Perfect Moments Monday

Perfect Moment #1: Just getting up this morning. I see a child in green or is it blue? Is that my daughter at the hall window, looking out? She has not learned how to get out of her crib yet, but...is that her? Blurriness leaves me and I realize that no--that is my son, kneeling down at the window in the hall. Looking out at the sun. And then I notice, yes, he is wearing his blue pj top. And his new green iguana (just acquired yesterday) on his shoulder. He is showing Pepi II his new world.

Perfect Moment #2: She made me cry. (Click to see what she did)

More Perfect Moments Here.

And then she kissed me...

Just minutes ago:

Hugging her, telling her it is time to go to bed. I told her "I love you." and she said "I love you too." (I thought maybe I mis-heard her). I hugged her again, kissed her and said "I love you" again. And again she said "I love you."

She is repeating words and phrases--but she is not just repeating...she KNOWS what they mean and when they are appropriate. And she loves me.

Brain Damage! - Updated

We love our DVR, and one of the things we love about it is that we can re-watch things we haven't seen in years...like Bill Cosby's Himself. Last night we watched it with our son, while we ate chinese take-out. Every time I see it, the bits when he is talking about his children gets funnier and funnier. And truer and truer.

As an example, this morning, my husband called me to give me the morning report:

Child One (Willow): Decided that while daddy was getting her milk out of the frigerator, she would take the left over chinese and dump it onto the floor. While he cleaned that up (of course, it was MY left overs); she preceded to go into the bathroom--(Mistake #1, door or gate should have been closed)--and she decided to help daddy by cleaning and scooping out the cat's litter into the toilet (as she has seen mommy do before)--cat litter is everywhere. I guess she thought her Dora doll also needed to get clean--so it was in the toilet also.

As my husband contends with this...

He asks Child Two (Michael) to hold onto an important check (Mistake #2, don't give our ADHD son anything IMPORTANT to hold onto) for "just a minute" while he dealt with things. Afterwards, the check is missing. My husband confronts my son, saying where is it? And my son procedes to argue with him over how mom is going to say it was wrong for my husband to give him the check in the first place.

They find the check on the floor of the bathroom. Who knows how it got there.

My husband calls after dropping the kids off -- "Brain Damage!"

ADDENDUM (Update):

So, I talk to Michael when I pick him up from school.

Me: "So, I hear that you guys had an adventure this morning."

Him: "Um, really?"

I tell him about Willow going in the kitty litter, etc.

Him: "Oh, yeah, I remember dad yelling out at some point. I wasn't really listening..."

Me: "oh"

Him: "You know, the mornings are kinda funny like that. Dad and I are usually in the living room and then all of the sudden dad says "where's Willow?". Which is funny, cuz I usually see her leaving the room, but I figure dad is watching her."

He thinks for a minute.

Him: "I think dad says "where's Willow?" a lot during the mornings..."

Show & Tell - #51

This past summer, when we went to Cape Cod, Michael wanted me to get him this toy. The toy works on a set of magnets to let the ice cream scoops sit on the cone. I figured both kids could play with it, so I got it. Michael, of course, understood how to play with it. Willow did not care about it.

Its amazing how children learn. She is definately on a cognition growth spurt of late. Things are clicking. Last night it was a conversation on the words "all right" and tonight she stated and demonstrated "mine!" a whole bunch of times! She pretends to brush my hair and waves goodnight at the bottom of the stairs each night.

And, she plays with the ice cream parlor toy.












(I think it did help that she had some practice this summer...)






Click to see who else is Showing and Telling.

Perfect Moments Monday

Moment #1: Walking around outside yesterday in an historical park. We were talking about walking the same path as the Revolutionaries. And my son presented me with his theory on reincarnation and how he thinks it could transcend time and space. Of course, as soon as I said that is what he said—he was onto another topic. But, for a brief moment, I saw his inner mind struggling with one of life’s mysteries. And then it was onto the latest video game he is tackling.

Moment #2: Her costume was a little too big for her. I was worried that she would not be able to walk in it, and feared I would have to put her in the more practical (and less cute) costume we had. But no. She loved the costume (although she hates hats, and still had some moments of pulling at it). I feared she would not like being out in the dark. I was wrong. She tackled all brilliantly. She was invigorated by the warm air, and walked along in her costume, getting praise every where she went. And she even got some candy. The moment that will be a part of my Halloween memory this year—my daughter waddling through leaves up a hill towards a house, her big brother leading the way.




More Perfect Moments Here.

Trick or Treat

Make a Smilebox slideshow

The kids had a great time. Michael enjoyed scaring other kids, Willow was declared "cute" many many times. The weather was fantastically warm, although windy. Willow really "got" it and within 2-3 houses, she was walking up to doors and going for that candy. She got a lollipop, and at home she ate a Hershey bar through the wrapper--I mean, she ate it, and the wrapper was left in her hands...we had not opened it up for her yet! Michael made sure "Halloween was not over yet", as we did our traditional ride around the city to see different decorations. Afterwards, Willow totally went to sleep--like she was asleep before she hit the crib. Michael needed to watch a Simpsons Treehouse of horror and then up to bed (we think!)

October Thoughts

At work on a Friday, Halloween and fun with the kids on my mind. Autumn is going by so much quicker than I thought it possibly could. Things we were going to do. Things we have done that are now memories. Michael’s new school portrait is up at my desk. I look at it and wonder where my little boy has gone? This portrait shows his lanky maturity, his teenager self.

I love this time of year. I love planning and organizing activities. I love seeing the world through their eyes. What a wonder this world is. How lucky I am.