Author: The Notorious M.O.M.

Our boys love music. Especially songs where they can goof on the lyrics (gee, I wonder who they learned that from, Dad-o!). We’ve incorporated many variations of songs into our daily routine, such as:

• Tricky – Run DMC (they chant this as they walk up the slides at the playground)
• Rock Candy Mountain (when candy is near)
• Personal Penguin (and myriad variations) – this is a bedtime tradition from waaaaay back.
• Buds In The Car (to the tune of “pants on the ground”)
• Fa Fa Americano (aka Wip Bip Bip Yeow, often sung while chasing each other/us)

And then there are songs that we listen to in the car that the kids really get a kick out of:

• Diamonds on the Soles of her Shoes (aka Dinos on a Skateboard)
• Another One Bites the Dust (by famous singer Freddy Markery)
• Ring of Fire, Rusty Cage, and A Boy Named Sue (Finny loves the bit about “cut off a piece of my ear”)
• Peter and the Wolf
• Buds in the Car (sung to the tune of “Pants On The Ground”)
• Moves Like Jagger, aka “Moose Like Jacket”
• Graceland
• The Fast Cheap and Out Of Control Soundtrack aka “Elephant Music” (listen to it and you’ll understand)
• Lovely Rita Meter Maid
• Big River by the Beat Farmers
• Party Rockin’ by LMFAO

When Yvonne (our new nanny) and the guys got home from the park this afternoon, she told John and me that Finny told her he was planning on finding a wife, and would therefore need some “date nights.” She mentioned that he might want to start out by first finding a girlfriend. When I was chatting with Finny one-on-one a few minutes later, I asked him about his date night idea:

M: “Yvonne tells me that you need a date night.”

F: “Yeah, but first I need a girlfriend.”

M: “Oh, you do? Where will you find one?”

F: “I’ll look for one on my computer when I get older.”

M: “Oh, ok, that sounds like a good idea. In the meantime, maybe you could find one at school?”

F: “Well, I like Jordan, but she’s big and going to kindergarten, so she won’t be at school anymore.”

M: “Oh, I see. Well, what about Cosita [a 3-year-old at school]?”

F: {furrows brow, looks at me skeptically.}

M: “Oh, too small?”

F: “Yeah, too small.”

M: “Well, when you find one, where will you take her on a date?”

F: “To see a movie. I would like that.”

And so we have a plan for Finny’s first date night.

[Finn tells me, “I’m going to name my wife ‘Off-Of-It.'” When pressed as to why, he tells me, “Well, she’s always going off of things.” Go figure! ;-p See also from last year, “The Marrying Men.” –J.]

John never uses simple words to describe things to the boys. That would be far too boring. He always chooses exciting-sounding words to describe things that are otherwise kind of dull. For instance, instead of learning new “skills”, the boys learn “new techniques,” such as jumping and spinning, putting Legos together in new ways, or playing new games. We frequently hear “Mom-o, Dad-o, check out my new technique!”

Well, it’s only Tuesday night and already this week the boys are working on several new techniques! Just this evening, Finny did a few somersaults, something he’s never done before! And starting yesterday, he and I started working on learning to read. He expressed a keen interest in understanding what words look like, so I told him we could work on a couple new ones each day so that he could put together the various sounds that letters make when you combine them into words. We’re working on easy ones that look like they sound, so we can sound them out: dog, up, go, big, boat. I’m so excited that he wants to learn more!

Henry’s working on a new technique as well, big-guy style. When I got back from my trip to Seattle last week, the first thing he told me was that he’d peed in the potty! He was so proud of himself. I’ve asked him a few times since then if he’d like to give it another try, and he’s agreed to try it a couple times.  Tonight, another successful “potty shot,” so I think we’ll start encouraging him more (and bribing him with stickers. Oh, and now that Henry’s getting potty shot stickers, Finny wants to get stickers, too. So Finny gets “word” stickers when he sounds out words successfully).

Finny and Henry may not be card-carrying members of the Justice League, but they do have some freakish superpowers.

First, Henry:

• Infantile super-strength: This is where it all started. For a little baby, his pushing and kicking strength was unbelievable! I got more than a few fat lips from that guy!
• Choco-location: His uncanny ability to locate chocolate that has not been mentioned nor seen (by him) before
• “There’s another one after this:” His innate knowledge that the (previously-unseen) video we’re watching will be ending within a few minutes, followed by him presumptively talking about the show we’ll watch next

Now Finny:

• The Sandman: If Finn gets anywhere near sand (beach, sandbox, the park) he is somehow able to sequester enormous amounts of it in his clothing and then lay down a fine layer of grit ALL OVER the house. And this is AFTER we shake his shoes and clothes out before we walk in the door!
• The Drunken Master: Finn is able to walk mere millimeters in front of you AT ALL TIMES, thereby preventing you from freely moving about. Regardless of whether he knows your final destination, he somehow manages to be completely in your way the entire time you’re trying to get somewhere.

Many of you already know that John’s on sabbatical in Guatemala right now. The boys and I are entering Week 2 of being without Dad-o, and so far everyone’s holding up really well. This is in no small part due to my sister (a.k.a. Auntie Laura) staying with us during Week 1. She arrived last Saturday, the day after John left for his trip, and stayed with us the entire week – lucky Mom-o and lucky Micronaxx!

Laura loves her little nephews to bits, and they had a blast hanging out during the day while I was working. She took them to Happy Hollow and the Children’s Discovery Museum, among other destinations, and she also took them to preschool on Wednesday. Since the boys are in bilingual preschool, Laura got to practice her Spanish quite a bit, which was fun for her. She taught them all kinds of words – their favorites being “uvas” (grapes), and “calabasitos” (pumpkins).

When they weren’t out and about, the guys were spending tons of time playing in the backyard, sandbox, and making art in the basement. They were also playing in their new pirate tent (also courtesy of Laura!), which they love. We had pajama parties on Laura’s bed in the TV room, which was perfectly situated for watching Mighty Machines and Thomas videos. Henry, in particular, couldn’t get enough of hanging out on Laura’s bed. Every night he asked if he could sleep in there (presumably, to watch more TV!). And every morning Henry would ask, excitedly, “Is Auntie Laura still here?” then go running to look for her.

And Laura was a big help to me, providing great company – helping me run the household & wrangle toddlers into the car, baths, pajamas, beds, and play clothes. We all had such a good time with her here, we plan on making it an annual event if we can! 🙂

First, a few background details:

Finn uses a little wagon in the basement to transport his big cardboard blocks back and forth to the “quarry” in the far corner.

We read a lot of Babar books, which contain fascinating, arcane details like getting “vigorous rubdowns with alcohol and soft brushes” when one is cold.

Baby cousin Jenna has been discussed as being too small for quite a few activities.

We overheard Finn sticking up for his little brother at Bouncyland the other evening, when a 5 year-old was trying to tell him that Henry was too small to jump in one of the bounce houses.

Now, the story, verbatim, that John overheard Finny reciting in the basement yesterday morning while playing:

“I have a son who’s about 20 months. He keeps wanting to come to the quarry with me, but he’s just too small. Maybe he can come in 5 months, or 7. His name is Alcohol. He’s at my home with the mom. Her name is Beagle. My name is Sir Bobbiter.”

…and I do mean demands!

Finny has entered the wonderful stage of making earnest, repetitive, targeted demands. And, since nothing gets by Mr. Henry, he is definitely aping his brother’s less-than-polite tactics for getting what he wants. It’s as if we haven’t been reminding them to “say please, say thank you” repeatedly day after day for years! Some examples (and believe me, this is a sharply abridged list!):

Finny:

“I want more milk! I want cinnamon toast! I don’t want toast, I want cereal! I want to watch Thomas! Mom-o, stop talking to me! Henry, stop playing with my trucks!”

Henry:

“I want truck videos! I want my trucks! I need my two Ollies! I waaaaaaant iiiiiiit! I dropped my _____, get it for me! Wipe my hands off! ” And, immediately upon waking the day after Halloween: “I want candy!”

It just goes on and on. I imagine being on the receiving end of the constant demands must feel somewhat like an old-school stockbroker shouting and signaling futilely in the middle of the insanely crowded trading floor. We stand firm and don’t move a muscle until there’s a “please” added to turn the demand into a request!

[I think Finn might actually need conflict right now, for whatever reason. He can be what seems like deliberately crazy, trying to get a rise out of us. For example, after trick or treating the other night, while I was putting Henry down Finn silently helped himself to a huge pile of M&M’s. I wasn’t pleased, but I didn’t make a big deal of it, and I said he could have more in the morning. “You said I can’t have any in the morning!!” he wailed, over and over, despite my protests. It was so irrational, so arbitrary-seeming, that I figured he must somehow need the battle. (Well, that and his poor tired bod was undergoing an epic sugar crash!) –J.]