Spring 2013

Nummy Keys

Matt and I have been working a lot this year.  Matt had a couple of weeks when he had to work evenings and I've been working over-time since the first week of January and it doesn't look like things are going to lighten up for another 2-3 months.  Both kiddos are doing well even if they get a little less undivided attention from us.  We are doing our best to take turns spending time with the kids, helping each other get a little break now and then and getting all the work and housework done.  The kids won't realize this until they're older, but they have a great dad and he's a wonderful husband and partner to me. 

Aurora smiles a ton.  Even when she is tired or is just waking up, she smiles.  We've gotten into the habit of singing to her while we change her diaper (like we did with Adam) and if Adam hears, he knocks on the wall, pretending to be a visitor.  And if you say, "Hello?" to his knocking, he'll run past the room or hop around in the nursery.  I don't understand his game, but he has fun and the rules are pretty simple.

Adam is pretty much potty-trained at this point, with "accidents" occasionally.  He has a couple of things stacked against him, he drinks a lot of water throughout the day and needs to go often and he likes Disney Junior.  We had a couple of weeks during which his going potty was a power struggle.  We backed off.  We showed him where to put his dirty laundry (in the laundry room) and let him change his own clothes after an accident and let him decide when to go.  Power struggle ended in a couple of days (once all the adults got on board).

Adam has gotten back into jigsaw puzzles and he spent several days in a row working on a puzzle map of the USA.  It's a difficult puzzle for a kid (well, for anyone who doesn't know their states).  At first, he could not do much of it by himself.  Now, he does the puzzle completely by himself and has learned a few of the states along the way.  After the US Map puzzle he started doing 100+ piece puzzles by himself, then 300+.

Puzzle!

The only problem with the puzzle is when he is working on one at 10p and everyone else wants to go to bed.  Here is another power struggle with him.  He keeps calling out bluff about going to bed whether he is up or not.  We eventually did get into bed and that really didn't go well.  He was crying and retching in the bathroom while he tried to get himself ready for bed. 

Parenthood is pretty neat if you can take a step back and see it at a distance.  Just when you get past one challenge there is another one lined up for you and no two kids are the same, are they?  Raising Adam is bringing out the best in Matt and me.  In ways you wouldn't expect, kids improve us.  I've never been more patient, never been so encouraging or optimistic.  And what I'm learning with Adam and Aurora is spilling into other areas.  I'm more patient with people at work and I just approach conflict differently now.

Before Jump Craze

Aurora is showing the first signs of butt-scoot crawling.  She scoots forward in little pulses while sitting on the floor.  She doesn't yet realize that she can pull herself forward when she is on her belly.  She'll try to make the most of it by playing with a toy or sucking on her hand for a whole 10 seconds, before she gets frustrated and cries out. 

Our baby girl loves toys.  She raises her arms up and down and pants excitedly when we bring her new toys.  She loves the television remote, computer mouses and laptops even more.  She cackles when an electronic device is within reach.  We have to be extra cautious with her and we are learning that the hard way.  She dumped a bowl of soup on Matt once while we were at Sushi On Oracle and a cup of water on the futon, both while Matt was holding her.  Only a few days ago, she dipped her hand in my coffee while she was on my lap and she's changed the channel on all of us many, many times.

Aurora recognizes her name and when we call her "Sissy".  She knows "up" and has said it a couple of times when she wants to be picked up and has a poopy diaper she needs changed.  She knows the word "bottle" and knows "Adam".  She has no idea what Daddy or Mommy means and she simply laughs when you say "mama".  She has an unfortunate habit of kicking while she is on the changing table.  Matt and I have both tried telling her no, but at best, she smiles at us, having no clue what we are saying.  At worst, she laughs and revs up her kicking.

Her favorite play right now is draping a blanket over her and us (and Adam) to create a makeshift tent.  She thinks it's the best and jerks her body around in a crazy, I'm-so-happy-I-can't-stand-it dance.  And when you remove the blanket she starts crying.  This is becoming a nightly play with her and after the first night, she was holding her cuddle blanket over her and laughing.  She didn't need us anymore!


I really regret not having a chance to write down every funny thing Adam says.  He's lately been telling us the following when Matt and I are talking about work:

• Just settle down for a little bit
• Just take a break
• Stop talking!

TV for Dinner

He's been interested in learning about different planets and about their weather systems, whether they have storms or volcanoes and if they have moons.  He's also interested in maps and knowing where places are.  He finally understands where New Mexico is vs Mexico, which is more than a lot of adults know, but after many questions about family living in Mexico, it was about time our corrections sunk in. 

Aurora adores Adam.  She loves to be around him and starts to miss him when he's not around.  Unlike Adam, she needs a little time to herself each day or she starts to get grumpy.  She needs an hour or so to play with toys "by herself".  She's not actually by herself, but she needs space and so we let her play and keep an eye on her while in the same room.  Adam tries to be around people nonstop. 

Adam is really good with his little sister.  He checks on her and he handles the normal sibling conflicts really well.  Like when she has a toy that he wants to play with, he'll ask us if it's okay to get the toy and he'll bring her another toy to trade.  When she is slapping at him or trying to grab him, he'll move over and get some space from her.  If she's crying while he's trying to talk, he'll stop and caress her back or wait for one of us to calm her down.

Last week my grandmother, Dorothy, passed away.  Adam had made her a Mother's Day card, but we didn't get to send it before she was gone.  I'm very touched that he was the one who thought of her when he was making cards for his grandmas.  I want to remember what a thoughtful boy he is and if he reads this when he's older, for him to know how much I appreciate who he is.


Even though she'd been sick for a long time, it's hard to imagine that she is gone.

Dorothy Winston

Aurora's Baby Teeth - 2

It's much more difficult to get a picture of Aurora's first teeth than it was to get a picture of Adam's, or at least, that's what it feels like.  Both teeth are bottom, front teeth are out and very sharp.  She uses them to gnaw on board books and to crunch at her Mum-Mum snacks.  Both teeth cut within a two week span and only a week of it was really fussy times.  She continues to be a happy, sweet girl.