The Good: This morning R.H. came over with her six-month-old baby, B. She put a blanket down on the living room floor for B to sit on, and Turtle and Monkey joined B on the blanket. I asked Monkey, “Do you think we have any toys B would like to play with?” She replied, “EIEIoo.” “Ok,” I said, “Go get EIEIO and bring it here.”
Monkey went to the playroom, got the farm animal “See ‘n Say,” and brought it to B. She pulled the lever to show B how it worked and smiled when B got excited. Then Turtle ran to the playroom and came back lugging the Little People Animal Sounds Farm. They showed each farm animal to B, told her the names of the animals and the sounds they made, and generally played with her in a way I’d never seen before. When our toddler friends come over for playdates, there is a lot of “no! no! mine! mine!,” shoving, and other behavior that would best be described under “The Bad.” But they tickled B, nuzzled B, and gracefully shared with B. It was lovely.
The Bad: Monkey is going through something. It’s been going on for a few weeks now and I can only pray we are currently at the apex because this week has been a doozy. She is clingy. And I mean throw her arms around my neck, bury her face in my shoulder, and hold on tightly like she’s afraid of being abandoned clingy. Everywhere we go. And at home. If I have the audacity to put her down, say to try to make dinner or go to the bathroom, she has a hysterical screaming fit. She has spent a few minutes each of the last few days in her crib, just crying it out. She pushes and bites at Turtle on the rare occasion Turtle asks to be held. We went to a party at church on Sunday afternoon and she went into overdrive, which meant I sat as far away as I could from everyone else with Monkey glued to my chest. I’m pretty sure it was the clown that did her in there. I’ve asked her about the clown a couple of times since then and she just starts to yell, and I’ve heard her muttering “no clown, no clown” to herself a couple of times since then.
I’m fairly certain Monkey is beginning to get her second year molars, because this was the pattern she followed when she got her first set of molars – difficulty sleeping, which then resulted in crankiness and whininess. For two months. I dreaded the two year molars, and for good reason. I’ve taken to medicating her with Tylenol on a regular basis. And guess what? I can’t even feel the slightest hint of a tooth. So we have a way to go. I’m not too worried about Turtle, though. When her first set of molars came in, she was basically really cranky one afternoon and evening, then woke up the next morning with molars. It was shocking after the two months of agony that Monkey (and we) had gone through, and one of my many lessons in how very different my two girls are.
The Good: I have just enjoyed the peace and quiet of a 3 hour nap by my lovely ladies, which is sure to mean a happy evening for everyone.
Have a great week!
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Friday, September 18, 2009
All About Me
Sometimes I get bored writing about the girls all the time. I could tell you that Turtle now speaks in four word sentences (“I need mo shrimp”) and that Monkey seems to be in the beginning stages of getting her two-year molars (God help me), or that both girls are in the throes of Longhorn Gear Mania (“mas Tecas, mas Tecas!”). Turtle actually cried this morning because I didn’t have a “Tecas” hat for her to wear.
But enough about them. Following the Facebook model, I've decided to tell you 25 random things about me that you might not know. I think that quiz came out on Facebook, I’m not sure. I ignore all the quizzes and questions on Facebook. And that’s Random Thing #1 for you.
2. I don’t know how to use PowerPoint
3. I went to U.S. Army Basic Training in Fort Jackson, South Carolina two weeks after my 17th birthday.
4. I rode the Greyhound bus from Austin to New York City, alone, in the summer of 1995.
5. My favorite vacation spot is Huahine (Tahiti), French Polynesia.
6. When I went to London in 2003, I insisted on going to Kings Cross Station to see Platform 9¾.
7. I’ve read each of David Sedaris’s books at least 3 times.
8. I got kicked off the cheerleading squad in 9th grade because I got drunk one morning at school.
9. The first concert I ever went to was Adam Ant in 1985, at the Majestic Theater in San Antonio.
10. I wear size 10 shoes.
11. My first pet was a dog named Rags.
12. When I was 20, I owned (and proudly wore) several pairs of Daisy Dukes.
13. My first car was a red Chrysler LeBaron.
14. I marched in the Battle of Flowers parade in San Antonio (as part of my high school band’s Flag Line).
15. I worked on the case of a death row inmate, and met with him, weeks before he was executed.
16. I like fancy stationary.
17. I still have my high school letterman jacket.
18. I’ve met Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, George W. Bush, and James Baker
19. I can fit my entire fist in my mouth
20. When I was in high school, my dad flew a Confederate flag in our front yard.
21. I eat ice cream every single day.
22. I still have my Cabbage Patch Kid.
23. I love being alone.
24. I have Monkey’s umbilical cord saved in a Ziploc bag (would’ve saved Turtle’s if I’d seen it fall off).
25. I think Woody Harrelson and Jason Bateman are the hottest male actors around.
But enough about them. Following the Facebook model, I've decided to tell you 25 random things about me that you might not know. I think that quiz came out on Facebook, I’m not sure. I ignore all the quizzes and questions on Facebook. And that’s Random Thing #1 for you.
2. I don’t know how to use PowerPoint
3. I went to U.S. Army Basic Training in Fort Jackson, South Carolina two weeks after my 17th birthday.
4. I rode the Greyhound bus from Austin to New York City, alone, in the summer of 1995.
5. My favorite vacation spot is Huahine (Tahiti), French Polynesia.
6. When I went to London in 2003, I insisted on going to Kings Cross Station to see Platform 9¾.
7. I’ve read each of David Sedaris’s books at least 3 times.
8. I got kicked off the cheerleading squad in 9th grade because I got drunk one morning at school.
9. The first concert I ever went to was Adam Ant in 1985, at the Majestic Theater in San Antonio.
10. I wear size 10 shoes.
11. My first pet was a dog named Rags.
12. When I was 20, I owned (and proudly wore) several pairs of Daisy Dukes.
13. My first car was a red Chrysler LeBaron.
14. I marched in the Battle of Flowers parade in San Antonio (as part of my high school band’s Flag Line).
15. I worked on the case of a death row inmate, and met with him, weeks before he was executed.
16. I like fancy stationary.
17. I still have my high school letterman jacket.
18. I’ve met Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, George W. Bush, and James Baker
19. I can fit my entire fist in my mouth
20. When I was in high school, my dad flew a Confederate flag in our front yard.
21. I eat ice cream every single day.
22. I still have my Cabbage Patch Kid.
23. I love being alone.
24. I have Monkey’s umbilical cord saved in a Ziploc bag (would’ve saved Turtle’s if I’d seen it fall off).
25. I think Woody Harrelson and Jason Bateman are the hottest male actors around.
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Letting Go, Part II
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve excused myself for my perceived lapse in parenting skills by saying, “Well, I have twins.” I find my little saying quite useful, especially when I’m noticing that the girls’ gross motor skills lag a little behind other kids their age, particularly when it comes to climbing stairs and ladders and using playground equipment and that sort of thing. For example, our neighbor’s daughter, A., is three months younger but has been more advanced in climbing skills for months. Both she and our other friends’ son, L., were walking well by the time they were 12 months, whereas my girls weren’t fully walking until 14 and 15 months.
But, like I said, “I have twins.” Which means my girls spent more time in the Pack N Play, more time in their strollers, and less time at the playground, and that I was less tolerant of climbing on the couch or getting near the stairs. I simply couldn’t manage keeping two babies safe while they toddled in different directions, so I restricted their movement quite a bit, and that means it's taken them a tiny bit longer to develop the same skills as their singleton friends. I didn’t (and don’t) stress about this, because their development is perfectly within the normal range, and I knew they would (and will) “catch up” if there is any catching up to be done.
Well, recently we went to Terra Burger, a new (delicious) organic burger place by our house with an awesome playscape. I noted to myself that “when the girls got older” it would really be great, since the playscape was really for kids at least 3, with big ladders and slides and lots of openings for jumping, rock climbing, pole sliding, and other deadly activities.
Still, I allowed the girls to climb up the easy ladder to go down the easy slide while I hovered near, climbing behind them on the ladder, holding hands down the slide, freaking out when they crowded each other at the top of the slide; you know, all the responsible things.
I noticed with interest when the other family with twins arrived; the kids were boy/girl and looked to be identically aged to Monkey and Turtle, and the parents seemed to be close to my age as well (I notice the parents’ ages, being a little older than most mothers of two year olds). We sat at tables next to each other and I saw the look the other twin momma gave our table, then saw her murmur something to the twin daddy. I’m sure she was commenting about how good our girls were, sitting still and eating everything on their plates. How do I know this? Because I was watching in absolute astonishment as THEIR kids took one bite of food and then rushed back to the playscape – the “big” side of the playscape, mind you – and played and played, up and down and all around, without so much as a stumble. I noticed their parents never took their eyes off the kids, yet neither did they hover like overanxious hens. They sat at their table and watched their kids have a blast.
I confirmed with the other twin momma that there was in fact just a one week difference in the ages of our children (hers were younger). I sighed as we left, realizing that “I have twins” would no longer suffice as my reason for avoiding play equipment over 12 inches tall. I know Turtle’s fall earlier this year (see Letting Go, April 16) has continued to haunt me. I know I have to try again to let go of that fear. I know it’s time for me to sit at my table and watch my kids have a blast. Will I actually do that? Stay tuned . . . .
But, like I said, “I have twins.” Which means my girls spent more time in the Pack N Play, more time in their strollers, and less time at the playground, and that I was less tolerant of climbing on the couch or getting near the stairs. I simply couldn’t manage keeping two babies safe while they toddled in different directions, so I restricted their movement quite a bit, and that means it's taken them a tiny bit longer to develop the same skills as their singleton friends. I didn’t (and don’t) stress about this, because their development is perfectly within the normal range, and I knew they would (and will) “catch up” if there is any catching up to be done.
Well, recently we went to Terra Burger, a new (delicious) organic burger place by our house with an awesome playscape. I noted to myself that “when the girls got older” it would really be great, since the playscape was really for kids at least 3, with big ladders and slides and lots of openings for jumping, rock climbing, pole sliding, and other deadly activities.
Still, I allowed the girls to climb up the easy ladder to go down the easy slide while I hovered near, climbing behind them on the ladder, holding hands down the slide, freaking out when they crowded each other at the top of the slide; you know, all the responsible things.
I noticed with interest when the other family with twins arrived; the kids were boy/girl and looked to be identically aged to Monkey and Turtle, and the parents seemed to be close to my age as well (I notice the parents’ ages, being a little older than most mothers of two year olds). We sat at tables next to each other and I saw the look the other twin momma gave our table, then saw her murmur something to the twin daddy. I’m sure she was commenting about how good our girls were, sitting still and eating everything on their plates. How do I know this? Because I was watching in absolute astonishment as THEIR kids took one bite of food and then rushed back to the playscape – the “big” side of the playscape, mind you – and played and played, up and down and all around, without so much as a stumble. I noticed their parents never took their eyes off the kids, yet neither did they hover like overanxious hens. They sat at their table and watched their kids have a blast.
I confirmed with the other twin momma that there was in fact just a one week difference in the ages of our children (hers were younger). I sighed as we left, realizing that “I have twins” would no longer suffice as my reason for avoiding play equipment over 12 inches tall. I know Turtle’s fall earlier this year (see Letting Go, April 16) has continued to haunt me. I know I have to try again to let go of that fear. I know it’s time for me to sit at my table and watch my kids have a blast. Will I actually do that? Stay tuned . . . .
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Book Reviews
I mentioned in my last post that I read a lot; I thought I’d talk about four books I’ve read lately that are a good sampling of the types of books I read in general. I checked out all of them from the Austin Public Library. I really like the feature of being able to go online and request a specific book from the library – it's routed to my chosen library when it’s available, I get an email, and it’s waiting for me to pick up on my next trip. I also enjoy getting parenting books from the library first, because after I’ve read it once I can decide whether the book is worth owning. These are just two tiny reasons why I think the public library is awesome, and not just for kids. This concludes my public service announcement for the library system; let’s get on to the book reviews.
One Hundred Years of Solitude, Gabriel García Márquez. Considering that this is one of the most acclaimed novels by one of the most significant authors of the 20th century, you may be surprised that I’ve just gotten around to reading it. But it was never required reading for me, so I just read it last month. Here’s what I learned. It’s long. It’s dense. You have to pay close attention to keep track of the characters. There’s a lot of magical realism in it (which is to say, there’s an element of fantasy but without hobbits, wizards, or sexy vampires). I had to struggle to finish it, and I consider myself an avid reader who finishes every book she starts. It’s also amazing and inspiring (if you admire the art of writing) and the characters kind of sit in your bones as permanent residents of your psyche, flitting in and out of your memory as you go about your week. Also, people who know about books will think you are really smart when they see you reading this at the airport.
Goodnight, Nobody, Jennifer Weiner. This is classic contemporary chick-lit fiction, or “beach reading” as I like to call it. I read it simultaneously with One Hundred Years because I thought I might need something light to break up my heavy reading, and I was right. It’s a murder mystery set among stay-at-home moms in suburban Connecticut. The main character finds being a suburban SAHM gloomy and oppressive so that ruffled my feathers a little, but I got over it and enjoyed the book. I think it is above average quality and it may not be fair to label it “beach reading.” You won’t get nods of approval from literary snobs at the airport, but you won’t feel embarrassed that you read it, either.
How to Talk so Kids will Listen and Listen so Kids will Talk, Adele Farber and Elaine Mazlish. My name is Twin Momma, and I’m addicted to parenting books. There, I said it. I think I read at least one each month; I can’t get enough of them. I’d like to own this one so I can obsessively reread it over the next ten+ years. It is a very practical book about, well, how to talk to and listen to your kids. It gives great examples, uses cartoon illustrations effectively, and generally gives you real words to use in real situations. I especially liked the section on how to praise effectively. I found myself saying “you’re so good” and “you’re so smart” all the time but this explains how to praise the action to build self esteem, like, “It’s so fun to go places with you when you hold my hand and stay close!” or “You kept on working on that snap until you got it closed – now that’s what I call determination!” Yes it’s dorky but I swear I’m already seeing more smiles on my girls faces when I compliment them now, and that’s all I really care about. This book dovetails fairly nicely with The Happiest Toddler on the Block.
Things Fall Apart, Chinua Achebe. Back to the acclaimed classics that will impress your airport friends. If you want a real review, go to Amazon and read the official one there, it’s pretty thorough. I’ll just tell you this book is a little bit more accessible as far as your literary classics go – it’s not too long, it’s easy to keep up with the one main character, and the prose is simple. It’s about pre-colonial Nigerian tribal life and it’s centered around the life of Okonkwo. See, I was actually able to tell you what it was about. If you asked me what One Hundred Years of Solitude was about I’d just kind of shrug my shoulders and shake my head.
As I come to a close I’d like to recommend one last book to you, one that I consult almost every day: The Six O’Clock Scramble. It’s a great cookbook, especially if you don’t know how/don’t like to cook but need to figure it out because now you’re a stay-at-home-mom and you feel responsible for making dinner every night. Simple, tasty, healthy meals that even I can make, and I swear that is really saying something.
Happy Reading!
One Hundred Years of Solitude, Gabriel García Márquez. Considering that this is one of the most acclaimed novels by one of the most significant authors of the 20th century, you may be surprised that I’ve just gotten around to reading it. But it was never required reading for me, so I just read it last month. Here’s what I learned. It’s long. It’s dense. You have to pay close attention to keep track of the characters. There’s a lot of magical realism in it (which is to say, there’s an element of fantasy but without hobbits, wizards, or sexy vampires). I had to struggle to finish it, and I consider myself an avid reader who finishes every book she starts. It’s also amazing and inspiring (if you admire the art of writing) and the characters kind of sit in your bones as permanent residents of your psyche, flitting in and out of your memory as you go about your week. Also, people who know about books will think you are really smart when they see you reading this at the airport.
Goodnight, Nobody, Jennifer Weiner. This is classic contemporary chick-lit fiction, or “beach reading” as I like to call it. I read it simultaneously with One Hundred Years because I thought I might need something light to break up my heavy reading, and I was right. It’s a murder mystery set among stay-at-home moms in suburban Connecticut. The main character finds being a suburban SAHM gloomy and oppressive so that ruffled my feathers a little, but I got over it and enjoyed the book. I think it is above average quality and it may not be fair to label it “beach reading.” You won’t get nods of approval from literary snobs at the airport, but you won’t feel embarrassed that you read it, either.
How to Talk so Kids will Listen and Listen so Kids will Talk, Adele Farber and Elaine Mazlish. My name is Twin Momma, and I’m addicted to parenting books. There, I said it. I think I read at least one each month; I can’t get enough of them. I’d like to own this one so I can obsessively reread it over the next ten+ years. It is a very practical book about, well, how to talk to and listen to your kids. It gives great examples, uses cartoon illustrations effectively, and generally gives you real words to use in real situations. I especially liked the section on how to praise effectively. I found myself saying “you’re so good” and “you’re so smart” all the time but this explains how to praise the action to build self esteem, like, “It’s so fun to go places with you when you hold my hand and stay close!” or “You kept on working on that snap until you got it closed – now that’s what I call determination!” Yes it’s dorky but I swear I’m already seeing more smiles on my girls faces when I compliment them now, and that’s all I really care about. This book dovetails fairly nicely with The Happiest Toddler on the Block.
Things Fall Apart, Chinua Achebe. Back to the acclaimed classics that will impress your airport friends. If you want a real review, go to Amazon and read the official one there, it’s pretty thorough. I’ll just tell you this book is a little bit more accessible as far as your literary classics go – it’s not too long, it’s easy to keep up with the one main character, and the prose is simple. It’s about pre-colonial Nigerian tribal life and it’s centered around the life of Okonkwo. See, I was actually able to tell you what it was about. If you asked me what One Hundred Years of Solitude was about I’d just kind of shrug my shoulders and shake my head.
As I come to a close I’d like to recommend one last book to you, one that I consult almost every day: The Six O’Clock Scramble. It’s a great cookbook, especially if you don’t know how/don’t like to cook but need to figure it out because now you’re a stay-at-home-mom and you feel responsible for making dinner every night. Simple, tasty, healthy meals that even I can make, and I swear that is really saying something.
Happy Reading!
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