Two Years Old
Happy Birthday Little Apple!!!!
First day of Fall today: each morning a little crisper- it feels good to snuggle down under covers. You are two years old and wearing your new hat from Rachel. Flaunting your new two-ness, although the concept is lost on you: when we ask you how old you are you say "months!" We sing happy birthday to you and you hide under my skirt. I woke up this morning with intense cramps: a funny coincidence, to start my period on this morning. Two years ago I had just broke open and we were learning to breathe together, chest to chest. Now you call out to me from your crib and we snuggle together in bed with a bottle of milk and a present from grandma, to distract you from your tantrum... the past few mornings you have wanted milk from my boobs and NOT the bottle and have gotten quite mad when told that you were a big girl now: only milk in bottles. This new two-ness comes with some hard breaks, you are learning.
Now you are at daycare and I am hunkered at the computer, determined to write about the current state of Sava- but first I am going to perform one of your birthday rituals which is to bake a carrot cake: it will be the usual adventure in the kitchen with your mom making a wild lumpy mess of a cake and trying to fix it all with heaps of frosting. Later I will pick you up from daycare and we will swing out to the lavender farm to play with the giant white flemish bunny at the rabbitat, and then we are going to have a party at the playground this evening, with face paint and swings and slides, and you are excited about this. You may not understand "two" but you understand "party" and "playground".
Okay, just a few notes about some of my favorite things about you right now.
Spicy.
You went through a period where you were fascinated with spicy things. It started with our Russian dumpling dinners. You saw Dad and I swirl this cool red stuff into our cream and wanted some of the "sauce" for your own. You puckered your face and said "hot" and then stuck your spoon out for more. Then you wanted hot sauce on your eggs, and so on and so forth. Even as you were cringing your face and grabbing your glass of water, you always came back for more. We always talk about how PROUD your Papa is going to be of you. Another fledgling spice monster with whom to enjoy oyster shooters and jalapeno-infused margaritas....Then, the other day, I think Dad overloaded you a bit, and suddenly you are not so very much into spicy any more.
Sharks and Tea Parties: the development of the imagination.
You are not afraid of anything, as far as I can tell. Except, you are strangely fascinated with sharks. It started with Finding Nemo... your favorite part of the movie is the AA meeting held by Bruce and the other sharks. (Fish are friends, NOT food!) I am not sure if it is a genetic thing (I can be gripped by terror while swimming in a pool) or what, but you are hooked on the magnetism of that fear. Actually, I am not even sure if it is fear. I don't know what to call it really, since it seems to be mostly a game for you. For instance: the other day, we were walking in the woods with Nico- a nice long walk through a maze of paths in the thicket. We were ambling along and just being quiet together, when suddenly you stopped and pointed down. "Mama, ook!" as you pointed to a half-submerged tree root which was crossing our path. "Ook! ...........Shark!!!" And then your voice got really low "Bruucce! Swim Away!" and you gleefully leapt over it and went running. I just about died laughing. It was so great, to see you using your imagination like that. Translating a tree root into something symbolically cresting the surface of the ocean. We hopped dramatically over every single tree root that we crossed. So interesting..... It reminds me that you are really starting, in these last few weeks, to start using your imagination so much more. You are always now wanting to throw little tea parties from your little toy kitchen. Pouring the "water" into cups and bringing it to me to drink, over and over again. Serving me empty plates piled high with delicacies.
Chloe and Elliot
As I wrote before, it was wonderful to see you fall in love with Chloe up in Hayfork. The beginnings of the instincts of friendship. Now, when we are cuddling in bed in the morning, Daddy asks you "What did you dream about, Sava?" "Chloe dream." "You dreamed about Chloe?" "Yeah. Chloe park dream." "You dreamed about Chloe and the park?" "Yeaah, Chloe park dream." Every morning.
But your current obsession, probably because he lives down the street and we have weekly playdates with him, is Elliot. Elliot is about four months younger than you and has inspired all kinds of big sister instincts in you. I think the fact that he is a boy, and that he is younger and thus doesn't present as much of a threat to you as some of your girl playmates, but with Elliot you are just unbelievably sweet. (Instead, of say, pushing Rihanna away from all your toys- shouting "Mine!" and grabbing her water bottle and running off with it - that sort of awesome stuff that always makes a parent feel so warm and fuzzy and proud). With Elliot, you are pretty good at sharing all your toys with him and showing him around the house and pushing the button on the rocking horse's ear when he wants to giddy-up on it. So anyway.... this is all leading up to the fact that now you are fixated on him. "What do you want to do, Sava?" I ask in the morning as we are cuddling. "See Elliot!" Anytime I ask if you want to take a walk you respond "I want see Elliot!" and then you pull me eagerly by the hand to his house. I am not sure if he shares your passion.. Elliot is such a mellow kid that he often seems kind of stunned and awed by the world (and especially you), but I think you prefer it that way.
Rihanna and the Green Beans
Probably the proudest moment I have had thus far, as a parent, was the afternoon that Rihanna and her mama came over to garden. The two of you were hopping on the trampoline together and you were doing your usual thing of stuffing cherry tomatoes in your mouth as you jumped. I was picking through some green beans off the vines and thought that you might like to try some, so I brought some over. "Hey Sava, you want some green beans?" Not really sure that you would like them. "Sure!" you said in that delightfully accomodating way of yours: "Yeah, sure!" So you both got a handful and gobbled them up and well, you just LOVED them! So all of a sudden we had two little girls bouncing wildly on the trampoline and clamouring for green beans. I mean, if they make awards for good mommies, I think Miriam and I deserved one that day. Like, Rihanna came over last week while you were gone to daycare and was jumping by herself, and she asked me for green beans. And just two nights ago you and I went out for a late afternoon jump and you got really mad when I said there was no more green beans (until I remembered I had bought some at the farmer's market and saved the day). It is weird... something must have clicked for both of you guys, to have you now associate the act of jumping on the trampoline with eating green beans.
Little Mama
Wheels on the Bus
Market
Mommy Sad
Baby crying at playground.....
Okay, just a few notes about some of my favorite things about you right now.
Spicy.
You went through a period where you were fascinated with spicy things. It started with our Russian dumpling dinners. You saw Dad and I swirl this cool red stuff into our cream and wanted some of the "sauce" for your own. You puckered your face and said "hot" and then stuck your spoon out for more. Then you wanted hot sauce on your eggs, and so on and so forth. Even as you were cringing your face and grabbing your glass of water, you always came back for more. We always talk about how PROUD your Papa is going to be of you. Another fledgling spice monster with whom to enjoy oyster shooters and jalapeno-infused margaritas....Then, the other day, I think Dad overloaded you a bit, and suddenly you are not so very much into spicy any more.
Sharks and Tea Parties: the development of the imagination.
You are not afraid of anything, as far as I can tell. Except, you are strangely fascinated with sharks. It started with Finding Nemo... your favorite part of the movie is the AA meeting held by Bruce and the other sharks. (Fish are friends, NOT food!) I am not sure if it is a genetic thing (I can be gripped by terror while swimming in a pool) or what, but you are hooked on the magnetism of that fear. Actually, I am not even sure if it is fear. I don't know what to call it really, since it seems to be mostly a game for you. For instance: the other day, we were walking in the woods with Nico- a nice long walk through a maze of paths in the thicket. We were ambling along and just being quiet together, when suddenly you stopped and pointed down. "Mama, ook!" as you pointed to a half-submerged tree root which was crossing our path. "Ook! ...........Shark!!!" And then your voice got really low "Bruucce! Swim Away!" and you gleefully leapt over it and went running. I just about died laughing. It was so great, to see you using your imagination like that. Translating a tree root into something symbolically cresting the surface of the ocean. We hopped dramatically over every single tree root that we crossed. So interesting..... It reminds me that you are really starting, in these last few weeks, to start using your imagination so much more. You are always now wanting to throw little tea parties from your little toy kitchen. Pouring the "water" into cups and bringing it to me to drink, over and over again. Serving me empty plates piled high with delicacies.
Chloe and Elliot
As I wrote before, it was wonderful to see you fall in love with Chloe up in Hayfork. The beginnings of the instincts of friendship. Now, when we are cuddling in bed in the morning, Daddy asks you "What did you dream about, Sava?" "Chloe dream." "You dreamed about Chloe?" "Yeah. Chloe park dream." "You dreamed about Chloe and the park?" "Yeaah, Chloe park dream." Every morning.
But your current obsession, probably because he lives down the street and we have weekly playdates with him, is Elliot. Elliot is about four months younger than you and has inspired all kinds of big sister instincts in you. I think the fact that he is a boy, and that he is younger and thus doesn't present as much of a threat to you as some of your girl playmates, but with Elliot you are just unbelievably sweet. (Instead, of say, pushing Rihanna away from all your toys- shouting "Mine!" and grabbing her water bottle and running off with it - that sort of awesome stuff that always makes a parent feel so warm and fuzzy and proud). With Elliot, you are pretty good at sharing all your toys with him and showing him around the house and pushing the button on the rocking horse's ear when he wants to giddy-up on it. So anyway.... this is all leading up to the fact that now you are fixated on him. "What do you want to do, Sava?" I ask in the morning as we are cuddling. "See Elliot!" Anytime I ask if you want to take a walk you respond "I want see Elliot!" and then you pull me eagerly by the hand to his house. I am not sure if he shares your passion.. Elliot is such a mellow kid that he often seems kind of stunned and awed by the world (and especially you), but I think you prefer it that way.
Rihanna and the Green Beans
Probably the proudest moment I have had thus far, as a parent, was the afternoon that Rihanna and her mama came over to garden. The two of you were hopping on the trampoline together and you were doing your usual thing of stuffing cherry tomatoes in your mouth as you jumped. I was picking through some green beans off the vines and thought that you might like to try some, so I brought some over. "Hey Sava, you want some green beans?" Not really sure that you would like them. "Sure!" you said in that delightfully accomodating way of yours: "Yeah, sure!" So you both got a handful and gobbled them up and well, you just LOVED them! So all of a sudden we had two little girls bouncing wildly on the trampoline and clamouring for green beans. I mean, if they make awards for good mommies, I think Miriam and I deserved one that day. Like, Rihanna came over last week while you were gone to daycare and was jumping by herself, and she asked me for green beans. And just two nights ago you and I went out for a late afternoon jump and you got really mad when I said there was no more green beans (until I remembered I had bought some at the farmer's market and saved the day). It is weird... something must have clicked for both of you guys, to have you now associate the act of jumping on the trampoline with eating green beans.
Little Mama
Wheels on the Bus
Market
Mommy Sad
Baby crying at playground.....
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