Lots of Little Things

The kids have given me a lot of things -- little things -- to write about in the past two weeks. WARNING: If you are not genetically invested in my children, you're going to think I'm nuts for committing such trivial little things to paper... uh, so to speak.

First an update on Oo:

Oo can now get moving on a swing and swing pretty high all on her own. It's something we've been working on since early summer. It didn't take her this long to learn how to pump. It just took her this long to admit that she no longer needs me to push her.


Oo is trying to spell more words phonetically. She is currently focusing her efforts on color names. Without any coaching, she spelled RED, GEEN ("Whoops, I forgot the R.") and BLO.

Oo has started a rock collection. Her collection -- about a 1/2 cup of rocks -- consists primarily of any (and all) pebbles she finds in the dirt under her swings and slide. On Wednesday she kept busy for 45 minutes rinsing each pebble and scrubbing it with an old toothbrush.

Oo did some painting on Thursday. I suggested she paint some Halloween stuff -- pumpkins, bats, ghosts -- but she didn't like that idea. Instead, she painted:
- a stoplight, complete with a purple light (which means "fall down" according to Oo)
- a flower with grass, sun and blue sky
- a self-portrait
But her most elaborate painting of the day focused on her favorite painting subject -- fruit. Every painting "session" of hers involves at least one picture of fruit. I don't know why.


Now an update on T:

It was raining last week as the kids and I were walking out to the car to run errands. Oo loves to jump in puddles, so as we headed to the garage, I watched her with eagle eyes. "Don't step there. Walk around it. No, stay out of the grass!" She kept her shoes totally dry. Victory! And then I turned around to see T sitting in a big puddle, blissfully swirling his fingers around in the water. And back into the house we went for a complete change of clothes.

T has a new trick. He climbs up the step stool to the bathroom sink, turns the water on, and "washes" his face. Then he climbs down and rubs his face with a towel. Sweet! Maybe in 12 years he won't be so stinky as a teenager!

T and Oo both LOVE our next-door neighbors' dog -- a jack russell named Mickey. Last week T was sticking his fingers through the backyard fence so that Mickey would lick them. Our neighbor said to T, "Can you say Mickey? Say Mickey. Mick-eee." T's response was "Mouse."

T likes to balance toys on his head. Big legos, fridge magnets, stacking cups. He's pretty good at it. And the look of pride on his face is always a wry smile.