Swim Lessons

Sorry, but no one is allowed on the pool deck so this phone photo from the window upstairs is the best I could do.

Freddie began swim lessons this week.  He did well despite being more than a little timid around the water.  The water was chilly and his teeth chattered almost the entire time.  He blew bubbles, jumped in, kicked his legs and had a good time. 

It is a program through the NYC Parks and Recreation Department.  As with everything in the city, it was an interesting mix of people, and all were city folks with little experience in the water.  There are 8 weekly lessons.  I've been on the hunt for (convenient) swim lessons for toddlers but I haven't really found much; even private lessons nearby seem hard to find.

Lessons are at a recreation center near Midtown, just south of the tram so it is pretty convenient.  There are a few pools on the island that the boys may have to visit to log some hours in the water practicing.  

Lovin'

Enid A Haupt Glass Garden

• Discovering playgrounds, especially those with bunnies!
• Watering plants
• Little hands gripping cobs of corn
• Piles of laundry COMPLETELY put away
• Trumpet of the Swan
• Teacher observations and notes
• Evenings with Charlie
• Beach towels
• Big strollers
• Animal crackers

44 Weeks

10 Months!

Pictures with the both of you are nearly impossible

Appearance:

• A little more hair, maybe
• A new tooth; that makes three on top and four on the bottom.  Another will be here next week I believe.
• Thunder thighs
• About 28 inches and 21 pounds
• Brown eyed with long lashes

Diet:

• Eating less
• Drinking more milk, 10-15 oz per day from a cup
• Nursing twice a day, morning and night
• Three meals a day
• Loves cheese
• Eats whatever we're eating

Likes:

• Singing songs before nap.  You'll do your version of the motions for the Itsy Bitsy Spider.
• Reading books.  You giggle and point to the pictures.
• Freddie, and anything he has you want.  I must say the reverse is true as well.
• Bathtime!  So much fun to have Dada and Freddie's complete attention.

Dislikes:

• Diaper changes are totally a waste of time in your book.  You gotta go!

Vocabulary:

• No new "words" but still a communicator
• Lift arms up to be picked up
• Beginning to point as a request
• Waving lots and saying "ba-ba", even if it is just as your scoot on by me in the kitchen on your way to catch up to Freddie.
• Animal sounds.  You will do a "moo" and a bark when we are looking at pictures of animals.

Making sense of the world:

• You will pick up your socks or shoes and then reach for your feet as if you are trying to get them on.
• You put hats on top of your head.
• You will put spoons in the pots and pans and "mix."  You still like the sounds, but there is a difference in your approach when you are using them to make noise and when you are imitating what you see. 

Personality:

• Rather easy going
• Becoming more outgoing
• Observant
• Cautious

Working on:

• Standing.  You are very brave and will let go of my hands to clap.  You are pulling up but aren't sure how to get back down.  
• Crawling.  I see you up on your knees, especially in the crib, but I am pretty sure you'll skip conventional crawling and get right to walking.
• Sounds.  You imitate all of the sounds we make or at least you try.  I love watching your mouth as you try to get just the right sound out.

Walker

We're seeing some movement on two feet!  He climbs up and moves with purpose across the room.  The problem comes when he's ready to sit back down and isn't sure what to do.  Freddie usually grabs him around the waist and plops him down.  

Raising Boys

Male chauvinist in the making?

 
Since you were wondering, I did not wipe his heinie, nor have I shown him girls are capable of riding bikes.  Charlie said he was surprised I didn't march right back down to school, dragging Freddie by his ear to find out who had peppered my baby's mind with such foolishness.  I can't say I wasn't tempted.  But I did plainly tell him everything he said was just silly, and girls can do anything boys can do. 

We don't live in a bubble.  Actually very far from it in New York City.  Thankfully.  With diversity comes assholes those with differing views about women, politics, prayer, football, bacon.  I try to model tolerance of vegetarians, really I do. 

Freddie learns all sorts of interesting tidbits from his peers, especially those with older siblings.  The mere mention of poopoo sends him into hysterics lately and he's been making special trips to the bathroom to use "potty words" since that is the only place I'll allow them.

In retaliation, we have been practicing hard core football talk around here...The Dirty Birds are going down on Sunday!  Who Dat!  I can only imagine <hope> what Freddie is passing on to his preschool buds.

In all fairness, Freddie is picking up on differences without any help from his peers.  Why don't girls have penises?  Why is Peyton all brown?  Why is that guy in a wheelchair?  So it makes sense he's making observations and coming to conclusions about boys and girls on his own.  (Although I assure you I have the skills to wipe my own heinie, so that was not based on direct observation.)  And we run what appears to be fairly patriarchal style home; Charlie goes to work, makes the trips to Home Depot, talks science and I cook supper, change diapers, and eat bonbons.  As he gets older he'll learn the complexities of marriage, running a household, compromise, and discover who is really in charge around here.

I try to answer all questions very simply.  I also talk about how back in the day Mommy was a teacher and she knows a whole lot of things.  Now that I know such gender differences are on his radar I'll probably point out the female construction workers, chic bassists, and mommy scientists as well as the male ballet dancers, stay at home dads, and dudes wearing pink.  And for as traditional as our household may appear to run, Freddie is also a witness to Charlie taking a good smackdown in Scrabble from Mama on a regular basis.

Jamming

It felt very ironic to be sitting in the Rose Hall at the Lincoln Center waiting for a performance entitled "What is New Orleans Jazz" with my little southern family.  While I prefer to hear my music on the street, that's hard to come by these days, so I wanted to take full advantage of the children's concert series offered by the Lincoln Center.  Unfortunately, this was the only one of three family concerts focusing on Jazz we were able to attend.  

The boys enjoyed it.  Hans, however LOVED it.

I cried, of course.  The opening song, Second Line (This is *really* street music, y'all) made me so very homesick, especially knowing we'll be missing Jazzfest next week.  There was lots of head bopping and clapping from the four of us, and smiles exchanged between Charlie and me as we watched the boys.  Charlie made a mental list of songs needing to be added to Freddie's iPod. 

As always there was a lesson for Freddie from the concert:  the blinking lights in the lobby mean it's time to return to your seat before the show begins.  I do love how the boys take something away from every experience.  I am thankful we're able to expose them to so much.  I'm also thankful New Orleans is always there, and she doesn't really change much.

Lessons from school

Thursday, immediately after school, 3.05 pm

Mama:  Freddie, do you need a heinie wipe?

Freddie:  You are a girl and you probably can't do it or know the right things. You can't even ride big bikes like Dada does or wipe your hienie. You are just a girl and girls don't know things.

43 Weeks

You're a hunk of love, my dear.  And you're getting very chatty, talking up a storm.  You and Freddie seem to get little conversations going and you're really getting good at mimicking his sounds. 

You have dropped down to just two nursings now, and your milk drinking is picking up.  I think you're a little bothered by not having that midday nursing.  Hopefully you'll adjust in the next couple of days.

I think your weight is creeping up but you seem to be holding around 20lbs.  You're getting stronger and continue to work on pulling yourself up and I am beginning to see you shuffle a step or two along the furniture.

You are wearing size 12-18 month clothing, the clothes Freddie wore last summer. 

I see you dancing quite a bit, bouncing up and down and clapping along to the music.  Freddie gets a kick out of this and always joins you.

You also laugh, a grunty sort of chuckle, at stories.  It makes all of us smile.  Thank you for that, love.

Lovin'

• New pajamas
• Sprouting seeds
• Concerts with the boys
• Open windows
• Pink cheeks
• Sun hats
• Encouraging messages
• Memories of my grandmother
• Requests to call for "Doodlebug"
• The Empire Pass
• An empty dishwasher, as in emptied by someone other than me

A Date!

This weekend Freddie and I went on a date.  It was just the two of us for the afternoon.

We went to the New York Pops tribute to Jim Henson at Carnegie Hall.  It was my first outing with one of the boys that didn't involve a diaper bag or a stroller, and my it made life easier.  Freddie needs a little more practice traveling without the stroller.  I heard "hold me" a few times, but overall he did great.

He enjoyed the concert even though he was a restless when the the tribute involved folks talking for a little too long about Jim Henson.  The Muppets and Sesame Street characters were all in attendance.  He wasn't familiar with all of the music, but hearing Ernie sing Rubber Ducky brought a big smile.  I think watching the conductor was his favorite part.  He also like ordering a Shirley Temple and a cookie from the bartender.

Afterwards he chose to have milkshakes and french fries.  By the end of the day his outfit had little drips of evidence of everything he'd eaten, and I was smiling as I was able to look into his eyes as he spoke nonstop for the entire afternoon even through the ten minutes he talked about the dead mosquito on the rim of the toilet.  Thank goodness for that because now I know where his questions about death since then are coming from as he's brought up that mosquito no less than 20 times in the last 48 hours.

Charlie and I have decided spending some one on one time with each boy is something we'd like to make a priority.  It certainly is something I think Freddie craves, and I miss being able to focus just on him.  I get two days a week with Hans while Freddie is in school and I am working on sitting with him rather than rushing around the house at mach speeds trying to take care of business. Freddie was very concerned about what was happening at home without him, and for now I assured him it was just naps.  He's very much insistent on having activities without Hans and this begins the lesson of Hans having activities without Freddie.  Good lessons all around.

Fly away home

7 days from arrival we had chrysalises and 11 days after that we had 5 butterflies.  Freddie liked examining the empty chrysalises after we released the butterflies.  Perfect spring science lesson.  We're now onto rooting some seeds.  The teacher in me is coming out.  Poor, poor Freddie.

More Kisses

42 Weeks

You're pulling to stand more and more, and enjoying the view.  You're quite proud of yourself when you grab onto my hands and get up first to your knees and then to your feet.  You'll even hold on and take a step or two.

 

You'll point to things now.  I'm not sure you're pointing to things as a request just yet, but we're able to share a moment looking at the same thing when you point it out to me. 

You've reached that stage where filling up containers is irresistible.  You like to put things away.  I have to check the trashcan by the desk for toys you've decided need to be dunked.  You'll also pull open the bottom drawers to take things out, but you always manage to pinch those fingers when trying to close it back up.

Freddie continues to be your favorite person even though he takes great pleasure in snatching things from you.  Often you protest but you are also going along with his games as well, allowing him to cook things in the kitchen for you and tolerating his dressing you up.

He climbed right on up to fetch his milk.

You've been sending me messages about food preferences.  Anything you don't want goes straight to the floor.  This morning you held out for bagel and cream cheese.  You also fuss incessantly until I give you whatever it is that we're eating. No more separate meals for you, baby boy.  Everyone eats the same thing.  You also like to eat with a fork just like everyone else.

I love watching you imitate us.  You're copying sounds and facial expressions.  I smile when I see you scoot over to put your head on a pillow after seeing Dada or Freddie use it, and when you catch me watching you we share a chuckle.

You're always my baby, Chubs.  Always.

Tats!

This is quite possibly the biggest hit from the Easter egg hunt.  I'm sorry he's lived three whole years before experiencing the joy of a {temporary} tattoo.

Easter Sunday

Early morning surprises from the Bunny...

"Cootie" is a perfect game for Freddie to play and he LOVES KitKat!

Sharing!

Umbrella and easel were big hits.  The easel from IKEA is a DEAL!!!

Playground at the beach...

Exploring...

Digging in the sand...

Best quote of the day from Freddie:  I LOVE getting dirty!

Picnic lunch...

Muppets movie (which mostly consisted of dancing to the tunes)...