Zuzu: 3.56 yrs old
Bear: 1.45 yrs old
Zuzu's very good friend, a five-year-old boy, was over for dinner. At the table, Zuzu informed him that she had new princess underwear. He replied that he had ninja turtle underwear. They both seemed to think this was an interesting and serious conversation.
When Bear wants something, he says "Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!" It started out as a reply to our questions--"Bear, do you want a snack?" "Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!" etc. But now he does it without being asked anything first. He'll stand by the kitchen counter underneath the snack basket and shout it, or stand by the sunroom door hoping to go outside. When Hubs got home from work today, Bear rushed up to him and hugged his legs, and shouted "Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!" Hubs understood that Bear wanted him to lift Bear upside down, which of course is a thing they do. So Hubs did ... every time he set Bear down, Bear shouted it again. "Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!"
Out shopping ... in the parking lot and in the store, Zuzu asked every person we passed what their name was, and then told them her name, and then said "Nice to meet you!" It made everyone happy. I suppose we should talk more about stranger danger at some point.
Thursday, June 11, 2015
Pontoon
Zuzu: 3.55 yrs old
Bear: 1.44 yrs old
The host couple of our small group Bible study generously invited the group to take a ride on their pontoon boat. Hubs couldn't come, and I'd confessed to friends beforehand that I was stressed out about managing both kids on a boat. But my friends entertained Zuzu the whole time. She was delighted to be surrounded by so many nice people. The boat owner keeps spare sunglasses and hats on the boat--Zuzu tried them all on, and received many compliments. Zuzu has a Favorite Adult, one of the small group gals. Favorite Adult always listens and responds to Zuzu earnestly, without condescension. She is endlessly patient and in good humor. Zuzu enjoyed the attention of all the adults, but she liked best to sit next to Favorite Adult and tell her stories.
Bear charged up and down the length of the pontoon a couple of times, with me hovering. Then he and his baby friend became fascinated by a shiny silver knob and took turns pushing on it, and then Bear sat in my lap and gave in to sleepiness, as he hadn't taken an afternoon nap. He became very still and very heavy in my arms. The bulky lifejacket came right up under his chin, but he didn't seem to mind. His eyes drooped to slits, but didn't close. He was still blinking and changing positions now and then. That's how we stayed for most of the time on the water. I wondered--is this what he always does at nap time? Maybe he never sleeps, just sort of zones out? But anyway, it made for quite a carefree boat ride for me.
We had dinner at the couple's beautiful cabin afterwards. My kids chased each other around the house. No one seemed to mind. I wondered if anybody actually minded? Besides Zuzu and Bear there was Bear's baby friend and another baby girl. My kids were the rowdiest. I didn't do much mothering while we were there. Everyone else was so kind and helpful and attentive, and also so laidback. I was thankful.
After the hour-long car ride home Bear was asleep. I scooped him out of his carseat and carried him inside without him stirring. His little body so warm and heavy ... his head on my shoulder ...
Bear: 1.44 yrs old
The host couple of our small group Bible study generously invited the group to take a ride on their pontoon boat. Hubs couldn't come, and I'd confessed to friends beforehand that I was stressed out about managing both kids on a boat. But my friends entertained Zuzu the whole time. She was delighted to be surrounded by so many nice people. The boat owner keeps spare sunglasses and hats on the boat--Zuzu tried them all on, and received many compliments. Zuzu has a Favorite Adult, one of the small group gals. Favorite Adult always listens and responds to Zuzu earnestly, without condescension. She is endlessly patient and in good humor. Zuzu enjoyed the attention of all the adults, but she liked best to sit next to Favorite Adult and tell her stories.
Bear charged up and down the length of the pontoon a couple of times, with me hovering. Then he and his baby friend became fascinated by a shiny silver knob and took turns pushing on it, and then Bear sat in my lap and gave in to sleepiness, as he hadn't taken an afternoon nap. He became very still and very heavy in my arms. The bulky lifejacket came right up under his chin, but he didn't seem to mind. His eyes drooped to slits, but didn't close. He was still blinking and changing positions now and then. That's how we stayed for most of the time on the water. I wondered--is this what he always does at nap time? Maybe he never sleeps, just sort of zones out? But anyway, it made for quite a carefree boat ride for me.
We had dinner at the couple's beautiful cabin afterwards. My kids chased each other around the house. No one seemed to mind. I wondered if anybody actually minded? Besides Zuzu and Bear there was Bear's baby friend and another baby girl. My kids were the rowdiest. I didn't do much mothering while we were there. Everyone else was so kind and helpful and attentive, and also so laidback. I was thankful.
After the hour-long car ride home Bear was asleep. I scooped him out of his carseat and carried him inside without him stirring. His little body so warm and heavy ... his head on my shoulder ...
Friday, June 5, 2015
Concert and peas
Zuzu: 3.55 yrs old
Bear: 1.44 yrs old
Short stocky Bear toddling through the tall grass ... his skin looks so fair and his legs look so fat and he has such a cute round blond head.
Bear and his toddler friend shaking their heads at each other for fun, laughing
The first concert in the park of the summer. It was a beautiful night, tons of people, everyone relaxed, enjoying the good things in life. Zuzu played with the other kids by the band but I stayed with Bear and our stuff. Bear was sleepy. He sat on my lap and stared at dogs and sometimes laughed and pointed at them, and finally he leaned into me and got snuggly, and then Hubs and Zuzu were back and we packed up and went home. It's always lovely to go to the concerts in the park.
Bear feeding me sugar snap peas, taking great pleasure in pushing them into my mouth. I thank him. We keep giggling at each other. He's sitting on my lap on the rocking chair in the sunroom. Between pushing pea pods into my mouth he's tearing them apart and daintily picking out the little peas inside. Half of them he drops accidentally, and the other half he eats. Hubs is grilling salmon and Zuzu is playing in the grass ... we can see her through the window. It's the most relaxed I've been all day.
Zuzu's long side pony tail, all ringlets
The way Zuzu says "olive oil." She likes to dip her bread in it and kept requesting more at dinner, and her pronunciation is so sweet ... I can't think now exactly what it sounds like.
Bear: 1.44 yrs old
Short stocky Bear toddling through the tall grass ... his skin looks so fair and his legs look so fat and he has such a cute round blond head.
Bear and his toddler friend shaking their heads at each other for fun, laughing
The first concert in the park of the summer. It was a beautiful night, tons of people, everyone relaxed, enjoying the good things in life. Zuzu played with the other kids by the band but I stayed with Bear and our stuff. Bear was sleepy. He sat on my lap and stared at dogs and sometimes laughed and pointed at them, and finally he leaned into me and got snuggly, and then Hubs and Zuzu were back and we packed up and went home. It's always lovely to go to the concerts in the park.
Bear feeding me sugar snap peas, taking great pleasure in pushing them into my mouth. I thank him. We keep giggling at each other. He's sitting on my lap on the rocking chair in the sunroom. Between pushing pea pods into my mouth he's tearing them apart and daintily picking out the little peas inside. Half of them he drops accidentally, and the other half he eats. Hubs is grilling salmon and Zuzu is playing in the grass ... we can see her through the window. It's the most relaxed I've been all day.
Zuzu's long side pony tail, all ringlets
The way Zuzu says "olive oil." She likes to dip her bread in it and kept requesting more at dinner, and her pronunciation is so sweet ... I can't think now exactly what it sounds like.
Wednesday, June 3, 2015
Toddler toy tantrums; cheerful 'good morning'
Zuzu: 3.54 yrs old
Bear: 1.43 yrs old
Bear and his toddler friend playing together ... all's going well until suddenly they're both screaming at each other. They both want the same toy, they both believe the best way to get it is to use brute force, and they are both outraged at each other's behavior!
Normally the kids get themselves up in the morning ... I don't go waking anybody up. But Zuzu was sleeping late and we had to be somewhere. So I went into her room and pulled the window shades. She sat up gracefully, like Cinderella when the birdies wake her up, and said sweetly, "good morning, Mommy!"
Zuzu tried to give me an ultimatum but didn't know how to make me choose what she wanted me to choose. "You can play with me, or stay here by yourself," she told me severely. At the time I think I had to prepare lunch, so I cheerfully opted to stay in the kitchen by myself. Poor little Zuzu.
I'm standing at the bathroom sink and look down to see Bear pulling the shower curtain with one hand and a hanging towel with the other hand to meet in front of him ... he peeks out, I see both his eyes, and an adorable mischievous look on his face. He pulls them away and looks up at me, beaming. Again and again ... now he stands behind the shower curtain ... he leans forward and I can see the shape of his face through the fabric; I can even tell he has the same happy mischievous expression. He pulls it away--so smiley! I think how handsome he is.
Bear: 1.43 yrs old
Bear and his toddler friend playing together ... all's going well until suddenly they're both screaming at each other. They both want the same toy, they both believe the best way to get it is to use brute force, and they are both outraged at each other's behavior!
Normally the kids get themselves up in the morning ... I don't go waking anybody up. But Zuzu was sleeping late and we had to be somewhere. So I went into her room and pulled the window shades. She sat up gracefully, like Cinderella when the birdies wake her up, and said sweetly, "good morning, Mommy!"
Zuzu tried to give me an ultimatum but didn't know how to make me choose what she wanted me to choose. "You can play with me, or stay here by yourself," she told me severely. At the time I think I had to prepare lunch, so I cheerfully opted to stay in the kitchen by myself. Poor little Zuzu.
I'm standing at the bathroom sink and look down to see Bear pulling the shower curtain with one hand and a hanging towel with the other hand to meet in front of him ... he peeks out, I see both his eyes, and an adorable mischievous look on his face. He pulls them away and looks up at me, beaming. Again and again ... now he stands behind the shower curtain ... he leans forward and I can see the shape of his face through the fabric; I can even tell he has the same happy mischievous expression. He pulls it away--so smiley! I think how handsome he is.
Tuesday, June 2, 2015
Jar Lids and Paper Princesses
Zuzu: 3.54 yrs old
Bear: 1.43 yrs old
Started the day with couch romping. I hate couch romping. Kids are constantly on the brink of terrible injury.
Chocolate pancakes with tons of sliced strawberries. I thought it was breakfast heaven. Bear ate some. Zuzu ate one bite.
The kids and I sat on the kitchen floor and played with the lids of all the glass jars I've collected over the years. I keep the lids in a bottom kitchen drawer with other stuff Bear's allowed to ransack. We nested them, stacked them, sorted them, counted them. Zuzu and I rolled them across the floor lots and lots of times--Bear threw them. We clapped them together, scraped them on the tile, banged on them like itty bitty drums, spun them in circles around our fingers ... the fun lasted so long, for being free.
At Bear's nap time Zuzu asked me if I wanted to play with her paper princesses from Sisi. She loves her paper princesses from Sisi, and they only come out during Bear's nap time when he can't destroy them. I did not particularly want to, as I was still in pajamas and had a million things to do, but we did. The storyline was that the princesses kept tripping whilst dancing and damaging articles of clothing and asking one of the servants to mend everything. This happened about a hundred times and then I told Zuzu I was going to stop playing and get dressed, which made her sulk. That girl has a champion sulk face.
Bear: 1.43 yrs old
Started the day with couch romping. I hate couch romping. Kids are constantly on the brink of terrible injury.
Chocolate pancakes with tons of sliced strawberries. I thought it was breakfast heaven. Bear ate some. Zuzu ate one bite.
The kids and I sat on the kitchen floor and played with the lids of all the glass jars I've collected over the years. I keep the lids in a bottom kitchen drawer with other stuff Bear's allowed to ransack. We nested them, stacked them, sorted them, counted them. Zuzu and I rolled them across the floor lots and lots of times--Bear threw them. We clapped them together, scraped them on the tile, banged on them like itty bitty drums, spun them in circles around our fingers ... the fun lasted so long, for being free.
At Bear's nap time Zuzu asked me if I wanted to play with her paper princesses from Sisi. She loves her paper princesses from Sisi, and they only come out during Bear's nap time when he can't destroy them. I did not particularly want to, as I was still in pajamas and had a million things to do, but we did. The storyline was that the princesses kept tripping whilst dancing and damaging articles of clothing and asking one of the servants to mend everything. This happened about a hundred times and then I told Zuzu I was going to stop playing and get dressed, which made her sulk. That girl has a champion sulk face.
Monday, June 1, 2015
Toothbrushing peek-a-boo
Zuzu: 3.54 yrs old
Bear: 1.42 yrs old
Bear is so happy I'm on the floor with him. He's so happy he gets to climb all over me, take a few steps away, hurtle back into a hug. Why don't I sit on the floor always? he wonders. I tickle his fat legs. He laughs heartily. When I stop he grabs my hands and tries to make me tickle him again.
Toothbrushing time ... kids and me hanging out in the bathroom. Bear wants to hold his own toothbrush. I try to take it and this makes him Unhappy. I cover my tired eyes with my fingertips, massage my eyebrows for a second, and sense Bear coming up to me, curious, maybe a little concerned? I pop my head up playfully and shout "peek-a-boo!" Bear erupts into laughter. We continue the game to get everybody in a good mood again. Zuzu joins in. Bear pulls Zuzu's hands off her eyes and shouts laughter into her face. Zuzu loves it when he laughs at her.
Zuzu comes up close to ask me a question ... she has an earnest look on her face and she climbs into my lap and for a moment I take it all in, her rosy cheeks and sweet little mouth and honey-gold ringlets floating round her face, her big eyes, her energy and imagination and playfulness and happiness and optimism ... little Zuzu, how good it is to have you near! I don't remember what her question was, that made her climb into my lap. It was probably something about mermaids, or fairies, or princesses ...
She dressed like a ballerina again today. She has three sets of leotards, tutus, and tights, and when they're clean, she wears them in order. She doesn't take dance classes yet, but she moves like a dancer, like a graceful little pixie.
Bear moves like a drunk, pigeon-toed linebacker.
Bear: 1.42 yrs old
Bear is so happy I'm on the floor with him. He's so happy he gets to climb all over me, take a few steps away, hurtle back into a hug. Why don't I sit on the floor always? he wonders. I tickle his fat legs. He laughs heartily. When I stop he grabs my hands and tries to make me tickle him again.
Toothbrushing time ... kids and me hanging out in the bathroom. Bear wants to hold his own toothbrush. I try to take it and this makes him Unhappy. I cover my tired eyes with my fingertips, massage my eyebrows for a second, and sense Bear coming up to me, curious, maybe a little concerned? I pop my head up playfully and shout "peek-a-boo!" Bear erupts into laughter. We continue the game to get everybody in a good mood again. Zuzu joins in. Bear pulls Zuzu's hands off her eyes and shouts laughter into her face. Zuzu loves it when he laughs at her.
Zuzu comes up close to ask me a question ... she has an earnest look on her face and she climbs into my lap and for a moment I take it all in, her rosy cheeks and sweet little mouth and honey-gold ringlets floating round her face, her big eyes, her energy and imagination and playfulness and happiness and optimism ... little Zuzu, how good it is to have you near! I don't remember what her question was, that made her climb into my lap. It was probably something about mermaids, or fairies, or princesses ...
She dressed like a ballerina again today. She has three sets of leotards, tutus, and tights, and when they're clean, she wears them in order. She doesn't take dance classes yet, but she moves like a dancer, like a graceful little pixie.
Bear moves like a drunk, pigeon-toed linebacker.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)