Life Lessons

Zoe, this week you are getting some education about life, and it would not surprise me if you prefer to avoid this education for a little while. 

First, we came outside to find a dead squirrel. He appeared to have fallen from a tree. Explaining death was a little challenging. I'll need to find some good library books at some point. Later that afternoon, you said things like "I like the squirrel to be dead." Then, as soon as you saw another squirrel running around, you'd say happily "Look! He's not dead!" It seemed like you were trying to sooth yourself in to either thinking death was good or that it hadn't happened. 

Later, and more sadly, while we were walking up the block on our nightly excursion, we came across a dear neighbor that you see regularly. She is an older person and she had fallen badly. Her arms, face, and clothes were covered in blood. She had also become very disoriented and didn't know us or what had happened to her. While I solicited the help of another neighbor to get her husband and a car to get them to the hospital, you and I sat with her on the side walk. At first, she became a little more lucid and you showed her your boo boo's and how they were healing. That seemed to help distract everyone from the extent of her injuries, and it was actually a very sweet time. However, it was very confusing when she started to talk nonsensically. Fortunately, another neighbor came outside, and I asked her to stay so I could take you and the two other kids with us away from the area. I'll have to find a time later this week when she gets home from the hospital to show you that she's recovering. I'm certain that the injuries looked worse than they were and I'm hoping it will help you. That night, when I put you to bed, you said "mom, next time we see someone hurting, can we just walk on by?" Sometimes that would seem easier, Zoe.

So, so much to talk about. So many life lessons to instill. But, only in tiny bite size pieces at this age...

Mia, 16 Months

Mia, this month you've become much more of a talker. Your language has really blossomed and you've begun to try to put two words together. You now have several words that you prefer in Spanish like agua, leche, and gracias, and several more English words. You're trying desperately to sort out a word for Zoe too.

These days you're much more likely to smile and laugh than to pout which is a joy to be around. You do know what you want when you want it though. The only way to sway you from an item is to physically remove it, and even then you may not be deterred. 

We take walks almost every night, and I can't believe it, but you tend to walk on the sidewalk. Thank you. It makes our outings so much nicer when I'm not needing to hurl myself between you and a street every minute.

Nursing is still humming along for us, and hopefully will be for a few more months. In the next few weeks, I plan to introduce you to whole milk too. As Zoe likes to say, "I drink cow's milk and Mia drinks mommy's milk." Zoe thinks it's really funny that you'll eventually drink cow's milk too. 

You had lots of special visitors this month. Grandma Barbara came for a visit, and Grandpa Steven and Grandma Bette came too. You also enjoyed your music class and lots of story time at the library.  Books are still a significant past time for you and you're always eager to either flip through a book in a chair with me in the office or in the rocker before bed. Your favorite book reading activity though is to find the tiniest corner you can find (e.g., behind a chair, under a desk), and scoot all the back to a wall and turn the pages. You both say and sign "book" when you're hungry for a reading session.

Playtime is always an adventure with you.  A couple of favorite maneuvers include putting plastic cups on your feet and trying to walk, sitting in any open container, and climbing on the couch.

Your hair has gotten much longer this month, and you have mostly stopped confiscating the barrettes we put in your hair to keep it out of your eyes. You have more teeth coming in too, and fortunately you've stopped putting every small object you come across in your mouth.

Happy 16th month Mia! Can't wait for what lies ahead.

I love you.

Mom

Great Memory!

Tonight, as I'm putting Zoe to bed, I remind her that one of dad's friends is coming over with his kids for breakfast tomorrow. Zoe has met Mitch probably three times before, and she's met his kids on maybe two of those occasions. The last time we saw them was early last October, eight months ago. 

Mom:  Hey Zoe, remember, Mitch is coming over tomorrow with his kids.

Zoe:  Yeah mom. Zack and I cut up pumpkins together a long time ago and toasted seeds and made pumpkin soup....and I peed on Grapes of Math.

So, she was about 85% on target. Zack is his name which I can't believe she remembered. And, he did come over to carve pumpkins and we did save and toast the seeds with Zack that same afternoon. On another day though, she and I made pumpkin soup. 

The Grapes of Math incident was completely unrelated and occurred at least a year ago. This was one of her favorite books which she read nearly every night at bedtime. It was not a board book. One night she feel asleep with it in bed, and it was on the same night that she had her last accident in bed. She woke up the next morning, looked at her bed and hollared "I peed on the Grapes of Math."  

How these two things were linked in her mind, I haven't a clue. But I am really impressed, Zoe. I can barely remember the day of the week, and I have very few memories of my young childhood. Kudos on your stellar memory.

PS- The photo has no connection. I just thought it was cute. It was from a recent Second Sunday playdate with the Milk Mom's.

Camp Uniform and Birthday Present

Today Zoe tells me that camp starts soon, she loves camp, and camp has a required uniform. 

Mom: Really Zoe? What is the required uniform?

Zoe: A white shirt, polka dot pants and penguin underwear.

Later, I asked Zoe what we should get great, grandpa Milton for his upcoming birthday. We're going to see him in Texas and he'll be 95 years old.

Zoe: Either a copy of Peter Rabbit or a passport.

Deep Sleep

Since you've been born, I've devoted many postings to the subject of sleep. Mostly, the discussion centers around my being tired because one of you were not sleeping as much or as consistently as I'd like. Well, tonight I am giving you some serious sleep credit. 

Tonight, our smoke alarm went off for nearly an hour. Through it all, despite there being two blaring alarms upstairs as well as others throughout the house sounding alarm, neither of you woke up. 

Our kitchen and basement experienced fairly serious water damage during a storm, and water was leaking through a smoke detector in the basement causing the alarms throughout the house to sound. Since they are electric, and not battery operated, we could not turn them off. The fire department told us that they aren't allowed to tell us over the phone how to turn them off but must come to the house to turn them off and assess the situation in case it is shorting out. 

On the upside, dad and I were able to run around the house mopping up water, cutting a hole in the ceiling to drain water, and trying to divert water from the area outside the house where the water was coming in without either of you waking up and disturbed by the noise. Especially given what a light sleeper Mia typically is, that's pretty amazing in our house. We now know, however, that the alarms aren't enough to hustle you in to gear in the case of a more serious situation.

Huggers

The other night, Zoe and Mia were sitting at the kitchen table across from each other practicing hugging themselves. I can attest that practice pays off...they're both great huggers!

Zoe- 3.5 Years - May 7, 2009

Dear Zoe:

You take my breath away. Sometimes I feel like I could just watch you 24 hours a day and be more entertained than doing anything else in the world. Everyday you learn something new, say something silly, ask a profound question, and play in the most honest, wide-eyed way.

You enjoy reading all kinds of books. Story time is one of your favorite activities. My favorite time of the day with you is bedtime. After we read books, we cuddle and you tell me about your day. 

With each passing month, you play more and more with other kids. You like to play make believe games, hide and go seek, games that require taking turns, any kind of tackling, chasing or wrestling, and generally paling around with others. Here you are exploring the mud with your friend Connor.

Painting is a key passion of yours. You are mostly keen on the smaller brushes and water colors, but you're certainly open to the wide array of paints and brushes.

In the past six months, you've become increasingly carefree. You are eager to jump in and on anything, and there is no slide you won't take on.

This was also a time of lots of fun trips and new experiences for us...Nassau, Montana, and  Colorado where you tried skis for the first time. It's been such a fun time Zoe. I love you. Mom

Zoe Speakeneze

After several days of rainy, cloudy weather, we thought we had a break from it today. When it started to rain yet again...

Zoe: What's with all the rain? The weather is a coocoohead. 

On one rainy outing, we went looking for worms and slugs. We found what appeared to be a very sluggish slug.

Zoe: He's all done. That's the end. Someone has to throw him away. He's dead.

Of note: none of the words "poop", "poopy", or "poopster" made it into any of the discussions above. That is progress.

Top Reasons Why I Wish I Were Raising Kids in the 70's

For the past two nights, I thought it would be relaxing to watch a few minutes of TV before bed. Kick off my shoes, relax, numb out to some random sitcom.

Not so. Each night, there was a subplot about some horrible thing that happens to a young girl or baby. During commercials, I'd check email and relay important messages to Scott, e.g., Swine Flu has killed a child in Texas, child in Arlington VA daycare in coma from shaken baby syndrome, etc. 

First night, I was reduced to tears. Second night, I called my mom. I asked her if she had regular fears for my sisters and I as we were growing up. (Underlying message being...why did I get myself in to this parenting business? Am I going to turn in to a nervous wreck?!) She calmly said "no, I was too busy to worry." Mind you, my mom loves a good worry now and then, so this surprised me a bit, especially given some of the accidents my sister's and I had. Then, my mom reminded me of some of the way times were different. Which reminded me of why I wish I were raising kids in the 70's:

1.  Only 4 TV stations - news broadcasts twice in the evening only

2.  No car seats

3.  No seat belts

4.  Almost everyone played outside, freely all day long, bare foot

5.  Rarely needed to drive anywhere for anything

6.  Big backyards, low home prices

7.  Practically everyone had a pool

8.  No cell phones or email to check

9.  No significant bulk or plastic parenting "must-haves"

10. No craigslist killers or creepy facebook "friend" requests

Granted, many plastic, bulky parenting things make my life easier and I'm very happy to have them. I also enjoy technology, and certainly, many changes add to our safety and health in immeasurable ways. But, geez, things sure seemed simpler. 

Now, I bet if I asked my mom, she'd say she'd rather raise kids in the 1950's.