Mom Remembers

BRIANNA: Once upon a time there was a ... SOREN: Car! BRIANNA:  The car was very ... SOREN: Disappointed!

My baby has finally grown out of all his 6-9 month clothing and last night I was packing it all up to store in the attic.  Carl was talking to himself in the crib, getting ready to sleep and I was trying to sneak the old clothing out of his room. I don't know why I even try to be sneaky.  Even with bumpers in the crib blocking his vision, Carl knew I was in there, creeping around.  Maybe he could smell me.  He started wiggling happily in the crib, hoping for some attention.  I tried to sneak out on my hands and knees but didn't dare shut the door for fear he would notice and become upset. When I made it out of the room, breathing a sigh of relief, I was surprised to turn around and see Carl looking right at me.  He had pulled himself up on the bars of the crib and was grinning ear to ear. Even though it was 8 o'clock at night (well past bedtime), I had to pick him up, twirl him around, and gush about how clever he was.

ME:  Would you like some meat? SOREN:  A very little tiny piece of maggots, please.

I enjoy watching my boys grow and develop.  They are gaining more physical, social, and verbal competence every day.  But the steps my children take towards literacy are more exciting (to me) than any of the traditional developmental milestones.  I love to read and I am so elated when I see my boys engaging with books. Last week, Carl started turning the pages during story-time.  I know that he has been capable of turning pages for a while now but last week he started doing it routinely, correctly anticipating when it was time to do so.  When I would finish reading the words on a page, he would reach out and grab the next, turning it slowly to see the next picture and hear the next words. I think he likes to set the pace of the reading. Sometimes he looks at a picture long after I have finished reading the corresponding words, seeming to study every detail before flipping on.  Other times he can hardly wait for me to finish reading the text, he is so e...

This is an endlessly amusing game: Scott puts something on Carl's head and then Carl makes it fall off.  Then Scott puts it back on Carl's head and Carl makes it fall off again.  And again.  And again. It's fun.  No, really.

Soren has a stuffed rabbit that has become his constant companion.  It really is a lovely toy: soft, very hug-able, and shaped into a sitting position.  The rabbit has its own little blue sweater, fits easily into our leftover baby shoes, and boasts a butt big enough to fill in some of Carl's clothes. The rabbit is Soren's baby, his son, and his brother; his plaything and his playmate; his pupil, his audience, and his therapist.  Rabbit can play a seemingly infinite number of roles and Soren uses him to figure out and gain control over the world. Sometimes Soren is the mommy and the rabbit is his baby, as when he is carried around in a sling or rocked and showered with kisses.  Sometimes Soren is the mommy and the rabbit is the toddler, as when Soren helps him clean up his plate or tucks him into the big bed.  Sometimes Soren is the baby and the rabbit is his mommy, as when Soren is upset and only a hug from Rabbit will make him feel better.  Sometime...

Soren's skill with mega-blocks has increased a lot recently.  I think his conception of their use has changed and that change shows in his creations.  Before, the blocks were very satisfying to put together and he would stack them haphazardly.  He would be amused and not frustrated when they didn't fit, fell over, or were appropriated by Carl.  Now, the blocks are a tool for recreating the world and he is very particular about their placement and preservation.  He build things and then plays with them as though they really were the objects he calls them. These are some of the things he has built lately:  a staircase a bed  a piano a tower a computer  (Can't you see it? He types on the green part.)