Saturday, May 10, 2014

Time for some weekend quick takes

1. Remember yesterday's dandelions? Today Reid and Ben were driving around town and Reid, peering out his window, said, "There's lots of dandelions we could get for mommy. We need to get a dandelion picking machine."

Ben replied, "I don't know bud, I don't think they make dandelion picking machines."

"Well, we need to find one. We need to pick lots of dandelions for mommy."

I'm not sure what's sweeter, my convincing love of dandelions or his deep desire to do something that (he thinks) makes me happy. He filled an entire 32 oz cup with dandelions today, just from our yard.

I think I have a dandelion picking machine buddy; I think I have one.

2. For Easter we bought Reid his first bike, but we didn't hide it very well and he saw it about two weeks before the bunny was suppose to come. We finally put it together today. He was absolutely adorable on it. He's always struggled with pedals, and I tried to keep them (and the training wheels) off so that it would work like a strider bike, but it is about two inches too tall for that (or he's about two inches too short).

"I can't do it. I can't do it," he'd grunt with frustration as his feet slipped off the pedals or slowly slipped backwards.

"Okay, let's just quit," I shrugged (yes, I am my father's child).  

"What does quit mean mommy?"

"It means we stop trying and just give up."

"I can't give up mommy! I just have to keep practicing. No quitting."

Bike riding led to a lot of good feelings conversations. Not only did he acknowledge the importance of practicing, we also talked a bit about feeling frustrated and how it is okay to get angry and frustrated -- it's just not okay to kick or yell. We did a lot of counting backwards from five.

I think he is going to need a lot more practice, but soon enough he'll be sailing down the street like the other three+-year-old boy. Which reminds me of another feeling we talked about, "I can't do it mommy. Oliver can do it. I can't." I had to remind him that earlier this week (Tuesday to be exact) when we hiked with his friend, his friend was on a bike without pedals (a strider); and besides, even if Oliver could do it but he couldn't, that is okay.

3. Poor Nell has allergies. She's had a hard time sleeping and I'd noticed her nose was runnier on days when my allergies were really bothering me. Friday morning we went to see her pediatrician and she was given a prescription for zyrtec. I hate to drug her up everyday ... but I hate suffering from allergies even more. I assume she feels the same way about seasonal allergies as I do. So drugs it is!

4. Which reminds me, today we were at a local nursery trying to find another pear tree, when I walked into a greenhouse and smelled the most beautiful aroma. Immediately my fight or flight kicked in, "get out of this room, get out of this room." And I ran. It makes me sad that I can't enjoy simple treasures without suffering.

5. My friend Amy, over at motherhood and miscellany has been contemplating her children's blog aliases. I've enjoyed reading her thought process. I hope I never regret being less private than many other bloggers. Identity in the social media age is such a complicated thing. Ben's favorite book of all time is 1984, but he isn't at all worried about Big Brother ... so I try not to be. Now I know many people who use caution on the internet aren't as worried about Big Brother as they are about a sicko who could edit their kids' pictures into porn ... but I like to think that reality is akin to kidnapping. Yes kids are kidnapped, but it's more likely they'll die in a car accident. Yes, kids identities are stolen over the internet, but it's more likely they'll die in a car accident. That's my take on things right now ... but I simultaneously respect anyone's decision to be more private than I am. We each do what is best for us, and even if we all do something different, we can each be right.

6. Nell is talking so much. It wouldn't seem abnormal to me except that I've had two friends with kids her same age bring the topic up. She has a vocabulary of about 100 words. Her words range from dinosaur to bulldozer to wash cloth and why? Yes, she's already asking why. I'm not sure she understands what she is doing, but her use of the word is always accurate.

"Where's daddy?"

"Where is daddy, Nell Belle?"

"Work. Why?"

7. Speaking of her love for dinosaurs and bulldozers (the name she uses for every construction truck), she also loves digging up worms with Reid. She'll pick them up and even scream for one if he has one but she doesn't. She carries them over to the pear tree and watches, with pure joy, as they dig a new home.

She also loves Frozen.

She's the perfect balance of girly girl and dirty toddler. I hope that never changes. Well, I hope she isn't always a toddler, but I hope she always balances her femininity with rough, dirty play and exploration.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Loved your post, Sis. Those babies are growing up. I hate to think I am missing so much of these years. Can't wait to see you. Soon!!!

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