Nico: 18 months

Dear Nico,

Wow - you are now a year and a half old.  That is amazing because it feels like you've been with us forever, and yet...you have only been here for a year and a half.  And you have done so much in that year and a half!

Your most favorite thing to do these days is to go outside and splash in the puddles.  We have many puddles to splash around here, and you think it's the bomb!  Your favorite place is at Bode and Gianna's school because there are really big, really deep puddles in the woods.  Every morning, along with your brother and sister, you put on rain gear: rain jacket, rain pants and rain boots.  You love it.  "Boot? Boot? BOOOOT!" you'll demand once Bode and Gianna start gearing up.  "Yes, sir!" I reply as I sit down with you on the kitchen floor, and begin the very official business of putting on your rain gear and boots.  You also love being outside. We play in the backyard every day. You might say, "Outside? Outside?" to make sure that I know where we are going.  "Yes, sir!" I reply and take you out the door.

We started swim lessons a few weeks ago. You could leave it, I think.  But you are such a good sport, and put up with the changing of clothes, the cold water, and the (stupid!) water games that we play with your teacher.  You don't like being handed off to your swim teacher. You'll cry for a minute, but then, stop, and just put up with it (her) until you're handed back to me. I put you in swim lessons because I had a nightmare.  And now that the horror of this nightmare  has faded, I'm ready to ditch the swim lessons, too.  I don't like the cold, the wet, and the bother for either of us.  So once this class is over, we won't be back. We won't be back until you decide that you're ready, or  when you're a little bit older and can deal with the cold, and verbalize things better.

You enjoy all the B word things and say them so well: balls, bagels, books (flipping through them by yourself, pulling them off the shelf, or throwing them), bites (yogurt bites),  baths, and babies!  Your vocabulary is great - thank you, sibs!!!  You have two great teachers who love to play with you, and their chatter is a constant lesson to you. I can only imagine how much your brain "records" throughout the day. 

You are starting to carry cars around in your little hands.  You go, "Brrrm! Brrrm!" to make car noises. You'll watch cars go on the road, and repeat, "Brrrm!"  Cars are what you play with when I am cooking, or when you have a minute to yourself. You'll drag them across the floor, or push them violently away to make them "go" but they'll skitter and crank across the floor, because you don't have the coordination yet to have them "glide" across the floor.

Your little personality is wonderful. You are such a happy guy, and you smile easily.  I think that you're going to have a very easy, mellow temperament.  I hope so, as this will serve you well in life!

We have started a parent-child class this week. It is a mixed aged class and there are two baby girls in there who are 6 months.  You really enjoyed squatting in front of these babies and just smiling at them. It's pretty funny to watch.  There are also some older children in the class (2 years), too, and I'm not anxious for you to pick up new skills from them! I want you to stay just the way you are right now.  Yesterday, we had a little talk. I asked you, "Nico, will you please stay like this at 18 months for awhile?" and you said, "Okay."  You said it so easily, so readily and I was happy that we had an agreement. But a second later, I realized that I did not define "awhile" and therefore, even though we had an agreement, you could easily grow, and become 19 months...next week.

But most of all, you love me! You and me, baby, we are so close. I understand what you are saying, and what you want/need more easily than anyone. You want me before anyone else. And I love it that way.  At nap time, or at night, when you wake up, it's almost a curse, because you cry, "Mama, mama..." and Daddy will joke, "He's calling for you." When I  have a baby sitter watch you and your siblings, you get so sad. You'll cry and cry. And I'll cry inside, too. I usually time it so that I put you down for a nap before the errand. That way, you sleep through the sitter and I'm home by the time you wake up! See how easy I make your life?  No drama for my baby! Not yet, anyway. Maybe when you are a little older.  

You have become a hugger.  You will give "Anna" a hug when you see her. And then you might go over to "Bobo" and give him a hug as well.  You love your "Dada" and enjoy wrestling and tickle matches with him.  You also pat "Pa'dah" (Priscilla) and often tell me "Pa'dah outside" when she's out, or "Pa'dah night-night" when you see her sleeping.  

We are a very busy family and often on the road, but you make these excursions so easy right now.  Thank you for being so agreeable,  skipping naps and full meals for car rides, and always sitting patiently while your brother and sister do gymnastics or swim. 

Happy 18 months, Nico. It has been a wonderful year and a half for all of us!
Love,
Mommy
xo

So true

Cleaning and scrubbing can wait 'til tomorrow,
For babies grow up, we've learned to our sorrow,

So quiet down, cobwebs. Dust, go to sleep.

I'm rocking my baby and babies don't keep.

-author unknown*

Sir Nicholas is a teething monster.  He is keeping us up at night, or waking us at super early morning hours.  We are surviving.  I keep telling myself that this goes so fast, just hold onto him!

I don't know the author of this poem. But if you do, please let me know so that I may credit properly.

Happy weekend.

xo

And now, for his latest trick...

Last night was one of those nights. Sigh.  Nico was not into sleep, either because of teething or just because...? I don't know.  RWF came home from work and was surprised to see that Nico was still up. (Surprise!)  But of course, RWF was more than happy to spend a few minutes with his baby, hugging and playing.   After awhile, RWF started to go downstairs to get out of his work clothes (uh, as you can see from the photos below) but Nico wanted him to stay.  He asked RWF to put his "baba" on top of his head.  So this turned into a game of sorts, and this happened:

The above shot is blurry because I had to jump over in front in order to capture his smile!

Whoah! Game over!  Nico loved this balancing act.  RWF  had to do it a few times before we finally were like, "Enough, time to power down, baby." We  finally hid the bottle by distracting Nico with cereal.

At least these late nights are good for something. I mean, I'd rather spend my time sleeping but at least it has been productive.  Maybe we will get a spot on the Late Show with David Letterman!

Happy Wednesday.

xo

"Anna"

Nico has not been feeling well these past 2 days.  A fever (and it appears to be only and weirdly a"fever") has been going through our house, starting with Bode, me, and then it  hit Nico.  Nico has been 'off' with this fever, and he is also teething. So this poor little baby has been dealing with a lot, not sleeping well, not eating much, and not feeling good.  He has not been smiling or laughing.  He's been wanting "Mama" a lot, and only wants me to hold him 24/7.  So this means I'm doing everything that I normally do, but I'm holding Nico on my hip while I do it.

Tonight, as per our usual routine, I was sitting and reading books with the babies before bed. We were all on the floor, and I was sitting between Bode and Gianna.  Nico started crying for me, and I stopped reading and told him nicely that I had to finish the story.  He got frustrated and struck Gianna.  And he looked at me while he was doing it. So he was clearly expressing his disapproval with my refusal to drop everything for him.  I paused, and since Gianna didn't even react to Nico's "hit," I looked at Nico and made a sad face.  "I'm sorry, Nico, I know that you're ready for bed. But we don't hit Gianna.  We love Gianna."  And I gave Gianna a kiss on the head (where Nico had hit her) and then I gave her a hug.  "We love Gianna," I repeated and kept my arm around her.

Nico watched me.  And then I resumed reading.  Then, he leaned over and 'fell' on Gianna to give her a hug.  It was so sweet. He just leaned on her and put his arms around her.  I said, "Yes! Love Gianna. We love Gianna!" I continued to 'love' Gianna.

Smiling at me, he continued hugging Gianna, and then he said, "Anna, Anna..." 

Yay! He said Gianna's name!  (Well, almost!)

"YES!" I cried, "Yes, this is Anna. GiANNA." I squished the two of them together, continuing my Anne-Sullivan-to-Helen-Keller style of teaching. "Anna," I repeated over and over, patting Gianna's head. "giANNA," I said, smushing them into a hug.

Then I leaned over and whispered to Gianna, "Do you hear what Nico is saying? He is saying your name! That is very special! You are a good sister. Nico loves you."

Of course Bode, Mr. Facts Only, pointed out that Nico really didn't say "GI-anna," but "Anna" (AHN-na, without the "gee").  I reminded him that Nico is learning how to speak and he's trying new words all the time.  [Also, technically, I think Nico already says Bode's name, but it's not as clear as "Anna" and I'm probably the only one that understands him! Nico already says Priscilla, "puh-duh-ya" and RWF & I think it is funny that Priscilla ranks higher on the scale than Bode and Gianna. And she has a harder name!]

Nico said her name a few more times, probably because I got so happy and encouraged him every time he said, "Anna."  Then we continued reading, and Nico laid down with his head resting on my legs.  I finished up quickly and then put everyone to bed. 

Hooray for Nico! Hooray for Gianna!

xo

Chill

Post-dinner baba while lounging in mommy's arms

We had a very chill weekend.  We spent our time lounging indoors or outside enjoying the sun.  Bode did go skiing with RWF, but that was the only activity that was done outside our homestead this weekend.  We usually go out to dinner on the weekends.  Not this time. I cooked and enjoyed my family sitting around our dinner table together.

I absolutely adore Gianna's body. All babies have adorable bodies, right? But right now, Gianna's body is especially adorable. She's got a little sumo wrestler body with thick thighs and a belly. And sometimes she evens squat-walks like a sumo wrestler. She is my little Jesse. I love it! I would post pictures but you know that she would hurt me if she found out.  Instead, check out this profile:

RWF called her Khloe Kardashian. Naturally, Gianna screamed at  him.

I don't know if it was the wicked cold weather (3 degrees when we woke up this a.m.) or what, but everyone was relaxed and content to stay together.   Looking back, I think Bode spent most of the weekend in his pajamas? I was too lazy to fight it.

Watching the Orange! Gianna was lounging in my lap when I took this pic

Even my amaryllis and paperwhites are lazy:

We exerted ourselves a little bit outside.  And by "we," I mean me and RWF.  Those little crumb snatchers were content to stay bundled on their sleds while we ran around the yard, pulling them like work horses.  Bode got the better horse because RWF can run very fast.  I loved watching Bode giggle like a loon as RWF ran faster and faster.  Then, RWF would let go and Bode would go flying past him.  It was fun for me to watch, and I'm sure more fun being on the sled. Gianna got stuck with the old grey mare who trudged slowly through the snow.

Do you have the MLK holiday off?  I don't.  I have two bosses who expect me bright and early tomorrow morning.  I am pretty sure that I won't get off  from work early, either. 

Happy Monday.

xo

Murder or a heart attack

This one, as one of my sisters-in-law has recently said, will be responsible for every single grey hair on my head.  I think my sister-in-law suggested that both babies will be responsible for every single grey hair on my head.  But I disagree: it will be solely Gianna's doing.

This week, she has fallen approximately 492 times.  One such time she passed out.  And another time, she did that horrible huge-intake-of-air-and-not-making-a-sound before letting loose with a blood-curdling scream.  She needs to wear a helmet, and maybe even those pads that football players wear under their uniforms.

When she wasn't climbing on things that she wasn't supposed to be climbing on, she was single-handedly destroying the house.  She marches around, picks anything up that catches her eye, and then, when she's bored with it, drops it wherever. I don't expect her to know to put these things away. It just astounds me how quickly she makes a path of destruction through the house. Once I put her down for a nap, I don't put my feet up and rest. Oh, no! After I breathe a huge sigh of relief that she's still alive and well, I spend the next hour picking up, fixing, and cleaning everything that Gianna's left in her wake. 

This house has a big stairwell (well, big for babies) and many more rooms than our last house. When I am alone with Gianna, there is at least one time where I am freaking out and yelling, "Gianna! Gianna! Where are you???" I race around the house in a panic because God only knows what she is capable of when she is left alone to her own devices.  When I do find her, she is often just sitting there, with a small mischievous smile on her face, her eyes wickedly suggesting, "Got you!" 

On the other hand, she loves being held by me.  And while I used to complain that I couldn't get anything done, I'm now thinking that I prefer her riding my hip all day than letting her loose.

 It is better for my nerves, anyway.

Happy Monday.

xo

Mia Gianna: 18 months

Dear Gianna,

December 30 came and went without my writing about your turning 18 months.  It's not that we didn't notice.  Daddy and I talked about it over dinner on the 29th, and then the morning of the 30th, we kissed you and wished you a Happy 18 months, as we usually do on these occasions. 

You've added a few more words and phrases to your vocabulary.  You can often be heard saying, "Iwandat" ("I want that") when Bode is playing with something or eating something that you don't have. You now say, "Lala" for Priscilla (I think).  And when you're done eating, you'll demand, "UP!" to be removed from your high chair.  You are fascinated with hats, and will spend a long time going through the hat basket.  If someone is wearing a hat (as we often are nowadays), you'll demand, "HAT, HAT, HAAAAT" until the person surrenders his hat to you for your inspection/wearing.

Sadly, you know how to turn on my iPhone.  I wish it weren't the case, as I hate to think that you are so familiar with a phone that you know how to turn it on when you want to play with it.   You love turning on my phone and looking at the picture (wallpaper) of you and Bode. You study the picture and say, "Baybee" over and over.

Your sleeping habits are changing somewhat. At least right now, you fight going to sleep. Hopefully, this is due to teething.  I used to put you down at 6:45 and you'd smile, lay there with your Penguin and "ba-ba" and go to sleep.  Now, you cry and protest, and spring up on your feet as soon as I've laid you down.  But you're the second child, and this means that I don't give into your tears as easily as I did with the first child. Sorry, Gianna, but I'm going to need concrete evidence (like a poopy diaper) before I get you up from your sleep time.  The thing is, even though you cry and protest, you're usually asleep about 5 minutes afterwards.  

I think your teeth are making it harder for you to sleep, as you've got 4 new teeth emerging in your little mouth.  You aren't eating as much, which I hate to see.  I'm sorry that you've been hit so hard with the teething.   But you've really handled it well.  You rarely cry and don't drool.  You like to be held and will sit quietly with me when you're feeling out of sorts.

This past week, we had a date.  We went shoe shopping for you.  You walked around the shoe store, picking up the different shoes (luckily, we had the store to ourselves).  You are girly, as you always went for the pink and sparkly ones.  We bought your first pair of sneakers.  And I have to say, I laugh when you wear them. They just look so odd on you.  I think we both prefer your new ruffled Mary Janes, as they are more you than those silly sneakers.

Happy 18 months, and happy new year, my sweet girl.

love,

Mommy
xo