To battle the winter boredom, lately the kids' favorite thing to do is to play tea party. We set out all our dishes, and several times mommy has made special biscuits or cookies just for the occasion w/real tea cups, and we pass our "tea" (usually juice or lemonaide) and use our best manners, and the kids just love game... pretty sure they could do it all day. One day, while Elizabeth was getting ready for our 3rd tea party of the day by changing into a new Princess costume (probably the 30th wardrobe change in span of and hour--lol), and while Liam was sitting patiently at the little table, I decided to surprise the kids by putting on a fancy dress for the occasion. I ran to my closet, and found my fanciest dress (believe it or not, a prom dress I'd saved--lol). I put it on and returned to Tea. Oh my goodness, you should have seen the kids' faces--they were so suprised I think they gasped! It was precious, and for the next hour we had a great time pretending I was the Queen, and Elizabeth was Sleeping Beauty, and Liam was the Prince. Since that day, the old prom dress has made an appearance nearly daily--LOL (hey, I told you we get cabin fever this time of year, right?!) And although totally nutty, we have a great time at our little teas. I'm going to have to find Liam a little vintage top hat or something so he can dress up, too.
The kids have also taken to playing babies a lot, especially Elizabeth. This is a new "thing" for her. She's never EVER been interested in playing babies in the past, no matter how I tried to encourage it by trying to play with her. But the other day her friend Olivia came over to play, and she brought her baby, and the two girls played house all day long. It was funny too because for about 20 minutes, Liam sat in one of the little play chairs, and just watched the girls, sucking his thumb all the while. So funny. Since then, we've been all about playing house! The funniest part is a lot of times Elizabeth likes to be (not the mom) but the grandma to her babies--lol! So fun! Liam joins in at times, bringing the bottle to the baby or feeding the babies. He'll say, "Awww, Baby! Muuuuah" and give them a big smooch. Other times, though, he'll spank them.
Another funny thing the kids love to do these days is to ride their perspective vehicles around and around our 1st floor. Liam hops on his firetruck, and Elizabeth on her trike (or sometimes the other way) and they chase each other, going from the living room, to the dining room, to the entry way, and back into the living room. They circle the house over and over again just laughing. And of course, the wrestling at night hasn't let up. They love to get "Ney" (as Liam calls it) or "nakie" and just run and run before it's time for jammies.
Along w/these activities, we've also turned to far more TV than we probably should, just to get us through the day. I have SO much guilt for how much TV we watch (usually an hour in the morning and an hour in the afternoon and sometimes more). Before having children I always said my children would NEVER watch TV. And with Elizabeth, it wasn't until a year that we began letting her watch 1 program per day. I REALLY want to change this bad habit, but it is so hard when you are home day in and day out with little to do.
Both kiddos are doing well, as are we. We've managed to avoid getting sick over the holidays, and I'm hoping it stays that way for as long as possible. Elizabeth is maturing in leaps and bounds lately, and I really feel like we are headed out of the whole terrible twos phase (which is good since she's almost 3.5--lol). I've heard so many people say 3 is the toughest year, but considering she started throwing tantrums and fits before she was one, then maybe she's coming out of it a little early. Of course, she still has her moments, but they are really getting to be few and far between, which is awesome.
OH, and did I mention, she's started reading little words. She's known all the sounds of letters for a looooong time now... even before turning 2, she'd play "Lickety-Letter Bingo" on the PBS Kids/SuperWhy website, and very quickly learned all her sounds. Over the last year we've been so busy w/chasing after two children, that I didn't have a chance to really sit down and go any further with her. But sometime last November, we were all sitting around playing with the wooden alphabet blocks, and Vassil and I would spell out little words with the blocks (little words, like "cat" or "up" or "run" etc) and she'd sound them out like it was nothing! It's amazing how quickly they learn!
Writing letters, however, is a whole 'nother ballgame. She doesn't have the patience for it. If she's in the mood, she can write most any letter. But if she's not, then she won't. Coloring is still fast and furious with her--just lots and lots of scribbles. Occasionally she will be calm enough to make stick-people, but that's rare. It was funny because one day she was asking Vassil if he wanted to color too, and he said "Sure!" to which she replied, "Well grab a crayon and let it fly!" Lol! That pretty much sums up her method--lol! It's also funny because Liam watches everything she does, and now when he goes to color, he gets this really intense look on his face and flexes up all his muscles when he colors. I've tried to explain to both children that they don't have to color so intensely. But, I guess that's them--lol.
Of course, 1 step forward, and 2 steps back, right? That sure has been the case with us. Now that Elizabeth's tantrums are easing up and she's maturing in so many ways, at the same time she's suddenly started having major separation anxiety whenever I leave her at any of her classes (Sunday School, ballet, etc). It's crazy! She's always been my fearless girl! The child who'd run right in to any new experience, never looking back. While all the other babies were crying for their mommies, she'd break my heart by telling me to leave--lol. But suddenly, she's afraid for me to leave. Ballet is particularly hard because moms aren't supposed to stay in the room with the girls, but she cries HYSTERICALLY if I leave. If I stay, she's one of the best dancers and has a great time--talking to her teacher and the other girls, giggling, dancing away! But if I leave, it's a meltdown. Of course, the timing of this couldn't be any worse! We had to pay for their recital costumes about 2 months ago. At that time, Elizabeth was doing great and had zero problems, so I paid. Of course, the fee is totally non-refundable... so it's either quit dance and have a $70 dress up costume (lol), or sit with her in the room. The teacher said while this had never happened before, she was fine with me sitting in the room while she transitioned (hopefully) back into feeling comfortable again soon. So we've decided to stick with it, especially since she really does love it and has a great time if I'm there. That does mean, I'm the only mom in the room.
At any rate, I've wracked my brain trying to figure out where this came from, and I think it might have to do with the fact that I'd started teaching her Sunday School class (on a rotating basis) about 4 months ago and also started helping out with Puggles. She's gotten used to me staying with her, and so when I'm not there, she totally panics and cries the whole time. I'm hoping this is a phase that will be short lived, and in the meantime, I'm also going to excuse myself from teaching in her class so that hopefully we can break this dependency issue. She's also been getting VERY scared at night--even though she has two nightlights and a flashlight and we leave the light on in the bathroom, she's just scared. She insists that we check on her 10 times every night, and a lot of nights she's still awake at 11pm (and we typically put them down no later than 8pm). Not sure what the fear is all about, although one day she woke up saying she heard a mooing and it sounded like a cow was scratching at her door. You know you live in the boonies when your biggest fears are cows--lol.
Liam has also been acting a little scared at night. Fortunately, he's such a sweet boy and good sleeper that he doesn't cry too long most nights. So funny how different they are. As soon as Elizabeth could pull to standing (what around 7 months?) she'd wake up and instantly be standing up in her crib, banging on her bars for someone to come get her. Then learning how to climb out at 15 months (hence our need for a crib tent). Liam, though, loves to sleep, and when he wakes up, he'll just lie there most mornings, calling for me to come get him. Lol! So different!
Of course, the one thing they have in common is a temper. Now that Elizabeth is easing up on the tantrums, he's right in the thick of throwing his. Sigh. When he's on his own, he's a really sweet little guy--very sweet natured and sensitive and laid back. But the second you put him in a room full of other babies, watch out. I think having an older sister, he's had to learn to fight for his toys and to be very protective of them (else a bigger, and stronger, and quicker big sister will snatch them from him). As a result, when he even sees another child coming near him, his first reaction is to scream "No! No! Nooooo! Miiiiiine!" It's not pretty. But thankfully, now that Elizabeth is coming out of her tantruming phase, I feel like I at least know that this too shall pass, and I just have to patient and consistent with him as we did her and just pray we don't get kicked out of Sunday School in the meantime--j/k! ;)
BTW... don't you love moms who's children are very sweet natured and obedient?! "Perfect" children. Ugh! You know the ones... you only need to give them "the look" and they are immediately back to being behaved. Sometimes I wish my children were born w/such easy natures. But I suppose God thought I was a strong enough mother to take on these two. At least, that's what I tell myself when I'm ready to lose it--lol. Those other mommies, who's children are so perfect, well God must not have thought they could handle raising mine. Just teasing! ;) Or perhaps God decided he needed to teach me a thing or two after all those years (pre-children) of hearing me exclaim that "My children will never throw tantrums." Boy how He has humbled me in that area.
Liam's language seems to be picking up some speed. We get little sentences now, although they still need lots of deciphering--lol, such as:
"I-wa-go-wit-mommy" (I want to go with mommy)
"I-wa-juice-now" (I want juice now)
"I-wa-Uuuu-now" (I want shoes now; "Uuuu" is his word for shoes--he loves shoes! He also loved the word "now." it's a new favorite--lol)
"I wa Gok! I wa Gok! I wa Gok now!" (I want chocolate milk, now! "Gok" is his word for chocolate milk--we hear this over and over all day--lol)
"I wa cooka... I wa cookieeee" (I want cookie. said either "cooka" or "cookie." It's his favorite thing next to Gok)
"Up! Up! Mama" or "Wait! Wait! Wait! Daddy!" Wait Mommy!" ("Wait" is another new word for him--love it!)
He still does some signs, and recently has invented his own sign for when he wants something. He'll quickly flip his hand palm up with his pinki and ring finger down, and the other three fingers out. It's hard to describe, but cute.
OH, and he went from calling me "Mama" (I think he's been saying this since before a year), to one day out of the blue saying "Mommy." This of course turned my heart into utter mush, but then the very next day he dropped both Mama and Mommy altogether, and now I'm pretty much just "Mom." Sigh. "Mom! Mom! Mom!" (said a thousand times a day) just doesn't have the same ring to it as "Mommy!" Oh well.
I'm pretty sure I've mentioned on the blog that Liam has always been a daddy's boy. If I haven't, well, he is. Big time. He also just LOVES men! We noticed this preference VERY early on and it really hasn't let up. When we are at church or out on the playground, he'll often just walk right up to men he doesn't know and just smile and wave. He LOVES to be held by men (and women not so much). And in nursery when he's upset, usually only the men/other daddies can help comfort him. The girls at church always tease that he was fine until his man left. And how he's such a man's-man. Of course, I smile and agree with them. Hard not to. But at the same time for the past year, it has just been killing me. I'm with him all day, we play, we laugh, we giggle, we do all sort of fun things... and of course, I'll admit, lots of mundane things to (like housework, and diaper changes, etc). But the second daddy walks through the door, you would have thought a rock star entered out home "Daaaaaaaadaaaaaa!!!" as little feet run w/arms open for an embrace.Of course, I love that Liam loves his daddy. But at the same time, it does tear me apart. I'd be lying if I said it didn't. The fact is, I've wept and prayed many a night trying to figure out why he doesn't have the same attachment to me, and why his preference for his father and men in general is so strong.
Well, over Christmas break, Vassil stayed home and was off work for about 2.5 weeks. It was wonderful. And best part, my typical daddy's boy transformed into a mommy's boy almost over night. He wanted mommy to hold him, mommy to read his story and put him down to bed, mommy to give him a diaper change. Whatever it was, he wanted me. It was soooooooooo nice. Many times, daddy would be holding him and he'd stretch out his arms crying for mommy to hold him. My heart was a puddle. Of course, now that Vassil is back to work, he's right back to wanting daddy. He cries the saddest tears when he leaves, and asks about him all day. Sometimes he'll just leave the room, and he'll start to panic and cry. I'm not sure why Liam is like this or when this phase (which is what all the doctors have told me it is) will end. But I hope, for the sake of my poor heart, that it will be soon.
Of course, Elizabeth (not to be outdone) is now on a BIG mommy's girl phase. Again, not sure why. She only wants me to tuck her in at night and read her story, and a lot of times won't let Vassil hug her or kiss her... she'll climb up in my lap and say, "I want mommy." It's almost like she's playing games since she knows it hurts his feelings. To combat both children's preferences, we've had lots of little mommy-son or father-daughter "dates," although, hasn't helped a whole lot, but they have still been nice.
Anyway, that's really all that's new with us. Whew! That was a lot! Hopefully I can do better about keeping up the blog so I don't end up with so much to say next time. And hopefully by next time I'll have something a little more exciting to post for you! Stay warm everyone! :)
