Ride Away

Nori rode a bike yesterday. After a whole summer of scooting around, she put her feet on the peddles and pumped back, than forth, then backwards a few more rotations, then pushed forward.

Don't Spare Me the Details

Last week we had another early intervention assessment with one more to go. It will be a great load off our backs, emotionally and financially, to put these appointments behind us. We are looking good. During our evals, the therapists, coordinators and doctors run through a list of age appropriate milestones and check off yes or no according to our responses. They casually observe the kids, in case our perspective is skewed I suppose, and continue to make notes during our appointment. As each fairly simple yes or no question is presented, I have to hold back the details that I feel are more important than the answer.

Do the pretend play? Yes, but what you really need to know is that Charlie makes the cutest noise when he feeds his Mack truck breakfast. That he chooses cars and talks about how they are “friends.” That Nori’s pretend play revolves around a script that is based on real events that happened the day before. That she slings her tiny purse over her tiny shoulder and says “I’ll be right back,” as she pushes her baby stroller to the door.

About how many words do they have? Both of them can repeat back any word given to them. Can they identify and name everyday objects, like cup or toothbrush? Sure, and we can add front loader, back hoe, crossing guard and all the characters from the movie Cars for Charlie. For Nori we can add stethoscope, cantaloupe, and “kelele,” which is the Swahili word for “noise.”

Do they speak in two word sentences? Let’s see..My favorite for Nori would be,” Mommy I need you right now.” So not only does she speak in full sentences but she also has a sense of time, and realizes that when I say “one minute,” I might mean “not ever.” Charlie’s would be, “Want to stay in my cribby.” He loves to lounge in there long after he wakes up. His sense of time is a lot less urgent.

Is there no milestone for musician recognition? Can’t we mark down somewhere that they can both identify a Lady Gaga song from the first few notes? I would like to add for the record that they both have penned their own songs. Charlie’s is called, “Mamma car, Daddy big Truck,” and is most often only sung with an echoing microphone. Nori’s is called,” You and me,” and she holds my face or Charlie’s hand when she sings it.

So much gets lost without the details.

If I Get it All Down on Paper

Some friends of mine that I met through the mommy world have created a blog called Jersey Moms Blog (jerseymomsblog.com). They have graciously allowed me to write for them so I will have an article posted twice a month. The other girls who write for the blog are much more talented than me so it is worth a read :) Also, anything I post with them cannot be posted here. Therefore, this blog will be more scrapbook and the posts on Jersey Moms Blog will be a little more insightful. I am not really sure when and how I am going to fit all this writing in but I like the pressure of a deadline because it keeps me working on something other than emptying the diaper genie.

Back Here At Home There's Nothin To Do

Back from our 2nd family vacation. We spent a week in Sea Isle with Bry's side of the family. It was a really great vacation. That sentence sounds so trite but it really was a great actual vacation. We went to the beach just about everyday, I read a whole book (something I have not done in a space of three days in quite some time), Bryan and I went out for dinner, twice. We took the kids to the Ocean City Boardwalk, the Cape May Zoo, and on the Sea Isle Trolley. We had our first fudgie wudgie man moment. We even got to spend some time with my friend Sandy and her kids who happened to be up from Florida and vacationing nearby. I realize as I write this that it sounds as busy and full as a normal week, but that's the way I like to vacation. I have never been very good at sitting still and most of the time the kids roll with me in that kinetic state. In fact after I finished my book on Thursday I started to get a little antsy. Bry urged me to just chill out, but really, when have I ever done that willingly.

Evil Genius

We were at the park yesterday afternoon and Nori was chattering away, as she does, asking questions, ("Why is Charlie doing that mommy?") and making declarations ("I want to wear my hat"). A woman overheard our exchange and asked, in that I just had to ask tone, "How old is she?" I replied, "Two, almost two and a half." The woman half nodded with relief and replied,"Oh she is so tiny. I thought she was younger." I laughed and jokingly said, "Yes, she probably looks like a little genius." To which she replied, "Well my daughter was talking at 9 months so that's what made me ask.." At which point the conversation was over but continued in my head.
"9 months, really? Wow that must have been really annoying. Did you just come from tennis lessons or do you always wear a short white skirt to the park to read Style magazine from the shady bench? Sorry to run, but I have to go now and chase after my son who is kissing the bronze statue of the little boy to whom this park is dedicated and stop my genius daughter from eating the mulch."

Hopefully my face was not gesticulating wildly during my inner dialogue. I wonder now about her motives in striking up the conversation. I guess it was not really a conversation at all, but really a fact finding mission, or a competition for which I forgot to pay the entrance fee. She didn't seem to be looking for a doubles partner. Maybe she was between fads in her magazine.

Sand in Your Eyes

Our first beach day of the season. By day I mean the morning since as the nap nazi I had to have them in the car and on their way home by 12:00 so they could be in their cribs by 1:00. Overall a great morning but I did lose one of Charlie’s shoes somewhere between pushing the stroller up a hill of sand and d-sanding two two-year olds in the back of the car. I am still considering it a win since it was only one shoe.

I met two moms from the neighborhood there. All of our children are in their two’s. At this point they play together without much intervention from the moms, giving us the opportunity to talk. So what so we talk about? The kids. I guess it is the same with any work colleague-you discuss the job and as you get to know one another better you decide who will be more than a colleague. Two years in and I am still finding my place in the motherhood community. It took me at least six years to feel like a natural at teaching so I guess I have some time left to get the hang of this job and the politics that go with it. Ironically, by the six-year mark I should get a paying job, putting me into a whole new demographic.

As a teacher I liked getting observed and evaluated. I liked feedback and constructive criticism. It was a way for me to check in and improve. The evals at this job are a little less concrete and not often constructive.

However, every now and then I get a “Yay mommy.” And that, by far, is the best evaluation I have ever gotten.

Let Love Rule

Our usual routine when crossing a parking lot out to the car involves carrying Charlie and taking Nori by the hand. Nori could walk before Charlie, and now she is less likely to break free and run than he is. Once in a while, I here a request from down below. “Pick me up mommy.” So I assure myself that I look like a bad ass, rather than an over taxed mother of twins, and carry a child in each arm. A few days ago I honored the request, and as I juggled Nori into the bend of my elbow, she laid her head on my shoulder and said, “I love you.” Rather than reciprocating her declaration I paused in step and speech and questioned her motives. Does she love me because I just got her a cookie from the bakery even though we will eat dinner in 15 minutes? Is it because I am not strict enough and I give in to her every whim? Does she even know what she is saying? Am I teaching her what love is? Correctly?


Loving correctly. Now that’s how I know I am dangerously close to parenting pedantry. Today, I am just going to bask in the love and leave the analysis to the experts.