Happy Birthday Sam!

Hi Sam, Well, today you turned 3 years old. Wow. It's gone so fast. At times I can't remember that you used to be a little baby and now you are three. I know that someday when you're even older, I will look back and say that I can't believe you used to be three. It's amazing how our memories work--we live in the moment and barely remember what happened before. I think being a sleep-deprived parent of multiple young kids may have something to do with the amnesia too.

Anyway, you woke at your usual 6:30AM, or at least that's what time Jason walked by your room and took you downstairs for breakfast. You got to open a present (Richard Scarry's Busy Busy Town) during breakfast before Jason left for work and then you and I enjoyed reading your new book together before Matthew woke up. You just love books. I thought this one would be a winner for you as the other Richard Scarry books we have are becoming more and more tattered and torn and taped up. We ended up reading the book three times today and you also looked at it on your own a few times as well. You told people today that "My birthday is coming up!" and I had to correct you and say that it was today. The concept of time is slowly coming to you, although you have a ways to go yet. For example, you said, "I went to the boat races a few years ago," when you meant that it was a few weeks ago. But you're getting there.

We also went to the doctor for your 3 year check-up. You were such a brave boy getting weighed, measured and looked over. Didn't cry at all, although you did cling tightly to BaaBaa's legs and sniff his feet often. You weren't very cooperative when the doctor asked you questions. Sometimes I can't get you to stop talking, but you talk when you want to and are silent when you want to be. At every doctor's visit we're given a developmental "what to expect" list and one of the things listed said that you may have an imaginary friend or something similar. While you don't have an imaginary friend, you've talked often lately about what Baa Baa likes or does. For example, you said that BaaBaa didn't want to read books, he wanted to play cars the other day. Also, BaaBaa feels tired and wanted to nap yesterday, but you didn't want to. It's cute to see how you have given BaaBaa a personality and feelings and preferences.

Here are your stats from today's appointment: Height: 38.25", 75th percentile, Weight: 21.5 lb, 50th percentile. You are a pretty tall and lean boy. Maybe you're taking after your Uncle David. Before your birthday you said that when you turned 3 you would be big--as big as Daddy. I don't know it you were shocked today when it didn't happen, but you still persist in saying that soon you will be big as Daddy. Happy Birthday, Sam. Love, Mom

Favorite words

Hi boys, you both have a growing vocabulary and I decided to write about what seem to be your current favorite words. Matthew, yours are pretty easy and typical for a child your age. They are "mine" and "no." You quickly learned the concept of "mine" and use it often, especially with Sam, which is understandable since he regularly tries to take your toys and you need to defend yourself. But you use it frequently when you really don't need to, such as asking for food. You'll point to something you want, like a cookie and say "Mine!" Sometimes you use the actual word to describe what you want (like bread and butter, which sounds like "ba ba ba ter").

You also have mastered the concept of "no". For example, I'll ask, "Matthew, do you want to take a nap now?" and you'll respond, "No!" and run away. Or when we're reading books before bed, you clearly know what you want to read and you emphatically push away the "wrong" books with a strong "No!" Your current favorites are Farmer Mickey, Tractors and Baby Animals.

Sam, although you have an extensive vocabulary, you don't like to show it off, but you do have a few favorite words too. Instead of responding to questions by giving the appropriate answer, (such as, "Sam, how old are you?", and you respond, "Two and a half") you like to respond in one of two ways, "Ta tas!" or "Ka kas!" You respond this way frequently, especially when we're around other people. So someone will say, "What's your name?" and you'll say, "Ta tas". You clearly know the answer, but when pressed for it, you'd rather respond with one of your gibberish words. Daddy thinks your gibberish words may be misinterpreted in the wrong context (let your imagination do the work on that one) and wishes you would limit their use to at home, but you will do as you want. Regardless, Daddy and I are very proud of both of your vocabularies and your ability to communicate when you want to. Keep it up. Love, Mom

Regurgitation

Hi boys and readers, I'm not sure the new format is really working for me. I guess I can't always think of something that I want to write to the boys about. I'd rather write a general post. So what I'm going to do is just write either a letter to the boys or a general post and see how that goes. Although that doesn't fully explain my dearth of posts lately. For one, Matthew has been getting up at 5:30 for the last week and a half. I don't know what brought that on, but it's certainly threw me for a loop and has made me so tired! As if I'm not extremely tired already with one month to go until the baby's due date. Fortunately, today Matthew woke at 6:51, which is more the pattern he's settled in for the past few months. So I'm able to stay up until past 10PM and write a post. And then I have some knitting projects I'm trying to finish up before the baby. No, they're not for the baby, but I know that my knitting is going to be postponed indefinitely once the little girl arrives. So I've been knitting frantically and finished up a vest for Sam (which he is very excited about and wanted to wear it over his t-shirt when I completed it) and a cardigan for myself.

Anyway, back to my original topic for today...regurgitation. What do you think of when you hear regurgitation? Perhaps mother birds feeding their babies? Well, Matthew, you like to regurgitate your food. I've wondered to myself and to Jason how long this behavior will last and when you will stop, but you don't show any signs of changing at this point. It's really kind of funny behavior. We'll start out dinner with something, like bread or crackers or whatever I have ready for you at the time you realize you're hungry and cry and scream at my feet. So you'll get buckled into your booster chair and start eating the initial offering. Then as I get more food and milk ready I give it to you. When you are offered something you prefer you just spit out whatever happens to be in your mouth at the time. Sometimes we will be well into our meal and you will be happily eating the food on your tray, but then you decide that what you just put into your mouth isn't as good as something else on your tray, so you just spit it out and move on. You do this when you want to take a drink. Rather than just swallowing what's in your mouth when you want to take a drink, you spit it out. Matthew, this is really just yucky behavior. You can just swallow it! Sometimes you end up eating whatever you spit out (hence the regurgitation title) and sometimes the partly chewed, drooly food ends up on your tray, the floor or stuck to your bib. Today you spit out a brownie! A brownie! How awful! What a wonderful food! But you wanted a drink of milk to wash down the previous bite, so there was the gooey, chewed up dark brown trail slowly dribbling down your chin and onto your bib. Ugh. The poor, rejected brownie. Anyway, Matthew, we're hoping you move on from this behavior soon. It really won't do when you get older. It's just a little gross now, but will be much grosser when your older. Nigh nigh, time for me to go to bed. Love, Mom

Is that funny?

Sam, Lately you have been exploring what is funny and what is not. You will do or say something, then ask, "Was that funny, Mommy?"  What is funny is that usually you are not funny. For example, you will blow bubbles in your milk and ask if that's funny. Or you will tap your spoon on the metal bar chairs we have. Well, that's not exactly funny. Kiddo, unfortunately, much of what you do that you wonder if it's funny is just annoying. It's not really naughty, but just annoying. Maybe another little kid would think it's funny and often, you make Matthew laugh, so maybe that's where you are getting your ideas of funniness. In the future, I don't think I'd recommend using Matthew as a test audience for your comedian jokes.

You do, however, know who is funny and who is not, although you are apparently uncertain as to what is funny. Yesterday you were saying, "I am funny. Daddy is funny. Mommy is not funny." I asked you why Daddy was funny and I was not, and you couldn't pin point it, but you were certain Daddy is funny and I am not. You also said Matthew was not funny, but that Matthew was cute. Okay. I agree that Daddy is funny (and sometimes annoying) and you are funny (and sometimes annoying and exasperating) and Matthew is cute (and also funny). Daddy on occasion entertains thoughts of doing stand up comedy instead of working in finance, so you are right to pick out the funny parent. I on the other hand, just am Mom. I wonder how you would describe me? Thus far, you've determined that I'm not funny, another day you told me I don't work, except for I make dinner which is work. Other than that, what am I? Maybe your vocabulary isn't ready to describe me yet. I don't think Daddy's vocabulary is ready to describe me either. Perhaps that just comes with being a male. Daddy can give you good advice on working with females, but for now, just tell me you love me and give me a hug. And just be yourself. Continue asking what is funny. Continue hugging and loving BaaBaa and tell me what BaaBaa likes to do and eat. Continue playing and dancing and singing and running and jumping. That will suffice for the time being. Love you, Mom

Sharing

Hi boys, We are at the point your lives where sharing has become an issue. Prior to this time, it wasn't much of a big deal, because Matthew, you just didn't understand that Sam was taking your toys and you didn't want to play with the same things as Sam anyways. But now you have been enlightened as to what are fun and desirable toys and you both want the same toys. So you will both be playing with different toys for awhile, then one of you will realize that the other is playing with a desirable toy. Then the interested party will wander over and grab the desirable toy and run away. This results in screaming and crying by the offended party and the need for intervention by a parent.

The sharing issue even is so bad that Sam, you don't want to go to the bathroom out of fear that Matthew will take your toys. Sometimes when Matthew walks near your toys you will hug them and cover them with your body and say, "No Matthew!" Matthew, you also are very protective and will sometimes just start screaming if Sam even walks near you when you are playing. I guess you have discovered that Sam will often snatch your toy and you preemptively protect your interests.

On a funny note, the other day I was getting two snack bags ready to take to the park and Grandma Sue asked if she could have some of Sam's snack. Sam, you offered up Matthew's snack for sharing. So the sharing concept is just not catching on. We'll just have to keep working on it. It makes for a quite interesting and eventful house these days.

The Children's Museum

Hi Kiddos, Today with the weather being super hot and humid I decided to take you to the Children's Museum. I don't know how much we'll go there after the little one arrives, but over the past year we've gone about once a month or so. This month we may go twice to get some extra play time in before your sister comes to change all our lives forever. Anyway, I included some pictures of your favorite activities, which involve the water play area. We always head there first and spend a good portion of time there (meaning maybe a half hour) before moving on to other areas. Matthew, you especially like the water, which is fitting since you were born into water. Sam, your favorite part of water play is, of course, the "boat races" which is actually what you call the Children's Museum. I will say, "We're going to the Children's Museum today" and you'll say something like, "The boat races? By Daddy's work? By the french fry store?" At our house you have to settle for playing with water during bath time or maybe I'll set up the swimming pool in the backyard. Sometimes I even fill a dishpan with soapy water and lay down towels and let you have at it with measuring cups and spoons. At any rate, you are both perfectly happy playing with water. Although the water stuff at the Children's Museum is just really cool and a lot of fun. Enjoy the pics.