So Grown Up

Kemper and Rowan had their second tooth cleaning appointment recently. They did such a great job. Unlike the first time, they each sat alone in the chair while they hygienist did her job. Neither moved, both opened wide when asked, etc. They were apparently more tolerant and obedient than many adult patients! When it was time for the dentist to look them over, she checked Rowan first. Kemper got in the chair for his turn, and she said, "Your brother has 20 teeth. How many teeth do you think you have?" To which he replied, "Well, I'm missing one, but I still have all the rest." Too cute.

(In case anyone is reading who didn't already know this, Kemper had to have one of his front teeth pulled at 18months after knocking it all the way up into his jaw when he fell at a friend's house.)

Alone Time

We've been trying to spend some one-on-one time with the boys, and have been successful the past couple of weekends. A recent Saturday found me picking peaches with Rowan, while Morgan took Kemper fishing. A good time was had by all. Kemper caught one fish (and released it, since the Charles river isn't as clean as they say), and asked if sometime he could keep what he catches and bring it home for mommy to cook. Rowan ate some good fresh peaches and nectarines, then drove the old tractor on the farm's playground before we headed home. Mom and dad have it easy, with only one kid to keep track of. We miss out on family togetherness, but in the end it usually is worth it.

Out and About

Last week I had no daycare or summer camp scheduled, so in a very uncharacteristic moment, I planned ahead and got passes to the Science Museum from our local library. I was a bit nervous, as the last time I tried going there on my own with the boys, it was a disaster. They were just too young. But this time, it was a smashing success.

Not that they really did much other than press buttons and listen to the prerecorded information at the displays, but they had a blast. Boston's museum has a Van de Graaff generator, and they put on a live lightning show each day. It's a pretty cool thing, but loud and dark. I was worried it would scare the boys, but it was their favorite part of the visit! That and the replica of one of the Apollo capsules.

We left after 3 1/2 hours, not because the boys were acting badly, but because the parking fees are outrageous and I was getting worried about how much that was going to cost. But this was definitely a record for our little group.

It was such a success, I joined for a year. We'll definitely be going back.

Over The Hump?

Lately it seems like we might be leaving the terrible twos behind. Sure, my boys are now 3 1/2, but I can assure you that they have been terrible well past their twos. But in the past few weeks, there have been little indications that they're really becoming little boys instead of toddlers.

Kemper, picky eater extraordinaire (I'm sure that came from me), has been very brave and tried pretty much everything we've presented. He's gone from eating only pizza, tortellini, macaroni & cheese, and chicken fingers to salmon, lentils with rice, quiche, ham sandwiches, clam chowder, lo mein, and baked ziti. In short, it seems my days of cooking two dinners each night are becoming a thing of the past. What a relief! Of course, it's always most successful if we eat as a family, which can be tricky during the week when Morgan is working. But we're trying.

I can actually convince the boys to clean up their toys. Sort of. And with lots of nagging. But they're starting to get it. Kemper occasionally says, "Mommy, I think I'll go clean up the living room." What mom wouldn't be thrilled at this? I hate nagging about something so unimportant, though, so I've enlisted the help of the House Fairy. It's silly, but it works. (If you want more information about her, check out her website: www.housefairy.org)

Bedtime is usually a breeze. Aside from the occasional tussle over how many books we'll read, they're ready to get to bed most nights. The last time we had a sitter, they had a good nap during the day but still asked her if they could go to bed around 7, then did so without any fanfare. Sometimes Rowan still sneaks out of his room to ask stalling questions. "Mommy, about what time are we going to wake up?" "Mommy, I'm sweaty so will you check on me later and put my blanket back on me?" Or similar things.

There are, of course, still tantrums and occasional bad days. But those will last forever, I think. I keep running into parents of older kids at the grocery or similar locations, usually when I'm being stern with the boys about not listening, and they universally say, "Oh, it just gets worse, you wait!" Hmmm. That may be, but at least now they can reason somewhat, and can finally be trusted (most of the time) not to run away from us when we aren't looking.

Peace and Quiet

I'm currently in D.C. visiting my brother- and sister-in-law and their two kids. Cyrus is just over 2, and Darya is almost 3 months, I think. Due to a variety of factors, we decided the best way for us to come and meet our new niece would be to each come alone for a weekend. So here I am. They just moved into a new house and, as I'm sure you can imagine, have tons of little things to get done. However, having the two small kids can make this a bit challenging, so I've been trying to be helpul.

This is the first time I've been away from the boys overnight since they were born. I guess you could say it's my first "vacation" in 3 1/2 years! And let me tell you, Cyrus is sooooo quiet compared to the symphony of sound that fills our house each day. I don't know if he's particularly quiet, or if it's a singleton thing, but man, even when he's being cranky, it just isn't loud to me. I suppose part of it is that he isn't my child, so it doesn't irritate me the way Kemper and Rowan can, but I have to confess I'm enjoying the toned down environment.

I did speak to the boys at bedtime last night. While we were talking, I realized another first - I had never spoken to them on the phone. It was pretty cute. Kemper of course claims that he behaved well for daddy, but seemed to take pride in telling me that "Rowan just whined all day". I'm sure he's leaving something out, but I suppose that's to be expected.

Do I miss the kids? Sure. But I'm certainly enjoying having a little break.

The Gag Rule

You may think you know what the gag rule is, but I can assure you that unless you've been pregnant and suffered through morning sickness, you really don't.

Here's my definition:

If you're grocery shopping and some particular item makes you gag, don't put it in your cart. Instead, search for those few elusive foods that sound even remotely appealing and buy those. This actually makes for easy shopping, since you can skip over pretty much the whole store. Unless, of course, you're feeling generous and decide to buy something for the rest of your family.

Oh, and the pregnancy books that talk about eating a wholesome, balanced diet? Phooey on them. I'd like to see them try and choke down a healthy meal while trying not to vomit. I mean really, how are you supposed to eat well when the only things that sound good are not so good for you?

The Devil is in the Details

So my previous post was a bit curt, I admit it. I had tried a couple of times to do the whole potty training thing, with disastrous results. But with summer camp looming in August (they require the boys to be toilet trained), I had to bite the bullet.

Last week I spent a whole day with each of the kids doing the deed. I used a book about which I was rather skeptical - Toilet Training in Less Than A Day - but in the end it worked quite well. It has been a week now, and in spite of a few accidents, all is going much better than I could have hoped. We are diaper free! Even at night! Woo Hoo!

Now I need to spend a little more time on the small picture items - namely, how to wipe and the appropriate use of the toilet paper roll. The picture above is what I found this morning when I woke up. Rowan claims he only peed, but it looks like he got a bit distracted. Oh well. I suppose I should be glad he didn't flush it all.