Life in the Boonies

Frank goes to the potty with his Lego catalogs. But daddy was in the potty so Frank couldn’t get his catalog so I told him to just knock and ask. He said “Daddy says get out of here.” Which is exactly what Nat says.

I asked Frank which princess is in the picture and he said I can’t remember. Like grandpa says hi Timmy to me and I’m not Timmy.

Timmy continues to say “tankqu” for thank you even when he should be saying you’re welcome. Frank on the other hand screams and whines when we remind him to say it. Although Timmy being rewarded and complimented for being so polite is rubbing off some on Frank and he will say it after Timmy.

Timmy wants to do everything himself. “do di zip, do di close, do di…”

Timmy has a different name for the Cat in the Hat. It is Hop on Pop. Because that was the first book he read with the early reader symbol on it.

Frank asks lots of questions. Everything is why and how come. Even Timmy says how come. Good thing he is just repeating what he hears. So one day I was tired of answering so the conversation went like this:
Frank: why is there fog?
Me: why do you have a peegu (butt)?
Frank: to chu (poop)
Me: why do you have a head?
Frank: to see.
Me: why do you have cheeks?
Frank: I don’t need my cheek. But you can kiss them so that’s why I guess

The two kids are learning to negotiate… We come home from preschool and I told him daddy made mac and cheese. He saw there was corndog and started to whine. Go figure. That is his favorite food for lunch. Anyways then we gave him the mac and cheese and Timmy the corndog. Then of course he wanted the corndog. It went on and on the whining. I kept explaining to him he didn’t want it and Timmy did. So eventually he started to negotiate with Timmy.
Frank: You can have a bite of my corndog, pretend corndog. (His attempt at sharing so Timmy will have to share)
Timmy: blank stare.
Frank: Share a piece of corndog please.
Timmy: no
Frank: Then you can’t go on the motorboat. You (when he doesn’t get what he wants, the consequences for the other party comes)
Timmy: ok
Frank: You are going to turn into a corndog so I’m gonna eat you up.
Timmy: ok
Frank: Um (making eating actions)

We started a star system where Frank does “HW” (tracing and coloring) to earn stars and trade them in for prizes. We learned this from Auntie Maggie’s house and Frank was excited until he got all the candy out of his prize box. Apparently markers and pencils and stickers were not as appealing to him. So what is he into? LEGO! So we got him a bunch of LEGOs in his prize box and now he is properly motivated. We are also starting to trace Chinese words and will start on the MeiZhou Chinese booklets in March.

Bedtime is starting to be a struggle. Timmy runs around giggling as we try to get him dressed, etc. Tonight he had a stinky diaper so I firmly told him to stop and carried him downstairs to change him to show him I meant business. I put him on the pillow and he looked at me and said “cute” with a smile. I said “you are not cute” and was still being firm. When I returned with a diaper he gave me the most fake smile with his eyes closed and both hands on his cheek and fingers wiggling and said “Timmy cute.” I wish I had a camera. I had to smile and agree he was cute.

2/8 - We are into playing pretend camping again. So I set up the little tent in his room and we started to put things in and all huddled in there with a picnic basket and books. I got a pillow. Out of nowhere Frank says “Skunks fong pi (farts) alot.” He peeks out the tent and says, “No skunks outside the tent.” Then he tells me “they moved to where is cold, like Russia. Russia is cold right mommy?” I said yes. Later back to the skunk topic but now they have been eaten by alligators.

We are writing Valentines this week for all the kids in school and one for Timmy too. Timmy goes to the toddler playgroup and comes home with a free Valentine book. Frank wants it. So Frank said, “Timmy let me have the book.” Timmy says “NO” Frank says “Then I won’t give you a Valentine present. No one will give you a Valentine present if you want that (book).” That is pretty cruel. Good thing Timmy just ignores him.

We are also doing some Chinese words with Chinese New Year coming. Frank has been reading some books with a little boy that talks about the chinese characters looking like pictures. So we were tracing words from 1 to 9. Afterwards he told me the 8 looked like person in the Xiao Ming book. Something is being absorbed.

Frank finished his food and left. Timmy yelled after Frank “xixi shu” (wash hands). Later Frank is gentle patting my Chinese knot decoration and Timmy yelled at Frank “no pull, no pull” Frank kept saying “I’m not pulling”. I even told Timmy Frank is just gently patting. Timmy didn’t believe us and continued his demands.

Timmy tells me to “sit here. right now!” Early stages for bossiness.

After dinner one day, Timmy took his plate to the trash can and scraped off the bones and took it to the sink.

We are doing Parent and Toddler dance and all of the sudden after class Timmy repeatly said, “pick up sticks, buckle shoe, close da door.” He also does his fingers for itsy bitsy spider. And he now says “die” for diamond and shapes his hand like in twinkle twinkle little star.

I was brushing Frank’s teeth one morning and Timmy ran into Nat’s office. Nat said his computer was turned on and all kinds of stuff was done and he had to figure out how to get it back to the way it was. And a msg was send to his co-worker that said “mmmmmmm”. Nat couldn’t believe Timmy did all that in 5 minutes.

Timmy says “ABC” for anything that has word on it. For a day he carried the folded up ad from Nat’s new razor and called it ABC. In the car he would talk to himself, “ABC, ABC” as he points to all the words.

Timmy loves money in his pocket. He likes to get a penny and put it in. He says “penny” and “pock pock” for pocket. He says “marble, hold” when we are in grandma’s garden cuz he likes to take the marble out of the stepping stone and hold it.

As of 2/7 Timmy called a motorcycle as “motorcycle” instead of “deao deao”.

Timmy is starting to say “mercy me”.

For a long time when Timmy goes to bed I ask him “big kiss or little kiss” and he would reply “wuddle kiss”. I give him a little one. Then he says “big kiss”. I give him a big one. Then he says “aina side” (other side) and rolls over. I kiss him big on the other cheek. Then he says “nite nite yaya, nite nite tim tim, nite nite bunny, nite nite frank.” Recently he doesn’t want a kiss. He says “no kiss” in reply. One time I kissed him anyways and he said “wash wash” as he wiped his hand on his face.

Today the garbage truck came and both boys ran outside to see it. After awhile Timmy came back and told me, “too cold, inside see gaba truck”.

Frank often helps me understand Timmy. One time in the car Timmy kept saying “ai grain” and I kept asking him about airplane? Finally Frank said “Al’s crane!” Oh, “Al’s LEGO crane?” Timmy says “yeah”. Sometimes I have to just ask Frank “What is he saying?” Of course sometimes Frank doesn’t know either.

At breakfast Frank finished his muffin before Timmy. Timmy is playing around with his food and Frank says “Timmy, are you gonna eat that muffin or should I?” Timmy puts the muffin in his mouth and Frank says “good choice!”

Frank goes to potty. He is talking to himself. I need one had to hold down my jiji and two hands to hold my LEGO magazine. I only have 2 hands. I need to buy a hand at the hand store.

Frank reads the seahorse book Great Grandma sent him for Christmas. I asked him “do you know who sent that to you?” He says “Yeah. Great grandma. Cuz she always love seahorses.”

Frank tells us that he wants to be four and then start over. Stay at four or start from zero? Zero! Then you can’t have candy or play or ride bike or eat steak…. He asks alot of whys and reconsiders. Frank got alot of LEGO from when Nat and Alex are young. He looks over those catalogs and says he wants this and that. We tell him they don’t make it anymore. He says “when daddy starts over and is little again he can get them.” When does daddy start over. After he is 100, he starts over. Frank is a believer in reincarnation I suppose.

Frank wanted to walk in the woods with me. So we walked the trail from down the cul-de-sac around the back and returned to our house. He didn’t like the foam in one of the pond areas. When we got to our house he wanted to do it again and took off. I tried to catch him but was too slow. I came back to the house and looked down the cul-de-sac. No Frank. Hmmm… Then he ran out of the house and started to cry. I miss you mommy. I couldn’t find you. Well Frank I was behind you, how come you didn’t stop to wait for me. I don’t know. I don’t like the soap bubbles. I miss you mommy. Finally we calmed down and decided next time we will say meet you at the bridge, or meet you at home or stop and wait.

Today Frank was playing stickers and suddenly he heard a noise. Who was that? I tell him it is daddy. Frank says “He was just here.” I agree and tells him that daddy is fast. Frank says “Yeah, faster then a snail, I bet.” He can’t possible already know sarcasm.

Can’t keep up with Timmy’s words. Some recent ones before I forget…

He called the phone “Hello” for a long time. Who are you calling? Timmy says “dama”. Now he says “danma, danpa, al”. He never calls Uncle Al. Always just Al. One time he said “Frank” when Frank was just standing there. I asked if he is calling Timmy. So he said Timmy. I asked who is Timmy. He said “you” while pointing to himself. He loves our phone but one time he was holding it while someone called and from then on he would ask to see my phone but when I give it to him, he says “loud” and refuse to take it. Now he has gotten over it and takes my phone around again. Poor me. Need my own phone.

In an effort to distract Timmy, Nat put half of the blocks that are on the floor into a box. Do you want to put them in or take them out Timmy? That should take a few minutes. Nat turns to go as Timmy says “DUMP” and dumped all the blocks out of the box. Better luck next time dad.

Who is going to brush your teeth? Mommy or daddy? Timmy thinks for a few seconds and reply “Timmy”. Why does the children never pick the choices given.

Frank brings home Sammy the class pet. Timmy says “big big big eyes, writtle, writtle eyes” He pronounces little with a “wr” just like Elmer Fudd. I thought he was saying railroad for along time before understanding it was for little.

Timmy loves to drive. He says “car keys” and then pokes it into the holes on the train table legs and we pretend to drive while singing the driving in your car song. He pulls the keys out and we stop. Repeat.

He loves to sit and read stories now. For a long time he called books “tories”. Now he also says book, read. He tells me to “mere” (come here), “sit”. I’m getting well trained.

Timmy spilled stuff at the breakfast table. He informed me of this by saying “mommy, chair, wet”.

One day we were going to grandma’s house and Timmy kept saying “dama house big”.

Who wants … ? Timmy says “I do”.

After hearing Baby Beluga at the toddler playgroup, Timmy kept saying “booga booga” in the car when I realized what he meant. Now we have listened to that song over and over. Now he says Baby Booga.

Timmy walks behind Frank saying “my turn, my turn”. Finally Frank gives it to Timmy after parental intervention. Then we hear Timmy saying “My turn my turn” again and he is saying it as he is having his turn too.

Timmy floated lots with the noodle around his chest. But his favorite part was walking up the steps and then back down and then sitting to squish all the air out of his swim short to make big bubbles come out. “Bubbles!” he says and laughs and do it again.

Today Frank said, “I want more life vests. And girls. LEGO girls. To go on my boat.”

I made Timmy a P&J. He looks at it and runs away. As soon as I leave the table he comes back. I looked at him and he turns around to tell me to shoo. I realize he knows I don’t allow him to open up the sandwich and pick out the inside so he is telling me not to look. I go away for awhile. I come back and he shoos me again. He ate the whole sandwich after I left to get Frank. Nat found Timmy with peanut butter hands.

Today is Jan 1st 2010! So what are the kids doing now?

Frank is still sings Jingle Bells and 12 days of christmas. He likes to play camping with me. He uses the picnic set to cook me breakfast and coffee. Now even Timmy says coffee. Timmy like to sit with a plate and knife and fork and pretend to cut and eat. Then we pretend to boat on our blanket. Then eventually we go nite nite on the floor with the blankets and Frank turns off the light. Sometimes Timmy protests then Frank shines the flashlight so Timmy can see.

This year we had a Lego Christmas. Uncle Al gave Frank a 5 gallon drum filled to the top of Lego from his and Nat’s childhood. And a bag of instructions. So for many days after that Nat and I have been sorting them. Grouping them with the instructions and finding inventories for sets without. Making lists of missing pieces and putting it all in ziploc bags. So far Frank is playing with a motorcycle, a motorboat, a canoe and a ferry boat Nat made out of 2×4 bricks on a large plate. He really likes the mailboxes and uses the handcart to load the ferry. And 2 long strings to tie the canoe and the motorboat to the ferryboat.

At the dock house Frank and Timmy collected pinecones to throw. Timmy says “throw, ocean.” I asked “throw Timmy in the ocean?” Frank says “but we love him. Don’t throw him in.”

Frank is on the star system. He gets stars for doing homework and being extra good. Then when he gets 5 stars he can pick a prize. So far all his prizes have been candy. He loves to do homework and sometimes refuse to go out to play. It has been very cold and wet but I hope we go ride bikes soon. Frank has a hard time writing 5. And when he doesn’t practice for awhile he forgets some of his letters. I make boxes for him and that helps him keep his letters consistent size and next to each other. He does not like to be told what to do. And claims he can do everything. He wants to grow up.

Frank draws from Ed Emerly’s book and we take turns picking what to draw. He puts them in the plastic bags that comes with our newspaper and talks about saving them to send to Akamai.

When you ask him why he often answers “Because I want to” or “I just do/don’t”. Frank often says “Mommy, can I show you something cool?”

Timmy is doing pretend play. He pretends to eat from the picnic set. In the car he started to say “hit’. I thought Frank was hitting him. Then he told me “yaya hit”. So I turned around and he was taking yaya’s arm and beating it over his face. I asked him if we should give yaya a timeout and he said yeah. He also tries to feed yaya. And likes to show things to yaya. He says “yaya, see”.

This weekend at the dock house Timmy is starting to say 3 word sentences. Everyone understands him with his words and his gestures. We went down to the dock and Timmy says pinecone, throw, ocean. When he was done he says done, home. He says “round and round” as he spins around. Lots of long skinny things are octdidi (octopus), such as necklace, wash rag at bathtime, string, etc. He drives it around repeating octdidi. He says cookie, acotcot (apricot), open and close, puzzle, key. He got hold of the keys to the white van and was going in between the lamp shade. When daddy peeked around to see what he was doing he put the key back quickly and told daddy to shoo shoo. Then repeat. He refused to let go of those keys even when we played outside. He put them in his pocket and says papa for pocket. Takes it out again. Finally we were going to throw pinecones in the ocean and the condition was he give the keys to daddy. He compiled. As soon as we got back he said daddy, key. Later he scratched the wall with the key so it has been put away. He asked numerous times for it and we have not given in. We forgot to pack the highchair but Timmy actually likes to sit in the adult chairs. More freedom I guess.

Timmy says “mere” for come here. He was feeding the seagulls and kept saying, “mere, eat” He says most of his body parts. Ears, mouth, eyes, nose, arm, leg, feet, hand, chin, tummy, tongue in chinese, teeth, finger, toe. He calls necklace “on on”. He asks you to tickle him and then runs away giggling. But if you don’t chase him he comes back and says “tickle”. He is spitting. Not just at teethbrushing time. Milk and water drinking time and has gotten several timeouts. Sometimes he does it as a sign of protest.