Life in the Boonies

Timmy’s new words:

• says bie for bike.
• peas peas with sign of using both hands to rub his tummy for please, also effectively cleaning his hands off.
• a certain yaya sound accompanies with the sign like milk for his stuffed giraffe (Gabriella).  He wanted it for nap today but we forgot to pack it to grma’s house.  He still napped so not as attached to it yet.
• signs apple.  Signs orange for orange juice, although it looks very similar to water at this point so I’m still figuring it out.
• very consistently signs dog and sometimes say dada.  Occasionally he will mistaken a dog in the book for bear or vice versa.

Timmy climbs:

• onto our bed without assistance.
• onto rocking chairs.  Both at the dock house and at home.  He loves to climb on and then rock back and forth on it.  He goes up and comes down.  He gets Gabriella and puts her up there and then climbs back on.  Throws her off and comes back down to get her.  Endless fun.
• into his carseat.

Timmy’s Attitude:

• throwing his cup and/or food.  He doesn’t mind when I make him pick it up.  Perhaps he likes getting out of the chair.  FREEDOM!
• hitting things that make him mad.  When his trike rolled down the hill unexpectedly or when he crashed on it down some steps, he didn’t want my comfort, he wanted to lash out at the trike.  He hit it and push it over.
• screaming very loudly with a ferocious look when I told him we are not getting in the car to stop him from trying to open the car door.  Or when I won’t give him the food he want.  That’s the only 2 times it has happened with that intensity so far.  I remained firm and calm both times and he had a followup scream with less intensity and then complied.

Sharing a Room

Timmy is sleeping in the toddler bed sharing a room with Frank.  They both go to bed around 8pm.  Brush their teeth together.  Sometimes both gets a bath before that.  While Frank gets the stories though, Timmy is usually running around like a crazy maniac.  He climbs into Frank’s bed only to climb out so he can climb back in again.  He runs out of the room and goes climbing on the rocking chair.  So you think he’ll never go to sleep.  Then when the stories are done and the lights are turned off, Timmy goes straight to his bed with Gabriella.  He climbs in and lies down on his tummy with arms against his side.  If I’m still tucking Frank in, Timmy will peek up but as soon as he sees me heading to his bed, he resumes sleeping position.  Frank has been getting up around 6am and Timmy along with him.  Today even Frank broke the record by getting up at 5:30am.  Luckily he came down quietly and Timmy slept on til 8am.  Mommy also lucked out and slept til 7:30 since daddy took Frank outside to run in the sprinkler after feeding him some donuts.  Then Frank spend the day at grma’s mostly naked and spraying water everywhere.  At one point he was standing in a bucket with nothing on and spraying himself with a hose.  We came close to meltdown several times in the evening (no nap) but managed to retain composure.  We hope tomorrow he will sleep in.

Frank’s words:

• says the pledge of allegiance that he learned in preschool
• is really into counting.  He counts everything.  We walked pass some steps in the park and he made me stop and wait for him while he counted them.  He goes up to fourteen, always skips fifteen and goes on pass twenty.  When he gets to twenty nine, he says twenty ten.  One time I told him to count to thirty, he got to twenty eight and then said “twenty-nine, twenty ten, twenty-eight, twenty-nine, mommy, I don’t know how to count to thirty.”
• loves to spell his name.  Everything by default is spelled F-R-A-N-K.  Sometime he does the L-I-N.  He can write F very eligibly, R and A are lowercase and still recognizable, N and K are more scribbly at this point.  He recognizes most of the letters and sings the ABC song frequently sometimes omitting tuv.  I wonder if “Y and Z” confuses him as Y N Z or that Z is pronounced nz.  The end is always different and not the usual “Next time won’t you sing with me.”  It turns into a really long sentence like “Next time you can come play cars and go on the ferry boat or do whatever you want.”
• always singing.  Sometimes the same song.  A whole morning or car ride can be filled with Days of the Week song, Bumble Bee, This old man, etc but the same one.  He gets songs stuck in my head and I end up humming it for days.
• the whys!  The best example was today we were at grma’s house and playing in the backyard grpa noticed some mole holes on the lawn.  We talked about it some and Frank helped flood them to drive the mole away.  At dinner time, Frank asked “why was the mole in the grass?”  We all explained.  He ate a few bites of dinner.  Then he said “why was the mole in the grass?”  Grpa explained again.  A few minutes later…”why was the mole in the grass?”  Hmmm, again we explained.  Later he said “why was the mole in the grass?”  Grma didn’t hear so she said “what did you say Frank?”  So we didn’t count how many times he asked but through out dinner there was alot of discussion around this mole.

Frank rides:

• his bike.  Goes up the hill and down the hill.  Those shoes are not going to make it to pass down to Timmy.
• dad’s scooter.  Not quite figured out the break system yet so is not zooming down the hill.  I tried teaching him but I scoot with the other foot and it totally confused him.  Then when he got that figured out he tried to put both feet on the thing while not in motion so it just tips over.

Frank’s potty training has maybe come to a turning point.  Last time we gave in and brought a pack of diapers after he held it in for 4 days.  That pack was getting used up and Frank himself indicated that after they were gone we will poop in the potty.  Yesterday was the first day.  He knew that.  He told daddy he had to go, we said no more diapers, he needed a Franklin story so he sat, daddy read, and he pooped.  A small one but a voluntary one no tricks involved from mommy.  This morning again he voluntarily went and sat and daddy did story while he pooped another small one.  Then the funny thing happened.  We were getting ready for grma’s house and he said to me, I’m going to poop in the diaper at grma’s.  I said no, you have to poop in the potty now.  He said “grma has lots of diapers.”  I asked why?  He said “I don’t know.  She just does.”  So there you have it, the kid planned ahead, told me his plans.  I had no good argument against it and no control over it.  And he did just like he said.  A big one this time.

It is getting warm here, at least this weekend it was.  Timmy for the first time wandered around without socks.  Barefoot he played outside with everyone.  He did not like grass.  He kept trying to climb back on grma’s lap to avoid touching the grass on his feet.  He also didn’t care for sand on his feet.  Then he must have gotten some splinters from the bark and was fusing at his feet.  Meanwhile Frank is running around barefoot everywhere including riding his bike.

Timmy likes ice.  He like to eat them.  Especially the ones in grpa’s happy hour drink.  He is sooo mad when grpa doesn’t share one with him.

Timmy is on the trike.  He goes up and down our driveway hill.  Forwards and backwards.  Zooming down from the top.  Such a big smile from the rush.

Timmy prefers to go down the stairs forward facing.  He will look for something to hold on to.  If not he will ask for your hand.  If not then he will turn around and go backwards.

Timmy loves to wear necklaces.  He puts them on and takes them off.  On and off.  On and off.  The ones at grma’s house from Africa with safari animal beads; ones at home we make from beads; or just a string that is not even tied together.

Timmy now says “saaa” when he signs star.  He points to his head alot like the way he signs bunny but so frequent and unrelated to bunny that we still don’t know what it means.

Timmy is starting to climb more.  He climbs into Frank’s fire-engine bed from the wheeled side.  He climbed on the adult sized stepping stool to reach the sink.  But he was still couldn’t reach the cup in the sink so he climbed on to the top bar of the stool and then mom intervened to his dismay.  He climbs on top of the coffee table.  Then he tries to come down backwards but is scared when his feet doesn’t touch the ground.  So he hangs there and cries for help.  He lifts his leg and it goes right over the bathtub.  If he steps on the scale next to the tub he can get into the tub.  We have not yet let it occur.

Timmy loves bath time or any water activity.  When I turn on the water he comes running.  In the kitchen sink, he comes and climbs on the stepping stool and tries to reach the water.  In the bathtub, he gets on tiptoes and waves his hand between the water.  Then he points to the duckie bath mat to tell me I need to put that down so he won’t slip in the tub like last time.  (Of course, Frank also loves bath.  He hears the water and come running and strips down to nothingness before you can count to 3.  And he has no problem climbing in himself)

Timmy likes to toast (gan bie) at eating time.  He makes a particular 2 syllable sound for gan bei and moves his cup back and forth on the table.

This morning at breakfast Frank looked at my mug and said “mommy, you have two stars on your cup.  and two suns.  two stars and two suns make 3.”  I said “two stars and two suns make 4″  Frank said with a puzzling look, “makes 4 what?”  I did not have a response to that.

Later while playing in the sandbox, Frank said “mommy, this is broken.”  I said “what?  how come your stuff is always broken?”  Frank said “I don’t know.  I didn’t break this one.”  I said “who did?”  He said “I don’t know.”

Friday while Nat is cooking dinner, I was playing with the kids in their room.  Frank said “mommy, I’m Carol.  I’m going to the hospital to read stories.  You are Larry.  I’m going to Ghana.”  He has also packed all his toys and books and lined it up on the side of the wall.  He said “I’m going to read stories to the children.  And play with them.  They will like the cars.  Is Timmy going to Ghana?”  I said “Should we bring Timmy?”  Frank said “sure.  We can bring him.  He can play with the children.”

Another entry:  I can’t remember the context but Frank said something something “that’s for sure”  I just wanted to laugh at the matter-of-fact way he said it.

May 3

Timmy is moved over to the toddle bed in the same room with Frank.  It is an identical fire engine bed that Frank has and they are on opposite ends of the room.  Frank no longer naps in his room so Timmy’s first time in there was his nap.  I left him while he was still awake but on his tummy and no moving.  He slept for 3 hours in there.  Night time was slightly harder.  Timmy went to bed first and then Frank.  Around 10:30pm Timmy was screaming but it took a few gentle pats to put him back to sleep.  Frank was not awaken through the whole episode.  Then according to daddy (I was totally out) around 2am Timmy fell out of the bed but did fine the rest of the night.  He was up at 6am talking gently to himself.  I went and got him while Frank was still asleep but Frank was also up in a few more minutes.  He has not attempted to leave the bed even though he can climb out no problem during the day.  He just sits up and talks or cries til I get him which is almost immediately.

May 4

Today’s nap Timmy didn’t go down as easily.  After I left the room he was singing and then when I went to peek on him he was standing on the mattress playing with the siren light.  Then he screamed as I tried to pat him.  He threw Gabriella out too.  Finally I just left and after 30 sec he calmed down and went to sleep.  Then he woke up in an hour looking for Gabriella.  I patted him gently and put Gabriella next to him and he went right back to sleep for another 2 hours.  Tonight Frank and Timmy got put to bed at the same time, 7:30pm.  There was some noises and coughing and such but when I peeked in both were still in bed laying down.  It was a rough night.  Timmy woke up lots and cried and cried.  We took turns patting him and even moved him back to the crib.  Nothing worked.  He is also sick and we worried if he is in pain or otherwise uncomfortable.  He finally stopped around 1am and slept til 6:30 in his crib.  Frank continued to sleep until 7:30.

May 5

Timmy napped in the crib no problem for 2 1/2 hour this time.  He played fine all day but is congested and coughing some.  For bedtime Timmy went first at 7:30 and Frank at 8.  Timmy was crying again intermittently around 9 and by 10 I unplugged the nightlight in case that was bothering him since his old room didn’t have it.  We hoped Frank won’t wake up mad at not finding his nightlight.  Oh well.  A few more awakenings around 2am.  He was having a fever.  Maybe Frank turning and stuff is too loud?  We don’t know but are persisting in this transition.  Frank was up at 6:15am.  Timmy was up around 7:15 and according to Frank… “I got up and came down to read stories.  Then I heard Timmy so I went upstairs.  He was still sleeping so I came down.  Then he was awake so I went upstairs.  I couldn’t carry him down the stairs but then he came down by himself.”  I heard both boys playing happily in the living room around 7:30 and resisted showing myself since it leads to Timmy having an immediately separation anxiety attack.  But it was already 7:30.   They were driving cars and reading stories.

May 6

Timmy was falling asleep at the lunch table.  He didn’t fight the nap but was up in 30 min.  Patted back down with some effort and up again in an hour.  By then Frank had insisted on taking his nap in the room with Timmy.  Frank was very quiet going up and he was already asleep.  So I moved Timmy back to the crib and with a few more cries he is back to sleep again.  I hope all this fuss is just the cough and the congestion.

Onwards…

We have made it through the transition.  For a few more days Timmy still woke around midnight and had to be patted some but mostly both sleeps through the night.  Frank often wakes up around 6 but is now good enough to come down quietly and play in the living room area.  Lots of mornings both boys are up and plays together until we surface to make breakfast.  Sometimes they go to sleep at the same time.  Timmy knows he suppose to be sleeping so when he is playing in the bed and I come in, he immediately flops down on his tummy and lays still.  I put the cover back on him and if he senses I have left he lifts he head to peek up.  Sometimes I’m still there and he plunges back down and peeks back again later.  Now I can be at the door and he lifts up his head and I point at him he flops down too.  Timmy babbles some before falling asleep.  Frank seems to be able to tune it out.  One night Timmy was singing til 8:30 but Frank was snoring.  Timmy did fall out one night and when I got to the room it was pitch dark.  I looked for him everywhere in bed while the sound of his crying was so close.  Finally I realized he was next to the bed.

For naps, when Frank takes one, now he likes to take it with Timmy.

Timmy

• Now weighing in at 20lbs and measuring 31 inches, Timmy is back on his regular weight curve after the dip from 3 months ago.
• More signs: frog, ball (makes ball sound), dog, horse, duck (same as bird but with dada sound), chicken (same as bird with bababa sound, he laughed and laughed when I moved his arms like the chicken), bunny (finger pointing to head), hat, outside (looks similar to cookie with the twist of hand), star (similar to banana and sometimes he even says nana but points to star), car (also looks like cookie), book (just today)
• Gets frustrated frequently and throws a fit.  Sometimes refuses to let me help.  Already do it myself?!
• Rode the tricycle for the first time.  He just walked over to it in the garage and rode it out like he’s always been doing it.  Goes forward and backward.

Frank

• Loves to zoom on his no pedal bike.  We have gone to Washington Park where there is a paved loop and Frank would ride the 2.2 mile.  Some are uphill so he complains and walks the bike.  Then the downhills he just glides.
• Also is trying to ride the scooter.
• Today Frank had a toy telephone and said to me “stop talking mommy.  please go somewhere else.  I’m talking on the phone.”
• Always watching if the neighborhood girls are outside playing.  He now knows all their names and will run out to play with them.  One time he had the best time with them pulling him in a wagon and giving him goldfish snacks.  Another time they put him on a towel and swung him like a hammock.  They run around in the grass circle at the end of the cul-de-sac and have the best times.  These are 8-10 year olds.  He rides his bike with them too.
• Quotes from stories at random times.  While walking with me in the woods here he said “no room here for picky eaters” from Bats at the Beach
• Watched his first real movie, “Cars” at the dock house.  He sat through the entire movie and was laughing at many parts of it.  The highlight for him is Mater on the helicopter.  He wants to watch it again.