1. Some Ryan talk first - anyone care to guess?
"poovie"
"chushie"
2. Our new friend Jane is offering us a family yoga opportunity with one other family. The other family has one toddler son who is a friend to R. I really hope this works out and that the big boys can also enjoy it. I know she teaches a very relaxing and spiritual style class.
3. Ja started work at a nearby intergenerational garden, which is also a CSA in which anyone can buy shares of local, organic (I'm assuming) produce. As they are quick to remind all the middle school gardeners, this is a Real Job, to which they are expected to arrive on time and commit to the end of summer. He has gone to his first work day and seemed to enjoy it. Hard work, but satisfying, he says. I was particularly impressed because he was feeling pretty bad that day with sinus pain and congestion, but got himself up and went anyway. Each kid is assigned two beds, and there will be some ongoing training in engaging with the elders as well. The garden is literally just around the corner from our house.
4. Gold Cup soccer has started for Ja, and Silver Cup begins this Saturday for Je. I hope his coach calls to tell us when the first game is! I'm not sure whether R will play copper cup. I think he's technically too young, so we'll have to see what they say.
5. Je has a new snare drum, a book and CD curriculum, and no drumsticks! We have to get those today so we can begin. He's also hoping to run with the track team this year, although the coach hasn't returned my call. I'm not sure if it's still too early for track or if he is possibly gone on spring break? We;re also considering some sculpture lessons for Je - our friend Jade has her art degree in sculpture and hopes to teach in the future, so this would be a good match for both of them.
6. R is really stretching himself these days. Leaving behind the diapers is a happy transition but still definitely not mastered. The first week was a bit more successful than the last two. He's also been having some scary dreams and fears at night about spiders in the bed. Poor sweetie. Yesterday, we attended a library program in a couple towns over - I'd heard they have a very active, musical program. They did, indeed. It was crowded but fun.
R really loves the organized group activities like that. I've considered Kindermusik for that reason, but it's very expensive and this library program is pretty similar, at least for this young age.
I still struggle with being out with R when there are other small children around. He tends to want to love on them a little TOO closely, in their face, and occasionally in the form of tackling them. It gets old, protecting other kids, the disapproval of certain other parents, apologizing. And apologizing. Every time I show up at a playgroup and leave feeling bummed, I say we are not going back for a few months, but then we really want to get out and DO things... I've always felt that we should stick with the younger age group activities because he IS so active and a bit immature for his age, but then I had another thought - maybe it is the older kids (4+) we should be getting to know. They're all a lot less likely to be hurt by him - he's less likely to get in their face (he tends to go for the delicate one-year-olds) - and maybe he'd follow their lead a bit.
Napping seems to be over. I'm sure he'll still have a nap here and there, but he seems to be able to get through the day without one, and we're having very early bedtimes. This week we started "quiet time," during which he hangs in the bed with books. He's doing surprisingly well. He's stayed in there about 20 minutes, and I'm hoping to gradually increase it over the next few months so that we're getting an hour if possible. He has been enjoying books a lot these days. Also singing... the alphabet song is on Repeat in that child's mind, with a sprinkling of Row Row Row Your Boat and Twinkle Twinkle.
Throughout the day, out of nowhere, R will often stop what he's doing, turn to the parent or brother nearest him and say "I really yike you." If we respond with definite understanding, that will do. If we simply "mm-hmm" or smile, he will have to repeat: "I really, really yike you." It's pretty adorable.
7. Small-child K. What can I say? He's busted out - in the past 2 weeks he's gone from immobile, toothless infant to crawling, standing, cruising, babbling, toothy, toy-playing pre-toddler. I don't think I've ever seen such a sudden developmental leap in a baby. Go baby!
Above, he appreciates the grass at ML playground with his Grammy. He prefers mulch, though. Less ticklish, and apparently also tastier.
