Play-Learn-Grow-Repeat

From Wednesday Mom – Janelle:
Tate loves to mimic his older brother, which can get them both in trouble from time to time.  Lately, Tate has been all about the alphabet and numbers. Jack has a pretty solid understanding of letters, sounds and numbers. When we practice Jack’s alphabet and counting, Tate tries to copy. His vocabulary is only a few random letters and numbers, but he seems to get really excited and shouts his version of the alphabet song.  I must record his singing on video so one day we can share it with him.

Tate doesn’t completely understand what he is saying or counting, but he wants to be like his brother, and I assume it can’t hurt. Tate loves to count anything, his toes, his blocks or whatever his eyes focus on. Sometimes if we’re stopped at a red light he’ll pick out one or two letters displayed on a billboard.  He is aware of these new symbols and is realizing they’re everywhere.  He watches over his brother’s shoulder when we do exercises, and he likes to contribute his own knowledge of whatever letter he feels is right at the time. As for Jack, he says “Tate needs to sing the alphabet a couple more times; he keeps messing it up.”  He’s right; repetition is key.

As the years go by I am sure Tate will always imitate his brother. I hope he chooses the best Jack has to offer. They are playing more together now and it is fun to watch them carry on like brothers should, learning from play as well as practicing their ABC’s.

From Monday Mom – Neetika:
Is it March already? How did that happen? Over Christmas, I was talking with my family about several trips, weddings, etc. we have on our calendar this year. Most of them seemed really far away. Now they are almost here, and I actually have to start getting ready for them! What am I going to wear to this thing? What am I going to buy for those people? I guess life is what happens when you are busy making other plans.

One of my favorite things about special occasions is that it means the three of us are together as a family. I never thought I could be so invested in someone else’s vacation schedule, but when Joe has a day off, I’m not sure if he’s more excited or I am. Vacations take on new meaning when they mean there is another person around who is also responsible for Haley’s welfare.

Joe is great with Haley, and it warms my heart to see them together. Haley completely lights up when she sees him. Of course, it makes me sad that their time together during the week is so fleeting, but it makes the weekends that much more fun. I tease Joe that the childcare is completely up to him and I’m “off duty.” Even though we’re actually parenting in tandem and sharing the demands, Joe says it’s almost a relief to get back to the office on Monday and get a break! I just smile and I say, I told you it wasn’t easy!

I think it’s great that the fathers are so involved in our generation. However I think that in most cases, moms have a natural aptitude for certain skills when it comes to kids, especially babies. Joe loves Haley every bit as much as I do, but I am the one who has an instinct for what she needs, whether it’s an extra nap or a chew toy to soothe sore gums. I’m able to process her current behavior, her general tendencies, what I’ve read, what I’ve heard from other moms, and what I believe is best for her—and spit out a plan to handle any given situation. I’m not always right, but I have more of a knack for this computation than her father does. Because of this, I can’t help but feel that a little more of the weight of responsibility is on my shoulders. And that can feel like a burden.

As Haley grows up, I imagine Joe will continue to be seen as the fun one, while I’m worrying about whether or not she had enough whole grains that day. But it’s okay. It works for our family. I’ll let Da-Da be the one she can be silly with. Their time together is precious.

From Friday Mom – Jaime:
To be a good lawyer, you have to be a good storyteller. The ability to present the facts and law as a compelling argument is a skill. Some of us are excellent at weaving our best tales on paper; others are the most masterful on their feet. But whether you’re better in writing or aloud, either way, you have to captivate your audience with your words…

At night, as we put Andrew to bed, we read books. I read him one, and Daddy reads him one. Andrew has introduced into this ritual telling US stories. They all begin something like this, “When I was a baby, my Nana took care of me and…” What follows is some utterly fabricated story about what Andrew did one day while my mother was watching him.

The first story was a tale of a hockey game that she took him to, where they watched a match-up of the Devils and the Ewers (which, to my knowledge are NOT a hockey team) and Nana LOVED the hockeys because no one fought and no one cheated and everyone won…

His next story began one day when he was a baby and he was playing with his water table in Nana’s backyard. What happened next involved complex plots and subplots, multiple characters with names like “Tardy,” “Juice Box” and “Greener Pastures” (a bear, rhino and bunny, respectively) and had me in tears it was so funny.

I generally text these stories to my mom, who tells me how amazing it is he has such a good imagination. Other reactions (not from her, of course) range from “He’s so smart” and “You do have other family members” to “What in the world is he talking about????”

I keep trying to remind myself that this is exactly what he’s supposed to be doing. That making up these stories is leading to the development of a good imagination and healthy – not that he’s creating some bizarre fantasy world he’d rather live in where bunnies named “Radish Muncher” prance around showing off their oh-so-cool sunglasses and bathing suits…

I really need to write all these stories down for him and make them into a book. One that I promise I will not break out at his bar mitzvah or in front of his girlfriend when she comes over to the house. (Yes, I realize I have memorialized this in writing – in front of MANY witnesses – so I have to keep my word on this).

The truth is, I can’t wait to hear what he comes up with tonight!

Have a good weekend everyone