40 Years, new words, and Samuel-isms

My parents celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary last weekend so I thought it fitting to have a small tribute to them. Two weekends ago we celebrated by going away all together to Nottawasaga Inn - you can imagine how many different pronunciations Samuel had!. This past weekend they were supposed to go to Chicago for the weekend, by themselves to celebrate. But instead they canceled to stay home and spend time with Samuel, Matthew and Renee (and help us out along the way). Words can't express how appreciative I am for their unending support, love and generosity. I think my favourite thing to do is whatch them interact with the kids - there's nothing better than seeing the generations having so much fun. One day Samuel, Matthew and Renee will read this and what I want them to take away is that their Tocayo and Regi would rather be with them, playing, feeding, observing, than anywhere else. What I took away is that parenting is an unending commitment with unparalleled rewards.

Matthew and Renee's vocabulary really started to take off. Both say "up" when they want to get out of their high chairs. Both requested either "a-ah / aga/ auga" (agua = water) or "ugo / u-oh" (jugo = juice at lunch lat weekend). Matthew says "pie" (= foot) and points to it when you ask him where it is, he can also identify his bellybutton. Last week when I asked him where his foot is, he pointed to both his feet and grabbed my hands and brought them to him feet. And, Renee took her top off by herself at bedtime. Leaps and bounds of growth and development!!

And, Samuel's potty training seems to have gotten back on track again. He is full of funny stories and sayings. Like "on your markers, get set, go". He loves asking "how wants to go to my birthday party, raise their hands". He has a new imaginary friend whose name is Rocker (hilarious name as he goes to a Jewish school where there are lots of Davids, Daniels, Joshuas, but certainly no Rockers!). Rocker goes to his school and pushes people in the playground, Rocker will also marry him and his friend J one day. Rocker is not as big as Plop Plop and Ding Dong are though (interesting as Plop Plop and Ding Dong are babies). He also loves pretend play about camp and rockets. He loves telling secrets, although sometimes all he does is whisper nonsensical syllables and other times he just whispers "Mami, I have a secret to tell you, but you can't tell anyone".

We were supposed to go to DC this weekend for Big Birthday Bash #4, the joint birthday celebration the Milk Moms have every fall for our firstborns' birthdays. It was the right decision to cancel the trip, Samuel needed the stability, but I'm quite nostalgic thinking about not being there.

Samuel's Castle

Samuel build a castle last night. Not just any castle, but a "house-castle only for three people, Mami, Daddy and Samuel like the white house in washignton dc when I was a baby and with no bathrooms, and full of googly eggs". Wow. Not sure what the googly eggs are about, but there a message in the rest of the construction's description (did I mention the second potty training regression that started last week?). The next sentence was "and J (his friend from school) can come live with us, and Matthew and Renee, and J's parents because they will miss her". Back to his happy self, but the first sentence was brutal to hear.

Transitions

At Lick's, our hamburger restaurant of choice given the kid's house in the corner and that they play music from the 80s for those of us who don't fit in the plastic house

We transitioned Matthew and Renee to mattresses on the floor last weekend, and it has greatly improved their (and my) sleep. Its also shifted where we spend time int he evenings. before everyone would gravitate towards Samuel's room, full of toys. Now the gathering place is the giant mattress created by two twin mattresses on the floor of Matthew and Renee's room.

Rosh Hashana-nana

We had a lovely Rosh Hashana (or Rosh Hashanana as Samuel says), with the kids all donning new clothes, most amazing of all is that Renee left her hair band in all day.

First Day of School Year, Contemplations on Being Born First and Shoes

Marc and Samuel were talking about going to the hospital (conversation prompted by reading a Little Critter book in which Critter breaks his foot during a soccer game). They talked about how Samuel had only bee to the Hospital twice - once when he was born and once when Matthew and Renee were born. Samuel asked if Matthew and Renee visited him when he was born. When Marc explained that they weren't born yet so they weren't here, Samuel responded by saying "I was sad then, if Matthew and Renee weren't here".
___________

At his first day of school last week, Samuel held my hand as we crossed the parking lot. As soon as we left the parking lot though, he let go of my hand and said "Mami, this isn't a parking lot. I don't need your hand". Sigh - I thought I had a few years yet before this happened.
___________

Renee has her first pair of "real" shoes. They are hot pink running shoes that my grandmother bought her. She spent much of that day, and the next, and the next, "running" with her arms outstretched yelling with glee.

Matthew didn't take to shoes with his sister's keenness. He screamed in horror when we tried shoes on his feet. Both at home and at the store. He's not walking yet, still insists on holding our fingers while he walks.


(pictures to follow when I have time to download)

Car Conversations

While driving back from the Royal Ontario Museum today, Samuel kept asking us to turn the music up, then down so he could talk, then up so he could listen to music, then down to talk, at intervals of less than a minute. But with conversation like this: "Next time we move, let's move to a bear house in the trees" pause "but first we'll need to become bears" how could we resist his requests?

She's Walking

It's official, Renee walks. She's been close for a while but she's all out walking now. Her previous moves were great though - she'd take a few steps, fall on her knees and keep walking on her knees. She didn't crawl, she just walked on her knees.


Samuel wearing silly pajamas - pants on his head, top around his waist. A consequence of saying "Samuel you're big, you can put your pajamas on by yourself". He just went through a big growth spurt - he and Matthew have the same size waist!

Wordless Wednesday

Samuel's Firetruck

Matthew and Renee's First (and last for a while) Day at a Table

(hence the last time for a while)

Synchonized Sleeping and Maliciously Delicious

It's been a while since I wrote an update, but there is no shortage of material, just a shortage of time.

Samuel is hilarious and sings all the time. He loves signing in Spanish which is a great way to keep up his vocabulary. He keeps us entertained non-stop. He's looking tough these days, sporting a scab under his right eye due to a slip down the carpeted stairs.

The other night while out for dinner, Matthew bit my finger really hard (I have still have teeth marks). My response wasn't exactly positive and Marc said "it wasn't malicious" and without missing a beat, Samuel said "Mommy's delicious".

Matthew and Renee are starting to talk. Renee says Mama (to me, Marc, my mom), no (to being put down, having her diaper changed) and sometimes she'll say Maa to Matthew. She also says Ro-o (Rojo = red in Spanish). Matthew says "g-en" (with hard g sound, he means again) and cacker (animal cracker).

Renee took a few steps a few nights ago, but has had no interest in repeating it. Matthew loves, loves, loves climbing the stairs.

The last few nights I've had a hard time sleeping so I've had plenty of opportunity to sit up in bed watching them sleep. They move in synchronicity. They roll to the right, or the left at the same time and often end up in the same position, be it with their legs crossed, or arms out, or on all fours with their bums in the air.

The One Year Olds and Their Big Brother

"Get us out of here"

Waiting for Breakfast

"Hi Buba Ruth"

"I like the card"

Dancing with Bubbles

Watching the Dancing with Bubbles


Birthday Girl

Birthday Boy

Big Brother

It's cliche, but really, where did the year go? Matthew and Renee are one. It's official, confirmed by a birthday party and the eating of cake.

More to come about the three kids each of whom is amazing and all together they fill my life and heart in ways I could have never imagined (I'm just a little tired to write right now, but wanted to share pictures. I'll share more when those who had free hands with which to operate a camera send them to me).

Eleven (and a half) months

I'm well behind, lots of reasons (three kids and a full-time job).

Some random thoughts on Matthew and Renee being 11 months old:

- they both crawl. Renee was first. Matthew started at a Shabbat dinner at my parents a few weeks ago and never stopped!
- Matthew climbed up the stairs today
- Matthew loves music, dances all the time. He really likes pivoting in one spot.
- Renee claps and waves
- Renee says "Mama" (at me, at my mom and when ever she doesn't like her circumstances). She says "up" when she wants to be picked up. And, at daycare she says "no" when they put her in her crib for naps.
- Renee cruises and walks holding someone's hands
- they love, love Cheerios, especially Matthew, and are starting to feed themselves (i.e. make a mess of the kitchen and themselves)
- both love putting things in and out of containers
- Matthew loves looking at light fixtures; Renee likes turning lights on and off
- they are not so keen on their exersaucers, but love their activity table

Our typical weekdays:
- wake up, nurse, get dressed, play without adults while adults get ready, go to day care
- pick up from day care, get home, nurse, play, eat dinner, play, bedtime
- wake up 1-2 per night (per baby), or more if sick (as an aside, of the 6 ears in our house under the age of 4, 4 are currently infected!)

Our weekends are a blur of fun and non-stop "things to do" (like laundry which we do daily, cleaning the kitchen, diapering and dressing, grocery shopping). The fun is mostly time we spend together, both the 5 of us and the 5 of us plus Abbeywood (my parents, sister, nephew) with whom we have dinner every Friday and Sunday. The three kids are at an age where they are a lot of fun.

Samuel continues to be hilarious and perpetually happy. He has really embraced the Judaic and Zionist aspect of his school, although when asked "are you Jewish?" he says "no" and then says "I'm Samuel". He loves reading from an illustrated children's Bible. In the section on the 10 Commandments, he denies the existence of the 5th commandment, honour your mother and father, and has instead replaced it with "you won't break your bicycle". Everytime he sees blue and white, he breaks out in song "kahol velaban" (blue and white and my colours, blue and white are the colours of my flag). He has taken to saying that he'd "like to be a baby again in Washigton DC" - we think all the changes of the last year have caught up with him now that M&R are older, mobile and starting to invade his physical and social space. I hope he continues to take change in stride when school ends in 2 weeks and he starts attending M&R's daycare for the summer.






Matthew and the Stairs:
Daddy and Babies:
One night Eduardo came for dinner, they outnumbered us 2:1 - good thing they can play together:
The activity table: