been friends for 16 years.  It is nice to have that history.  She really likes R and K.  K is warming quickly to her as well.  

The rides were fun -- they "drove" cars, pony carts, fire trucks, trains, and a teacup.  R was most excited about mini-donuts oddly enough.  Everyone went home after lots of fun and had lunch when dad got home.  R ate "tofu cheese" (aka tofu cubes) with salt and pepper.  We have been working so hard to expand his repertoire and I am so proud of him.  He has come such a long way in a year with the assistance of the speech therapist.  He willingly tries foods he thinks might be safe (not fresh vegetables or fruit) but a lot else very willingly.  For dinner he ate fish and chips, macaroni and cheese, a cookie, and milk.  Now that might seem average or typical but this is a child who ate primarily sausage, bread, and cheese a year ago.  It was wonderful.  K enjoys her food as well. She is adventurous and ate more veggies and fruit until recently.  Still she enjoys her food!

The afternoon was pleasant. K and her dad went for a long 2 hour walk so that Ms. K could get afternoon nap.  They got caught in a rain shower and came back mostly damp and at least one of them seemed relaxed and content.  R decided that the afternoon should be spent playing Lady and the Tramp.  He starred as Lady with Mommy as Tramp.  Our job was to run away from the dog catchers.  This lasted a good hour or so with many variations.  We also snuggled and rescued other dogs from the dog catcher wagon.   Then some of the puppies had baths.  

K and her daddy fell asleep as both were exhausted after a long day.  And R is now at masee's house having his first sleepover and we have not heard from her so we assume things are going really well or really poorly. guess we will find out in the morning.  having only one child at night feels so easy and lazy!  Mom is left with filling in the blog and thinking about (but not doing laundry).  Tomorrow we go to the aquatennial complete with boats, milk carton boat races, and sand castles -- hopefully Mira, R's friend will join us.  That is the nice thing about Minneapolis -- there are a million things to do.

And just for comparison's sake.  Here is  a photo from today and from may 2007

End of the week!

It was a pretty calm day.  R climbed in bed around 6 am.  K was cranky this morning for some reason.  Toddler crankiness and tantrums are sometimes amusing.  Sometimes she just lies on the ground and yells no.  It is unclear who or what the object of her frustration is so we just let her do her thing.  Today was one of those mornings.  Neither child seemed that interested in breakfast and we finally got them both out the door.  

School seemed fine and it was the first full day without interruption for R in a long time.  The evening was nice as Aunty Hot Hot visited.  The kids had eaten by the time she and I came home.  It was nice to see R with Auntie.  He had a lot to ask her and talked with her through most of her dinner.  He really enjoys talking with her and askin her a million questions about her watch. Both kids were tired and resisted.  K warmed up to Auntie Hot Hot but stayed mommy focused for most of the evening.   It is great to see R with one of his favorite adults. I am fairly sure he thinks of her as his friend as much as mine.  

here are a few photos from the museum and a video from K's bday gathering

this is the cozy coupe car that masee and uncle tom got for her birthday

peas in a pod -- in more than one way!

In a city far, far away... The force was with us.

Another adventurous day...

A gentle morning for the most part -- R getting up in the morning and getting dressed is getting speedier and easier.  Instead of the previous 30-40 minutes to go to the bathroom and get dressed, it is now about 10-20 minutes.  I told him how proud I am of his being a "cheetah" this morning and then he was proud too.  There was a tantrum in the kitchen this morning that resulted from not getting his way.  But he recovered well and was able to talk about it which was nice. R had music class in the morning which he seemed to enjoy and then he went to school quite pleased.

K was particularly perky on the way to school.  She woke up crying and rolled around on the bed for about 2 minutes and then sat up and said "happy" and then was happy.  I wish I had that ability to pick up and change states so quickly.  That is a good lesson from both kids.  Don't hang on to the negative emotions, let go, and move on.  They certainly enjoy their lives more with the ability not to harbor grudges and to live in the moment rather than the past.  

It was leisurely this morning and then the big excitement this afternoon was a trip to the science museum with mommy and masee.  Since it is summer time, masee has time to see the kids at least once a week. And they are loving it.  K talks about masee-tom all the time.  She drew a picture the other night and said masee-house.  I am not sure if it is a picture of masee's house or that she wants to take it to masee's house, but either way drawing reminds her of masee (and her cats-meows).  We have started to spend thursday evenings with masee which is nice.  Dad gets an opportunity to work late, masee gets time with the kids, and mom gets time with masee.  Win-win-win.  

the kids were very excited about picking masee up from her work.  they've seen daddy's work frequently but nobody else's work.  we picked her up and went to the museum.  the omni film was on special effects.  which of course was frightening to the kids.  yet R was very brave and of course interested.  K also liked it when it was nature scenes and animals but not explosions and space ships.  

The exhibit itself was ok.  More importantly, the kids liked it and ran around playing with the lego magnetic hovercraft, driving a hovercraft, playing with robots, and generally running around being silly.  We got a few pictures.  

At the end of the exhibit, both were running out of energy and needed to have some food quickly.  R walked around the gift shop saying I want this Star Wars toy and this toy.  I told him that he could pick out one thing and that Rocky Mama would give it to him for his birthday. He picked some kind of darth vader object -- here that Rocky Mama! 

We fed them, dropped masee back at her car, and brought them home.  They had a happy evening -- thanks masee.  Next week -- we are considering fossil hunting!

PS -- R has built a volcano and it has been drying for 3 days.  we have great plans for baking soda, vinegar, soap, and red food dye eruptions soon!  There has been some discussion of a sleepover at Masee's this weekend.  This would be first.   

no pictures today

Glad to know that you like it

TWO!

Hi 

Today due to computer error, I lost the blog I had written and do not have time to recreate.

Here are the highlights. 

R ate so many different foods in the last week that I am just so thrilled!

K and R had swimming and did art work.  

But to make up for the narrative, here are some photos from a recent visit from family. 

We prefer the alarm clock

R has started joining us in the wee hours in our bed.  Needless to say, it is a bit crowded with four of us in the bed. Ru doesn't usually notice and manages to sleep through the interruptions.  When Bug joined this morning and there was some jostling back and forth, K had a difficult time with adjusting.  I woke to  K saying "dirty" and showing me her hand.  It was covered in blood.  During her crying, she had somehow given herself a bloody nose.  I was not thoroughly shocked because she had a bloody nose a few weeks ago when she was crying.  So Dad went down and got her an ice pack while I cleaned her up.  Her shirt, the pillow, the sheet, her face, and my clothes had blood on them.  She was quite chipper about it and did not seem at all disturbed.  It was only 6 am when it happened and both the boys went back to sleep for a bit while K held the frozen edamame on her nose saying "ice pack," "brrr," and "mine" over and over again. 

Bug did not stir at all and slept through all of this and finally had to be awakened at 7:30.  No one seemed very hungry and with temperatures predicted to reach a high of 90 or 95, it seemed that it was going to stay that way. 

We all got to school ok and later in my many trips to the center, I found a note in K's mailbox saying that she is moving to older toddlers.  We love that side -- it has excellent teachers who are a  loving, smart, and terrific team.  So this is the easiest transition in all of daycare.  Nevertheless, I am sad as I always hate saying good-bye to the teachers that she has had.  For the most part, my children have been incredibly fortunate to have wonderful, nurturing, patient, and doting teachers.  Sarah, Tamino, Emily, Stephanie, and Emily(2) have been so important to K's adjustment and love of daycare; they nurture her without coddling her by providing a safe and secure environment filled with affection and love.  She is very attached to her adults and gravitates to her favorites as soon as she arrives.  She asks for Emily as we approach the school.  think this transition is going to be hard for her as well.  Less traumatic then the transition from Infants to Toddlers which took her a good 2 months to adjust to, but hard for her (and for me).  R will be going to Engineers soon too.  I am also looking forward to that transition though he will miss a few friends.  Luckily, he will continue to see Ezra on the playground so I hope they continue to play as well.

Dinner was a little chaotic as we met some friends at the Global Market.  R got a little wound up as he missed nap.  And K was a little fragile until she found her rice appealing.  Overall, it was a good day with tired and hot kids and grownups.  It ended with some relaxing bath time and stories.  Hopefully, it will be a quiet night too.

 

 

busy busy bees

spud-n-bug

Welcome,
We enjoy spud and bug and thought a few of you might not mind a few updates.

Spud turned two on Friday and is very proud of herself. She knew it was her birthday and liked having everyone wish her happy birthday and ask her how old she is. "Twooo."Masee's presents were a big hit -- the bubbles and cozy coupe car evoked shrieks of joy and much yelling of "mine!" and "another present." Quick study, that little monkey. Bug was also a good big brother and gave her a toy car.

R is all about volcanos and we answered a million questions about lava and eruptions all day long. This was the result of a 30-45 minute fascination with Youtube videos of volcano eruptions. This included discussions of different kinds of lava (the crumbly kind or the pancake batter kind); different kind of eruptions (ash or lava). K gave R a model volcano which was a big hit.

Today was a busy day with "steamroller class" and swimming class. Both R and K enjoyed swimming. K has been a little more timid in the water. She warms up and splashes around but is a little unsure in the beginning. R is getting braver and more confident. He stood on the edge and jumped in, touching bottom, and coming to the top, all with minimum help. He is very proud of himself.

Both were tired today. But bedtime is an opportunity for R to ask all the questions that are milling around in his head. They pour out in a flood. Today the topic was getting old and dying. The conversation went something like this.
R: "I always want to be a kid. I never want to grow up."
J: "You will be a kid for a long time. So you do not have to worry."
R: "I want to be this same age and have this same face forever."
J: "You will be a kid for a long time, say another 16 years."
R: "Mommy will you be alive when I am alive. Can you stay alive a long time, mom?"
J: "I will do my best, kiddo."
R: "How long will you live mommy?"
J: "If I'm lucky, 50 years"
R: "No mommy that is not long enough."
J: "How about 55?"
R: "That's good. But I want to stay my same age."
J: "But good things happen as you get older -- when you are five you can learn to ride a bike,
and swim. And you can have a sleepover with your friends."
R: "I want Ezra to sleepover when I am five. Mommy can he come and spend the night. That will be so much fun. I will ask him. I think he will say yes."
R: "Mommy, when you leave, I read books. When you go, can I read more books? Don't say no, Mommy."
R: "Good night mommy, I am going to read now."

A few minutes later...
R: "I am scared."
Daddy reassures him.

A few minutes later...
R: "I am sweaty."
Ru: "I will open the door but remember to be quiet because K is sleeping."
R: "Ok daddy."

quiet... finally