Claire and I were playing outside a little before bed. She walked around, played a little ball with Caley...
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| She's in charge. |
... and then... saw her very first airplane...
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| She surrenders. |
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| What the... |
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| WHAT THE?! |
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| Whoa. |
Tuesday, July 30, 2013
Claire Surrenders
Claire and I were playing outside a little before bed. She walked around, played a little ball with Caley...
... and then... saw her very first airplane...
A Little Quiet Time
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| Quick nap. |
Bonding
At the current time (almost 14 months), Claire
is taller than Colin by about a half inch, and has muscles that match his.
I've seen him "tackle" her by lying his whole body across her face and I
watched her simply lift him up and off of her with just her arms. They
both weigh about 24 pounds.
Yesterday after drop off at daycare I took a peek in the twin's room and watched Colin have a dispute with a boy that is about 4-5 months older than them. The boy had a cabinet door in the toy kitchen open and was holding it that way. Colin was very certain it needed to be closed, and when the boy wouldn't let go or let Colin close it, Colin threw a pretty impressive melt to the floor, I've-never-been-so-wronged
Claire was half watching, half playing with someone else, and when Colin collapsed in misery, she stood up, walked right over to that 18 month old boy and looked him straight in the eye. He took a step back. I then realized that she was the exact same size as him and just as built. She stared him down, I think wondering if she should take him out, or maybe sending him a warning, and then went over to play with Colin.
I'm certain I'll think twice before making Colin mad in the future. It must be awfully nice to be able to travel as a team.
Yesterday after drop off at daycare I took a peek in the twin's room and watched Colin have a dispute with a boy that is about 4-5 months older than them. The boy had a cabinet door in the toy kitchen open and was holding it that way. Colin was very certain it needed to be closed, and when the boy wouldn't let go or let Colin close it, Colin threw a pretty impressive melt to the floor, I've-never-been-so-wronged
Claire was half watching, half playing with someone else, and when Colin collapsed in misery, she stood up, walked right over to that 18 month old boy and looked him straight in the eye. He took a step back. I then realized that she was the exact same size as him and just as built. She stared him down, I think wondering if she should take him out, or maybe sending him a warning, and then went over to play with Colin.
I'm certain I'll think twice before making Colin mad in the future. It must be awfully nice to be able to travel as a team.
Sunday, July 28, 2013
Popcorn
The day after Colin started really walking, he figured out how to climb on the couch. Claire quickly picked it up, not to be left behind.
So, to "celebrate" what I am sure will be the beginning of a very lovely phase where children get "accidentally" pushed off the couch at random and I will have to repeatedly correct them that the couch is not a wrestling arena, they all ate popcorn together.
So, to "celebrate" what I am sure will be the beginning of a very lovely phase where children get "accidentally" pushed off the couch at random and I will have to repeatedly correct them that the couch is not a wrestling arena, they all ate popcorn together.
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| Colin: "Back off, big brother. No one gets my popcorn without my permission." |
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| That didn't go over so well... |
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| We just really like popcorn, okay? |
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| Colin: "Hey, you still awake? Snap out of it!" |
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| Colin: "How could you say Inspector Gadget is the all time greatest cartoon? Clearly the right answer is The Smurfs. It's like we're not even related!" Adam: "You're out of your mind, Man." |
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| Claire was almost banished for trying to sabotage the popcorn party. |
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| The great struggle for control began... |
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| ...and escalated... |
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| Our cat Gus loves popcorn. Colin is practicing the art of cat torture. |
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| Gus' spirits are broken. |
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| The aftermath... |
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| The clean up crew. |
The Bike
As I noted in a previous post, Adam got a bike for being a "big boy," and giving up the pacifier. We haven't heard about the paci in weeks.
The paci's are gone, and daily he hugs his bike and tells us how much he LOVES it. When I woke up this morning he was standing next to our bed with his helmet on. He tells me "thank you" for the bike constantly and is so grateful. But what gives me the most pause is that when we occasionally talk about where the pacis are now, he is most impressed and happy that he "gave them to someone who needs them," not that he got a bike out of the ordeal.
He is an incredible person. Many adults aspire to be like him, and I personally have always been inspired by his ability to love. I believe I am empathetic, and I know that he exceeds any ability that I have to reach out to others with kindess.
In believing that he gave the paci's to someone who needs them, he also assumed that Claire's paci's were gone too. Not a bad idea at all, except Claire really needs them to... well . . . let Shannon and I sleep as much as we can. So Claire's paci's now sit in a box on the dresser, up high, and she has one at school that she gets at naps, but we are careful to only call them by our secret code... the month of the year. Right now they are called "Julys" and next month they will be called "Augusts." It's a dangerous plan, but it has meant that her paci fixes only come while she's in her crib (and she wants two... one to suck on and one to hold and switch when the other gets too hot.) Hopefully our deceit will not bite us in the ass. I don't have much hope, for I am only so clever. Truthfully, he may have already found us out but is being nice enough to let us pretend that he doesn't know. (I remember doing that with my parents, and he's much smarter than I am.)
But anyway, the bike is the never ending hit around here. He has gone for long rides and tackled getting himself to move from standing (standing up and pushing the peddles), and coasting when he knows he's going too fast and is about to reach a place where he needs to stop. He has even barreled down a driveway full speed, hit a bump, and flown off the bike into the street... somehow not hurting himself more than a small bruise on his side, some raw hands and standing up with the wind knocked out of him. He stood up, didn't cry, but said he wanted to go home. At that moment a few older girls came by on their scooters with their mom and we had a little chat... and he was ready to go again. I'm so proud of him for his resilience and desire to improve.
He wanted to go for "just a little ride in Daddy's truck," because he gets cabin fever easily and knows how to fix that, and I asked him if he'd like to pack up his bike and take it to ride at the park. His eyes got really big and he sucked in his breath and jumped up and down, thrilled that he could and that we would do that for him. Grateful does not even describe it.
These pictures are not from today, but of him on his bike the day that he got to ride with his friend Max.
That day, Adam's buddy Max came to ride, and they "raced," but in race, that really means... we'll ride around the park and if I get off track, we'll come help each other back on. They are both winners, and both adore each other in the cutest display of friendship no matter if you're 2-3 years old or in your teens. These kids are the sweetest little guys.
The paci's are gone, and daily he hugs his bike and tells us how much he LOVES it. When I woke up this morning he was standing next to our bed with his helmet on. He tells me "thank you" for the bike constantly and is so grateful. But what gives me the most pause is that when we occasionally talk about where the pacis are now, he is most impressed and happy that he "gave them to someone who needs them," not that he got a bike out of the ordeal.
He is an incredible person. Many adults aspire to be like him, and I personally have always been inspired by his ability to love. I believe I am empathetic, and I know that he exceeds any ability that I have to reach out to others with kindess.
In believing that he gave the paci's to someone who needs them, he also assumed that Claire's paci's were gone too. Not a bad idea at all, except Claire really needs them to... well . . . let Shannon and I sleep as much as we can. So Claire's paci's now sit in a box on the dresser, up high, and she has one at school that she gets at naps, but we are careful to only call them by our secret code... the month of the year. Right now they are called "Julys" and next month they will be called "Augusts." It's a dangerous plan, but it has meant that her paci fixes only come while she's in her crib (and she wants two... one to suck on and one to hold and switch when the other gets too hot.) Hopefully our deceit will not bite us in the ass. I don't have much hope, for I am only so clever. Truthfully, he may have already found us out but is being nice enough to let us pretend that he doesn't know. (I remember doing that with my parents, and he's much smarter than I am.)
But anyway, the bike is the never ending hit around here. He has gone for long rides and tackled getting himself to move from standing (standing up and pushing the peddles), and coasting when he knows he's going too fast and is about to reach a place where he needs to stop. He has even barreled down a driveway full speed, hit a bump, and flown off the bike into the street... somehow not hurting himself more than a small bruise on his side, some raw hands and standing up with the wind knocked out of him. He stood up, didn't cry, but said he wanted to go home. At that moment a few older girls came by on their scooters with their mom and we had a little chat... and he was ready to go again. I'm so proud of him for his resilience and desire to improve.
He wanted to go for "just a little ride in Daddy's truck," because he gets cabin fever easily and knows how to fix that, and I asked him if he'd like to pack up his bike and take it to ride at the park. His eyes got really big and he sucked in his breath and jumped up and down, thrilled that he could and that we would do that for him. Grateful does not even describe it.
These pictures are not from today, but of him on his bike the day that he got to ride with his friend Max.
That day, Adam's buddy Max came to ride, and they "raced," but in race, that really means... we'll ride around the park and if I get off track, we'll come help each other back on. They are both winners, and both adore each other in the cutest display of friendship no matter if you're 2-3 years old or in your teens. These kids are the sweetest little guys.
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