November 04, 2015
A difference between boys and girls
On a few occasions in the car lately, Wes and I have been discussing a difference between girls and boys that he has noticed. Evidently, girls love to draw hearts and boys not so much. I told him that I thought that the only real difference between girls and boys was that boys had penises (trying to not be shy of using the correct vocabulary), but duly noted, the other difference that I had not known previously, is that one group loves to draw hearts. Then I said that I didn't really think it was a true difference, but maybe it showed that boys were not very brave because they were just afraid what other boys would say if they were to draw hearts. "No, no, no - I only draw hearts to show I love someone. I just don't like the shape. Boys just don't like the shape of the heart." I wondered then to him whether girls draw hearts more because they just love more, love people, love life, etc. "No, no, no, it's just the shape." Good observation - but what is the real answer?
May 31, 2013
Grocery Shopping
Even though it is much easier to shop without kids - in fact, as I remember it, there was one Mother's Day that I went grocery shopping alone and thought that that by itself was kind of a nice mother's day gift - I have fond memories of grocery shopping with them. It's not just the kind elderly people making a fuss over them as babies and little toddlers. It's the extra challenges of shopping with them - mundane as it is - that are memorable to me.
With Julia, I remember when she was too big a baby to sit in those infant seat things they attach to carts, but not strong enough to sit up by herself. I'd try to shop with her in a Baby Bjorn and have to reach and pick up and put down everything from the side to avoid her flappy arms in front of me. . . . A few times when they fell asleep on the way to the grocery store, I put them in the stroller and tried to use that as my cart and the canvas bags I had brought as additional storage to carry items around. Always wondered if someone thought I was trying to steal stuff by putting items directly into the bags. . . . When Wes was in his early toddlerhood, he insisted on eating many of the things for purchase - I'd have fun reporting to Wayne the list of things Wes had eaten while shopping - animal crackers, a cheese stick, fruit snacks and a Danimals Yogurt - all in one outing! Now he enough self-control to wait until we get home, but I still have to negotiate what I buy with him and I come home with more Oreos than I would otherwise.
If I shop with both Julia and Wes now, they like to hang off on either side and pretend to be garbage men throwing the food into the cart. I get yelled at if I put an item directly into the cart.
Anyways, with Julia in school, Wes is my main shopping partner nowadays. He's usually a very active participant, down to putting items onto the belt and bagging. But today he was dead tired and slept through my transfer of him into the cart, throughout the entire shopping trip, and even after being put back into his carseat. I didn't get to use my reusable bags because the bag of canvas bags I brought in turned out to be his resting pillow. The nice cashier was taken with sleeping Wes and gave me my 50 cent discount on the bags anyway.
With Julia, I remember when she was too big a baby to sit in those infant seat things they attach to carts, but not strong enough to sit up by herself. I'd try to shop with her in a Baby Bjorn and have to reach and pick up and put down everything from the side to avoid her flappy arms in front of me. . . . A few times when they fell asleep on the way to the grocery store, I put them in the stroller and tried to use that as my cart and the canvas bags I had brought as additional storage to carry items around. Always wondered if someone thought I was trying to steal stuff by putting items directly into the bags. . . . When Wes was in his early toddlerhood, he insisted on eating many of the things for purchase - I'd have fun reporting to Wayne the list of things Wes had eaten while shopping - animal crackers, a cheese stick, fruit snacks and a Danimals Yogurt - all in one outing! Now he enough self-control to wait until we get home, but I still have to negotiate what I buy with him and I come home with more Oreos than I would otherwise.
If I shop with both Julia and Wes now, they like to hang off on either side and pretend to be garbage men throwing the food into the cart. I get yelled at if I put an item directly into the cart.
Anyways, with Julia in school, Wes is my main shopping partner nowadays. He's usually a very active participant, down to putting items onto the belt and bagging. But today he was dead tired and slept through my transfer of him into the cart, throughout the entire shopping trip, and even after being put back into his carseat. I didn't get to use my reusable bags because the bag of canvas bags I brought in turned out to be his resting pillow. The nice cashier was taken with sleeping Wes and gave me my 50 cent discount on the bags anyway.
October 27, 2012
Kids say the darndest things
I explained to Wes today that he and Wayne were going to drop Julia off at a birthday party tomorrow because it was a party only for girls. He responded, "Remember at Julia's birthday, it was only for girls AND boys, girls AND boys . . . no bad guys, right?" Yes, Julia's party was exclusive like that.
June 25, 2012
Julia's 1st Piano Recital
I meant to post this video back in February, when Julia had her first piano concert. It was a good experience for her and since then, I think she likes learning piano more. Although I have never read "Tiger Mom," I've read articles and heard interviews about it. I've thought about it often while helping Julia practice piano this past year and a half since she started taking lessons. Whether it is a good or bad book, I do not know, but I do appreciate thinking about our reasons for pushing or not pushing our kids. With piano, it started with just exposure to music. And it's become about valuing practice and learning how to practice and developing patience to practice. Six months ago, I was about ready to have her quit. How long she continues will depend on her own passions, but for now, piano has developed into a nice bonding time for us. How long will that last?
Wes Boogie
Our guy likes to dance. I think it looks like Tai Chi meets Aerobics, or something like that. For his 3rd birthday, we got him a kid-friendly (no earphones required) and adult-friendly (volume control is hidden from kid) mp3 player. He's holding it (the blue thing) at the end of this "reel."
November 07, 2011
Conversations Around a Pumpkin
We've been snacking on the yummy pumpkin seeds Wayne roasted. He had help gathering the seeds from his two little talkative helpers.
September 13, 2011
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