After dinner is one of my favorite times of the day. For one, Jason is home. Secondly, the kids and Jason play together, freeing me to enjoy their interactions and catch up on some knitting or just rest while watching the Kirchhoff Men show. And they put on quite a show. I can't believe the energy the kids have at the end of the day, and Jason sure brings it out of them.
Tonight, for example, we all went to the basement after dinner. Sam opted for the basement for our evening playtime rather than outside as we had already spent hours outside playing in the beautiful weather. So we went downstairs. Jason crawled around on all fours for awhile with one child or the other on his back. Sam ran circles (really, he did) and tried throwing a beach ball up to the ceiling. Over and over and over. And then Sam could come over to the couch and jump off of it. And then he'd tackle Jason. And then there'd be tickling. And laughing. And squealing. And more running around in circles. And jumping. And just crazy displays of energy. And then Jason did push ups with Sam on his back.
Matthew is quite energetic too. Jason at times tries to chase after him and he squeals with delight and tries to walk/run away from Jason as fast as his little legs will take him and his sense of balance will allow him. Sometimes he gets caught, then there is much tickling and laughing. And then Matthew walks over to the beach ball. Then he walks over to the John Deere. Then he walks over to the stairs, goes up a few and comes back down. Then he walks over to the fireplace. He is constantly on the move. Never still for more than a second or two, and that second or two is only spent regaining his balance after a fall. While I was making dinner Matthew was on the far side of the table so I couldn't really see him very well, but I did know that he was still for a few minutes which is totally out of character for Matthew. Some thoughts flew through my mind: What did he get into? Is he choking? Is he otherwise hurt? Why is he so still? Turns out he was reading.
Anyway, back to our evening activities. A few times Jason ran in the basement bathroom to try to squeeze in a few minutes of work while the kids were playing and Matthew ran over to the bathroom door, yelled "Da Da!" and ran away, teasing Jason to follow. He obliged once or twice much to Matthew's delight. Oh such happiness. I know it sounds corny, but everyone is so happy during their playtime. The kids are laughing and squealing, Jason gets to act like a kid again, and I'm getting a nice respite before the frenzy of baths and bedtime routines.
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Monday, May 30, 2011
A hot spring day!
Well, after some morning showers it shot up to 88 this afternoon. We took advantage of the heat to spend some time outside and fortunately, found a lot of shade to enjoy. The kids had snacks on the deck and Matthew, who is usually restrained in a booster seat during meals and snacks enjoyed the freedom of being able to grab some snack (cheese and crackers) or his plate and walk around, find a new place to sit and enjoy his snack wherever he pleased. He also enjoyed easy access to Sam's snack as he frequently went over to Sam's plate and would take Sam's crackers then walk off. Sam takes Matthew's toys, Matthew takes Sam's food.
The kids had some other wonderful displays of brotherly affection (or lack of). For example, Matthew was playing with his garbage truck on the deck when Sam came over, took it, and placed it in the middle of the table on our deck, where it was, of course, out of Matthew's reach. Sam also came up behind Matthew while he was walking in the grass and pushed him down. Such love. I'm sure I will fondly remember these times when years down the road the fights get much more dangerous. For now, though, I try to tell Matthew "no" and redirect him and Sam gets a time out or a toy taken away. We try our best.
Jason mowed the lawn this afternoon too, and the kids had a lot of fun watching him from the safety of the deck. Jason does his rounds and Matthew loves to excitedly wave at him while he's passing. Sam even tolerates the John Deere, as he used to prefer to remain in the house when Jason was mowing. Matthew even got to ride the mower when Jason was all done. After I snapped some pictures Matthew decided he'd like to steer, but I had already put away the camera so I didn't get any pictures of that. Sam did not want to ride the John Deere. I don't think he's rode it yet, but I can't remember for sure if he tried it last summer. Maybe he did. Anyway, even Matthew's bravery did not convince him to try it out. Maybe later in the summer he'll be ready to try it out.
The kids had some other wonderful displays of brotherly affection (or lack of). For example, Matthew was playing with his garbage truck on the deck when Sam came over, took it, and placed it in the middle of the table on our deck, where it was, of course, out of Matthew's reach. Sam also came up behind Matthew while he was walking in the grass and pushed him down. Such love. I'm sure I will fondly remember these times when years down the road the fights get much more dangerous. For now, though, I try to tell Matthew "no" and redirect him and Sam gets a time out or a toy taken away. We try our best.
Sunday, May 29, 2011
It's in your genes, buddy
Sam has been showing some signs of shyness lately. I've heard that you're not supposed to label children as "shy" this early in life, so I guess I'll say that he's slow to warm up. And I guess it's likely in his genes too since Jason and I are both introverted and were probably labeled as shy early in life too. Which we're both okay with. That's just the way we are.
When someone comes up to Sam and says hi or he gets attention at stores, the playground, etc. from people he doesn't know, he turns his head away, but glances at them with his eyes. So he kind of looks away, but kind of doesn't and has this way of looking sideways in a goofy manner. He usually won't say anything, but he still smiles and looks sideways at whoever is talking to him or me.
This morning at church Sam's slowness to warm-up manifested itself in a new manner, one that we have not seen before. He went up to the children's message and sat on Jason's lap in front of the church and held his hands in front of his face. When he wasn't holding his hands in front of his face, he was pulling his shirt over his face. What a strange little boy! Always coming up with something new. After the children's message, he then ran down the aisle with his shirt pulled up over his face, almost running into some pews and giving a scare to some of the other churchgoers. Oh, he was so silly today.
Matthew is somewhat shy these days too, although his shyness has a clinical diagnosis: "stranger anxiety". At the playground the other day he was going up the stairs on a climbing structure when another little boy, maybe 15 or 18 months of age, started crawling up the stairs beside him. Well, that was not an acceptable move and Matthew gave the little boy the stare down for a few moments then burst out crying. You wonder what's going on in his mind? Well, Matthew, it's in your genes too, although you may outgrow it and be Mr. Outgoing. The genetic odds are not in your favor, though.
When someone comes up to Sam and says hi or he gets attention at stores, the playground, etc. from people he doesn't know, he turns his head away, but glances at them with his eyes. So he kind of looks away, but kind of doesn't and has this way of looking sideways in a goofy manner. He usually won't say anything, but he still smiles and looks sideways at whoever is talking to him or me.
This morning at church Sam's slowness to warm-up manifested itself in a new manner, one that we have not seen before. He went up to the children's message and sat on Jason's lap in front of the church and held his hands in front of his face. When he wasn't holding his hands in front of his face, he was pulling his shirt over his face. What a strange little boy! Always coming up with something new. After the children's message, he then ran down the aisle with his shirt pulled up over his face, almost running into some pews and giving a scare to some of the other churchgoers. Oh, he was so silly today.
Matthew is somewhat shy these days too, although his shyness has a clinical diagnosis: "stranger anxiety". At the playground the other day he was going up the stairs on a climbing structure when another little boy, maybe 15 or 18 months of age, started crawling up the stairs beside him. Well, that was not an acceptable move and Matthew gave the little boy the stare down for a few moments then burst out crying. You wonder what's going on in his mind? Well, Matthew, it's in your genes too, although you may outgrow it and be Mr. Outgoing. The genetic odds are not in your favor, though.
Thursday, May 26, 2011
We're having a girl!
Jason: So, who's the father?
Jason: Sam, what should we name your baby girl sister?
Sam: Girl
Jason: I'm stunned...shocked...
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Partial compliance
I've mentioned before Sam's methods of complying with Jason and my requests. He seems to find the most infuriating way to do what we ask him to do, but not really do what we ask him to do. He does something so that we question, "Did he really comply or was he actually being defiant?" The problem is that he is complying in a defiant way. Case in point. Last night I asked Sam to pick up his train tracks before going up for bath and bedtime. He first of all started throwing them off the ottoman onto the floor. Ok. That is definitely not compliant enough, so I Jason reiterated that they needed to go into the storage tote. So he stood next to the ottoman with the storage tote behind him and started dropping the pieces of train track behind his back, sometimes hitting the tote and sometimes not. So that is complying...isn't it? Hmmmmm....We still made him pick up the ones off the floor that missed the tote. They eventually all got put away.
Another case. One the way up to bed, Sam grabbed a bucket and started loading it up with toys to take upstairs with him. Now, I don't mind if he takes one or two toys to sleep with, but definitely not a bucketful. So I told him the toys had to stay downstairs. He was really upset about it and started crying and fussing. I reiterated my request, then he started throwing the toys out of the bucket and said he could take the bucket up. Well, he did comply with my request since I said nothing about the bucket. How does he pick up on that nuance? Honestly, he reminds me soooooo much of Jason at times like these. He complies in an arghhhhh!!! sort of way. Like when I ask Jason what he's reading and he says something like "A book". Smarty-pants.
Another case. One the way up to bed, Sam grabbed a bucket and started loading it up with toys to take upstairs with him. Now, I don't mind if he takes one or two toys to sleep with, but definitely not a bucketful. So I told him the toys had to stay downstairs. He was really upset about it and started crying and fussing. I reiterated my request, then he started throwing the toys out of the bucket and said he could take the bucket up. Well, he did comply with my request since I said nothing about the bucket. How does he pick up on that nuance? Honestly, he reminds me soooooo much of Jason at times like these. He complies in an arghhhhh!!! sort of way. Like when I ask Jason what he's reading and he says something like "A book". Smarty-pants.
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Signs Matthew is done with a meal
Since Matthew can't really talk yet, he instead resorts to other methods to let us know when he is finished with a meal. One tactic is to take the bits of food off of his tray attached to his booster and 1) set it on the table in front of him or 2) drop it on the floor. Another method is to start rubbing his hands in his hair. Why is it that he never touches his hair other than when his hands are all goopy from eating? Another thing that he does is angrily push whatever we are offering him (whether it is his sippy cup or spoon) away or bat them to the floor. When he's feeling particularly communicative, he will shake his hands in the air in the "I'm done, clean my hands" motion. If any of those signs are being shown, take heed to clean the kid up and get him out of his booster or it will only get messier, angrier and the like.
Signs Sam is done with a meal? Well, usually he spills his milk from playing 1) with his utensils, 2) with whatever toys he can sneak to the table, or 3) with his straw. Or he says "I'm all done now" and immediately expects to proceed to whatever activity he wants to pursue. Which usually results in us telling him to finish his milk (he just doesn't drink much milk) and then he takes a tiny sip and asks if that's enough. The things he tries. We'll say something like "Take two drinks of milk" and he will take the tiniest drinks possible and want to be done. We've learned that it's better to say he needs to drink half or finish his glass otherwise he'll find a smarty-pants way to just-barely comply.
Signs Sam is done with a meal? Well, usually he spills his milk from playing 1) with his utensils, 2) with whatever toys he can sneak to the table, or 3) with his straw. Or he says "I'm all done now" and immediately expects to proceed to whatever activity he wants to pursue. Which usually results in us telling him to finish his milk (he just doesn't drink much milk) and then he takes a tiny sip and asks if that's enough. The things he tries. We'll say something like "Take two drinks of milk" and he will take the tiniest drinks possible and want to be done. We've learned that it's better to say he needs to drink half or finish his glass otherwise he'll find a smarty-pants way to just-barely comply.
Saturday, May 21, 2011
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