This is the way we count to ten…

The boys, they have been busy.

Timbit, used to count by only using four, six, and nine, and then repeat until he had enough counts for the items in front of him. Suddenly in the last few days, he can count to five. Using the correct numbers. Not to be outdone by himself, he can also count to ten.

Turned three and suddenly life can count,

Little Dingo is also an amazing little turkey. His words and talking and communication skills are astounding me. He asks where he dog went, and tells me when he needs to have something to drink or eat. Or use the potty.

Seriously.

In the last four days, my 19 month old has been asking to go on the potty, and has been going. He’s been dry for four days.

The bonus to this is that when he goes and gets a candy reward, suddenly his big brother wants a candy and has to go and earn it, and now has also been dry for four days.

It’s amazing to think that we may be reaching the end of diapers.

Knock on wood and all that, because I’m totally going to be made into a liar now. But I know it might be possible now, which is pretty cool.

And amongst the tantrums and fighting that they do, today when his little brother slipped on a toy, Timbit asked Dingo if he was okay and gave him a kiss on the head and a pat on the back. That made me want to just squish my little boys and give them a super hug.

Because my kids rock.

(Side note: goodle went goodbye two months ago for Timbit, and after the first day, was fine. And still takes a nap. Did not expect that one. Now just waiting until Dingo gets bigger and his “haydoo” goes goodbye).

Chatty babies…

They say the second child learns things quicker, but they never say how quick. Dingo is trying so hard to keep up with his big brother, he can now say words his brother can, like thank you, and Diego. (which probably tells you how much driving we’ve been doing lately).

Yesterday, I turned around and saw the one year old pushing the two year old on the push car. He’s also figured out that if he turns the car sideways, he can push it without it getting away from him.

This may be my last baby. He needs to slow down a little.

Grumpy Inchworm

My boys.

They’re pretty funny little guys. Timbit likes to run up and down the hall with his push cars, sometimes getting enough speed that he can lift his legs off the floor and sail behind it for some air time.

And Dingo has been watching and waiting for his moment of reckoning.

The day has arrived.

Dingo has become mobile.

But he’s so angry about it. It’s much easier when Mom packs you around. So when I make him crawl, he complains the whole time. Both of his little arms go at the same time, and drag his belly along the floor. By the time he reaches me, he’s in a fine temper.

All he wants to do is run. If you hold him up standing, he’s a happy little clam. He’s even tried to push my hands away so that he can take off on his own, but, well, gravity is a bit of a bitch. I catch him before he falls, but he’s not happy that he can’t just run around like his brother.

Me, on the other hand. I’m okay with grumpy inchworm. He’s not that quick yet.

Less attention, maybe?

I spend a lot of time with my kids. Between making them regular meals, cleaning up after them, playing with them for hours on end, clothing them, changing their cloth diapered bottoms, I don’t have many moments to myself.

Fortunately, they do take naps at the same time, so I do sometimes have a quiet minute to think. And for the first time last night, the baby actually only got up once. As in, for the first time in his entire nine month life. Never mind that his brother was up three times, Dingo finally only got up once.

Cue the heralding angles.

But as I was saying, I spend a lot of time with the kids.

Hazel, on the other hand, well, she hangs out with the kids when there’s food involved. Timbit has a tendency to play too rough for her liking, and while we’re working on that, she tends to avoid him for the most part.

Now, even though the dog treats the kids like they’ve got the plague, they love that dog. So much that “Gog” was one of Timbit’s first words. And Hazel is Dingo’s.

The nine month old can say a word that strangers can pick up on, a two syllable word with difficult consonants, and he can’t say mom.

Harsh, kid. Harsh.

They do bark sometimes

Dingo has been going to dance with me, while Timbit has been going to the sitters. they’ve both been doing well with that situation, so far, and the kids love hanging out with the little guy.

So, one of the kids today, noticing how Dingo, as most babies do, was chewing on all his toys, makes the comment that babies are kind of like puppies, with how they like to chew on things. At that moment, Dingo looks at the girl and shakes his head.

Couldn’t have timed that one any better, my boy.

Two weeks ago, my littlest man started clapping his hands, and doing his best to try to crawl. Now, he hasn’t figured out how to do it yet, his little thunder thighs keep holding him back, but he’s so close. When he’s sitting, he leans forward and almost gets his knees underneath him, but with his one leg straight out to the side and his other foot getting caught up on his leg, he’s having some issues, but he’s close. He gets so mad though, that he can’t just go, and I want to help him so much, but it’s one of those things I can’t really help him with.

Hello, Captain Obvious, self.

He’s started saying a few words, and both of my kids first words revolved around the dog. Tidbit said “Gog” and Dingo said “Haydoh”. I’m starting to develop a complex.

Not to be left out, Timbit has started to say words that are becoming more and more clear. He says thank you (Ank You) to everything. Even when he gets to sit in his room for “soother time”, (AKAel a time out), he says thank you when I open the door for him to go sit on his bed. For the most part, he gets along really well with his younger brother, but now that Dingo is starting to play with the things that his big brother want, we’re starting to learn to share. Sometimes.

Those kids, totally worth it though, especially when one of them lays his head on your lap and says I love mommy. Mind you, I came in second in the family inventory, the dog beating us all out. But he said it and that he loved everyone else, too. Totally going to have to keep him now.

Potty training, or lack thereof…

Kids are weird.  They are more than happy to do their thing in their pants, and sit in it.

What, you expected something other than poop talk with a title like that?

But seriously, isn’t that uncomfortable?

My sister was blessed with early trainers, shortly after both of their first birthdays, both her girls were done.  We’re currently in diaper land, with no end in sight, and I am the Mayor on Duty (choose to read that with the pun intended).

The little guy, well, he’s 7 months old.  He can barely sit up, or get things in his mouth at the particular angle that he wants it, let alone tell me that he’s got business to attend to on the throne.  But the two year old?  Really, you can say you want to go downstairs and play hockey, but you can’t mention that you have something else to do first?  Like, oh, I don’t know, not sit in your own filth?

Like I said, kids are weird.

There are many things that I’m going to miss about babyhood, but diapers is not one of them.

Why my husband needs to come home…

We are almost out of ice cream.

That is why.

Turns out, when B has to work late, and stays in camp, and I am home alone with two small children all day, and am currently breastfeeding, and so cannot enjoy a decent sized glass of wine, I eat ice cream.

And we’re almost out.

However, with all the ice cream ingestion, this post could also be titled, Why I’m Glad Dance Will Be Starting Soon.

Damn summer weight.

It’s a jungle out there

Because B works two weeks on at a time and two weeks off, in the fun environmentally damaging world of the oil industry, for two weeks at a time, our lawn and yard get seriously behind.  Because he works two weeks on a time, he is often getting home after I’m done putting the big kid to bed and dealing with the screaming of a not quite colicky baby, but is consistently very grumpy in the evening due to gas and other ailments that plague the little guy in later hours of the day.

But back to the yard.  When someone finally has time off, I look forward to the break.  We each take a kid, we start splitting the housework and life is easier.  However, this time, the yard is getting priority.

This is a good thing though.  The last few days, Timbit, Dingo and I have been trapped in the house, not daring to even crack the door or the windows open, because of the vampires out there.  The blood sucking thirsty demons who even come out in the heat of the day to feast.

Damn mosquitoes.

Seriously though, we all look like we’re suffering severe cases of chicken pox, after only spending minutes outside.  The two month old has gotten his first bites as well, and as he’s too small for any repellants or anything for his delicate little self (sheesh, suck it up kid), we can’t do much on the outside world.

Ever been trapped in a house with a kid who lives for outside and the world of dirt and rocks?

Or a kid who can’t sit still for more than a couple minutes at a time because he’s a go-er, and a boy, and has recently discovered he can climb on almost all of the furniture now, since his mother is a dummy and feeds him enough to grow and get bigger?

Good times.

And so, B is stuck outside until the lawn is under control.

I mean, i would do it, but that’s what husbands are for.  Especially when its hot and mosquito-y out there.

And then they sleep…

And of course,i’m wide awake.

Go figure.

I am amazed at how quick they grow. The little one is no longer such a squish baby. He’s starting to get to that age that people love about babies, where they smile and coo and aren’t just sleeping all the time. He’s getting some personality and I really like it.

I do tend to like each age better than the last though, so it doesn’t surprise me that I’m likin him more and more each day. Right now, he’s snoozing on my chest and I’m loving it because those days are short. His brother will still come in for a quick hug or snuggle, and then he’s off like a whirlwind again. The tantrums are draining for both of us, but I know those too will pass. The days of me being their number one girl are numbered, and yet, they’ve barely begun.

I see why people keep having children, in quiet moments like these.

However, because B and I are crazy people, we’re going to take the boys camping. Two under two in the truck to wherever we happen to end up. We have a destination goal in mind, but we’ll see if we make it there.

Hmmm, it’s almost like raising kids.

Who needs sleep?

So, these little boys of mine, while adorable and darling and all, have conspired against me.

Yes one is only 19months and one is 8 weeks, but they’re my kids.  They’re smart.

Heh.

But they do seem to be against their mother getting any sleep at all.  the little one now gets up at 6, and the big one, who used to get up at 6, is now getting up at 7.  No sleep in for mom.  Nap time is interesting, to say the least.  The little guy sleeps off and on all day, but he is consistently awake at the time his brother goes to nap.  Since his brother is now down to just one nap, it’s the one time of the day we could all crash, but just as the big guy wakes up, the little one has decided he’s had enough awake time for the day.

Evenings are fun too.  Timbit goes to bed around 7, with usually no problems.  That’s Dingo’s hour to start the crankiness for the evening, if not sooner.  While the gripe water helps, he usually doesn’t crash until about 9.  Then there’s that whole, I have to feed him thing in the middle of the night now.  He does usually go right back to sleep after eating, so that’s nice, but there’s a lot of broken sleep going on.

But, I do know it will pass.  The big guy sleeps through the night almost consistently now, and the little one will get there too someday.

Kid updates:

Timbit: Now yells for Hazel (sounds like AY-LA!) all the time, he loves that dog.  Can now drink out of a cup and use a fork, and just today, finished off a freezie and marched himself to the garbage to get rid of it.  My big boy.  He does NOT however, like going on the boat, when we pull people behind.  Doesn’t like be restrained (as in isn’t allowed to walk around on the boat while it’s moving), and doesn’t like people in the water.  Should make for an interesting summer.  Tantrums are on top of the things of fun right now, including full out jumping up and down in anger when I won’t let him play in the knife drawer.  Meanest mom in the world award here.

Dingo: Is starting to fill out nicely, and is fitting 3 month clothing already.  He did awesome on our trip to New York, and was a cute addition to our party.  Just for reference though, some Broadway shows will not let kids under 4 in them (some do), and so I missed a lot of performances, but that’s the price you pay for when you bring the teeny ones along.