Day 2106

Chinchilla has suddenly discovered the wonderful world of being read to and I am so excited for all the snuggling.

Day 2105

I’ll be very happy when our kids are well-rested again, and don’t have the overtired size bucket of feelings... but I will miss the snuggles.

Day 2104

Lizard asked how old her brother was when he was not born. When I ended up talking a little about pregnancy, she wanted to know why babies spend so much time in their mummy’s tummies when there aren’t toys in there.

Because they are busy kicking their mummies right in the organs, obviously.

Day 2103

Our kids seem to be stuck in a level of overtired that makes them very silly and very affectionate. I’m stocking up on snuggles and giggles and kisses.

Day 2102

It’s lucky for us that Lizard’s overtiredness mostly seems to manifest as profound and unrelenting silliness.

Also, our baby girl is suddenly tall enough to reach the tap, and it’s opened up a whole new world of possibilities for her. <music swells>. How do these tiny babies grow up so fast?!

Day 2101

We got a friendly reminder: don’t talk about stuff you don’t want the sponge to repeat, even if she doesn’t seem to be listening. She’s saving it for later.

Day 2100

Every time we take the kids on a plane, we learn more things not to do. Thank goodness we have such good kids who make our rookie mistakes turn out okay.

Today I learned that if you sprint through an airport terminal with a toddler in your arms, people stay out of your way.

Day 2099

Toddlers can usually be counted on to break the tension. Usually they don’t use their face.

Day 2098

I was irritated with the universe for starting to rain just as we actually got everyone’s shoes and coats on... until the light rain turned to flash flooding and lots of thunder. Funny how your perspective can shift so fast.

Day 2097

How to exhaust a Lizard: have her march 7 or 8k on a hot day at the zoo. Also effective for moms.

Day 2096

The cousins snuggling together to watch movies is one of my favourites.

Day 2095

I get the feeling that in a few years when we visit her cousins, Lizard will end up having an energetic discussion about book recommendations with them and then they will all sit in companionable reading silence.

It’s harder to tell just yet about Chinchilla... but right now it seems like he might find a way to work in some snuggling.

Day 2094

Today Lizard got a taste of the freedom of running loose with older cousins, and Chinchilla discovered the joys of having an entire room of toys to himself.

Day 2093

Dear offspring,

If you want to wake up unreasonably early, please submit your request in triplicate two weeks in advance.

Day 2092

Apparently Lizard can maintain that level of enthusiasm for days...

Day 2091

First rule of three year olds: never tell them about vacation in advance.

Day 2090

Almost eight years after moving here and we’re finally get a proper winnipeg thunderstorm.

Miraculously, the babies are sleeping through it.

Day 2089

I think Lizard reacts to bookstores the same way she would to a candy store: with extreme enthusiasm. Only in a bookstore you get to sample the wares before you buy them.

I wonder how long it will take her to figure out that different people have different taste in books.

Day 2088

Our cheerful little Lizard was reportedly cranky all afternoon. Got her home, checked her temp, and yup... kid had a hefty fever. No surprise there. The kid seems incapable of maintaining a bad mood for that long unless she’s sick or really overtired. Luckily she perked up after some Tylenol, and was demanding I tell her the names of all the scary monsters.

Day 2087

If your baby is grumpy, just give him a spoon and a small gib of yogurt. Now all his problems will be solved, and all your problems will be yogurt.

Day 2086

In which Chinchilla discovered that sandboxes are super fun as long as your sister is playing beside you, and that post-bath yoga can be quite revelatory.

Day 2085

Lizard, on picking her clothes: “I assume it’s warm enough for shorts today.”

Lizard, upon finding a hole in my shirt: “I think it’s almost time to retire this shirt, mommy. We should retire it on Sunday.”

It’s nice Lizard was being hilarious and/or eyebrow raising today. It helps balance out the “eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee” running in my brain because of Chinchilla’s fever.

Day 2084

Some days you giggle with your three year old because you’re having fun saying moose in silly ways. Some days you explain levels of government to the three year old.

Some days your one year old needs all the snuggles you can spare.

Day 2083

Lizard has now officially been invited to a friend’s house, and has invited friends over to our house. I feel like we might have to start keeping our house a little cleaner.

Day 2082

Apparently Chinchilla hates bubbles.

Or at least, he hates wasting bubble wands on making bubbles when they could be used for their highest and best use... soapy chewing.

Brandishing is also pretty high on his list.

Day 2081

Today Lizard and a friend from daycare played Maleficient and Aurora go to the doctor.

And she told me a story that began “once upon a time...” and it had a “they lived happily” in the middle. It was about our family, and how we eat meals, go to bed, and go to daycare all by ourselves.

I think we need to read her a pile more fairy tales and fill her up with the conventions and tropes.

Day 2080

Listening to Lizard “read” books aloud to herself is the best. It’s astonishing how much she remembers, and entertaining to discover which bits are the most important for her.

She didn’t want to go to daycare and play with her friends this morning, she just wanted to read books by herself. Same, dude. Same.

Day 2079

I love taking Lizard for walks. She strides off as if we’re embarking on a grand adventure, even when we’re just walking down the street.

Chinchilla is experimenting with crying to get his way. He’s remarkably cheerful about it not working. He just flashes a smile and then goes about his business.

Day 2078

Lizard is a little obsessed with yoga, and will make up her own yoga poses and then try to make us do them too. And then she asks what the name of the pose is.

Chinchilla has apparently picked up a few things and if he’s feeling cooperative, will slip into downward dog when we ask him if he can do yoga.

Day 2077

Lizard on Snow White: “It’s very nice of that queen to give Snow White that apple!”

The other day she also remarked that it wasn’t very nice of the little red hen to not share her bread with the other animals.

...I’m beginning to think we have overemphasized the value of sharing.