Took the words out of my mouth

The way we talk to our children becomes their inner voice.

— Peggy O’Mara

Dad Post

August 25, 2012

Jubs,

You just said the funniest thing.  It’s getting a bit late at night and, needless to say, Asher is getting…crabby.  As he is whining/complaining you walk up and clearly state: “Go to bed, Asher!”  You said it with this perfect tone like “It’s past your bedtime, baby”.  Your mother and I couldn’t help laughing at it.

Everyday cuteness

Click here for cuteness

Brobee Love

Sometimes you are so adorable that I have to turn on your bedroom light at 10:30 at night to take pictures of you.

Milestone Moment

Today you had your very first dentist appointment.  You were freaking out from the moment you saw the chair and you screamed (SCREAMED) through the whole exam, but after that you were cool.  You were stoked about the complimentary tooth brush and when the assistant handed you one, you promptly said, "Asher's turn" so Asher could get one too.  You have shaped up to be quite the loving big sister.  I was stoked to learn that as long as we get rid of the binky (and your brother's thumb sucking) by 6 your adult teeth will come in normally.  Until next visit...

I couldn't get you to sit in the chair even for a staged picture.  

You did touch it once before we left so it evened out.  

Potty Chart

A few days ago, you and I made this here Potty Chart!  I wanted you to help me glue and put everything on here so you felt like it was YOUR potty chart.  If you can see through the bad picture quality of Dad's phone, you have THREE stickers already.  You are still resisting the whole potty thing on a daily basis but I will say that you are way more interested post potty chart than you ever were pre-potty chart.  And honestly, I think you would be totally potty trained if Asher wasn't SO interested in the whole potty process.  EVERY time I have you sit on the potty Asher is like RIGHT there making you laugh and/or bugging you.  I'm not exactly sure what to do about all that just yet.  But whatever, it will happen when it happens.

Toddler Step

This is a (bad) picture of you sharing space with a complete stranger little girl.  She kept coming up to you asking to play and you would do your usual response and run away.  BUT today you did so with a smile.  And then later on when you were on this bee bouncy thingy and she jumped on, you didn't run away.  You enjoyed a mutual space with a stranger kid.  A toddler step of sorts.  Too big to be a baby step.

Dad Post

Dear Jub Jub,

In an attempt to write to you more often, I’m going to write about stuff the day it happens rather than try to remember it, write once in a while, and realize I forgot it.  Today you showed me a brand new skill.  Normally, when we play computer games you either have me do all of the work or move the mouse and have me do the clicking.  Today you started clicking the mouse buttons all by yourself.  In fact, you’ve gotten so good at it that I could leave the room and come back to see that you had finished games all by yourself.

North Park Nature Center

Today's adventure was the North Park Nature Center.  You loved the bees, the rabbit hide, and bones.  

I  just got you your own magnifying glass and now you are a huge fan of all things magnifying.  

It was a little awkward explaining why we have the skin, but no  bunny....

How cool is this teepee?

Duh, mom

Today while driving, Asher was saying something over and over again.  I couldn't figure it out so I was shouting a few dozen suggestions. 

Then after clearly having enough of it, you (in a very teenaged tone) said, "NO! Doughnut!"

(We had unbeknownst to me driven by 7-11 where we occasionally get doughnuts so now every single time we pass it, Asher says doughnut.)

I thought your tone and delivery was hilarious.  Very Duh, mom!  And I really loved that YOU were giving ME the correct word. 

August 11, 2012

Today was a GORGEOUS day.  Perfect temperature (75) and other than a few annoyances everything seemed to just fall into place.  AND a realization was had.  More on that in a second.

We started the day with the zoo where we got a parking space on the street that didn't cost 20.00 - score!

 

We discovered that the Lincoln Park only has ONE frog (seriously literally ONE frog) and NO penguins. Ummm...what's the deal Lincoln Park Zoo?  And that duck on the bottom picture was the biggest food hog duck that I have ever seen.  He just kept following people looking for food.  This trip to the zoo was a little different than the last ones.  Both you and your brother were actually into the animals.  We would say "Look there's a zebra" and both of the you would want to stand on the fence and be like OMG a zebra!

When you guys got sleepy, we headed home and no one fell asleep in the car.  Another score!  THEN both 

of you took THREE hour naps.  Score!

Since it was late when you got up, we went to a sandwich spot for dinner.

Followed by wishes and balloons.

Then we headed to the park.  

As we were driving over there, we had the phone plugged in because it had gone dead.  We aren't that great at charging the phones.  We get to the park.  Parked. And knowing I want pictures of you guys at the park, I ask Dad to go ahead with you guys and I'll sit in the car while the phone charges.  I sincerely was just waiting for you to freak out and Dad and I switching places.  Dad got Asher and said, "Come on Aria let's go to the park.  Mom will come later".  And you stopped and thought about it for a second.

And then it happened.

You came over and gave me a kiss and said "I love a you".  And said, "Bye mom" and went with Dad.  You kept turning around every few feet and waved and yelled, "Bye mom".  And then off you went to the park with Dad.

Even writing that, I get a little teary eyed....as I did then.

You've never done that before.  Ever.  Ever.

I get it.  You are getting older and more independent.  I, on one hand, am totally psyched about that. You are talking better every day.  You do more things by yourself and are becoming WAY more comfortable with people.  I sincerely LOVE that you are doing all that.

But, on the other hand, it was totally one of those in your face realizations that you are getting older and are growing up.  In three weeks, you are going to have this whole section of your life that doesn't involve me and you are going to be put in all these situations that you have to figure out without me and that all scares me a little bit.  I know every kid goes through this but it's never been MY kid. 

Ugh.  Parenting is rough.

If I get past the emotional part, I'm hoping that this is a sign that you going to preschool isn't as bad as I make it out in my head.  And I really really hope that after a few days that you do as you did today.  Kiss me and say I love a you and tell me good bye.  But (not so) secretly it's going to be hard for me when you do just that.      

Alas, life goes on and when I got to the park, you guys were totally having fun.

Then we played till it got dark and went home.  Even with the teary eyed realization, it was a pretty perfect day.  On to the next!

Videos from last week

You walking Brutus like you're 10
Click here for cuteness


Dad is HIGHlarious
Click here for cuteness

Asher's Video Bomb

You are OBSESSED with looking at pictures these past few days.  Instead of requesting computer games on the computer, you just want look at photos and you want to see the photo albums.  It's actually really cute.  You just sit on the couch with the albums for a decent amount of time naming all the people in the pictures.  

 Click here for cuteness

The video is kind of boring with a dash of the force known as Asher Rothman.

Snippets

Required backstory:

Asher is super silly and in the car when bored he gets crazy and thrashes his head back and forth while kind of screaming.  It doesn't sound funny or cute but it is (we're trying to get video of it) and you think it is hilarious so then he just keeps doing it I guess until he is really dizzy.  Oh and on a daily basis he does a number of naughty things. 

So.

Yesterday, we were in the car this conversation happened.

 Asher was entertaining you with his car antics .

Me: "Aria, WHAT is your brother DOING?"

Without skipping a beat.

You:  "Being naughty".




After casually entering Asher's bedroom where Dad was lying on the bed:

In imitating exactly how I say it.

You:  "What are you doing?"


You are in a "That's a" phase where you tell what everything is throughout the day with "That's a" starting the sentence.

That's a Asher.

That's a squirrel.    And so on.

In the promo of Curious George, Earth comes up a the screen.

"That's a planet."

Dad swears he never told you that and I know I didn't so thank you planet episode of Olivia - she's paying attention.

Little brothers....

After working for a good 5 minutes on this picture, I went over and spied on what you were drawing.  I said, "Oh Aria that picture is so good.  Is it for me to put on the wall?"  You, then, handed it to Asher and said, "For Asher".  SERIOUSLY the cuteness!!!!  

However....Asher was documenting and he takes his documenting a little too seriously so in response to your adorable awesome gesture of love, he threw it on the floor and continued to document.  Oh little brothers....

This is a completely staged picture.  Notice how Asher is STILL documenting.  My little journalist...

Before bed reading

The Exploritorium!

 Last Saturday, we went to THE EXPLORITORIUM (that's how Dad says it and now that's how I say in my head when I write it....) in Skokie.  When we first got there, it was pretty empty so you and your brother just ran from one thing to the next in a fury.  One of my favorite parts of the day was watching you and Dad climb through the giant tubes.  I was in awe that you were A. sparing space with complete (loud) strangers and B.  that you and Dad were climbing SO high up.  You guys were basically touching the ceiling.  And I loved watching you play dress up.  I HAVE to get you some dress up clothes.  It is beyond adorable watching you become these little characters.  Oh and watching you play in the water with your little green smock on was beyond cuteness too.  We will definitely be going back soon.