Colin has quite the imagination. For a long time, he was far ahead of Veronica in imaginative play. She has since caught up, but Colin is still the master.
Coin is the only one of the kids who has an imaginary friend, Eddie. Unfortunately, Eddie causes a lot of fights because Veronica refuses to recognize Eddie’s ownership rights to any of her toys:
“No Roni, that’s Eddie’s. That’s Eddie’s!”
“No it’s not. It’s MINE!”
“No! It’s Eddie’s!”
And suddenly everyone is crying (including Eddie, I’m assuming).
Right now, one of their favorite things to do is to pretend to be someone or something besides themselves. Veronica typically is Queen June or Queen June ballerina (although on Wednesday she suddenly told us she was Mary — not sure where that one came from). Colin is Kitty. The funny thing is, when Veronica tells us she’s Queen June, she clearly realizes that she actually is Veronica calling herself Queen June; Colin seems to think that he actually is Kitty.
If Colin is being Kitty, he will refuse to answer us when we address Colin, other than to insist that he is Kitty. He gets quite angry when we make him turn back into Colin, especially if we are trying to get him to do something he isn’t interested in doing — like brushing his teeth. In fact, he seems to forget he’s Colin most often when he doesn’t want to do something … hmmm.
He also purrs.
The other morning, I was in the bedroom with Colin and Veronica, and Colin climbed up on the big bed with me for a morning snuggle. Veronica was still asleep, so we were trying to be quiet. He snuggled in, and told me he was Kitty. I was stroking his hair, and he snuggled in closer and started to purr. “Kitty’s happy.”
He also purrs sometimes when he’s playing and having fun. It’s very cute. (And makes me grateful that he’s not a tiger or something equally destructive.)
Friday, March 29, 2013
Monday, March 18, 2013
Fun times
Yesterday, overall, was a very fun day with the kids. It started out a bit rocky, with Veronica moving quickly into a grand temper tantrum that caused her to lose church privileges for the day. (Yes, we’re probably the only family that takes away going to church as a punishment. I doubt it would be effective for Colin, but it worked for Ethan when he was younger, and it’s a big punishment for Veronica — she LOVES going to church.)
But after nap and lunch, everyone was back to being in a good mood. Because the sun was shining, the kids and I decided to walk up to the library. So we loaded up the 50 pounds of library books that were either due or we were done with, bundled up and headed out with our strollers in hand. (Ethan had a scooter, being a bit too mature to want to push a stroller when he walks now.)
The three of them went out and played “chase and bump” while I got snacks and water bottles packed and the stroller loaded. It’s always a good afternoon when they will all play together. I love to listen to them laughing and squealing with happiness — it’s probably one of my favorite sounds in the world.
Colin and Veronica walked more than half a mile before they decided they were ready for snacks. They both wanted to keep walking and eating, but I made them get into the stroller if they were going to snack. Unfortunately, Ethan had to walk and eat, and ended up dropping his cup of treats and spilling it all over the sidewalk. (Fortunately, he’s also old enough that I can give him $5, and he will go into Starbucks by himself and order a scone. No more having to unload everyone. Yeah.)
Everyone did very well at the library, until it was time to check out. Veronica and Colin both wanted to stay, so we had some serious crying when it was time to pack up. And I had to tell Colin to stop doing things so often that even the security guard was calling him by name before we managed to check out — “Colin, you can’t play with that. Colin, you need to stop that.” Oh the joys of an active boy.
On the way home, Veronica suddenly called me from the stroller. “I want to go to a restaurant today.” Since I was already stressing out about getting something on the table for dinner (it was approaching 4:30 at this point, and we were still only half way home), I decided that sounded like a good idea. All three kids agreed to behave, and so we decided to go out.
After a quick stop to pick up John and change some diapers, we headed off to Wishbone. We haven’t actually taken the kids to a restaurant in probably at least three months, and what a difference those three months have made. They both sat in their chairs (without boosters even — so much easier!) and were very well behaved. They ate like champs, and even stayed relatively quiet while we waited for the check.
Of course, it helped that we had the most awesome waiter ever (Veronica called him the boy with the black napkin [his apron] as in, “Where did the boy with the black napkin go?”). Colin really enjoyed himself, and kept announcing throughout his dinner, “This is great! I LIKE this!” And we made it home without me feeling like I’d just run a marathon.
But after nap and lunch, everyone was back to being in a good mood. Because the sun was shining, the kids and I decided to walk up to the library. So we loaded up the 50 pounds of library books that were either due or we were done with, bundled up and headed out with our strollers in hand. (Ethan had a scooter, being a bit too mature to want to push a stroller when he walks now.)
The three of them went out and played “chase and bump” while I got snacks and water bottles packed and the stroller loaded. It’s always a good afternoon when they will all play together. I love to listen to them laughing and squealing with happiness — it’s probably one of my favorite sounds in the world.
Colin and Veronica walked more than half a mile before they decided they were ready for snacks. They both wanted to keep walking and eating, but I made them get into the stroller if they were going to snack. Unfortunately, Ethan had to walk and eat, and ended up dropping his cup of treats and spilling it all over the sidewalk. (Fortunately, he’s also old enough that I can give him $5, and he will go into Starbucks by himself and order a scone. No more having to unload everyone. Yeah.)
Everyone did very well at the library, until it was time to check out. Veronica and Colin both wanted to stay, so we had some serious crying when it was time to pack up. And I had to tell Colin to stop doing things so often that even the security guard was calling him by name before we managed to check out — “Colin, you can’t play with that. Colin, you need to stop that.” Oh the joys of an active boy.
On the way home, Veronica suddenly called me from the stroller. “I want to go to a restaurant today.” Since I was already stressing out about getting something on the table for dinner (it was approaching 4:30 at this point, and we were still only half way home), I decided that sounded like a good idea. All three kids agreed to behave, and so we decided to go out.
After a quick stop to pick up John and change some diapers, we headed off to Wishbone. We haven’t actually taken the kids to a restaurant in probably at least three months, and what a difference those three months have made. They both sat in their chairs (without boosters even — so much easier!) and were very well behaved. They ate like champs, and even stayed relatively quiet while we waited for the check.
Of course, it helped that we had the most awesome waiter ever (Veronica called him the boy with the black napkin [his apron] as in, “Where did the boy with the black napkin go?”). Colin really enjoyed himself, and kept announcing throughout his dinner, “This is great! I LIKE this!” And we made it home without me feeling like I’d just run a marathon.
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
My tummy is very happy
We started Colin back on dairy on Sunday, and he is one happy, happy boy. For lunch, he and Veronica requested Mac and Cheese — one of their favorite meals, and one they haven’t had for six weeks. They polished off the entire box. I wish I had thought to grab my camera to record the moment; Colin was very cute.
On Sunday afternoon, Colin, Veronica and I walked to Trader Joe’s to pick up some cheese and bananas. Colin saw the string cheese and danced for joy. I gave him a package, and he walked through the store clutching it to his chest (until he decided it was too heavy and threw it into the basket).
On Monday, John gave them Goldfish crackers for snack. Colin announced, as he was chowing down, “My tummy is very happy!”
Clearly, our boy has been missing his dairy products. And we haven’t even gotten to the ice cream (maybe this weekend) or the pizza (on Friday) yet.
So far, going back on the dairy doesn’t seem to have made a difference. (Going off the dairy didn’t seem to make a huge difference either, after his initial problem cleared up.) We will continue to monitor his digestive health and comfort, but I do have to say that it’s quite liberating not having to watch everything he eats and to come up with creative (and high calorie) meals that don’t involve dairy.
I have a new appreciation for the pain parents whose children have food allergies must face — not even factoring in the “my child might die if he or she eats the wrong thing” fear that so many people face.
But for me, I hope, the no dairy chapter may be closed. And now we can go back to focusing on getting Colin to grow. Because that also is something he hasn’t done for the past six weeks. And that’s not good.
On Sunday afternoon, Colin, Veronica and I walked to Trader Joe’s to pick up some cheese and bananas. Colin saw the string cheese and danced for joy. I gave him a package, and he walked through the store clutching it to his chest (until he decided it was too heavy and threw it into the basket).
On Monday, John gave them Goldfish crackers for snack. Colin announced, as he was chowing down, “My tummy is very happy!”
Clearly, our boy has been missing his dairy products. And we haven’t even gotten to the ice cream (maybe this weekend) or the pizza (on Friday) yet.
So far, going back on the dairy doesn’t seem to have made a difference. (Going off the dairy didn’t seem to make a huge difference either, after his initial problem cleared up.) We will continue to monitor his digestive health and comfort, but I do have to say that it’s quite liberating not having to watch everything he eats and to come up with creative (and high calorie) meals that don’t involve dairy.
I have a new appreciation for the pain parents whose children have food allergies must face — not even factoring in the “my child might die if he or she eats the wrong thing” fear that so many people face.
But for me, I hope, the no dairy chapter may be closed. And now we can go back to focusing on getting Colin to grow. Because that also is something he hasn’t done for the past six weeks. And that’s not good.
Wednesday, March 6, 2013
Plague House
This has been a bad winter for illness in Chicago, and up until now, we have mostly been immune to it. Other than one set of colds early on, and Ethan’s Christmas illness, the kids have mainly stayed pretty healthy this year.
Until last week. [Warning — if you have a delicate stomach you may not want to read on.]
It started on Thursday night, when Veronica walked in the door from Ethan’s swimming class and immediately told me her stomach hurt. I, being in the middle of cooking dinner, told her to go take off her boots and sit on the couch and I would be out in a few minutes. At the dinner table, she didn’t take a single bite (and it was pasta — and easy favorite), so I took her out to the couch and we snuggled while I rubbed her tummy.
She was happily chatting away on my lap, when suddenly … urp. She threw up all over herself (and me). “What was that?” was basically her response. “You threw up honey. That’s probably why your tummy hurt.”
After getting her changed into her pjs, she started playing until bedtime (really, just a 15 minute gap there). She went to sleep just fine. For about 45 minutes. Then she threw up again. And again. And again. For the next 9.5 hours. (We moved Colin into our bedroom so he could sleep.)
Veronica’s sickbed style was this: thrash, thrash, thrash. “Mommy I going to throw up.” Sit up. Throw up into towel/cloth diaper (she wouldn’t have anything to do with a bucket). Pick up chatting where we left off. Until the stretch where she was getting sick every 15 minutes, she was just a cheerful little chatterbox.
Next morning, her stomach was fine, but she had a sore throat and a bit of a fever.
I felt queasy on Friday, so stayed home. The last thing I wanted was to get downtown and start getting sick. How on Earth would I get home?
Saturday morning, Ethan woke up and said he wasn’t feeling super good. He came down and ate breakfast as usual. Then he and Colin spent some time playing with Matchbox cars while I tried to get Veronica to take a nap (at her request). We gave up the nap when Colin started howling because Ethan put him in timeout for trying to eat the wheels off the Matchbox cars. (Really Colin? Do you have to destroy everything you touch?)
Suddenly Ethan was howling that he thought he was going to get sick. “Well then get into the bathroom and do it!” I’m such a caring Mom.
So now I’ve got two sick kids and one totally wound up boy with zero empathy. And John was at the park registering Ethan for swimming.
Ethan is the WORST sick person in the world. I am not exaggerating. The Worst. His illness mirrored Veronica’s, and while she stayed happy throughout for the most part, Ethan wailed. Constantly. At the top of his lungs. At the height of it, he was screaming, “Someone is trying to kill me. I think someone is trying to kill us all.”
We were impressed that Colin seemed to have dodged the bullet. But we were impressed too soon. My mid afternoon, he was throwing up too. Apparently he was driving his truck along the side of the big bed in their room, when suddenly … urp. He didn’t really seem to miss a beat, and kept on driving.
So Veronica is a chatty sick patient, Ethan thinks someone is trying to kill him and Colin barely takes note of it. Hmm …
Colin didn’t want to use the towel method that Veronica preferred, so he got a bucket (less laundry for Mommy and Daddy that way). The problem was, when he was throwing up he would stick his head so far into the bucket that his face was very nearly in the mess. By 5:30, Colin had crawled into bed and covered himself up and told John he was ready to go to sleep for the night.
He only got sick one more time, so he suffered the lightest hit. But he woke up at 10:00 and was thirsty and was VERY angry that I would only let him take a few sips. He got a few more at 10:15, and a few more at 10:45, at which point I gave in and figured that if he hadn’t gotten sick from the water at that point, he wouldn’t. So between 10:00 and 5:30 the next morning, he drank a water bottle and a half of water, plus a large sippy cup of juice. And he still woke up thirsty.
Ethan made a full recovery the fastest, and was fine by Sunday afternoon. Both Colin and Veronica continue to have very little appetite (although last night Colin reversed that — thank goodness) and obviously aren’t fully recovered. I am completely wiped out. Between not feeling well myself, and caring for three sick kiddos (all night long) …
And the laundry. The mountains of laundry. And our dryer broke in the middle of a load on Friday morning. (Fortunately, it is still under warranty, and Sears had an opening on their service schedule that afternoon, so we were back up and running after dinner.) I’m just now getting caught up.
I hope this is the last plague of the season. Ugh.
Until last week. [Warning — if you have a delicate stomach you may not want to read on.]
It started on Thursday night, when Veronica walked in the door from Ethan’s swimming class and immediately told me her stomach hurt. I, being in the middle of cooking dinner, told her to go take off her boots and sit on the couch and I would be out in a few minutes. At the dinner table, she didn’t take a single bite (and it was pasta — and easy favorite), so I took her out to the couch and we snuggled while I rubbed her tummy.
She was happily chatting away on my lap, when suddenly … urp. She threw up all over herself (and me). “What was that?” was basically her response. “You threw up honey. That’s probably why your tummy hurt.”
After getting her changed into her pjs, she started playing until bedtime (really, just a 15 minute gap there). She went to sleep just fine. For about 45 minutes. Then she threw up again. And again. And again. For the next 9.5 hours. (We moved Colin into our bedroom so he could sleep.)
Veronica’s sickbed style was this: thrash, thrash, thrash. “Mommy I going to throw up.” Sit up. Throw up into towel/cloth diaper (she wouldn’t have anything to do with a bucket). Pick up chatting where we left off. Until the stretch where she was getting sick every 15 minutes, she was just a cheerful little chatterbox.
Next morning, her stomach was fine, but she had a sore throat and a bit of a fever.
I felt queasy on Friday, so stayed home. The last thing I wanted was to get downtown and start getting sick. How on Earth would I get home?
Saturday morning, Ethan woke up and said he wasn’t feeling super good. He came down and ate breakfast as usual. Then he and Colin spent some time playing with Matchbox cars while I tried to get Veronica to take a nap (at her request). We gave up the nap when Colin started howling because Ethan put him in timeout for trying to eat the wheels off the Matchbox cars. (Really Colin? Do you have to destroy everything you touch?)
Suddenly Ethan was howling that he thought he was going to get sick. “Well then get into the bathroom and do it!” I’m such a caring Mom.
So now I’ve got two sick kids and one totally wound up boy with zero empathy. And John was at the park registering Ethan for swimming.
Ethan is the WORST sick person in the world. I am not exaggerating. The Worst. His illness mirrored Veronica’s, and while she stayed happy throughout for the most part, Ethan wailed. Constantly. At the top of his lungs. At the height of it, he was screaming, “Someone is trying to kill me. I think someone is trying to kill us all.”
We were impressed that Colin seemed to have dodged the bullet. But we were impressed too soon. My mid afternoon, he was throwing up too. Apparently he was driving his truck along the side of the big bed in their room, when suddenly … urp. He didn’t really seem to miss a beat, and kept on driving.
So Veronica is a chatty sick patient, Ethan thinks someone is trying to kill him and Colin barely takes note of it. Hmm …
Colin didn’t want to use the towel method that Veronica preferred, so he got a bucket (less laundry for Mommy and Daddy that way). The problem was, when he was throwing up he would stick his head so far into the bucket that his face was very nearly in the mess. By 5:30, Colin had crawled into bed and covered himself up and told John he was ready to go to sleep for the night.
He only got sick one more time, so he suffered the lightest hit. But he woke up at 10:00 and was thirsty and was VERY angry that I would only let him take a few sips. He got a few more at 10:15, and a few more at 10:45, at which point I gave in and figured that if he hadn’t gotten sick from the water at that point, he wouldn’t. So between 10:00 and 5:30 the next morning, he drank a water bottle and a half of water, plus a large sippy cup of juice. And he still woke up thirsty.
Ethan made a full recovery the fastest, and was fine by Sunday afternoon. Both Colin and Veronica continue to have very little appetite (although last night Colin reversed that — thank goodness) and obviously aren’t fully recovered. I am completely wiped out. Between not feeling well myself, and caring for three sick kiddos (all night long) …
And the laundry. The mountains of laundry. And our dryer broke in the middle of a load on Friday morning. (Fortunately, it is still under warranty, and Sears had an opening on their service schedule that afternoon, so we were back up and running after dinner.) I’m just now getting caught up.
I hope this is the last plague of the season. Ugh.
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