Well, a lot has happened since I last wrote a post, and the short and simple recap is that we are now a family of 5 and have just moved to Chile for 7 months!
This should be dated early January!
In preparation for the move, we bought 6 large suitcases. We filled those 6 and 3 more, plus 2 small suitcases, and headed for the airport! Our babysitter came with Noah, Simon, Rosie and me on the train, and Nano drove the car full of 11 suitcases and 2 carseats (plus a booster seat) to the airport. He parked the car and we filled 3 luggage carts and wheeled them over to the check in at US Airways. Since Nano had Rosie's ticket attached to his, the computer said "see agent" when he was to check in his bags. This was the start of the trouble. The agent didn't understand that there were 5 people traveling, thought there were only 3, and tried to limit us to 7 bags. After a good 30 minutes of arguing, trying to be patient, and waiting, as the agent called some superior who actually knew how to count, we finally got checked in. By this time, it was getting late! We made it to security, but were missing some stamp that the same agent forgot to give us for the baby. So, back down Nano went while we waited some more. Finally, we got through security -- at least that went smoothly -- and made our way to the gate. Just as we got there, they started boarding. We had time to purchase a water and then we got on the plane. We were on our way! The boys played happily with the ipad and Rosie took a nap for the first flight (Simon followed suite toward the end of the flight). In Miami, we had to walk all the way across the airport to get to our gate. The boys were great troopers -- by this time, Noah was very tired. He was so tired he didn't want to walk, but he did. We finally made it to the gate, and waited to board. Once on the plane, we got stuck on the ground for a while. I urged Noah to go to sleep because he was so tired. We heard an announcement that there were some safety issues they were checking out. 30 minutes later they cleared us to leave the gate, and the plane made it's way to the Tarmac. Then, planes started passing us, and we started to suspect something. Finally, after another 20 minutes or so, we were sent back to the gate. We had to deboard the train, and walk back to the other side of the airport to wait for a new one! The boys were great troopers and walked without complaining. They tried to sleep on the floor at the airport but they were already too awake from all the walking, so I pulled out the toys and games I had brought for the plane ride. Then, I got Nano and myself a beer! We finally left the airport at 1:00 am!
We arrived in Chile the next morning at 11 am. The line through immigration was long but we got to take the short line for families and individuals with disabilities. It was a pretty short wait! We walked through the duty free store and on to the baggage claim to look for our bags. Lala and Tata were waiting for us and waving from above. We sent all our numerous suitcases through the security machines and then walked through the gates to the reception area at the airport. Lala and Tata had a large van waiting for us for all the suitcases, and the kids and I went with his mom to our new apartment.
The apartment is quite large for an apartment in this area of town, with ample bedrooms and a common living/dining area. There is also a galley kitchen with a laundry area with washer and dryer at the end. All of the furniture is either brand new or like new, though it is clear that the countertops and cabinets are quite worn. The floors are hardwood in the living area and wood laminate in the bedrooms and halls. There is also an ample entryway upon entering, and ample closets throughout.
Wednesday, May 6, 2015
Friday, November 9, 2012
Naming feelings and sibling rivalry
One of the things we spend a lot of time doing with Noah is learning to understand and name our feelings. He is just starting to be aware of how he is feeling when he is very hungry and cranky (and therefore non-stop crying), but he has been aware of some feelings (like anger) for some time.
Another thing we spend a lot of time doing with the kids is dealing with sibling showdowns. Multiple times a day, Simon and Noah both want the same toy. It doesn't matter what it is -- Simon will be playing with a train, and Noah will go up and take it. Simon will scream and cry. Noah will turn or run away. I will try to convince Noah to give it back, or distract Simon by finding another toy or activity. Or, I will try to distract Noah by showing him some other toy or activity. This is a huge effort that takes up a lot of time! Sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn't.
Yesterday morning, Simon was holding a track riser (a small plastic piece used to hold up the plastic train tracks). Noah came and took it from him. Simon started to scream and cry. I told him to give it back and he didn't. Then, I said I was disappointed with his choice not to give it back. He then placed it on top of the shelf. Meanwhile, I had found another one for Simon, and suddenly Simon ended up with two. Then Noah started to scream and cry because he wanted one. Eventually, I gave him one, and Simon another one. Then Noah screamed and cried because he wanted 3 like Simon had. I finally went to get him another one. Then Noah screamed and cried because he wanted to have MORE than Simon! During all this, I had also been setting up the breakfast bar for them to eat, and by the second instance, they were sitting in front of the food and not eating. Around the middle of this screaming and crying match, I knew that Noah was just very HUNGRY as he had not eaten yet that morning. (He was also probably tired as he was still recovering from the trip he took with his dad where he stayed up a lot later than normal). So, I told him he could not stop crying because his tummy was empty. He had to fill it up in order to feel better. He finally started to eat about 5 minutes after I drew the line at not giving him more of these "toys" than Simon and told him he had to eat (that is, after 5 more minutes of crying!). Once the episode was over, I pointed out to him that he felt better because he had eaten, and he had just been really hungry. Later, he told Jill that he had been "really really crying like crazy" because he had been hungry that morning. So, I think he got it (even though in the moment, he still can't recognize it yet).
A while ago, we had an incident in the bathtub where it was time to wash Noah's hair. Noah hates getting his hair washed. He always has -- ever since he was maybe 18 months. Now, at almost 5, he tolerates it...sometimes! Usually he is adamant that he does not want to wash his hair. On one of these occasions, Nano decided it was time to wash his hair, and just started to wet it and add soap. Noah lost it -- he started to scream and cry, and his whole body began to shake. I looked at him and thought, "wow, he is feeling completely and utterly powerless." It took him a while to recover after the event was over, I think I soothed him in the rocking chair, and talked about what had happened. I told him that when his dad started to wash his hair, he felt like he had no power. Next time we should ask him for permission, and respect his decision. He eventually calmed down. He really seemed to get the power thought.
Fast-forward to this morning.
This morning, Simon was playing with the Salty train on the train tracks. Noah came and took it away. Simon cried. I convinced Noah to play with the Thomas instead, and Simon got Salty back. Then, Noah got Stepney's red (cat) toy and started to play with it, but Simon wanted it and started to say, "It's mine!" while crying and very upset. I gave Simon a different toy to show the cat. Eventually, they moved on to something else. Then, Simon picked up the red cat toy and started to use it with Stepney. Noah then grabbed it out of his hands. I was in the kitchen and they were in the play room. I heard Simon become completely distraught about having lost control over the toy once again. He was crying and extremely upset. Noah came into the kitchen, and I said to him, "Noah, do you remember how you felt when Papa washed your hair and you didn't want him to? You felt like you didn't have any power. That is how Simon is feeling right now. He feels like he has no power." Noah suddenly got it. He looked concerned, and immediately went over and gave the toy back to Simon. He said, "Here you go, you can have it." And from that moment on, the rest of the morning, Noah was very sweet and understanding with Simon. He suddenly made up a game for them to play together, by showing Simon what to do. He said, "Simon, Look!" and started to run with tiny steps over to the couch, then bang into the couch and make some exclamation. Simon immediately smiled and followed suite. The two of them repeated the new game multiple times and then sat down for breakfast.
It's amazing how far 5 is from 3, or 4, or 2 for that matter. Noah could finally empathize with Simon, if only briefly, and it completely changed his approach with him this morning. We shall see what other mornings bring!
Another thing we spend a lot of time doing with the kids is dealing with sibling showdowns. Multiple times a day, Simon and Noah both want the same toy. It doesn't matter what it is -- Simon will be playing with a train, and Noah will go up and take it. Simon will scream and cry. Noah will turn or run away. I will try to convince Noah to give it back, or distract Simon by finding another toy or activity. Or, I will try to distract Noah by showing him some other toy or activity. This is a huge effort that takes up a lot of time! Sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn't.
Yesterday morning, Simon was holding a track riser (a small plastic piece used to hold up the plastic train tracks). Noah came and took it from him. Simon started to scream and cry. I told him to give it back and he didn't. Then, I said I was disappointed with his choice not to give it back. He then placed it on top of the shelf. Meanwhile, I had found another one for Simon, and suddenly Simon ended up with two. Then Noah started to scream and cry because he wanted one. Eventually, I gave him one, and Simon another one. Then Noah screamed and cried because he wanted 3 like Simon had. I finally went to get him another one. Then Noah screamed and cried because he wanted to have MORE than Simon! During all this, I had also been setting up the breakfast bar for them to eat, and by the second instance, they were sitting in front of the food and not eating. Around the middle of this screaming and crying match, I knew that Noah was just very HUNGRY as he had not eaten yet that morning. (He was also probably tired as he was still recovering from the trip he took with his dad where he stayed up a lot later than normal). So, I told him he could not stop crying because his tummy was empty. He had to fill it up in order to feel better. He finally started to eat about 5 minutes after I drew the line at not giving him more of these "toys" than Simon and told him he had to eat (that is, after 5 more minutes of crying!). Once the episode was over, I pointed out to him that he felt better because he had eaten, and he had just been really hungry. Later, he told Jill that he had been "really really crying like crazy" because he had been hungry that morning. So, I think he got it (even though in the moment, he still can't recognize it yet).
A while ago, we had an incident in the bathtub where it was time to wash Noah's hair. Noah hates getting his hair washed. He always has -- ever since he was maybe 18 months. Now, at almost 5, he tolerates it...sometimes! Usually he is adamant that he does not want to wash his hair. On one of these occasions, Nano decided it was time to wash his hair, and just started to wet it and add soap. Noah lost it -- he started to scream and cry, and his whole body began to shake. I looked at him and thought, "wow, he is feeling completely and utterly powerless." It took him a while to recover after the event was over, I think I soothed him in the rocking chair, and talked about what had happened. I told him that when his dad started to wash his hair, he felt like he had no power. Next time we should ask him for permission, and respect his decision. He eventually calmed down. He really seemed to get the power thought.
Fast-forward to this morning.
This morning, Simon was playing with the Salty train on the train tracks. Noah came and took it away. Simon cried. I convinced Noah to play with the Thomas instead, and Simon got Salty back. Then, Noah got Stepney's red (cat) toy and started to play with it, but Simon wanted it and started to say, "It's mine!" while crying and very upset. I gave Simon a different toy to show the cat. Eventually, they moved on to something else. Then, Simon picked up the red cat toy and started to use it with Stepney. Noah then grabbed it out of his hands. I was in the kitchen and they were in the play room. I heard Simon become completely distraught about having lost control over the toy once again. He was crying and extremely upset. Noah came into the kitchen, and I said to him, "Noah, do you remember how you felt when Papa washed your hair and you didn't want him to? You felt like you didn't have any power. That is how Simon is feeling right now. He feels like he has no power." Noah suddenly got it. He looked concerned, and immediately went over and gave the toy back to Simon. He said, "Here you go, you can have it." And from that moment on, the rest of the morning, Noah was very sweet and understanding with Simon. He suddenly made up a game for them to play together, by showing Simon what to do. He said, "Simon, Look!" and started to run with tiny steps over to the couch, then bang into the couch and make some exclamation. Simon immediately smiled and followed suite. The two of them repeated the new game multiple times and then sat down for breakfast.
It's amazing how far 5 is from 3, or 4, or 2 for that matter. Noah could finally empathize with Simon, if only briefly, and it completely changed his approach with him this morning. We shall see what other mornings bring!
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
First day back to school and some updates
Well, this week marked Noah's first day back to school! He had a fabulous time! We posed for a family picture, and then headed off to school! He already knew his teacher from last year, and was very excited to start back. He will have one friend in his class, one boy who is known as a bit of a troublemaker, and one other boy. The rest are girls, some of whom he knows, and one of whom is, I believe, his first CRUSH (or maybe just a good friend? Maybe I'm jumping to conclusions)! This summer, he came back from camp one day very excited to say he had a new friend, whose name was Tally. After a day or so, she started playing with the other girls, and he was sad that she didn't play with him anymore.
We first went into the classroom to figure out where his cubby was, where Noah sat down to show the teacher his new Thomas backpack, about which he was quite excited. She took us to the cubbies, and he put his stuff away. Then, I walked him back into the classroom, and he happily went to play with some toys. Gone are the days of sadness upon my leaving! It's hard to believe the same little boy who would cling to me like glue gladly goes to play with the toys without a second thought! It's amazing the difference a few years will make. :)
The report after he got back was that he had had a great time, was very happy with all of his teachers, and only said good things about being back at his wonderful school. The next day, I brought Simon with us to drop him off, and he had a great time going down the slide in the back. I'm sure he'll love it once he starts going; it will be a very familiar place to him!
Noah spent the summer going to camp from 9-1 each day, and spending the rest of the day with our wonderful babysitter. Then, the whole month of August was off. However, it turned out to be a huge learning opportunity for Noah! One of the benefits of having an overqualified caregiver who is almost done with her MA in early childhood education and certified in Montessori education is that she has no lack of ideas for how to keep the kids occupied!
I spent many days working from home, and very rarely heard crazy screaming or fighting coming from the kids (something I am accustomed to hearing when I'm the one in charge!). Jill kept them both busy, learning, and working together most of the time. She brought her Montessori sand letters, and taught Noah to spell some simple words. She worked with Noah on writing letters on white boards and other media. I have been very excited to see these changes! He is learning so quickly, and is gaining more and more control over his fine motor so that he is less frustrated with writing now.
Simon now knows all of his letters, and often counts by himself. When he is distracted, he usually skips number 6, number 14, and maybe one other number, but he usually gets to 20, and from there, counts, "21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29...ONE HUNDRED!" It is the cutest thing. I think he got the idea of blurting out one hundred dramatically from Noah, who has done this from time to time (skipping a bunch of numbers, of course!). When he is not distracted, he really can count to 29 without skipping any numbers (though fourteen and fifteen sound pretty much the same).
Simon is using a lot of language now. One fun phrase is, "Mama, say it!", which he'll say when he wants me to repeat what he is saying. He often catches on to things we are saying, and makes associations. Last week we went to Briar Bush, a local nature center, where we saw a turtle and a frog, along with other small animals. While we were there, we ran into my friend's children (who were with their sitter). Later that day, I was talking to Simon, and I said, "remember the animals we saw today? We saw a frog, and a turtle. Remember?" Simon then immediately said, "Mason!" (the name of our friend's older child). I was so impressed that he was really catching on to the idea of the past, and it brought up this obvious association for him, which clued me in to know that he knew exactly what I was talking about.
Of course, Noah and Simon often have a ton of fun together. Lately, they have both been pretending they are kitty cats, crawling around saying, "Meow!" around the house, and laughing hysterically. I happen to love this play, because, as it turns out, kitty cats don't hit each other or steal toys from each other, which makes for very harmonious play! And, when I remind the kitties that "kitty cats don't whine," the tone of the meow is quickly revised! It is so cute to watch them play with one another and build upon their sibling love.
Noah is spending less time playing with trains now, and is more interested in games and interactive activities. Simon loves playing with puzzles, often pulling them off the shelf for us to do together.
Simon pee trained at around 22 months. He still has accidents from time to time, and needs our help to get there when he needs to go, but he stays dry as long as we remember. Of course, he has only pooped in the potty for a long, long time! Of course, there was the trip to my boss' lake house where he dropped a brown one on the floor unbeknownst to me until the other house guests cleaned it up, but that was the one (very embarrassing) exception!
Life is good! These ages are a really great combination! Noah is beyond the defiant stage and follows most instructions, and Simon has not hit that stage yet!
We first went into the classroom to figure out where his cubby was, where Noah sat down to show the teacher his new Thomas backpack, about which he was quite excited. She took us to the cubbies, and he put his stuff away. Then, I walked him back into the classroom, and he happily went to play with some toys. Gone are the days of sadness upon my leaving! It's hard to believe the same little boy who would cling to me like glue gladly goes to play with the toys without a second thought! It's amazing the difference a few years will make. :)
The report after he got back was that he had had a great time, was very happy with all of his teachers, and only said good things about being back at his wonderful school. The next day, I brought Simon with us to drop him off, and he had a great time going down the slide in the back. I'm sure he'll love it once he starts going; it will be a very familiar place to him!
Noah spent the summer going to camp from 9-1 each day, and spending the rest of the day with our wonderful babysitter. Then, the whole month of August was off. However, it turned out to be a huge learning opportunity for Noah! One of the benefits of having an overqualified caregiver who is almost done with her MA in early childhood education and certified in Montessori education is that she has no lack of ideas for how to keep the kids occupied!
I spent many days working from home, and very rarely heard crazy screaming or fighting coming from the kids (something I am accustomed to hearing when I'm the one in charge!). Jill kept them both busy, learning, and working together most of the time. She brought her Montessori sand letters, and taught Noah to spell some simple words. She worked with Noah on writing letters on white boards and other media. I have been very excited to see these changes! He is learning so quickly, and is gaining more and more control over his fine motor so that he is less frustrated with writing now.
Simon now knows all of his letters, and often counts by himself. When he is distracted, he usually skips number 6, number 14, and maybe one other number, but he usually gets to 20, and from there, counts, "21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29...ONE HUNDRED!" It is the cutest thing. I think he got the idea of blurting out one hundred dramatically from Noah, who has done this from time to time (skipping a bunch of numbers, of course!). When he is not distracted, he really can count to 29 without skipping any numbers (though fourteen and fifteen sound pretty much the same).
Simon is using a lot of language now. One fun phrase is, "Mama, say it!", which he'll say when he wants me to repeat what he is saying. He often catches on to things we are saying, and makes associations. Last week we went to Briar Bush, a local nature center, where we saw a turtle and a frog, along with other small animals. While we were there, we ran into my friend's children (who were with their sitter). Later that day, I was talking to Simon, and I said, "remember the animals we saw today? We saw a frog, and a turtle. Remember?" Simon then immediately said, "Mason!" (the name of our friend's older child). I was so impressed that he was really catching on to the idea of the past, and it brought up this obvious association for him, which clued me in to know that he knew exactly what I was talking about.
Of course, Noah and Simon often have a ton of fun together. Lately, they have both been pretending they are kitty cats, crawling around saying, "Meow!" around the house, and laughing hysterically. I happen to love this play, because, as it turns out, kitty cats don't hit each other or steal toys from each other, which makes for very harmonious play! And, when I remind the kitties that "kitty cats don't whine," the tone of the meow is quickly revised! It is so cute to watch them play with one another and build upon their sibling love.
Noah is spending less time playing with trains now, and is more interested in games and interactive activities. Simon loves playing with puzzles, often pulling them off the shelf for us to do together.
Simon pee trained at around 22 months. He still has accidents from time to time, and needs our help to get there when he needs to go, but he stays dry as long as we remember. Of course, he has only pooped in the potty for a long, long time! Of course, there was the trip to my boss' lake house where he dropped a brown one on the floor unbeknownst to me until the other house guests cleaned it up, but that was the one (very embarrassing) exception!
Life is good! These ages are a really great combination! Noah is beyond the defiant stage and follows most instructions, and Simon has not hit that stage yet!
Thursday, July 12, 2012
Tickets, trains, shopping carts, ice cream
Our lives are so full of joy. I say this and an image of Noah crying and whining comes to my mind, the way he greeted me yesterday unhappily saying he did not like me. The honest truth is that it is really hard to parent that little boy. He is often on the verge of a tantrum, especially as he continues to adjust to life without naps. But, he is sweet, and sensitive, and caring, and loving. Yesterday and this morning, he and his dad built the Ikea desk that I am currently writing on, He was so diligent in offering the tools, screws, and other parts to his dad. Before he falls asleep, his last words are often "I love mama," accompanied by a hug. He tries really hard to do what we expect of him, for the most part, unless he is tired or hungry (both of which are quite common by about 4 pm). So, that is what life with a 4 year old is about -- constant battles of will, exertion of independence, testing of consequences, occasional but enormous tantrums, all accompanied by expansive excitement about new or favorite things (trains, cars, etc.), immense joy in learning, an earnestness in confronting the world and new things, and buckets of sweetness. Our lives are indeed full of joy.
Simon, at age 21 months, is now mostly potty trained (at least at home), knows colors, letters and numbers, counts to 20 (though between 13 and 17 it is all mostly confused), and is running (often away from us, unfortunately). He has a coy smile, and will repeat whatever word it is he is trying to learn until you say it back to him. When he really wants our attention, he walks over to us (especially to Noah), leans forward, and looks up into our faces, and says, "Woah?" (or "mama" or "papa") earnestly, until we answer him.
We recently took a trip to see the "real" Thomas train (the Strasburg railroad brings in a Thomas engine). Both of the boys were fascinated. Simon didn't stop excitedly saying, "Thomas!!" every time he saw a Thomas engine on a shirt, or balloon, or on the actual train, until we left. Noah's favorite part, he said, was sitting on the train itself. Their joy at this visit was so worth it! Afterwards, we tried to get a quick picture at the front of the train. Not surprisingly, the whole thing is cordoned off, and you are forced to sit on a bench in front of a photographer who will snap a picture. I waited in line, put the two little guys on the bench, and stepped back to snap a shot myself. Suddenly, my children were accosted! The man in the orange vest whose job it was to make the kids sit together or smile or something was right next to them, barking at them to sit closer together, to smile, etc. They both started crying. The only picture I got was of a man in an orange vest in front of half of Thomas. I tried sitting with them to calm them down for a formal picture, but that didn't work either. Note to self: make sure Nano gets in the line with us next time!!!
Simon, at age 21 months, is now mostly potty trained (at least at home), knows colors, letters and numbers, counts to 20 (though between 13 and 17 it is all mostly confused), and is running (often away from us, unfortunately). He has a coy smile, and will repeat whatever word it is he is trying to learn until you say it back to him. When he really wants our attention, he walks over to us (especially to Noah), leans forward, and looks up into our faces, and says, "Woah?" (or "mama" or "papa") earnestly, until we answer him.
We recently took a trip to see the "real" Thomas train (the Strasburg railroad brings in a Thomas engine). Both of the boys were fascinated. Simon didn't stop excitedly saying, "Thomas!!" every time he saw a Thomas engine on a shirt, or balloon, or on the actual train, until we left. Noah's favorite part, he said, was sitting on the train itself. Their joy at this visit was so worth it! Afterwards, we tried to get a quick picture at the front of the train. Not surprisingly, the whole thing is cordoned off, and you are forced to sit on a bench in front of a photographer who will snap a picture. I waited in line, put the two little guys on the bench, and stepped back to snap a shot myself. Suddenly, my children were accosted! The man in the orange vest whose job it was to make the kids sit together or smile or something was right next to them, barking at them to sit closer together, to smile, etc. They both started crying. The only picture I got was of a man in an orange vest in front of half of Thomas. I tried sitting with them to calm them down for a formal picture, but that didn't work either. Note to self: make sure Nano gets in the line with us next time!!!
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
What they are up to
Simon and Noah are an amazing joy and overflow my heart with love. Simon is now 20 months. At our last doctor's appointment, he was about 20 percentile for height for age (though the appointment was a bit late). The doctor was quite amazed as she listened to him count from 1 to 7 as she waded through newly introduced electronic medical records. Her comment was, "wow, he knows them, even if he can't even pronounce them very well yet" I'm sure she would have been even more impressed had she seen him in the tubby any night of the week counting to 12! His interest and amazement with letters and numbers is something that is truly mindboggling -- I mean, I don't have a lot of experience raising small children, but his tendency to point out letters and numbers, and state what they are (or their sounds) is something I didn't even know was possible. It is true, his pronunciation is still developing. For example, balloon sounds more like, "munuh," Noah is "Wowah," and sometimes he insistently says something I can't understand, but he is so amazingly talkative and not at all shy with words or sounds. When we go over a bump in the car, he says, "woah!" When we listen to music in the car, he sings along. Sometimes, Noah is an even better translator than I am. The other day, I gave Simon a car, and he said, "mah cah." I didn't quite get it until Noah said, "Simon wants more cars."
Simon is also a sweetie. He loves his blankie, and loves to cuddle. He is having a hard time with separation these days. If I so much as leave the room for more than a minute, he calls out, "mama?" and comes to find me if he can. It pains my heart to leave him in the mornings, not because he is crying (most of the time he is not) but because I will miss spending the next 6 hours with him and all of his cuteness.
Noah, meanwhile, has an astounding sense of his self, his (high) capabilities, and moral fortitude. He has been complaining that at school, Ruby and Grace do not help clean up, and then they get to sit next to the teacher. He doesn't think that is fair. He was so upset about it that he did not want to go to school yesterday. We talked him about what we could do, like maybe we could talk to the teacher about it, or maybe he could tell them himself. Then, he said, "I know, I can tell them that if they do not clean up, they can't sit next to Mrs. Griffen!" We told him that sounded like a great idea. I accompanied him to talk to the teacher about this, and told her his idea (as he asked me to). She explained that he always wants to follow the rules, and gets very upset when other children do not do so.
A couple of weeks ago, I noticed how Simon liked to pull objects, and mentioned we should get a large dinosaur that was in the garage at the top of the ladder so he could play with it. That morning, I went to take a shower while Nano watched the kids, and as I was finishing up, I heard Noah climbing up the stairs. He said to me,
"we should go to the garage to get the dinosaur. Because it's really high up there."
I said, "yes, we can do that when I get home later."
He said, "Yes, because I can't reach it."
"That's right," I said, "you need an adult to help you."
"Yes," he said, because I couldn't get it down, it's right at the edge."
At that moment, I realized he had apparently just gone outside to the garage, undetected, by himself, climbed the ladder, by himself, and attempted to lift the heavy wooden dinosaur and carry it down the ladder, by himself. This is not a friendly ladder we're talking about, it's one with very small steps, and goes up high to the top of the garage, where we have a little loft storage spot. I was a bit mortified.
"Noah, you can't go up there by yourself because it is dangerous. You could fall. Why didn't you ask Papa?"
"Well, Papa won't let me go on the ladder."
"Yes, because it is very dangerous. But if you really need to do something, you need an adult to help you."
I restrained myself against scolding him; I think he must have learned part of that lesson by actually trying. I also think I have to accept that he is indeed an independent creature, and I can only do my best to teach him what is okay and what is not, but ultimately he will make his own judgements when I am not around.
Noah's play has been evolving substantially. He is now able to spend large blocks of time entertaining himself by building things with legos and his train set. He has elaborate train configurations all over the floor, and uses large towers of legos to build supports for bridges, etc. It is really fascinating to see all the creativity and ingenuity developing already.
Simon is also a sweetie. He loves his blankie, and loves to cuddle. He is having a hard time with separation these days. If I so much as leave the room for more than a minute, he calls out, "mama?" and comes to find me if he can. It pains my heart to leave him in the mornings, not because he is crying (most of the time he is not) but because I will miss spending the next 6 hours with him and all of his cuteness.
Noah, meanwhile, has an astounding sense of his self, his (high) capabilities, and moral fortitude. He has been complaining that at school, Ruby and Grace do not help clean up, and then they get to sit next to the teacher. He doesn't think that is fair. He was so upset about it that he did not want to go to school yesterday. We talked him about what we could do, like maybe we could talk to the teacher about it, or maybe he could tell them himself. Then, he said, "I know, I can tell them that if they do not clean up, they can't sit next to Mrs. Griffen!" We told him that sounded like a great idea. I accompanied him to talk to the teacher about this, and told her his idea (as he asked me to). She explained that he always wants to follow the rules, and gets very upset when other children do not do so.
A couple of weeks ago, I noticed how Simon liked to pull objects, and mentioned we should get a large dinosaur that was in the garage at the top of the ladder so he could play with it. That morning, I went to take a shower while Nano watched the kids, and as I was finishing up, I heard Noah climbing up the stairs. He said to me,
"we should go to the garage to get the dinosaur. Because it's really high up there."
I said, "yes, we can do that when I get home later."
He said, "Yes, because I can't reach it."
"That's right," I said, "you need an adult to help you."
"Yes," he said, because I couldn't get it down, it's right at the edge."
At that moment, I realized he had apparently just gone outside to the garage, undetected, by himself, climbed the ladder, by himself, and attempted to lift the heavy wooden dinosaur and carry it down the ladder, by himself. This is not a friendly ladder we're talking about, it's one with very small steps, and goes up high to the top of the garage, where we have a little loft storage spot. I was a bit mortified.
"Noah, you can't go up there by yourself because it is dangerous. You could fall. Why didn't you ask Papa?"
"Well, Papa won't let me go on the ladder."
"Yes, because it is very dangerous. But if you really need to do something, you need an adult to help you."
I restrained myself against scolding him; I think he must have learned part of that lesson by actually trying. I also think I have to accept that he is indeed an independent creature, and I can only do my best to teach him what is okay and what is not, but ultimately he will make his own judgements when I am not around.
Noah's play has been evolving substantially. He is now able to spend large blocks of time entertaining himself by building things with legos and his train set. He has elaborate train configurations all over the floor, and uses large towers of legos to build supports for bridges, etc. It is really fascinating to see all the creativity and ingenuity developing already.
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Sentences, haircut, kitties
Well, the day finally came where I got tired of trying to train Simon's hair to go to the side instead of into his eyes and I chopped off the first precious locks of that fine baby hair! His new look is quite different! Still adorable of course, but with bangs. We have been struggling with sleep issues (again?) lately, and for a while he was awake for 2-3 hours over night for several nights. On one of these occasions I think it was that he made the sentence, "open the door?" His first sentence came in Cancun a few weeks ago, where he said, "open water" when he wanted me to open the sippy cup straw so he could drink. The words are coming lightening fast -- now he repeats almost everything. Two new words from yesterday were bus and white. I have moved from the simple naming of objects in his books to using the colors, or verbs, etc. He is catching on fast! Of course, most listeners can not distinguish his word "car" from "star," but some of the words are crystal clear, like "eight," for example. He can name almost all of the numbers (exceptions are seven and sometimes six, one sounds like a nasal "uh", three sounds like "tea", but two, four, five, nine and ten sound clear), and is fascinated by them. He spent a long time in Cancun just looking at the numbers above the doors and having me name them. He is equally fascinated by letters and their sounds, and he knows the sounds of A, B, D, F, H, M, O, P, S, T, and Y -- he will make the sounds whenever he sees them, whether on a sign at a store, on my shirt, or when he's playing with the magnet letters.
He also knows what he wants more than ever! One of his latest obsessions is the screen -- computer or iPhone, he wants to see videos. He points at my phone and says, "again?" (uh-den), or at the computer screen with, "nuh, nuh, nuh?" which is short for railroad crossing (after all, that's what it sounds like). Sometimes when he doesn't get it, he gets very, very upset!
The switch from two to one nap has been very slow going and painful! His awake time is only about 3 hours in the morning, but between his last nap and falling asleep, he needs closer to 4.5 or more before he'll settle. I will be very happy when we are over this hump!
Noah is also transitioning slowly from one to no naps. He is napping about 3 times a week, and we are trying to get it down to 2. When we went cold turkey from 3 to 0, we had some evenings with a ferocious bear, so we are trying to go more gradually this time, hoping that age is on our side!
The other day we stopped at a pet shop and there were baby kittens there! When I asked him which one was his favorite, he said the baby kittens and their mommy. He wanted to take all of them home, and their mommy, because if we just took one, "they would miss their mommy." So true!
Noah is also starting to enjoy writing a bit more, though it is still not his favorite. He is learning to tell the time on the clock, and is getting more and more control over his fine motor skills. Today he told me that he had had a dream about his cousin Cata, but he didn't want to tell me the best part. I asked him what it was, and told him I wouldn't get mad (apparently what he was fearing!). He said she was jumping off of the stones and he was laughing. Sounds adorably sweet!
He also knows what he wants more than ever! One of his latest obsessions is the screen -- computer or iPhone, he wants to see videos. He points at my phone and says, "again?" (uh-den), or at the computer screen with, "nuh, nuh, nuh?" which is short for railroad crossing (after all, that's what it sounds like). Sometimes when he doesn't get it, he gets very, very upset!
The switch from two to one nap has been very slow going and painful! His awake time is only about 3 hours in the morning, but between his last nap and falling asleep, he needs closer to 4.5 or more before he'll settle. I will be very happy when we are over this hump!
Noah is also transitioning slowly from one to no naps. He is napping about 3 times a week, and we are trying to get it down to 2. When we went cold turkey from 3 to 0, we had some evenings with a ferocious bear, so we are trying to go more gradually this time, hoping that age is on our side!
The other day we stopped at a pet shop and there were baby kittens there! When I asked him which one was his favorite, he said the baby kittens and their mommy. He wanted to take all of them home, and their mommy, because if we just took one, "they would miss their mommy." So true!
Noah is also starting to enjoy writing a bit more, though it is still not his favorite. He is learning to tell the time on the clock, and is getting more and more control over his fine motor skills. Today he told me that he had had a dream about his cousin Cata, but he didn't want to tell me the best part. I asked him what it was, and told him I wouldn't get mad (apparently what he was fearing!). He said she was jumping off of the stones and he was laughing. Sounds adorably sweet!
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Another sleep-talker and it's finally getting through
So, my last post mentioned a lot of the words Simon is saying frequently. By far, the word that comes out of his mouth most is, "Tah!" (car). He stands on the bed to look for "tah, tah!," he peers out of the window on the stairs to find a "tah!" and he loves to walk outside and look at the "tah, tah!" Well, night before last, I settled next to Simon at his 11 pm wake-up, and just after he fell into a slumber, he adjusted himself, and suddenly shouted out, "tah! tah!" Then, kept right on sleeping peacefully.
Last weekend weekend we had some friends who have a 4 year old and a baby over for dinner, and the kids were playing with Simon. Noah turned to Lily and said very emphatically and in his teaching voice, "Lily, you have to look at his face. If he makes a bad face, that means you have to stop." That says everything I've been trying to get him to understand in a nutshell!
Simon and Noah are having great fun playing together in the evenings. They have a bath together, and the last couple of nights have invented a game where Simon throws his hands down, telling Noah (standing up) to suddenly drop down. Noah does it, making a big splash, to Simon's delight. They of course have to do this repeatedly. Then, they move to our bed, where I try to get pajamas on the two of them, while they jump, laugh, and play. It is really delightful to hear that chorus of laughter!
Last weekend weekend we had some friends who have a 4 year old and a baby over for dinner, and the kids were playing with Simon. Noah turned to Lily and said very emphatically and in his teaching voice, "Lily, you have to look at his face. If he makes a bad face, that means you have to stop." That says everything I've been trying to get him to understand in a nutshell!
Simon and Noah are having great fun playing together in the evenings. They have a bath together, and the last couple of nights have invented a game where Simon throws his hands down, telling Noah (standing up) to suddenly drop down. Noah does it, making a big splash, to Simon's delight. They of course have to do this repeatedly. Then, they move to our bed, where I try to get pajamas on the two of them, while they jump, laugh, and play. It is really delightful to hear that chorus of laughter!
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
First Valentine's party
Well, honestly, I don't actually know what transpired. However, today was Noah's first real Valentine's party! We spent the last week or so working on the 13 Valentines, one for each of the children in his class (he did not want to make one for the teachers, because he "does not love them"). Noah cut out all of the hearts by himself, and wrote on several of them. Sometimes, the names turned out looking like this "JCAK" (Jack, written in the correct order, but somehow the C ended up in an unusual place), and other times, they came out perfectly "CHLOE." Other times, the names were too hard and I wrote them myself. We used a paint stamp for some, markers on some, and stickers on most of them. It was a lot of work, I mean, fun.
So, today Noah came home with a bag full of Valentines. Some were homemade, others were store-bought. A couple had scribbles on them, making me very proud of Noah's letters, and others were just adult-written (to be honest, a few of Noah's Valentines turned out that way as well -- 13 is a lot!). A couple had stickers included, and a couple had temporary tatoos (kids this age LOVE tatoos!!). I was pleased that there was limited candy involved, but about 4 parents did resort to candy. And boy, did Noah know which ones had candy. "Where is the one with the lollipop?" he asked. I had sneakily taken it out and placed it on the sideboard for later. But, he is too smart for that! "Where is the one with a number 13 on the package?" I don't know, but I suspect that is one box that "accidentally" stayed in the car when we walked into the house.
Now, it's not that candy is a bad thing, but actually there is a simple equation explaining what happens when Noah gets candy. It goes something like this: Noah + candy = Terminator. He gets very insistent on wanting to eat the candy. He really, really wants it. He is on the verge of a tantrum about having it. He is on the verge of a tantrum about having more. He. Loves. Candy. Read, "I WANT IT NOW!!"
Okay, well, I have to be fair. He actually did quite a good job today. He had one small sweet-tart type candy in the car when I picked him up, and then ate his yogurt that I bring in the car as a snack. He didn't request more after the yogurt went down. Then, once home, he had one small package of Nerds candy, and I told him the rest would be for later. I also bought a (quite large) cookie for him as my present for Valentine's day (at least that way, the carbs off-set a little bit some of the sugar), and told him he could have it after dinner. I never saw him eat dinner so happily! He actually asked for seconds (spaghetti with meat sauce) and ate an entire green bean.
After dinner, he had his (quite large) cookie. I gave him half and told him to save the rest for later. He ate it very happily. Then, he wanted the other half. I told him to wait for 10 minutes first. He obliged. Then, he said, he still wanted it. So, I gave the rest to him. I think this may have been a very happy day for him! Candy and cookies, all in the same day!
Oh, the sugar. We have years of holidays of sugar ahead. Halloween, Valentine's day, Christmas, and every other holiday where it all boils down to sugar. I can't tell you how many meltdowns we have had over sugar. I even captured one of them on video, lest people not understand how it it can affect him (this one is entitled, "I want a cupcake" and that is what the tantrum is about, in its entirety; I only captured a few of the 30 minutes the actual tantrum lasted).
Tonight, as I was putting him to sleep (Nano was out for a candidate interview), I looked at his adorable, sweet face, and saw the cutest, sweetest thing I had ever seen. This little guy is adorable. I told him I loved him. He said, "I love you too, mama." This was followed by him squishing me saying, "I love mama!!" What a sweetheart.
Oh, and Simon's language explosion continues. Today, I was taking off his shoes and socks as I do customarily when we get home (I read somewhere that when they are learning to walk, it should be shoeless), I took off his shoes, one at a time, and then his socks, one at a time, saying, "one...and..." and just as I was about to say two, Simon said, "two," knowingly. He is amazing! And, just to top of the cuteness, he has been humming to me, Nano, and the babysitter all day the "Are you sleeping" song. As soon as I got home, he saw me, then headed straight to the playroom to "sing."
And, by the way, you need to know that Simon. Loves. Cars. I got rid of a ton of the cars we had accumulated from consignment sales. Now, the few that we do have are constantly dumped out of their basket, slid down the ramp, pushed across the floor, carried around the house, and lined up on the table. It is really amazing how much he loves those cars! Outside, when one goes by, he says, "tah." I'd say Simon's favorite things are cars, stickers, and walking at the moment. Noah's three are friends, playing pretend, and the Thomas trains.
So, today Noah came home with a bag full of Valentines. Some were homemade, others were store-bought. A couple had scribbles on them, making me very proud of Noah's letters, and others were just adult-written (to be honest, a few of Noah's Valentines turned out that way as well -- 13 is a lot!). A couple had stickers included, and a couple had temporary tatoos (kids this age LOVE tatoos!!). I was pleased that there was limited candy involved, but about 4 parents did resort to candy. And boy, did Noah know which ones had candy. "Where is the one with the lollipop?" he asked. I had sneakily taken it out and placed it on the sideboard for later. But, he is too smart for that! "Where is the one with a number 13 on the package?" I don't know, but I suspect that is one box that "accidentally" stayed in the car when we walked into the house.
Now, it's not that candy is a bad thing, but actually there is a simple equation explaining what happens when Noah gets candy. It goes something like this: Noah + candy = Terminator. He gets very insistent on wanting to eat the candy. He really, really wants it. He is on the verge of a tantrum about having it. He is on the verge of a tantrum about having more. He. Loves. Candy. Read, "I WANT IT NOW!!"
Okay, well, I have to be fair. He actually did quite a good job today. He had one small sweet-tart type candy in the car when I picked him up, and then ate his yogurt that I bring in the car as a snack. He didn't request more after the yogurt went down. Then, once home, he had one small package of Nerds candy, and I told him the rest would be for later. I also bought a (quite large) cookie for him as my present for Valentine's day (at least that way, the carbs off-set a little bit some of the sugar), and told him he could have it after dinner. I never saw him eat dinner so happily! He actually asked for seconds (spaghetti with meat sauce) and ate an entire green bean.
After dinner, he had his (quite large) cookie. I gave him half and told him to save the rest for later. He ate it very happily. Then, he wanted the other half. I told him to wait for 10 minutes first. He obliged. Then, he said, he still wanted it. So, I gave the rest to him. I think this may have been a very happy day for him! Candy and cookies, all in the same day!
Oh, the sugar. We have years of holidays of sugar ahead. Halloween, Valentine's day, Christmas, and every other holiday where it all boils down to sugar. I can't tell you how many meltdowns we have had over sugar. I even captured one of them on video, lest people not understand how it it can affect him (this one is entitled, "I want a cupcake" and that is what the tantrum is about, in its entirety; I only captured a few of the 30 minutes the actual tantrum lasted).
Tonight, as I was putting him to sleep (Nano was out for a candidate interview), I looked at his adorable, sweet face, and saw the cutest, sweetest thing I had ever seen. This little guy is adorable. I told him I loved him. He said, "I love you too, mama." This was followed by him squishing me saying, "I love mama!!" What a sweetheart.
Oh, and Simon's language explosion continues. Today, I was taking off his shoes and socks as I do customarily when we get home (I read somewhere that when they are learning to walk, it should be shoeless), I took off his shoes, one at a time, and then his socks, one at a time, saying, "one...and..." and just as I was about to say two, Simon said, "two," knowingly. He is amazing! And, just to top of the cuteness, he has been humming to me, Nano, and the babysitter all day the "Are you sleeping" song. As soon as I got home, he saw me, then headed straight to the playroom to "sing."
And, by the way, you need to know that Simon. Loves. Cars. I got rid of a ton of the cars we had accumulated from consignment sales. Now, the few that we do have are constantly dumped out of their basket, slid down the ramp, pushed across the floor, carried around the house, and lined up on the table. It is really amazing how much he loves those cars! Outside, when one goes by, he says, "tah." I'd say Simon's favorite things are cars, stickers, and walking at the moment. Noah's three are friends, playing pretend, and the Thomas trains.
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
The boys
There is a lot of cuteness at our house these days! Simon started walking at 15 months. After several mini steps here and there, he finally started to walk on January 7th. Now, he toddles around the house with one foot facing slightly outward, mirroring ever so slightly the cute crabwalk he used to do. He often walks to the basket where we keep shoes, picks out his shoe, and says "shoe" (suuw), and then carries it over to the door and says, "outside" (ow-sigh). If we don't comply, he usually starts to cry unless we are successful at distraction. Once ow-sigh, he just walks, and walks, and walks, down the driveway, to the right, and down to the neighbors' house where they have some huge lights lining the walk leftover from Christmas. He points at them and says, "off!!" very emphatically! He then tries turning the little ones on and off by twisting them into their sockets.
Simon's language has taken off. While Noah was in Chile, Simon picked up a lot of words from the books we read. In the end, we had a good time, bonded a lot, and Noah bonded a lot with his dad. He actually had a fabulous time with his cousins, and came back more mature. After he got back, Simon he was a bit more quiet for a short bit, and then suddenly the language started to come like a landslide. Now, he says, "ball" (bah), "doll" (dah), "car" (tah), "star" (taw), "dog" (doh), "cat" (ta, with a in apple), "hat" (ha, with a in apple), "hot" (hot, while shaking his hand), "blankie" (bahbee), "tete" (tete, means binky) "baby" (baybay) "strawberry" (awbebee), "palta" (pawta), "agua" (agua) "hot dog" (ha-doh), and "apple" (appah), to name a few that come to mind. He tries to say Monty, which sounds something like "Tahtee." He also repeats things a lot, and his dad has taught him, "yes, sir!" (yeisah). He also sings, "ee ii ee ii uuu" from Old MacDonald, and if you sing, "Are you sleeping, are you sleeping," he will hum the next verse for Brother John. And, he loves to eat broccoli! He loves to color, to stick stickers on paper, and try to do whatever Noah does. He likes for things to be in their place. If there is a pacifier on the floor, he will hand it to me and motion for me to put it away. If his blankie (the one that is not the preferred one) is out of the crib, he will motion for us to put it back in. Nano has a song he sings to Simon, and whenever he says, "boom," Simon drops onto his bottom. This is one of his tricks, too -- if you are laying on the bed, he will come and plop on top of you, thinking it is hilarious!
Noah is finally over (for now?) his aggressive behavior towards Simon, which is a huge relief! We don't have to be watching over them like hawks, and there is no intentional hurting. Of course, Simon still tries to get what Noah has, or knock things over, which is a challenge to Noah, but he is dealing with it much better! Sometimes, he looks like a defensive lineback, but at least there is no pushing for the most part!
The other day, I went to take a shower, which is a hard moment for Simon because he has to separate from me. He started to cry, and Noah went over to him saying, "Monkey, monkey, monkey," in a singsong way, the way I would say it when we read a certain story, until Simon stopped crying and started smiling. Very sweet!
Simon's language has taken off. While Noah was in Chile, Simon picked up a lot of words from the books we read. In the end, we had a good time, bonded a lot, and Noah bonded a lot with his dad. He actually had a fabulous time with his cousins, and came back more mature. After he got back, Simon he was a bit more quiet for a short bit, and then suddenly the language started to come like a landslide. Now, he says, "ball" (bah), "doll" (dah), "car" (tah), "star" (taw), "dog" (doh), "cat" (ta, with a in apple), "hat" (ha, with a in apple), "hot" (hot, while shaking his hand), "blankie" (bahbee), "tete" (tete, means binky) "baby" (baybay) "strawberry" (awbebee), "palta" (pawta), "agua" (agua) "hot dog" (ha-doh), and "apple" (appah), to name a few that come to mind. He tries to say Monty, which sounds something like "Tahtee." He also repeats things a lot, and his dad has taught him, "yes, sir!" (yeisah). He also sings, "ee ii ee ii uuu" from Old MacDonald, and if you sing, "Are you sleeping, are you sleeping," he will hum the next verse for Brother John. And, he loves to eat broccoli! He loves to color, to stick stickers on paper, and try to do whatever Noah does. He likes for things to be in their place. If there is a pacifier on the floor, he will hand it to me and motion for me to put it away. If his blankie (the one that is not the preferred one) is out of the crib, he will motion for us to put it back in. Nano has a song he sings to Simon, and whenever he says, "boom," Simon drops onto his bottom. This is one of his tricks, too -- if you are laying on the bed, he will come and plop on top of you, thinking it is hilarious!
Noah is finally over (for now?) his aggressive behavior towards Simon, which is a huge relief! We don't have to be watching over them like hawks, and there is no intentional hurting. Of course, Simon still tries to get what Noah has, or knock things over, which is a challenge to Noah, but he is dealing with it much better! Sometimes, he looks like a defensive lineback, but at least there is no pushing for the most part!
The other day, I went to take a shower, which is a hard moment for Simon because he has to separate from me. He started to cry, and Noah went over to him saying, "Monkey, monkey, monkey," in a singsong way, the way I would say it when we read a certain story, until Simon stopped crying and started smiling. Very sweet!
Friday, December 30, 2011
Missing Noah
Well, it has been 5 days since Noah left with Nano to see his family in Chile. The night before last I was beside myself with grief. I felt like I did at the hospital when he was just born and they had taken him away and wouldn't let me go see him. I want to be with my baby! They aren't scheduled to be back until January 4th, which truly seems like an eternity from now. Nano is exhausted too, given that he is 100% caregiver, 100% of the time. He even looked into returning early, and it would cost $3200 -- which is way more than anyone in their right mind would pay for anything (How do these airlines get away with that???!!), except maybe a new car.
Yesterday we got to connect with Facetime. We had tried the couple of days prior, but it just seemed too awkward. But, I took the phone with me and showed him things around the house, and then set up his race track and played with the cars with him, all remotely. We had lots of fun. It made me feel just a little better. At the beginning of the conversation, I said to him, "Noah, I miss you so much, what can I do?"
He said, "maybe we can talk every day."
I said, "Okay, that's a good idea. How do you feel in Chile?"
"I feel good in Chile. But I still love you."
By the end of the conversation, he didn't want to hang up with me. We really got to feel close again, even from miles away. But, the distance is creeping up on me again! I really, really miss that guy. The house is so quiet. I miss his witty responses, his endless energy, his sweet body next to mine as he tries to fall asleep.
Yesterday we got to connect with Facetime. We had tried the couple of days prior, but it just seemed too awkward. But, I took the phone with me and showed him things around the house, and then set up his race track and played with the cars with him, all remotely. We had lots of fun. It made me feel just a little better. At the beginning of the conversation, I said to him, "Noah, I miss you so much, what can I do?"
He said, "maybe we can talk every day."
I said, "Okay, that's a good idea. How do you feel in Chile?"
"I feel good in Chile. But I still love you."
By the end of the conversation, he didn't want to hang up with me. We really got to feel close again, even from miles away. But, the distance is creeping up on me again! I really, really miss that guy. The house is so quiet. I miss his witty responses, his endless energy, his sweet body next to mine as he tries to fall asleep.
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