Claire has started saying "uh-ohhhhhh". It's darling. I didn't teach it to her, she just started using the phrase one day. And yesterday, she started using it in the right context. For the last week, I kept hearing uh-ohs around the house, and would turn in expectation of a spill or break or injury... but no, just a blankie or a baby or a toy. But she got it yesterday! We were outside, and I was feeding them cookies as they ran around playing. I accidentally dropped one on the pavement, and got a huge and exhuberant UH-OHHHHHH from Claire. Then she picked up the dirty cookie and ate it. Uh oh.
Aubrey mimics, saying sweet little oh-ohs, but more because I think she likes the sound it makes. Her latest mastered word/concept is "bye!". She says it in such a cute way, too. We'll be discussing leaving or going somewhere, and all of the sudden she'll lift up her little hand and wave it Miss America style and lilt "bye!"! Claire isn't far behind on this one, although she usually says bye in more of a question.
We finally, finally got some sunny weather, and so we took the girls our to my folks' house to play on vast and wide expanses of grass. We also bought them a little 3-ring wading pool, which we set in the sun, filled with a few inches of warm water, and let the girls attack with gusto (after slathering them with SPF 50; you can never be too careful). They LOVED it! Giggling, splashing, jumping in, jumping out, pouring water on each other, and giggling some more. Oh, how I love summer weather! And those two little monkeys got TAN. Even with the SPF 50. I think Aubrey will be hispanic by the end of summer. I got one spot of sunburn on my shoulder. I may have enough color to NOT clear the beaches of southern California by the time we go next month. Maybe.
And finally, the big challenge. Well, two of them. First is discipline. We have to very, very different little girls that we've been entrusted to train up. This past week, little Aubrey has really started to show her independence and test our limits. She has no fear of anything, and is almost completely devoid of that common toddler instinct that drives Claire to hang on my pantleg anywhere we go outside of the condo. Instead, Miss Independent will run as far and as fast as possible, and when I call her to stop, she'll give me a little impish look. What are you going to do about it, mama? Can't catch me! And she'll run again.
Suffice it to say, we've begun to employ spankings for direct and willful disobedience, especially in the area of not coming when she's called. I have terrible visions of this type of disobedience on the street or on the top of our cement staircase, and even though I hate to administer the swats on her bare thigh, it's working.
Claire, on the other hand, merely has to be looked at crossly and she bursts into tears. (Well, sometimes she's more testy than that, but not usually). I'm glad both my girls aren't limit testers, but it is hard for me to treat them differently. But I must. And I must continue to look for ways of communicating to each of them in ways they understand, both in discipline and instruction, as what works for Aubrey won't work for Claire and visa versa. I feel like I am making progress, and then bam- a new defiance or challege or ability and they have me running again.
And the other big challenge is actually a small one. Our condo. I am so thankful for the choice that Ryan and I have made for me to stay home with the girls. I wouldn't change it for any size of house or any manner of posession. But as the girls grow and are active, our little two-bedroom upper floor condo is seeming to get smaller and smaller. Our complex doesn't have large grassy areas for the girls to play on, nor is there a park that we can walk to. And that makes me feel really caged in. The market is upside-down, and so we can't sell the condo without taking a significant loss, which we can't afford. And so I feel a bit stuck. I realize that the girls will take their cues from Ryan and I, and so I am determined to make this the most fun and special place to live while we're here. But if any of you, dear readers, have ideas on how to make a small space feel larger, I'd love your input. We will continue to pray that God will open up an opportunity for us to move, whether it be to sell the condo or maybe even care for a house in lieu of rent. I have no idea. God knows our needs, and if we're in this home right now, it must be because we don't need more room today. I need to be creative, energetic, and grateful.
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
So many new things, so little time!
I realize that it has been awhile since I wrote a new post. I have many excuses for this, not the least of which are two busy, beautiful, boisterous little girls that keep me too occupied to post to my blog. However... they have finally hit the "learning" stage. When I was a nanny, the sweet little Meghan was about the girls' age, and I remember being so amazed that she would literally do or say something new every single day that I watched her. My friend Melinda said the same of her little cutie Grace at this age, too. And it is so true! It seems that Aubrey and Claire are growing in cognative ability by leaps and bounds. Here are some of the latest, and the cutest:
Aubrey:
My little observer and helper. About a week ago, the girls were playing outside on the deck. Spring has been rather cold here, but trying to take advantage of the sunshine I sent them outside in short sleeves hoping some vitamin D would sink in. A few minutes later Aubrey comes running in, beelines past me, and zooms to her room. The girl is fast. She must get that from soccer-playing daddy. She runs back out with her coat, wanting me to put it on her. I do. Instead of running outside, she runs back in her room. And comes out. With Claire's coat. And I put it on Claire. And Aubrey runs back again, this time to return with Claire's pacifier. Ok. Are we all set? Yes, back outside again.
The following day, Claire was having a particularly loud and drama-infused whining session around the dinner hour, before dinner, of course. Well, Aubrey had had enough. She ran back to her room, to escape, I thought. And then back out she came, ran over to Claire, and shoved Claire's paci right in her mouth. Peace and quiet for all, for the moment. Later that night, about an hour after we put the girls to bed, I hear a voice.
A little, sing-songy voice. They usually konck out within about 15 minutes of bedtime, so this is rare. Did we lose a paci? Did Little Pink fall overboard? I creep in to check on my sweethearts. Claire is completely passed out, snoozing away in her nest of blankies. And little Aubrey is sitting in her crib, cross-legged, shoulders wrapped in Little Pink. And she sings "bob-reeeee, bob-reeeeee, bob-bob, reeeeeee!". (She was singing a song to herself, about herself. Absolutely darling.)
Since our spring has been rather rainy, we've taken the opportunity to enjoy some snuggle time. For example, the other day the girls and I checked out Gigi from the library and popped it in the DVD player. It was pouring, stormy grey, and gloomy outside, but we had a divine time sitting on the couch, singing along and relaxing together. Aubrey sat on my tummy and leaned back against my chest, and Claire settled snugly into my arms. Is this bliss, or what? Amazing.
Latest Words: I'm tryint to teach my darlings some manners. They are getting really good at saying Thank You (thub-thub -Claire- and doop-doop -Aubrey-). Please is the occasional haaaaaa... Aubrey is fluent in ni-ni (ni-night), amem (amen), bye, mummies (yummy, as in food) which she repeats like a calling bird until she gets fed. Shuushhhh (juice), ssssssuh (shoe)
Claire:
my tender hearted drama queen. Another night, I again heard a sweet voice fill the nursery air. This time, it was Clairsie. My eyes literally welled up with tears as I crept in to see her sitting in her crib, cradling her stuffed puppy, stroking its ears and singing softly to it. She wasn't affected at all by my entrance, she just glanced up, smiled, and kept singing to her little friend. The next morning, she toddled out to me while I was making breakfast and showed me her sweet baby: she cooed and rocked it and stroked its head. Beeee-beeee, she said.
She also is the go-to gal for over-reactions in our household. If we have to take something away, or it is bedtime, or she is hungry, or even mildly depressed, we all are prevy to a fantastic display of shrieking, flopping, rolling, re-flopping, stomping, kicking, screeching, and re-flopping. Tornados and hurricanes have nothing on this force of nature.
Latest words: gucky (ducky), buh (bye-bye), and lots and lots of babbling. The most adorable sweet nothings you'd ever hear. She gets the expressions right - furrowed brows, intonation in her voice, timing, etc, but no inteligable words yet. Hearing her "speak" is such great entertainment.
My girls love to keep track of the school bus. It stops right in front of the condo, and they daily wave hello and goodbye to the kids. If they hear a bus or loud car, they immediately start to wave and say buh (bye?).
If they want to be picked up, Aubrey will run up and stick her skinny little arms straight up into the sky and stomp her little feet until you pick her up. Claire will come along, whine, cry, and hang on your pantleg until you surrender. They love to hug and kiss. Claire loves to "hug" Aubrey; she'll run up and tackle her and little Aubrey will just take it, until she gets bored of being hugged and whimpers to be released. It is so sweet to be kissed by a one-year-old! I can't get enough baby kisses.
When we're out and about, their personalities really come out. Aubrey is content to sit and watch the world go by from her stroller, and Claire can't stand it until she gets to get out and push the stroller. Aubrey likes car rides, and I have to wrestle Claire into her seatbelt, every time.
They have tasted, and loved, their first steak and rice-a-roni. I gave them new haircuts (darling little stacked bobs). The adore pushing their baby strollers around the complex. Well, about half way around. The rest of the time I carry the babies and the strollers while trying to hold each of their hands. We're working on this.
All in all, I think I could write a book (and have; thank you for hanging in, dear readers) about the new things my girls are doing. I will try to post more often, as this blog is mainly so I don't forget!
Aubrey:
My little observer and helper. About a week ago, the girls were playing outside on the deck. Spring has been rather cold here, but trying to take advantage of the sunshine I sent them outside in short sleeves hoping some vitamin D would sink in. A few minutes later Aubrey comes running in, beelines past me, and zooms to her room. The girl is fast. She must get that from soccer-playing daddy. She runs back out with her coat, wanting me to put it on her. I do. Instead of running outside, she runs back in her room. And comes out. With Claire's coat. And I put it on Claire. And Aubrey runs back again, this time to return with Claire's pacifier. Ok. Are we all set? Yes, back outside again.
The following day, Claire was having a particularly loud and drama-infused whining session around the dinner hour, before dinner, of course. Well, Aubrey had had enough. She ran back to her room, to escape, I thought. And then back out she came, ran over to Claire, and shoved Claire's paci right in her mouth. Peace and quiet for all, for the moment. Later that night, about an hour after we put the girls to bed, I hear a voice.
A little, sing-songy voice. They usually konck out within about 15 minutes of bedtime, so this is rare. Did we lose a paci? Did Little Pink fall overboard? I creep in to check on my sweethearts. Claire is completely passed out, snoozing away in her nest of blankies. And little Aubrey is sitting in her crib, cross-legged, shoulders wrapped in Little Pink. And she sings "bob-reeeee, bob-reeeeee, bob-bob, reeeeeee!". (She was singing a song to herself, about herself. Absolutely darling.)
Since our spring has been rather rainy, we've taken the opportunity to enjoy some snuggle time. For example, the other day the girls and I checked out Gigi from the library and popped it in the DVD player. It was pouring, stormy grey, and gloomy outside, but we had a divine time sitting on the couch, singing along and relaxing together. Aubrey sat on my tummy and leaned back against my chest, and Claire settled snugly into my arms. Is this bliss, or what? Amazing.
Latest Words: I'm tryint to teach my darlings some manners. They are getting really good at saying Thank You (thub-thub -Claire- and doop-doop -Aubrey-). Please is the occasional haaaaaa... Aubrey is fluent in ni-ni (ni-night), amem (amen), bye, mummies (yummy, as in food) which she repeats like a calling bird until she gets fed. Shuushhhh (juice), ssssssuh (shoe)
Claire:
my tender hearted drama queen. Another night, I again heard a sweet voice fill the nursery air. This time, it was Clairsie. My eyes literally welled up with tears as I crept in to see her sitting in her crib, cradling her stuffed puppy, stroking its ears and singing softly to it. She wasn't affected at all by my entrance, she just glanced up, smiled, and kept singing to her little friend. The next morning, she toddled out to me while I was making breakfast and showed me her sweet baby: she cooed and rocked it and stroked its head. Beeee-beeee, she said.
She also is the go-to gal for over-reactions in our household. If we have to take something away, or it is bedtime, or she is hungry, or even mildly depressed, we all are prevy to a fantastic display of shrieking, flopping, rolling, re-flopping, stomping, kicking, screeching, and re-flopping. Tornados and hurricanes have nothing on this force of nature.
Latest words: gucky (ducky), buh (bye-bye), and lots and lots of babbling. The most adorable sweet nothings you'd ever hear. She gets the expressions right - furrowed brows, intonation in her voice, timing, etc, but no inteligable words yet. Hearing her "speak" is such great entertainment.
My girls love to keep track of the school bus. It stops right in front of the condo, and they daily wave hello and goodbye to the kids. If they hear a bus or loud car, they immediately start to wave and say buh (bye?).
If they want to be picked up, Aubrey will run up and stick her skinny little arms straight up into the sky and stomp her little feet until you pick her up. Claire will come along, whine, cry, and hang on your pantleg until you surrender. They love to hug and kiss. Claire loves to "hug" Aubrey; she'll run up and tackle her and little Aubrey will just take it, until she gets bored of being hugged and whimpers to be released. It is so sweet to be kissed by a one-year-old! I can't get enough baby kisses.
When we're out and about, their personalities really come out. Aubrey is content to sit and watch the world go by from her stroller, and Claire can't stand it until she gets to get out and push the stroller. Aubrey likes car rides, and I have to wrestle Claire into her seatbelt, every time.
They have tasted, and loved, their first steak and rice-a-roni. I gave them new haircuts (darling little stacked bobs). The adore pushing their baby strollers around the complex. Well, about half way around. The rest of the time I carry the babies and the strollers while trying to hold each of their hands. We're working on this.
All in all, I think I could write a book (and have; thank you for hanging in, dear readers) about the new things my girls are doing. I will try to post more often, as this blog is mainly so I don't forget!
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