Dear Thomas and Theodore,
Your ability to be in the moment, to live in the present, is a wonderful gift.
However, on occasion it might be useful to look at the bigger picture.
Thomas, in the grand scheme of things, going to bed is not really a hideous form of mistreatment doled out by us, the meanest of parents. You aren’t missing out on anything. We don’t party away when you sleep. (OK, we might open a bottle of wine, but you don’t like wine anyway.)
Theo, in the grand scheme of things, having your nappy changed is but a brief moment in time. Numerous unsuitable, grubby and potentially dangerous things will still be there for you to put in your mouth. Your adventures will continue.
So, beloved children, please try to get a bit of perspective.
June 30th, 2009 | Category: Uncategorized | Leave a comment
“Stop! Do not bang Theo’s head on the table.”
Thomas looks up, all surprise and wounded innocence.
—————
Thomas, brandishing a chop stick, perkily asks, “Mummy, can I stick this up your nose?”
“No.”
“Why? Mummy, why?”
—————
June 22nd, 2009 | Category: Uncategorized | Leave a comment
Theo has taken to waking up for the morning at 5:30am. Today, he took his first nap at 6:50am. Grrrrrrrrrr.
June 20th, 2009 | Category: Uncategorized | Comments (1)
I sneezed.
“Excuse me.”
“OK, Mummy. U’m ‘xcusin’ you,” Thomas replies.
June 10th, 2009 | Category: Uncategorized | Leave a comment
An attempt to transcribe Thomas’s monologue in the bath tonight, when he found a long hair of mine, wrapped it around his finger, and was then engrossed with 3.5 year old play for about 10 mins!*
“U’m lyin’ in the water here wif my special worm.
Don’t tug me.
Wah … wah… wah… (simulating crying)
OK. Ah go ’round you.
Fanks.
He(l)p me. He(l)p me. Can’t get to the beach.
Quickly, quickly. It’s freeeeeeezin’ in here. Got it. Got it. Goin’ in the water.
Got bof wet. Got bof wet.”
“Hi. Fio. Fio. Fio.”
Theo was gradually cruising his way along the edge of the bathtub to play with the tap, and inwardly digest Thomas’s monologue.
*Clarification (for those unfamiliar with 3-year olds): 10 minutes is a long time for a small child to be engrossed.**
**Clarification, Pt II: 10 minutes is a long for Thomas to be occupied with something harmless. Anything unsuitable is usually endlessly engrossing too.
June 4th, 2009 | Category: Uncategorized | Leave a comment
A young scientist, Dr. Theodore B-D, is continuing his research into the effects of gravity on eating utensils, despite his mother’s assurances that the Earth’s gravitational field will always result in a downward motion.
Over the past week, Dr. T has taken to carefully grasping any eating utensils left in his reach and dropping them over the edge of his high chair. He uses visual techniques (craning his head over) to confirm their final landing position.
“Over the past few days I have ascertained that plastic spoons all fall, regardless of color, day of the week or whether I have sucked on them or not. Metal spoons also fall and make a louder noise upon impact. Despite my unexpected speed and agility in grasping my food bowls, I have not yet managed to hurl one to the floor. But I feel that food smeared all over my face and hands has resulted in deliciously soft skin,” Dr. T stated in his initial report.
He added, “My next research project is to see what happens if I climb up the stairs. My research assistant seems to be tacitly consenting to this project as she keeps forgetting to close the stair gate. Incidentally, I am a scientist and not a believer in intelligent design, since my parents do not have eyes in the back of their head, which any intelligent designer would have installed in parents with 2 or more mobile children.”
When asked whether he thinks his mother enjoys continually picking up his spoons, he looked confused by the question, raised his eyebrows (another new development), said ‘Da da da’ and banged his hands on the table.
June 3rd, 2009 | Category: Uncategorized | Leave a comment
May 30th, 2009 | Category: Uncategorized | Leave a comment
We all had a great day at MAker fairs. As usual we were inspired, amazed and amused. Thomas remembered a lot from last year, and the rocket was the biggest hit again.
Theo took 2 good naps in the ergo.
May 30th, 2009 | Category: Uncategorized | Leave a comment
Alice caught the baby with some difficulty, as it was a queer-shaped little creature, and held out its arms and legs in all directions, “just like a star fish,” thought Alice. The poor little thing was snorting like a steam-engine when she caught it, and kept doubling itself up and straightening itself out again, so that altogether, for the first minute or two, it was as much as she could do to hold it.
–Alice in Wonderland
Theo rivals the Alice in Wonderland baby. Boy, can this child squirm! So, we’re about to banish the changing table.
May 25th, 2009 | Category: Uncategorized | Leave a comment
Tony took Thomas to choose flowers for me for Mother’s Day. Apparently, he took it very seriously, carefully surveying all the wonderful choices at our local florist. I love that he chose bright yellow spray chrysanthemums. Just like his three-year-old self, they are bright, cheerful and unsophisticated. And beautiful.
(By contrast we are now enjoying flowers from my mother’s birthday: a deep pink peony, delicate pink roses with pale green ruffles and dark green and copper foliage. Beautiful in a completely different way.)
May 23rd, 2009 | Category: Uncategorized | Leave a comment
