potty time

Cael gets the biggest kick out of going to the potty. He copies everything I do, insisting I go “pee” at the same time. We sit across the bathroom from each other, handing toilet paper back and forth. He gets on, gets off and looks, closes the lid, opens it and gets back on again. Repeat.

This pic is from his first attempt at a real toilet. He can reach his own toilet paper!

(And if you had to change his poopy diapers, you would be as excited as I am!)

izzy and kitty

There are entire chapters in baby books on how to prepare your pets for a new baby- the advice ranging from ignoring your pet so they start getting used to not being the center of attention, to bringing a doll into the house before the baby is born. Each of the creatures in our household has had her own reaction to the new member of the family:

Sasha views any human under 4’ tall as a gold mine for food so the jealousy and resentment I expected from her is nonexistent. She is surprisingly patient and tolerant.

Dory stares at a moving foot- in the back of her mind she knows she shouldn’t eat this, but she’s not really sure why not. And sometimes she forgets.

Ricky sees this soft lumpy thing as something that will help her get one step closer to mom.

Sabine will take attention however she can get it- even if it is a little hand pulling at her face and whiskers.

are we there yet?

With Judd's schedule the way it is, I lead a double life. In one life I have two weeks of vacation time with my husband. We enjoy time with our family and friends, or we run off to the zoo or the park with our own growing family. We have no obligations to an office or a schedule so we don't feel the looming weight of an impending Monday. By the time his two weeks come to an end, we are truly amazed by how much we have done and how satisfied we are by the time we had together. Then two weeks of Juddlessness. There are times I feel overwhelmed by being alone with two children, but I get into a rhythm of my own. I stay up way too late watching a movie, playing on the internet, knitting, writing to you all. I get to hang out with my mom, I get visits from Den and Louise, I see my friends, we go on playdates... And by the time Judd steps off the plane I am really ready to see him. Right now I am really ready to see him. Really.

when the boys are away, the girls will play

Slumber party at Kerry's this weekend. Cael is sleeping in a 'big boy' bed for the first time. We lay in bed together reading Curious George books and talking about the day. He fell out of bed the first night, but seems to have a handle on it now (and his mom learned to line the bed with pillows). He cries out and I come to comfort him, climbing into his bed and rubbing his back. But he says "No!" and "Go!" accompanied by the hand gestures. He wants to handle it himself. I want to cry with pride and that unique sadness parenting brings; we applaud their newfound independence while we mourn the loss of their dependence. And it is only just beginning...

Kerry and I admire our sleeping children together. And then we run downstairs (within earshot!) to stay up way to late eating cookies. We enjoy an uninterrupted conversation and a few moments of NOT wiping faces, changing diapers, and fixing snacks.

a day without a sun and a day without a son

Cael-less today. Grandparents to the rescue. Every once in a while I would realize that I was half listening for him to wake up from his nap. I hear tell that he missed me though! It is good to be missed. A son like the sun- I love it when it is here, but sometimes it is nice to have a quiet rainy day without much adventure.

camera shy

The kids sleep in like a couple of surly teenagers. But they wake up in much better moods.

Cael wants to see the pictures I have taken of him and his sister. He laughs and points back and forth to the Isabel on the camera and the Isabel on the chair. He wants me to do it again, so he climbs back up to kiss her- jumping down again to see the results.

more siblings

Visit from my brother today. It really is wonderful to be around him when we get a chance (when he gets a chance). Although we are in completely different places in our lives- “I’m thinking of going to Paris to learn tango,” and “Well, I’m thinking about when I should get a toddler bed for Cael!”- we both truly embrace life. It is lovely to share in each other’s zaniness and zeal, wit and wisdom. (And both my children are enamored by his charming girlfriend!)

Cael- asleep in his car seat… I take the cracker from his hand before it falls. A minute later I glance back; he removes his binkie with one hand and brings the other to his mouth to take a bite of the missing cracker. Still sleeping.

the siblings

Cael asks to hold his sister today… He climbs into my lap and we pick her up together, settling her into his lap. They are both so thrilled; she looking up at him in worship and delight, he taking out his binkie to kiss her on the lips, hug her and giggle. I am constantly amazed at their capacity for love and affection. I was prepared for jealousy, rivalry and competition for attention. But I was not expecting absolute fascination, adoration and protectiveness. I am sure there will be a bit of everything in their relationship throughout their lives, but watching it unfold is truly wonderful. And Isabel is only three months old!

it's all fun and games until someone steps in the hummus.

The local supermarket has recently undergone a huge remodel and the atmosphere there has totally changed. The employees must have had to go through some sort of ‘friendliness training’ too- they are so perky and helpful. But I think they are trying to turn your shopping experience into an event (for me it actually is). As we bee-bopped from one tasty sample to another (highchair on wheels, Cael frantically signing "moremoremore") we came across an author signing his book in the ‘book department’. He looked so out of place at his folding table in his folding chair, surrounded by copies of his work- between the canned tomatoes and the bulk jelly beans. I bet he was replaying in his head the conversation with his agent; “Top Foods in Sno-what? Are you sure?”

crouching toddler, sleeping angel

Cael signs “poo” today, squatting naked in the sand. Then the “uh-oh” followed by the sign for “dirty”.

My darling daughter falls asleep in my arms, her ‘hearts and minds’ campaign victorious. She smiles, the binkie falls, she searches for the binkie eyebrows raised, one suck, two… she smiles again.