Sorry for the delay - school has started up again and we're still adjusting to the new schedule. So for a quick "moment in the life" with almost two year olds...
Tonight, after watching tv (everyone squeals "Dorge!" when Curious George comes on, and as long as there are no witnesses beyond family, Caroline shakes her booty and croons "Go, go, go" along with the Cat in the Hat), the children informed me that regardless of the fact that they didn't get up from their nap until after 3:30 and didn't finish lunch until 4, they were still ready for dinner at 5:45. After Cheerios and chicken and avocado and blackberries and milk, they each asked to get down and go back to play.
At 6, I had switched the station and they were momentarily transfixed by the Berenstain Bears and Thomas the Train. Then it was time for more playing - running around, throwing balls and dancing. Caroline is in a marching phase now.
They sat up for Nina's Sproutlet Stretch - all raising their hands over their heads and then to their chests and making little hearts with their fingers. I am constantly amazed by their comprehension and ability to follow complex directions. Perhaps this is because I don't have high enough expectations for them, but it is truly amazing to me that these tiny little people can look at me, hear me ask them to pick up a toy and take it over to one of the other children and give it to him (or her) because he (or she) is crying - and they do it!
The other amazing observation is the gender distinction that's already showing up. Caroline isn't entirely sugar and spice and everything nice - she's got her mean streak, for sure, and loves playing cars and building things and throwing balls. And the boys are not always snips and snails and puppy dog tails either - Max is astonishingly affectionate and even makes his stuffed bears kiss and Daniel can sit quietly making dolls have long and involved conversations while all sorts of chaos is reigning around him. But when one of the boys is crying - pitching a fit because a toy was taken away, or he wants something he can't have, or simply because he's a toddler and frustrated - Caroline instinctively knows to walk over to him and pat him on the back or head, or put her arms around him to give him a hug, or bring him the toy he wants. Conversely, the boys don't seem to notice the other kids' tantrums at all.
But back to today's story. So much for a "short glimpse"
After dancing along with Angelina Ballerina, Max and Caroline went wild tossing soft balls to each other, while Daniel raced cars back and forth on the tv stand. And then, out of nowhere, Caroline had a meltdown. She had found an orange crayon on the floor and had drawn on the seats of the high chairs and Daniel somehow grabbed the full box of crayons off the table to bring to me. Because he calmed down relatively quickly, I'm fairly confident he was tattling on her. I went in the other room and retrieved the orange crayon and put them all away and then cleaned the chairs, all while Caroline screamed. I decided this was as good a time as any to demonstrate that she can't get what she wants every time she throws a tantrum, and she started to be distracted by things for a few seconds before remembering that she was unhappy. Finally, she yelled for "cookie!" and looked at me, repeating, "Mommy? Cookie peas?" Aha! A "please"! She CAN have a cookie!
With the cookies in her hand (and mouth, and tummy), she decided we needed a little Mommy makeover time. She grabbed whatever she could find - a flannel receiving blanket, a couple old burp cloths, and a diaper cover, to be specific - and started putting them on my head, across my shoulders, and over my face. At one point, she decided one burp cloth was a hat and the other was a shawl. After arranging them and proclaiming them "pretty", she decided she deserved to wear them and show them off to Daddy. A glimpse of my future as she takes all my prettiest things.
But nothing can truly prepare your ego for the moment when your daughter carefully arranges a diaper cloth on your head, a burp cloth across your chest, and a flannel blanket over your face and proclaims, "Mommy! So pretty now!"
Ugh.
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