Morning Playtime

Jack hard at work.  (Is it totally pathetic that I get really into his train building?  I find myself trying certain set-ups only to think, "Well, now that's just not smart construction.  That would cause too many wrecks!  I'll have to build the bridge over there instead..."  I love to sit and do this with him, but some days it's good to sit back and watch him--he often comes up with more creative track set-ups than I have ever come up with!  He's funny, too, in the way he builds: he sets up his trains first, end to end, then starts putting track pieces together.  He gets his train on the track, pushes it till the track ends, then adds more track.  Chugga, chugga, choo-choo...track ends.  More track.  So funny...not a real plan-ahead type of kid!  I know, I know...chill out, Mom.)

Not a day goes by that we don't drag the train box out of the closet...

(Somebody's sagging a bit!)

 

  

All cleaned up...can't decided whether she wants to wear her bow or the Spidey mask for Mr. Potato Head (i.e. Peter Parker)

 

Playing with Jack's trains.

Not just pushing Ellie's stroller, but ramming it through his train track set...so typical.

JACK: What a big boy you are becoming! Every day I am simply amazed at the leaps and bounds you have made since the day before. I believe we are actually having real conversations now, you and me, and I love it! You have so many words now I can't even keep track anymore. Grandma asked me recently if I was still writing your new words down, and I told her that at some point it's silly to write them down, because, well, you're talking! And that's that! You still mispronounce many words, but we can understand what you're trying to say and it is sweetness to our ears. You say things like, "mun" when you mean "more" (as in "Mommy, mun Dora!" when a second episode of Dora starts, or "Mun, pease" when you want more of a certain food). Chocolate, which you used to pronounce "chochit," has now become a hard-worked for "chah-lot"; we never corrected you, but you suddenly began working hard on your "L" sound.

Your recent phrases that I love are: "Ellie, what'sa matter?" and "Ellie, be carepo (careful)!" "Mommy, I'll do it/I'll get it!" Tonight in the car you said, "Uh-oh, Mommy!  Ellie drop baby!"  Before dinner you were asking for chocolate milk and when I explained to you that you'd have to wait for dinner, you said, "Okay Mommy.  Jack wait."  Then later when Ellie was hanging on the fridge door handle whining you said very clearly, "Ellie, half-a wait!"

You know most of your numbers up to twenty, although after fifteen they all start to sound the same.  You can also now recognize the numbers written, and point them out to me all over town and in our house.  The other day you were pointing out the numbers on the clock, and then you said matter-of-factly, "Mommy, that's a clock."  I didn't know you knew that word, let alone how to speak in a sentence!

You also love to read books.  We read with you before bedtime every night.  You love routine, so we usually read the same books.  I was astounded tonight when you sat down and "read" through our regular books by yourself, getting so many more of the words than I thought you knew or understood.  You love to read to Ellie, and you even copy me at the end by saying sweetly, "Again?  Okay..."

One funny thing that you love to do is to watch people's faces when we are reading.  You will turn all the way around to see our expressions as we read, and then you try to copy them on your own face.  Tonight as I read one of Ellie's "baby books" to her, you kept leaning in, trying to see Ellie's face, just to see if she was enjoying it as much as you thought she might.  (And she looks at you like, "What's your problem, man?")

You still puzzle me with your terrible pickiness about just about everything.  You will NOT sit down to eat if your table or chair is "messy" (as in, there are any leftover crumbs or spills from a previous meal).  When you eat peanut butter bread ("pee-buh bed") you have to have a wet rag sitting next to you, so that whenever you get PB on your hands you can get it off immediately (are you channeling Uncle Jonathan??).

Daddy and I were talking about you tonight, and laughing at some of your personality traits.  On the one hand, you are all boy, with no interest in lovingly holding or pretending to feed a baby doll, and you frequently use Ellie's stroller as a battering ram.  You love to fake train wrecks, and sometimes you pile pillows on top of the train and track, feigning concern for the "avalanche" (just like on your Thomas video).  You love be active, and you have your Cubs baseball hat and tennis shoes on pretty much all day. 

On the other hand, you are such a sweet, sensitive boy.  You are becoming more and more thoughtful; the other day as we headed out to the car, I noticed you carrying not just your own blankie and toy car, but you had Ellie's blankie and her baby doll bottle tucked under your arm as well.  You are often overheard saying, "Thank you, Ellie!" or "Way to go, Ellie!"  You hate being cold, and often cry out at night for me to come and put your "cubbers" back on you.  When the bath water gets cold you immediately want out, and you love to be wrapped tightly in your hooded towel Mommy made for you and then sit like that for a good few minutes, nice and warm, cocoon-like.

You are certainly a Daddy's boy, and love to sit and watch any kind of sport imaginable with Daddy; you already love to sit--just sit!--and watch Daddy play his football or baseball video games...and I just don't get it.  You love it when Daddy chases you and rough-houses with you, wrestling and laughing together.

But I'm thinking you take after me a lot, too.  You are very bossy as the firstborn (surprise, surprise) and I often cringe hearing you correct Ellie or be her "mommy," repeating things you've heard me say to you.  I realize this is partly developmental, with you copying behavior and treating others as you have been treated.  But we're going to have to work on who's boss and who's not (although I'm not too worried--I don't think Ellie will put up with it for long)! 

You are also a bit hesitant when it comes to being adventurous...you certainly have the desire to explore new things but you are very, very cautious (unlike your crazy sister who throws all caution to the wind!).  You also are fairly shy around strangers, but warm up quickly when you know they are "okay" (I was just like that when I was little).

Recently a woman at church who had served in the nursery with you remarked to me what a sweet boy you are, and how she'd love to have you over for a play-date sometime.  She said you seemed so unlike many boys your age, in that you weren't terribly aggressive or mean, but that you shared with other kids and said "thank-you" a lot.  In other words, she wanted her son to be friends with my son--what a compliment that was!  We're going to have to do that sometime, your first play date.

You're still resisting potty training, but we're going to give it one more shot in a few weeks.  I'm getting all geared up, but we'll see.

You will be three in a few months, and we've starting thinking about preschool.  I was initially hesitant to send you to preschool this early, as I don't necessarily think it's crucial to your development, and I don't want you to get to kindergarten and be bored out of your mind.  (Did I just write kindergarten??  Wow.)   But the more I've thought about it this winter, as you've been cooped up in this small apartment, I think it might be good for you to have a couple mornings a week when you get a change of environment, some constructive and creative opportunities, play time with kids your age, as well as a little time away from Mommy.  Only problem: you have to be potty-trained.  See above.

I love you so much, Jack.  Even with the exhausting whiny days, you are still my precious boy!  I cannot believe how big you are, and that you actually looked through the Birthday Express catalog with me the other day, pointing out things you liked for your third birthday party.  (I have a theme in mind already, and I can't wait to make your cake!  One hint: choo-choo!)  I look forward to seeing what your third year of life holds, and walking through it with you.

ELLIE:  Ah, my girl.  You are also growing so much these days.  Your biggest development has been your language; I am shocked by this only because your brother did not say nearly as many words at this age as I hear you mutter on a daily basis.  I am slightly embarrassed to admit that most of your words come from "Dora the Explorer" and are in Spanish.  For example, when Dora says, "Say, 'Salta!'  Say it louder!" you say excitedly, "talta, talta!"  When they say, "Say 'Para!'" you say something that resembles, "para" although you certainly don't have the "R" sound down yet.  You also say, "D-d-d-d-d" for Dora, and "pap" or "map" for the Map character.  But my favorite is the one that I'm pretty sure was one of your very first real words: backpack. Months ago we heard you muttering, "bah-pah, bah-pah" when Dora exclaims hysterically, "Say backpack!  Say it louder!"

You also say, "Mama" and "Dada" (for Daddy), and "nana" for banana.  It seems like each day there is some new babble you are repeating that sounds like a real word.  Simply amazing!

Your hair is getting so much longer; Mommy is enjoying playing with it and putting it up in bows (after years and years of playing with my baby dolls' hair when I was little, this is too much fun!).  I am still trying to figure out what color your hair will be, as it's still in between brown and blonde.  It still curls on occasion around the bottom, but with this dry, cold weather it has gotten very straight, which only serves to make it look even more long!  I love to run my fingers through it and smooth it down when you snuggle on my lap.

In contrast to your brother, you seem to be a thrill seeker.  When Jack is cowering at the end of the bathtub crying, "Cold!" you are at the other end, filling up your cup with ice water and pouring it over your head, shivering and shrieking from the cold but grinning ear-to-ear.  Today when Daddy was bringing in groceries you escaped out the door, and met him at the car with no coat or hat or shoes.  You were shivering, yes, but giggling as well, with your little barefoot feet running all over the icy-cold driveway.  On your way in you stopped to stick your toes in the snow--oh, the delight!  (All the while Jack was standing at the door yelling, "Ellie, come back!  Ellie, be carepo!  Ellie, watch out!"  Thank you, Mr. Paranoid.)

One of my favorite stories of your difference in personality from your brother was on a recent trip to Target.  We were leaving, and you were sitting in the front seat of the cart, all bundled in your coat and hat and mittens.  It was snowing hard outside, almost sleeting, with a heavy wind.  Jack was hovering in the back of the cart, trying to cover his head with anything he could find, and shielding his face from the snow with his arms.  In stark contrast, you had your head flung back, face to the sky, with arms outstretched on either side of you, and with fluttering eyelashes were just taking it all in--the wind, snow, and wetness all hitting your face and almost blowing off your hat.  It cracked me up to see you like this.

I've always said you were more like Daddy, and I think we are seeing more and more evidence of this.  For example, when you sleep your body temperature reaches unheard of levels of heat (just like your Dad, my personal bed warmer!), thus the reason we don't ever put blankets or heavy jammies on you at night.  When I used to put you in fleece footie pajamas you would wake up crying hysterically during the night, and we would find you a big ball of sweat and heat.  

At the same time, you are ALL GIRL.  It is so fascinating to watch this side of you emerge, and to know that God created you as "woman," and you are so obviously different from your brother even at such a young age.  You copy different aspects of things you see me do than Jack ever did, and as cliche as it sounds, it usually revolves around pretend play or the "mommy role."  You will search through an entire box of toys until you find your baby doll.  You like your baby to sit just so in her stroller, and you love to feed her the bottle right into her mouth, and you are often seen patting your baby on the back, like Mommy does baby Miles (a younger baby friend who visits us two days a week).  You love to use the play kitchen utensils, and you always use them just like you see Mommy doing--stirring pots and putting things in the microwave, as well as talking on the phone.  Oh--and you LOVE shoes.  Enough said.

You are much more of a people person than Jack, going up to complete strangers and wanting to touch their faces and engage them.  (You are a big hit at grocery stores!)  You especially like little babies (is this a good sign or bad??) and want to squat down and watch them intensely, stealing a touch if you can do it before someone catches you. 

I think that you will be such a good big sister.  You love to help, often handing me things or taking a toy to Jack.  You know where your coat is, and can get it for me if I ask you to.  You might be a little TOO helpful with your new baby sister or brother, but in the end I think we'll be okay.

I look forward to journeying on with you, sweet daughter; I often wonder if you will soon have a sister to join in our girl club or if it will remain you and me for a little longer.  Either way, you bring daily doses of joy and laughter to my life, and I cannot imagine a day without your sweet, sticky kisses, your chubby fingers pointing out my nose, and the smell of your hair as you snuggle under my chin after a good sleep.  Praise God for creating you just as He did!  I love you!