Kids Are Funny

Eli ran to me, in tears, and said: "Emeline pushed me down when I pushed myself down and I bonked myself." This illustrates why I don't get after kids for things I don't see happen.

Eli says a lot of very cute things but the cutest is when he wants a hug or kiss. He says, "Mom, I want a kiss of you." Or, "Mom, I want a hug of you."

Lady Harriet has discovered standing. Her favorite place to stand is on her changing table, holding onto the bunk bed rails. (No, she can't pull herself up and yes, I stay right by her.) I've never seen such a self-aware baby. It is clear when she is standing that she not only thinks it is fun, but that she is quite pleased with herself. Even Cowen noticed. He was watching her standing there and growling happily and said, "She thinks she's a rock star." Astute observation, Cowen.

Other Harriet tidbits. Harriet now weighs 21 lbs at 9 months old. She's by far my chubbiest baby. To think she started out 5 lbs! She's in the 50% for height (so she's grown taller since her last visit) and in the 80% for weight. With the chubby factor on top of her being in cloth diapers because she's allergic to disposable diapers, she's in 18 month and 24 month pants--just to get clothes that fit around her. Then we roll up the legs a half dozen times.

Harriet shows no interest in crawling, mostly, I think, because she rolls wherever she wants to go. She loves to walk with us holding her hands. That makes her growl like crazy--a sure sign she's enjoying herself. Her other favorite activities are clapping and playing peek-a-boo. Eli is her favorite person--he comes into sight and she starts to belly laugh. She rarely cries but growls (a lot), giggles, laughs, and says da-da.

Eli is hilarious. His personality reminds me of his Aunt Kayli as they are both a bit on the spastic/hilarious side. For example, when we went as a family to the dino museum Eli was quite scared of the skeletons and robotic dinosaurs inside. I was worried that he would be even more scared of the statues outside because they look more real. When we walked outside he went over to the first statue--a t-rex eating another dinosaur. He looked at it for a second then suddenly he looked terrified. He stuck out his arms in front of him and sort-of crouched backwards and yelled, "They gonna get me, Mom! They gonna get me!" Then he started laughing so hard that he fell over.

The other day at lunch he asked for a drink, so I filled up a cup and started to give it to him. Then I started singing about his cup to the tune of "Hello, Dolly." You know, along the lines of, "Here's your cup, Eli. I filled it to the top, Eli," etc., and I kept handing it to him and then taking it away again for more of my song and dance routine. He was laughing so hard he couldn't breathe. So funny.

Cowen and Miriam played a Lord of the Rings game with their dad and when Cowen was telling me about it later I was very confused. He kept saying one of his friends was a "dorf." I finally figured out he was saying "dwarf." Very funny. He is meeting with a speech person next Wednesday. Do all mothers feel a bit sad when their little guys have to learn to speak normally? I miss Cowenese (Cowen's first language) and I will miss words like "dorf."

And lastly, I have to brag a little bit about how well Cowen and Emeline took care of Eli today. I was in the kitchen making a pie and listening to my favorite pandora station (choral music) when I glanced out the window to check on the kids. They were in the garden. Eli had his pants around his ankles and Emeline was very kindly helping him pee outside (apparently she didn't think he'd be able to aim on his own). Then Cowen pulled his pants up for him. Hilarious, but still tender. (Miriam was at the Nutcracker with her dad--more on that when I can post pics again.)