Note: For the backstory on this, click here to read the “你好 (Ni Hao)” post from November 30.
Kyle had already climbed out of the car and was standing next to me as I unbuckled Owen. Owen looked up and saw a young Asian woman pushing a stroller down the sidewalk. Almost in passing as he climbed down from his seat, but loud enough to be heard, he exclaimed “ni hao!”
The young woman looked up and cheerily called back, “ni hao!”
And we walked into daycare as if this was completely normal. Which, I suppose, it is.
Among many, many other activities —
Owen “Makes a Bridge!” (…with Play Dough)
Kyle “Fixes the Microwave!” (…with Toy Drill)
The boys wanted to wear their swimming pool hats in the bathtub tonight… So, I thought, “why not?”
Most everyone I know probably realizes this, but I just want to be clear: I think it’s awesome that Heather got the boys the Donald and Douglas. Most men would be queasy with their boys having dolls, but I think it’s great. I never held a baby until after college, and I never held a baby that didn’t cry when I touched it until I held K&O. That’s just not right.
I am glad my boys will be comfortable with dolls, with babies and will grow up to be nurturing men.
2 Quotes of the Day:
Kyle ~ “I can’t go night nights, my bed is broken.”
Owen ~ “Yeah, I can’t go night nights, my night night’s broken.”
2 Things I Never Thought I’d Hear My Husband Say (but, indeed, I have heard him say in the past 24 hours):
Braydon ~ “Owen, do not cut the kitty with those scissors!”
Braydon ~ “Come on Kyle! Let’s go look at Owen’s poopie!!!”
About once a week we have a free-for-all supper where everyone gets to choose what they want to eat. {read between the lines here folks: Mama doesn’t have the gumption to get a “real” full-blown hot meal on the table} Tonight Braydon and I ate roast beef sandwiches – a rare treat for us. Here’s what K & O chose–
Owen:
Kyle:
So many things that I could write on this post! So, so, so many things I could write about this photo (above) alone!!! Like:
So– I’ll just tell you a few things about the new dolls…
Today I wanted to buy Owen a baby doll. I have been wanting to do this for awhile because Owen shows so much love and affection for babies. When he sees a baby his impulse is to cradle its head gently in his own hands. He speaks softly to babies: “Hi baby. It’s o.k. baby, it’s o.k.” He really strongly desires a “baby brother” and asks me for this almost daily. Kyle chimes in too, but lately — especially — I’ve noticed it is a bit more Owen’s thing than Kyle’s. I think in theory Kyle wants a baby brother (or sister — Kyle is less adament about the fact that it has to be a brother)… but when Kyle actually sees me hold a baby he gets all bent out of shape. Owen, on the other hand, really wants a baby brother (his stance — and he’s really dug in his heels on this one — no sister, thank you very much), and seems unphased by it when he sees me hold a baby. Although, I must say, that at lunch today Owen saw a baby at another table (we were in a restaurant) and he said, “Mama- see the baby?!” And I said, “Yup.” He said, “I wanna baby brother.” I said, “I know sweetie pie. If we had a baby, who would take care of it?” And Owen thought about that for a second then answered, “Jackson’s mommy.” (!!!!) Anyway– at Toys R Us Owen picked out this beautiful sleeping baby doll. He didn’t want one with the eyes open, only one that was sleeping. It was clear immediately that Owen adored this baby doll. And it was one of those purchases that, immediately after the fact, I felt with all my heart and soul that it was worth every single penny.
It’s with mixed feelings that I write this post.
For months and months Kyle and Owen loved to “roll cars with Papi.” That meant they we would sit on the floor in the kitchen and roll cars (or trucks) back and forth. In the beginning they were pretty lousy at it – but at that point they were just over a year old, so it was to be expected. But over time they became more and more accurate and our antics became more and more involved.
We made ramps and tunnels. We used multiple cars. We opened the doors of the cars, we caused crashes “watch out car coming!” In my view of the world it was totally delightful. I loved it and cherish it.
This evening, we rolled cars for about 2 minutes before they were ready to move on to something else – that did not involve me. My boys are growing up. Maybe it’s a phase, maybe they are ready to move on.
On the other hand, before bed, both boys sat on my lap at my computer and listened to music with me – loud music.
We listened to Overture to Candide by Bernstein, Fanfare for the Common Man by Copland and… and… The 1812 Overture by Tchaikovsky – THE WHOLE THING. Not bad for 2.5 year olds. I am really psyched – because they were really into it. And this was for two boys who much prefer running and jumping to sitting.
So, one door closes, another opens. It’s always something new and different, that’s for sure!
Today was “Show Day” at the Little Gym. We’ve been going as a foursome every Saturday morning since late August, and today was the last day of the “fall semester.” Since next Saturday we start the “spring semester” (God knows, we cannot stop now- the boys would despise us forever if we quit Little Gym now!), today was not the end of anything, rather — just a marker in time, a sort of graduation if you will. On “Show Day” everybody is encouraged to bring their extended family to take photos and cheer as the toddlers are all awarded red ribbons that say “I’m a STAR at the LITTLE GYM!” on them. Since we have no family around, we went just the four of us as usual. But Braydon took plenty of photos to make up for it. And Braydon & I clapped and cheered louder for our kids than any of the other parents-gradparents-aunts-uncles-and-cousins-combined did for their kids when each toddler stood on the “stand” with their ribbon proudly raised high above their head. And the highlight of the day for everyone (including K & O) was when Owen stood on the stand with his ribbon over his head and I yelled very loudly above all the clapping — “Yay Owen! YOUR MAMA LOVES YOU!!!” The adults all laughed, the toddlers all squealed with delight, and our Teacher “Miss Jackie” told me later that she “can’t imagine what I’ll do at their college graduation” (neither can I people, neither can I!)… but for my boys it was a proud, proud moment. They brought it up several times during the rest of the day as they re-enacted the scene at home — climbing up on chairs, raising their red ribbons, and directing me to “Say it! Mama! Say it!” —- I’d yell it at the top of my lungs each and every time they’d relive the moment: “Yay Kyle and Owen! Your Mama Loves You!!!” Kyle and Owen loved “Show Day.” Of course it goes without saying that everyday is Show Day for these two…
Our friend Patricia was supposed to come for the weekend from Boston. We had been looking forward to her visit for a very, very long time. Braydon was supposed to pick her up at the airport last night. Sadly, we got a phone call from her that her plane was sitting on the runway, apparently on fire (?!), with firetrucks surrounding it, and her flight was cancelled (she emailed us this photo of the plane scene this morning) . She’ll come again some other weekend — but it was sad for us all. We don’t mind having a weekend all to ourselves with no plans (a rarity for us!), but still… we would have preferred to have our weekend with P. 
We miss you Patricia!
Every night we follow the same ritual for bedtime. Go upstairs, Owen sits on the potty, Kyle stands. Get treats. We wash faces, brush teeth (work on getting chocolate out of teeth), play with water that we should be drinking. Get diapers on, get PJs on.
Then we read books (3 max, selected by the boys) – tonight was “Panda Bear, Panda Bear, What do you see?”, “Big Green Monster”, and “Airport”. After books, we say prayers, which is a riot to hear.
Then it’s time to go to bed. Heather takes Owen out to his room. I say to Kyle, “ok, time for night nights, do you want to give Elmo a kiss?” He nods vigorously every time and wanders off to where Elmo is.
Elmo has his “own bed”. Which is really a couch cushion at the foot of Kyle’s bed. Elmo lies in repose with his companions: two horses, two dolls and a fish. They are all covered by a blanket. The blanket covers up to their eyes. This is Kyle’s doing, he makes sure they are completely covered up the eyes – every night.
Then he reaches down and gives Big Elmo several sweet little boy kisses on the eye. He stands up smiles and climbs in bed. Every night.
That’s my sweet boy.
DISCLAIMER – NOTE BEFORE VIEWING: The photos you are about to see are real. No one has edited them or photoshop’ed them. Everyone in the photos are real people. That is not to say that the children in the photos are not Actors [ac·tor: as defined by American Heritage Dictionary: “a theatrical performer”] … and that is not to say that the tears in the photos are necessarily “real” tears… Yes, the tears were watery and salty, and yes, they were pouring down the children’s faces, but the apparent-traumas/apparent-horrifying-plights of the children you see here are not quite “real” by most measurable standards. These are “terrible two tears,” otherwise referred to as crocodile tears (“false or insincere weeping, a hypocritical display of emotion”), or what-some-might-call fake/put on/save-the-drama-for-your-mama–tears. The children in the photos were not harmed in any way. And the series of photos you are about to view were all taken within 3-4 minutes of each other by a kind, gentle and loving father.
1. During dinner Owen and Kyle ask for popsicle (Owen) and yogurt pop (Kyle).
2. Mama announces that Owen and Kyle can have a popsicle or yogurt pop — if they eat the rest of their supper.
3. Owen and Kyle instantly break out in full blown terrific twos tantrums times two.
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