Does it really start this early? Really?

So the other day I was feeding Wilson and Claudia was in the basement with Scott. She came upstairs and we had the following conversation:

C: Mom, Dad is bawthering me.

Me: Dad is what? He's bawthering you?

C: No, Dad is bawthering me.

Me: Oh, he's bothering you?

C: Yes.

Me: What is he doing to bother you?

C: He keeps saying Todd-ee, Todd-ee, Todd-ee. [translation: Claudia can't say her c's so she says Todd-ee-a for Claudia or Todd-ee for Claudie.)

Me: Oh, kidd0, Daddy doesn't mean to bother you. He is just saying your name. [I must admit that I don't like it when Scott does this to me, but I thought better than to tell her that. You know, keep a united front and all.] Did you tell him that it bothered you when he said your name like that?

C: Yes.


I spoke to Scott about this later and I guess Claudia did indeed tell him to "stop bawthering her." I really did think that we had at least a couple more years before we bothered her. Oh well.

(Un)imaginary Friends

I know that many children have imaginary friends. I recently met a four-year-old boy who had an imaginary friend, Jeff, who is a police officer. This little boy's mother did not know where or why her son got the name and they don't know any police officers. Apparently, Jeff does come in handy at times because he will keep the little boy "in line" by correcting his bad behavior. (Are you thinking what I immediately thought: "where can I get a Jeff?")

Claudia has some "imaginary" friends as well. I put the imaginary in quotes because her friends are actually friends from school that are living, breathing humans, but they often come to play at our house in Claudia's mind. Cole, Jack Henry, and Jackson are frequent visitors. They are adorable, little boys who are right around Claudia's age. They play together at school and Claudia frequently says that they are her best friends.

Typically, Cole, Jack Henry and Jackson will pop in at our house unannounced, sometimes in the middle of lunch or perhaps in the middle of a conversation. Claudia will turn to me and say, "Cole's here." I then play along and say, "Hi Cole, glad you could come and play with us." One night Cole and Jack Henry slept over. Claudia laid out two set of pjs for them--pink and green footie pajamas--and brought them to bed with her. In the morning, I was cleaning up her bed and went to put the pjs back in her drawer and she informed me that they were dirty and needed to go in the laundry basket because Cole and Jack Henry wore them to bed.

When she is talking to her friends, she often uses a very sweet voice, much like the voice she talks to Wilson in--her "mommy voice."

I haven't yet had to make an extra plate for dinner or really go the "extra mile" to accommodate our guests. Yesterday, however, I did commit a grave faux pas. We were getting out of the car at home and I unbuckled Claudia and went around to get Wilson. I heard Claudia using her "mommy voice" and re-buckling her seat belt on her car seat. I walked around to help her get out and then closed the car door. At that moment Claudia let our a scream, "MOM! MOM! No! Cole's in there! Cole can't get out!" She had huge tears instantly running down her cheeks. I immediately opened the door and Claudia asked me to unbuckle Cole so that he could get out. Whew!

I did not have imaginary friends when I was growing up. I guess I wasn't that imaginative. I certainly only try to encourage Claudia's creativity, but at times I can't help feeling like this whole imaginary friends things is a little "I see dead people"/Sixth Sense-y. I try not to get creeped out, but I often what to ask her, "You don't really see them, right?"

Holding Hands

I think like most people I am often doing one thing and thinking about a million other things at the same time. There are times when I snap out of this bad habit and become much more "present" and can just focus on what I am doing at that moment. One thing that seems to do the trick most often is when I get to hold Claudia's or Wilson's hand.

It is one of my most favorite things, especially on a cool, crisp morning when I am walking Claudia in to school. We have a rule that she must hold hands in parking lots, for obvious reasons. I particularly enjoy when I don't have to remind her of our rule and she just reaches up and takes my hand--the air is cool and her hand is always so warm. I gently squeeze her hand in mine, my fingers wrap perfectly around her little palm. When this happens I find myself thinking, "remember this, remember this feeling."

Another time that I cherish is when Wilson is nursing and he reaches up and grabs my finger and holds it tightly in his tiny, little hand. He normally only does this when he is tired and getting nestled in for a long sleep. His eyes are closed and he looks so content. I listen to his breath and it is like a little lullaby for me.

I don't know when I will abolish the hand holding rule, but I hope that I can enforce it for a number of more years. I know that I need a reminder to slow down and enjoy, or really savor my kids.

If you have read this far, I thank you for indulging my sentimentality. (Maybe I have a future in Hallmark Greeting cards?)

She's Going to Kill Us for Posting This (One Day)...

This is photo was taken without her knowledge. I guess she is really taking after her daddy.

Two-Seven Needs to Eat Too, Right?

Rock Stars!

Yes, that is right! We went rock climbing! Claudia was a champ, as you can see. I was amazed at how she actually understood the purpose of rock climbing. She was really trying to climb up the wall--reaching with her arms and placing her feet on the rocks.

The place that we went has automatic harness/rope mechanisms. They operate kind of like a seat belt, so as you climb, they retract and when you fall they slowly release you to the ground. However, Claudia is right at the threshold for minimum weight and so you will see that she had a red rope attached to her harness that we had to keep hold of in case the ropes tried to pull her up to the top!

I think my favorite part of the whole thing is her headband/sweatband. She really looks like a professional, or Jane Fonda circa 1980 (you decide).

Here are some other photos from the day. Auntie Amy was visiting from Maryland and she rocked at this rock climbing! Of course, Scott did really well too!

Sweet, little Wilson enjoyed all the activity and the colorful walls.