Kid-isms

A post on our recent weekend in Heidelberg 'tis forthcoming (as is a catch up one on the St. Nikolaus train) but it's been a week of kid-isms around here, so thought I'd share a few (you know for the grandparental set that check in here regularly)

We've had some lovely days recently. Some nasty ones too, but there's been enough spring mixed in to inspire us to get out and buy some pots and some flowers. B had the most awesome time helping me plant them. I had my potting mixture in an old tupperware garbage can and scooped dirt from it into all my planters. Naturally, I let him help me scoop. "IN the pot, B. IN" I'd keep repeating as he, in his all-boy he's mastered, far preferred to fling dirt all over the patio and at his brother. "IN the pot" I'd repeat "IN the pot". Finally, he's one big dirt ball, head to toe, and daddy takes him up to the tub and off to bed.

The next day: He's out in the yard, mostly unsupervised, because other than some nettles and a dead Christmas tree, there's not anything too kid unfriendly back there. I wander out after bit to see him sitting by my just-potted plants, scoops of dirt in his hands another all over his face, giggling and proudly repeating "IN" as he transfers dirt out of the strawberry plants and heaps it on the Begonias.

Learning spatial relations: Check!


Those of you who know my youngest, know his appetite goes in fits and spurts. Some days he eats everything, but most days he grazes a bit here and there on fruit and bread. Sometimes I'm not sure he eats at all, but instead pushes his food around his plate (or foists it off on Brother). It's been a particularly non-eating week around here. This pattern has repeated itself enough over the months that although I note his lack of interest in food, I don't worry about it much anymore. One recent afternoon, I came downstairs and found the child leaning on his belly, legs dangling off the credenza, unwrapping hershey's kiss after hershey's kiss and popping them in his mouth as fast as he could unwrap them. Apparently he had climbed on a cooler we foolishly left in the kitchen and leaned as far in as he could to reach the candy. I don't even know how he knew it was back there. For as much as everyone says he looks like his daddy, I guess he's inherited his mama's sweet tooth.

problem-solving skills: check
gross-motor coordination: check
fine motor development: check

Heaven help us when his devious side develops!

Not to be left out, big brother has had a few moments of his own this week. My hands down favorite, however, is his waiting and watching for the strawberries. When I planted the strawberry plants, I pointed them out to C and showed him the little white flowers and explained to him that with water and sunshine the plant would grow
and the little white flowers would turn into strawberries. Every day since then, he'll (at seemingly random times), rush over to the window to look at the strawberry plants, which are still barely more than seedlings, turn to me with great anticipation and ask: "Mama, are the strawberries ready yet? I think it's gonna be a long 6 weeks.