Catching Up

I've sure been in a blogging slump. How about a nice this-n-that catch up post?

Well, I'm posting this picture to show how cute Felicity looks with her hair up. By the way, she will only let the neighbor girls put her hair up; I can completely forget trying to do so. But as you can also see, featured prominently in this shot is one of those disgusting push-ups that Papa bought. They are "Fear Factor" themed, and the kind Felicity really liked were bright yellow with bright red slime that was supposed to look like blood and a gum ball "eye" in it. Felicity would ask for "one of those Popsicles with the funny eyeball in it". Kwamai was actually far too grossed out by the whole thing to eat any, so lucky Felicity got to finish off the package.

As I've mentioned before, Felicity wants to copy everything Kwamai says and does, which can be most disconcerting. The faithful blog reader may recall that some time ago they started into knock-knock jokes. (Felicity greeting me one morning as she woke up with "knock knock!"). Right now their funny joke is to make a burping noise and then say (repeatedly) "Excuse me, I burped." I am a terrible stone face, and Kwamai knows he can get me to laugh pretty easily as long as I am not in a completely grumpy mood.

Kwamai has been growing up in so many ways this year. It is interesting to have him lead us through so many stages, seemingly none of which I feel prepared for. Right now he is a chewer. He started with shirts, but he has moved pretty quickly to plastics. Pens, cups, lids, toys -- he literally chews them up and spits them out. I bought him a package of beef jerky today, and I will probably go back for the larger bag shortly. I give him gum, and after 60 seconds or less he spits it out, saying "it got all yucky". Since he gave up thumb sucking it seems he needs a new oral fixation. Maybe we need to buy him a flute.

Oh yes, how could I forget whistling. At least I always know where he is, even when he plays outside, because when he isn't talking he's whistling. He discovered one day he could do it, and he's not stopped.

We ended up returning the "Click n Read" program as it turned into something we battled over him doing rather than something he enjoyed. Part of the deal was that he do it willingly. He's started doing more Star Fall work instead; it is similar and free. But more important to me is that he is really interested in reading. I really have to lay off and not pressure him, because I know his interest is his own and not the interest I would have. But at the library he spends lots of time looking for books he would like, and he more frequently asks me to read, and he spends time "reading" on his own. I put that in quotes, but I know he is looking for what he can read on his own, which is growing day by day. We recently got some of the Captain Underpants books which are sure to make him love reading.

Other than reading, I know that anything science-oriented will thrill him; cooking is another big theme, nature exploration is big, and the history of things, like who first invented drills.

Felicity likes her books too, and she loves the Wiggles and dancing and she's also into Mother Goose right now. She is very into being 2 and screams and cries a lot when she gets into conflicts with Kwamai over toys.

Just when I get the boy stages down pat I'll have to toss that all out the window and learn Felicity's girl stages!