It's been a little while since I've written some details about the boys...
I would like to think I'll keep these little bits and pieces in my heart forever, but already when I look back at my journal of Max's first year, there are things that I wouldn't remember if I hadn't jotted them down.
So, here we go...the good, the bad, and the ugly.
Max: 2.5
The Good:
You are just SO. BIG.
You are a little kid...barely a toddler and certainly not a baby.
People who meet you for the first time usually think you are 3-5 years old.
And you talk.
Talk, talk, talk.
My day is filled with your constant stream of consciousness, your words are my daily soundtrack.
I love hearing what you think and feel... you say everything in the most adorable way.
Almost every morning you ask me over breakfast, " Monkey Bizness (didness in your words), yes or no?" That is your first order of business for the day. If I say no, you reply, "Say yes, please!"
You're already quite the debater.
I wonder if I will ever get used to hearing you speak.
Right now you continue to amaze me with your words, your sentences, the way you use different tenses, the way your subjects and verbs agree...the way you piece together things I've never explicitly taught you.
You have an amazing little mind.
You like to talk about shapes + numbers, and your favorite song to sing is the ABC's.
My days work is to keep you busy and occupied.
Your other big development lately is imagination...everything in sight is a castle, or a tower, or a bridge for you to guard. You often bake cookies for Shrihi or other friends in your play kitchen and you won't let Eli touch them.
You call the little closet in the play room "The Bus" and you take Eli for rides each day.
I love to let you lead the way and create games for the three of us.
We've started spending a little time each day incorporating formal education, but you still spend most of your day freely exploring and playing.
You finally, mostly, stay in your toddler bed for naps and at bedtime.
You are a great listener when we are out and about and we let you walk freely at stores and other places we go (you're not in the stroller much these days).
You love to have a job to do and you help me and Daddy with chores around the house.
(My favorite is when I sweep or mop and you do it right along side me)
You have started to love to have your picture taken, especially if I give you some guidance...for example, you liked it when we were taking Valentine's pictures and I asked you to hold you hand out and make a fist. You have wanted to do this again and again.
You continue to "take pictures" of me and Eli nearly every day, with your play camera, blocks, or even just your hands. You like to see what the pictures look like on my camera and you often sit on my lap while I'm editing, reliving the memories with me and chatting about your friends.
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| out take from our Valentines pictures |
You are a sweet little cuddle bug.
You often ask for hugs and kisses, and frequently shower them on your little brother.
I thought I could never love an age the way I love the baby phase, but I have to say, two and a half is a new favorite.
The Bad:
If you are over tired, or hungry...it's not pretty.
I can tell when we are nearing the hungry/tired state because it seems like you start to lose control over your body. You start running around like a wild thing, screaming, yelling, and eventually there is a big old temper tantrum.
But that happens less and less these days as your grow more flexible with you nap schedule...and I make sure to feed you constantly.
Also, you wake up incredibly early every morning.
You greet the day with gusto and enthusiasm...it's just that no one else is ready to get up yet, but we are learning to appreciate the wonders of 5:00 and 6:00 am.
The Ugly:
Potty Training.
This is actually more my fault than yours, but we haven't had much success with potty training, yet.
We started some training over Christmas break and you were doing good with it at home.
Then I realized I would have to take you to the potty when we were out and about...but where am I supposed to put Eli down in a public restroom? On the floor? Not happening.
So we dropped our attempts and I have been reading and researching our options and we have a new plan. So we are starting potty training round 2, the only problem is that in the meantime you have decided you like your diapers.
When I ask you if you want to do potty training, you say "no, tomorrow".
I guess we shall see what happens.
My Max, my heart, my two and a half year old boy...let's take this whole nearing 3 thing slow, okay?
Eli: 10-months old
The Good:
This is Eli's song. Not because of the lyrics or meaning...but we call him "Lie Lie" as a nickname, and lately we have been singing the chorus of this song to him, the Lie-la-Lie part, and he absolutely loves it...beams from ear to ear.
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| Lie-la-Lie |
There is so much good right now, little Eli.
You continue to be a sweet and gentle soul...a funny boy, joyful, with bright eyes.
You are working hard on communicating with us, it seems like every day or two there is a new sign or word approximation.
Your latest has been pointing at everything and saying dis (this) or dat (that).
You know when it's time for the bedtime routine and you say "nigh nigh".
We've also started to hear you say "juice" when you see one of Max's sippy cups.
We are truly at the age of the talking finger...you are constantly pointing out the things that interest you...
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| "dis" |
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| "dat" |
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| "dis" |
You sign milk, all done, and more to us. You also make us laugh when you point to foods and then point to the inside of your mouth, I suppose it is like signing "eat", but you always point to the food first and then show us where to put it...funny boy.
It goes with out saying that you continue to be a great eater.
You are more assertive these days, you stand up for yourself if Max takes a toy from you, you try to get it back.
Sometimes you steal things from him.
Feisty little guy.
You are more assertive these days, you stand up for yourself if Max takes a toy from you, you try to get it back.
Sometimes you steal things from him.
Feisty little guy.
I see you gaining confidence with walking more and more each day.
If Max is napping you will slowly walk your way around the living room and kitchen.
If Max is awake and playing near you, or if there are lots of people around, you usually choose to crawl instead of walk.
I think you are afraid of being knocked over...and I don't blame you, it's a scary thing wobbling around on your own two feet.
My favorite new thing that you do is peek-a-boo with your bowl or hands...you cover your eyes and we say peek-a-boo and you show us your face, giggling.
And here is where the good starts to get hard...
that first birthday is rapidly approaching.
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| Experimenting with birthday pictures. |
I think I'm more ready for it this time.
I know the wonder and amazement of 13, 18, 24-months and so on...
I look forward to experiencing all of that with you, but I am also sad to see you leave babyhood behind.
For the next ~5 weeks you are still my little baby and I am soaking up every last minute of it.
The Bad:
Teething.
You have your canine teeth coming through and we find you biting and chewing on everything.
At times you are pretty grumpy about this whole teething situation.
The Ugly:
Eli, if there was a contest for the messiest baby I think you would have a good chance at winning.
I have loved baby led weaning, but a side effect of you exclusively feeding yourself is a big huge food mess every time you eat.
Every. Single. Time.
To say that we have to hose you and the high chair down after every meal is barely an exaggeration.
Two of your favorite foods are yogurt and cottage cheese, while much of it makes it to your mouth, some also ends up smeared all over your face, your hair, your arms, the chair, the wall, the floor...everywhere.
You put our broom, vacuum, and mop to good use :)
As for me, lately, much is done for the sake of fairness around here.
All of the reading I have done about sibling bonding emphasizes fairness (but of course, fair isn't always equal), so we do our best within reason.
Eli is old enough to be aware of what Max gets, and he wants just the same.
If Max gets a sippy cup with some juice...Eli gets a sippy cup with a little water and one drop of juice in it... he barely drinks any of it but he seriously knows if that drop is in there or not.
I don't obsess over it, but I try to keep a mental tally of who I served food to first, who got into or out of the car first, who I snuggled last...we try to switch up the order so that no one is always first or last. I'm not sure if this effort is the reason, but my boys are very close, they hate to ever be separated from each other.
Brothers.
"Children of the same family, the same blood, with the same first associations and habits, have some mean of enjoyment in their power, which no subsequent connections can supply.
-Jane Austen
Hooray for 10 and 30-months old!
For the next ~5 weeks you are still my little baby and I am soaking up every last minute of it.
The Bad:
Teething.
You have your canine teeth coming through and we find you biting and chewing on everything.
At times you are pretty grumpy about this whole teething situation.
The Ugly:
Eli, if there was a contest for the messiest baby I think you would have a good chance at winning.
I have loved baby led weaning, but a side effect of you exclusively feeding yourself is a big huge food mess every time you eat.
Every. Single. Time.
To say that we have to hose you and the high chair down after every meal is barely an exaggeration.
Two of your favorite foods are yogurt and cottage cheese, while much of it makes it to your mouth, some also ends up smeared all over your face, your hair, your arms, the chair, the wall, the floor...everywhere.
You put our broom, vacuum, and mop to good use :)
As for me, lately, much is done for the sake of fairness around here.
All of the reading I have done about sibling bonding emphasizes fairness (but of course, fair isn't always equal), so we do our best within reason.
Eli is old enough to be aware of what Max gets, and he wants just the same.
If Max gets a sippy cup with some juice...Eli gets a sippy cup with a little water and one drop of juice in it... he barely drinks any of it but he seriously knows if that drop is in there or not.
I don't obsess over it, but I try to keep a mental tally of who I served food to first, who got into or out of the car first, who I snuggled last...we try to switch up the order so that no one is always first or last. I'm not sure if this effort is the reason, but my boys are very close, they hate to ever be separated from each other.
Brothers.
"Children of the same family, the same blood, with the same first associations and habits, have some mean of enjoyment in their power, which no subsequent connections can supply.
-Jane Austen
Hooray for 10 and 30-months old!
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