We're still waiting on delivery of Rainer's balance bike, but we got Georgia out there on her new adapted tryke yesterday. It's supposed to rain all week, so I am glad we got out there when we did! It took a little adjustment (mainly, we had to find the right pair of shoes), but once she got going she had fun. I think it really works her legs even though right now we are pushing her. I hope (and think she will) get to be a little more indpendent before too long.
This was her first time on, lacing up!
Then we ventured out into the alleyway (but we still hadn't figured out the best shoes yet. (It was trash night so trashcans abound in these pictures, though I tried to crop them out.)
Check me out!
The view from here.
Rainer rode along on his tryke, too!
He's learning how to pedal, but he still needs help and steering, is, apparently a foreign concept!
I tell you though, trykes, bikes, helmets, etc? Feels like we have BIG KIDS on our hands!
Of course Mister Man is diving head-first into the terrible twos now. We have both sets of grandparents coming to visit this month and he clearly wants to put on a show for them! Of course he couldn't be a complete meltdown-having (and inducing) sprite for just us, he has to wait until people come to call.
It's tiring! And kind of hilarious at times. I wish I could have a video camera on us sometimes. The level to which he will fight a clothing change is absolutely absurd. The highs and lows of his emotions rival the most comitragic plays. Two-year-olds are downright bi-polar. And it's rapid cycling.
He's currently up in his crib yelling "No socks!" even though I made sure to remove his socks before leaving his room. (BTW, yes, he's still in his crib. I dunno. We're lazy.And yes, he can also don and doff his own dang socks!) He's actually pretty good about napping still usually, and if he doesn't have a nap we all feel the effects, so I don't know what his deal is this afternoon. He can probably sense that I have a headache. I am weak.
He's been doing the "hide-a-poop" trick lately, too. No, thank God, I don't mean he is actually hiding dooks throughout the house, he's just...denying he has to go, hiding, refusing to sit on the potty, and causing himself no end of discomfort. He'll probably end up constipated like his sister, I can't tell you how often I find him squalching grunts and doing the squirm dance under the dining room table, behind the easle or couch. What is the DEAL with kids and shit? We aren't putting any pressure on him to potty train (although he occasionally goes on the potty, I think primarily because he'll get a sticker and a marshmallow), but he still has all this anxiety about it.
I am sick of the toilet.
Earlier, when he CLEARLY had a rather large speciman in his diaper I asked him if he would go grab a pull-up so we could change him. He immediately, and quite ferociously screamed, "No! Never!"
I couldn't help it. I laughed. He laughed too. It was ridiculous.
Lord, grant me the serenity to get through the twos (and threes, and fours, and fives...)
My head is killing me. And this kid needs a haircut.
It's a gorgeous day and we have been out most the morning. I only have a minute because I just put G on the bus and I promised R a walk to the park. Georgia has gone from a girl who doesn't really like being outdoors (even in nice weather) because she didn't know what to do with herself, to loving it. Rainer has just ALWAYS loved it. We don't really DO all that much out there, dig a little with the shovel, eat snacks at the picnic table, explore our teeeeeeny tiny yard, talk about the many noises we hear. It's funny, a siren will go by or a dog will bark and one or the other of the kids will throw their hand up to their ear and say "Listen! What's that!?" And the rest of us try to identify the sound.
I have a busy week brewing. I have a dentist appointment and a podiatrist appointment. A visit to a new physician because our insurance changed. I have a board meeting tonight and Chalice Circle at church tomorrow. I am in a new poetry group and that's Thursday. And my The Biggest Loser-style fitness challenge class starts Wednesday.
I have done everything in my power to get invovled and make this place feel like home and if we are ever to leave there are certainly things and places and people I will miss sorely. Next week marks our third anniversary in this house.
All that said, though, my heart is still in New England and it's really difficult for me to resolve those feelings. I don't know if I will ever feel truly settled here and I don't want to regret it for the rest of my life. I really wish I didn't feel this way. It would make things a lot easier, I guess. But I am sick of only seeing our family a few times a year, being alone on holidays, canceling trips because someone gets sick, and when we do visit, having to make a huge long haul for it to happen.
There's more to it than just that, though, too. It's a gut-feeling. It's a sense of place. It's knowing that G's education would be much more in line with what we envision for her if we leave this place. Seeing the kids grow up in the great ourdoors instead of the big-box suburbs.
While there was certainly an element of stress added to our last week because of the PTing, G ended up getting a pretty bad cold on Sunday which, I think, attributed to some of the behaviors we were seeing. She took a couple days off school (and is off today b/c of an early dismissal) and though she is still a little stuffy (Rainer's got it too and we were up with him several times coughing overnight last night) she seems to be on the mend.
Despite the kids being sick, this week has been much better. It helped that Alex took some short days at work. We did decide to go back to p/us because of all the stress (and the sickness/behaviors) and it seems to be going well. We are still bringing G to the toilet at regular intervals and she is doing really well. Today she has stayed dry all morning and she has asked me TWICE to go sit!
So while last week I was feeling like a failure, this week I am realizing we just need (and will continue to need) to strike a balance and do what works for us. It's definitely something we will need to suss out as we go. I feel VERY encouraged by the fact that she is telling us when she needs to go and willingly sitting. I have hope! (And I didn't last week.)
Today when I was preparing breakfast, Rainer came in with no bottoms on saying he needed help putting his pants back on. Seems he had taken the initiative to sit on the potty himself. So. Bonus! It'll be awhile with him it seems, too, but I'll take his initiative!
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This is going to be the spring of bike riding! G's grandparents sent her an adaptive tryke (it has a bucket seat, adaptive pedals and a push bar) and we are so excited! Georgia's PT wrote to me a couple weeks ago and told us she is having a lot of success with the tryke at school and we wanted to continue that progress at home. The fact of the matter is G is still "plopping" a lot and will often not willingly walk along with us. I think this is a result of her anxiety because if she SEES the destination (and likes it) she will usually walk. It's when the destination is unclear that she has more trouble. Though...not always. Sometimes it's just plain...Georgia.
It makes going anywhere a real challenge with the two kids. Up to this point we have been using the stroller when appropriate and double-teaming them when we can, but we need something more at our disposal, for when both parents are not there. We thought about getting a wagon, but the wheels on a wagon aren't great and come to find out, the weight limits on those things are ridiculously low (our two kids would already be almost two big for most of them). The tryke appeals to us because it would promote independence, she can learn a new skill, and she can get exercise instead of just being pulled (or carried) (or pushed) around.
I was worried about her still being in a stroller at 4yo, and though I have been assured by many friends that it is common for 4yo to still stroll, I like that this is a little more independent and age-appropriate.
I don't know if this would be so glaring to me if I didn't also have Rainer who is usually quite willing (and excited) to walk. I am sure we will still use the stroller at times, but options are good!
Speaking of bikes, we scored a great woot for Rainer the other day. We'd been thinking about getting him a balance bike ever since my dad brought them to my attention last fall. We thought he was too small at the time, but he's growing like a weed (and doing all that active boy stuff quick quick quick) and like G, somewhat overnight it seems he is ready. I almost bought one full price the night before my friend told me about the one-day deal, so we scored him a Skuut metal strider for $39! (Usually around $90.) We're waiting for it to arrive, but we got the kids helemts yesterday and they have enjoyed trying them on!
Yes, G's head is TINY (we have to adjust the helmet to the absolute SMALLEST setting). No, she doesn't love it (but she's going to have to learn to at least tolerate it). And yes, that IS a hand-me-down girl's Halloween shirt Rainer is wearing. This is also a FAKE smile.
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More on G's behavior. She is definitely going through some developmental leaps. She is talking a lot more. Somewhat overnight. So, I have to remind myself that her pattern in the past has been to go through these tough times and when all is said and done we have a new skill to celebrate.
I wonder if it is painful for a catterpillar to turn into a butterfly?
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Georgia is loving the iPod the last couple days. I was surprised yesterday to learn that she knows not only how to identify objects, but how to identify them based on their features and funtions. We have an app from Kindergarten.com that asks "Which is flat?" or "Which one tasts sweet?" etc etc and shows three choices. She is pretty good at it and, I, admittedly, am surprised. This is a whole different "level" of language understanding and, I guess I truly DON'T understand how much she understands--but it's a lot! I pretty much feel like the iPad is going to be a true asset to her learning and SHOWING what she knows as time goes on. What a great tool!I don't want her to become a "game-head" or whatever, but I am loving technology!
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Finally, because we had a video of G the other day, I thought it would be only fair to post one of Ringo today. Rainer struts his stuff. (I am sure this will primarily be of interest to the grandparents!)
