Silly Baba.

This will come as no surprise to most who try and blog about their life and children, but the lure of capturing every adorable moment of your children's life (and they are countless and legion) via blog slowly becomes as attractive as watching paint peel.  It's not that the kids stop being preposterously, shockingly entertaining intrepid explorers of their new world, it's that the never-ending piles of laundry, dishes, and tidying sap the will to plop in front of a computer and do what comes to feel like work, even with accompanying guilt (it's been HOW long since I blogged?)  By the end of the day, Theresa and I are happy to read Time or the NY times (Ok, or Autblog, if I'm being honest) or watch a 30 minute show on Netflix, talk about the kids and the amazing things they've done, and go for some shut-eye.  There's a reason no one's selling parenthood as glamorous (though it is great).  I still jot down tokens of childhood that I mean to share, though, and with that said...

Madelyn has trouble with her  S's.  It's almost always adorable.  The few times it snowed last winter, she kept asking to "make no-man?"  Cute every time. More recently, out kayaking a few weeks ago, she kept pointing at Seagulls and saying - "Look, Ea-gull!"  I kept saying, progressively less patiently, "No Madelyn, not an eagle, those are white, Eagles just have bald heads."  We'll try the who's on first routine next.  She had been correctly identifying the 2 birds for months, but dimwitted Baba only just learned to discern the subtle inflexion distinction. As Madelyn might say, "Silly Baba."

Madelyn had been having a trying evening, and would not eat much of her dinner.  We don't do the "clean plate club," but we expect a reasonable sampling of the dinner, or there'll be no desert.  No punishment, but if you don't eat, why should you get desert?   M had been pushing around her broccoli and chicken for 10 minutes or so, and after several discussions we brought out the kitchen timer.  They (especially M!) hate the timer. 5minutes later, it goes off, and we tell her that the meal is over and no desert.  She cried, agonizingly and despairingly, finally holding her chest and saying "My heart hurts!"  No desert does the same thing to me, still...

Isaac has become a new lad compared to the terrible 2yo. About 3 months before turning 3, we suddenly realized how much nicer life is these days.  Time-outs are now rare, instead of a daily occurence (counting is still almost daily, God Bless 1-2-3 Magic!), he's far less likely to just walk up and strike "Mei-Mei", he can often be reasoned with, his legs are a bit longer (now occasionally using the trike's pedals, instead of just sitting perched on the front of the seat and quasi-running with his legs), he's starting to help more with shoes...life is just better.  He's still perverse, however (reminds me of me, frankly) and his first answer to almost any question is "I DON'T".  Ask him for a cookie, or if he needs to go to the bathroom, almost always the same.  For a half second, then he'll sheepishly whine about wanting whatever the nice offer was....

 Madelyn, for about a month (let's call it last January), couldn't spit to save her life.  Seeing me gargle, or brush and spit, she's been hankering to try (and had been trying everywhere, most notably into Isaac's face and vice versa, before I told them that spitting is only ok in the sink and in the woods), and kept drooling toothpaste all over her pajamas in her vain attempts.  Some PJ's will never recover, but the girl finally got it!

Isaac is not the bravest soul.  Thomas the Train - the monster under the shed (about a hedgehog that scares Thomas) and Should I share My Icecream (an Elephant and Piggie book which has a picture of an internally-debating elephant wondering if he should share his icecream with his best friend) and about 5 other books have been deemed by Isaac as "too scary, no want it" in his room at night.  We read books together about half the time at night in Isaac's room, and Isaac has the big bookcase in his room, but a growing number of books are just too much.  I guess I should cut him some slack, I remember needing my closet door closed when I was at least 7 in our house on Wilderness drive, and neither Isaac nor Madelyn have a night-light!  But a cartoon elephant?

Madelyn had a "kinda weird" phase for about 2 months.  Anything out of the ordinary was "kinda weird."  Not sure how the Valley found it's way into Madelyn, but it was darn cute...Theresa and I have been observing how many things are "kinda weird!" ever since.

Back when Isaac was in the terribles, roughly last November, Isaac had been pushing/bullying Madelyn with is body mass (all torso with short limbs, all he can was get up in her face and play the close game, but he was a master), and we had been hanging out/reading/playing in the living room in front of the front door, when Madelyn had had enough.  Isaac had been following her around annoying the tar out of her, all over the room, when she just turned around and head-butted him.   The screams probably tempted the neighbors to call CPS, and time-outs were handed out like candy at Halloween, but I was secretly proud that she had reached her limit and defended herself.  Life can be tough, but it's tougher if you can't take care of yourself!

It's now a known schtick.  Auntie K coming = Lots of treats. The kids know and love this...they love it when she comes to visit, and they'll happily tell you the reason if asked!  Would that adults were as easily pleased!

Isaac, intermittently for the last 3 months, asks both T and I to sleep with him.  He'll say "I want you in my crib", if that get's declined - "sleep on the blue rocker!" (I did this the night he had gastroenteritis, and I was periodically sprinting with him, held at arms length, from his crib to the sink as he did his best impression of a blender with the lid off).  Tonight he even proposed that I should sleep in his closet.  A for effort, certainly...when I pointed out that I couldn't fit, my legs were too long, the first time he asked, he promptly replied - "cut off your leg!"  I'd like to offer up Isaac next time I hear anyone saying they want a more "think outside the box" solution to a problem...