Sock Hands and Thumb Minutes: Little Stories

A few weeks ago, we had a few pretty cold days.  When we went out to walk Chloe, I put mittens on Hazel's hands, possibly for the first time ever. 

Since then, she's been putting socks on her hands.  She'll go into her sock drawer and take out pairs of socks to wear on her hands.  Socks are her new favorite toys, and I'm finding them all over the house.  I'll go to take her out of her carseat after the 11-minute drive to Oliver's school (or, really, any time she's in the car) and find that she has taken off her shoes and socks, and put her socks on her hands.  It's an everyday occurrence!

Not the best photo, but this is typical.

***

Back in California, there was no clock at our pool.  We'd give Oliver a five-minute warning until it was time to go, and pretty much just count down from there.  One of us, usually Steve, would hold up a hand.  "Five minutes!"  Five fingers.  Thumb down.  "Four minutes!"  And so on.  The first time Steve did this, Oliver hadn't noticed all five fingers, so when Steve got down to just his pointer, Oliver asked for one extra minute, a "thumb minute" because he hadn't seen the thumb be used.

Now, he gets five minutes of snuggles before he's on his own at bedtime, plus one thumb minute.

***

I took the kids with me to Trader Joe's, and they happened to have tiny carts.  Now, the promise of a trip to Trader Joe's is, like, up there in excitement levels with a prospective Disneyland trip!  (Not... that we'll be going to Disneyland anytime soon, so I'm glad TJ's is so awesome.)

***

Most mornings, before we head out the door to school or wherever, we have to swing "one time".  Usually, I stick each kid in a swing and push them while counting to 10 or 20.  Lately, I push Oliver in Spanish and then Hazel in English.  "Uno!" Push Oliver.  "One!" Push Hazel.  Much like Trader Joe's, the promise of "one swing" before getting into the car is usually enough to get shoes and coats on without much argument.  Now, getting from the swing into the car is sometimes another story...

This day, Oliver did the pushing.

I just love these kids.

Fall in "Chicago": A Picture Post (Mostly)

A lot is different here in "Chicago".  (It's in quotes because we do not live in Chicago, but for the last three years we've referred to where Grandma and Bapa live as Chicago.  It's easier shorthand when you live across the country.  But now that we're here, we maybe should get a little more specific with it!)

Anyway.  A lot is different here in Chicago.  I, for one, am not working.  Officially, as of yesterday, I am a stay at home mom.  That part is a little trippy.  I've been working - sometimes several jobs (during college) - since I was seventeen.  I've been working full-time outside of the house for my kids' entire lives, save for maternity leave.  I wrote a proposal to my company for a part-time remote position, and I found out last week, after many people tried very hard to make it work, that it was not approved.  Yesterday, my Leave of Absence to retain my years of service (almost 14) expired.  So today was my first day as officially unemployed.

That's not the only different thing.  Steve is working from home!  Or, from Grandma's home, anyway.  Instead of an almost-three-hour daily commute of over 140 miles (round trip), every day, he walks next door and up the stairs.  He can open the window next to his desk, poke his head out, and wave goodbye to us as we head out to take Oliver to school.

Instead of full-day daycare, Oliver is now in a three-mornings-a-week preschool.  Instead of full-day daycare, Hazel is home with me.

Like I said, a lot is different in Chicago.

Also, Chicago has seasons.  Have some pictures of the one we're enjoying right now!

18 Months

Dear Hazel,

You are 18 months!  (Actually, you will be 19 months tomorrow, but this post was actually written on 10/4; I just didn't have the computer set up to add pictures.)  Wowsers!  This last month, especially, has been a huge one in our lives, because we MOVED!  We no longer live in California.  We have officially landed in Illinois, on your 18-month birthday.

What have you been up to in the last three months?  I mean, what haven't you been up to?

Stats first.

• Teeth: You have 12 teeth - four on top, four on bottom, and all four one-year molars.  I think you're teething now, so maybe a few more will pop out! (As of 19 months, nope!)
• Height: 32 inches (60th percentile).  I think your 15 month measurement was a little inaccurate, because it is the outlier.
• Weight: 20 pounds 14 ounces (24th percentile)

 

You say a lot of words!  You will repeat back more than this list, and I know I didn't capture everything you say, but this is what I remember you saying pretty consistently and without prompting.

• Tickle tickle!
• What's that? ('Dat?)
• Daddy
• Mommy
• Shoes
• Socks
• Uh-oh
• No
• Yeah
• Doggy
• Hi
• Bye
• Hello
• Hug
• Meow
• More
• Boob
• Uppy
• Please
• Thank you
• Oliver
• Apple
• Help
• Mine
• All Done
• Ah-GO! (Let it go!) 
• Stuck

And you chatter all. the. time.  There is a running commentary going on most of the time, only you're the only one who understands half of it. ;)

You still nurse a few times a day.  I never imagined I'd be nursing an 18 month old, but here we are.  You ask for "boob please". Your comfort seems to be sticking a hand down my shirt, a habit I'd kind of like to break, honestly. 

You walk, run, climb, and most recently, try to jump.  It's pretty cute!

You love to color.  While we were packing up to move, I taped pieces of packing paper onto the floor and gave you crayons, and it would occupy you for quite a while!  You also love to manipulate little things.  On a stop in Omaha at a Cracker Barrell, you enjoyed taking the little pegs out of the peg game, and then putting them all back in.  

You make the best faces!  

You are happy, happy, happy.  You're even okay with just a mini nap in the car on the way home from someplace, and no other nap for the day.  (I'm not used to this, as, at 3.5, Oliver still really needs his naps.) (I still try to get you down for one good nap a day.)

 I know there's more I could say, but there's a lot of unpacking to do. ;)

Love you, sweet pea!