Forward, backward, staying in place

Clair: Moving forward

Clair can just about sit up on her own! This is a huge milestone that I remember from the boys' infancy. It is so very freeing when you don't have to prop a baby, or bring along some sort of sitting apparatus when traveling. And she looks like such a big girl, sitting up all straight-backed (for a few minutes at a time), playing with a toy and checking out the scenery.

And this morning, lying in my bed, playing with her feet, she started full-on babbling: DA-da! DAAA-da! Da-da-da-da-daaaa!

She sounds exactly like a fictional baby character in a Pixar movie. It's so adorable, I can't. even. deal.

Dean: Slightly stuck

Dean had a really bad evening yesterday -- very much like the ones I'd thought were somewhat behind us -- and of course, it was a night when Lester had a meeting. He was so over-the-top, all exposed nerves and tears and irrationality -- that I ended up putting both boys to bed at 7:25, no bath, no story, no fanfare. Just Good-night. Close the door. Heavy sigh.

It was all I could manage.

He's also started a bit of a stutter, getting stuck on the first words he's trying to say, especially when those words are "Cary," and "Baby Clair," for some reason. It often sounds something like: "Tarry-tarry-tarry-t-t-t-t-tarry-tarry (pause) Tarry took the Legos away!" I have read that we should ignore this, that his brain is just moving much faster than his mouth, but it worries Lester. Especially when paired with his stress-and-sleepiness-related eye-blinking, and his ball-of-nerves emotions. But, surprisingly, I (for once) am inclined not to worry. I think this is very normal for kids his age, so we'll try ignoring it and expecting it eventually  to go away.

Cary: Regressing

Cary, who can recognize all his letters, insisted today that a foam letter "L" was the letter "K." Like, arguing with me about it.

And this child who has known his colors for sooo long, very often lately, confuses red and yellow (who knows why.)

Michelle said, after two days of peeing in the potty, yesterday he flat out refused to sit on it (which made his shadow decide not to sit on it either.)

And this morning, Lester asked him if he wanted to go to school, and he said, without missing a beat, "mmm-MMM!" (Shaking his head no.)

Maybe it's just as well. It seems my two boys -- who demand to be on my lap more and more these days -- need a little more time at home. And that is alright with me.