What does it mean to be three years old? It means you finally get a room of your own! Since Ashley rarely sleeps on her own, we hadn't converted the fourth bedroom from the home office into her room. However, it's really time, as Tyler is starting to become more territorial - he makes imaginary boundaries in the living room, and has started to order her out of his room. I set aside several hours on Easter Monday to clear out part of the room, and carve out space for her. It's a work in progress, but now she knows that here is a space that is wholly her own, where she can put her own treasures. The kids are still fluid in where they play, but eventually I imagine we might start to reclaim more and more of the first floor, and their rooms will become their domains, their hideouts, their places to make their own, their areas of responsibility. Slowly in these small increments, the baby clothes and toys are packed up, the wall decorations change, the books level up, the shoes get bigger.
Ashley is more aware now of the significance of cards, and of printed words on paper. She receives birthday cards and Valentines. In cleaning up, I've come across birthday cards from past years, addressed to her long before she was able to read them (1st birthday, etc.). I'm going to pass a few of these on to her. She likes looking at the few cards she has: taking them up and putting them back in their envelopes, delivering them to herself through a complicated mail delivery system involving a mail truck, and pretending to read them. I think she will be able to pick up the letters before she starts JK next September. She seems to have an interest - she already knows some of them.
She will start with a Lego theme in her room. I received a large promotional cutout of the Lego Movie, and had ordered some Lego wall decals. I also gave her 1600 basic blocks for her birthday. She likes the Lego Friends mini-set I gave her, which is making me relent somewhat on Lego Friends as a "girl-friendly" version of the mainstream. The not-used-as-such train table may end up as the Lego table.
Even though it took so long, I'm enjoying the prospect of setting up her room, not as a baby room or nursery, but as a preschool girl's haven, not so girly, but full of playful elements.
Saturday, April 11, 2015
Saturday in Spring
The kids are 'big kids' now, being 4 and 3 years old. They are each others' best friends, and companions in play. They are improv partners: playing make-believe, building on each others' fluid imaginary worlds, and jumping on the bandwagon when something gets a rise out of the adults in the home.
Playing outdoors is a much easier proposition, as the older one can get himself ready, and the younger one can at least gather the necessary pieces, and put on, if not zip up, her jacket. They are purposeful, knowing what they wish to do outdoors, and are happy initially to run around and orient themselves to the mushiness or solidity of the ground, breathe in the fresh air, feel the warmth of the sun. It's also finally getting to be the time when moving the kids outdoors for a change of scenery is possible. The cloud of indoor irritability disperses when they cross the threshold to go outdoors. Those legs that kick out at a sibling indoors get busy climbing a slide, or jumping on sticks.
When we go out, they are able to wait for a table, seat themselves in chairs, and use cutlery. They can play with a few small toys before the food arrives, and when they are inevitably done first, go back to the toys for a while before getting restless.
The junior kindergartener continues to be happy at school, and to be picking up things from his peers as everyone becomes a little more verbal and a little more social. There is some playground rudeness that filters back, and we put him back in line. What can be negotiated on the playscape with rough words among the 4-6 year olds doesn't work at the dinner table (civilized company). This is the separation of the kids' world from the adult world. I already sense the divide - he complains "Adults are always telling the kids what to do," but also the aspirations: "Am I going to be an adult soon?"
Meanwhile, the newly 3-year is an accomplished mimic of her brother, and also of us. You can actually experience her learning new words and concepts as they happen.
Three and four are nice ages, when the best treat ever is still a Kinder Surprise Egg.
Playing outdoors is a much easier proposition, as the older one can get himself ready, and the younger one can at least gather the necessary pieces, and put on, if not zip up, her jacket. They are purposeful, knowing what they wish to do outdoors, and are happy initially to run around and orient themselves to the mushiness or solidity of the ground, breathe in the fresh air, feel the warmth of the sun. It's also finally getting to be the time when moving the kids outdoors for a change of scenery is possible. The cloud of indoor irritability disperses when they cross the threshold to go outdoors. Those legs that kick out at a sibling indoors get busy climbing a slide, or jumping on sticks.
When we go out, they are able to wait for a table, seat themselves in chairs, and use cutlery. They can play with a few small toys before the food arrives, and when they are inevitably done first, go back to the toys for a while before getting restless.
The junior kindergartener continues to be happy at school, and to be picking up things from his peers as everyone becomes a little more verbal and a little more social. There is some playground rudeness that filters back, and we put him back in line. What can be negotiated on the playscape with rough words among the 4-6 year olds doesn't work at the dinner table (civilized company). This is the separation of the kids' world from the adult world. I already sense the divide - he complains "Adults are always telling the kids what to do," but also the aspirations: "Am I going to be an adult soon?"
Meanwhile, the newly 3-year is an accomplished mimic of her brother, and also of us. You can actually experience her learning new words and concepts as they happen.
Three and four are nice ages, when the best treat ever is still a Kinder Surprise Egg.
Tuesday, March 31, 2015
Monday, February 16, 2015
Happy Family Day!
In one week, it's Valentine's Day, Family Day, Chinese New Year, and daddy's birthday! That can only mean one thing: lots of food, with family!
Tyler made his first Valentine's Day mailbox, out of a (kids') size 6 shoebox, and gave and received class Valentine's cards. He received his very first report card, and we had a parent-teacher interview three days later. We are fortunate to enjoy a good rapport with his teachers, with mutual trust and open communications. We respond to the forms and requests from school, and they keep us in the loop.
We visited my maternal grandmother on Valentine's Day, and it must be that not many small children visit, as ours were rare specimens, butterflies flitting among the wheelchairs. We had a snack and some photos in the family room, where a light blue budgie sidestepped nervously on a stick in a small cage.
We are looking ahead to spring by going to the fishing and boating show, and you can almost feel the winter thaw approaching. We are still waiting for that perfect, powdery weekend for toboggans and making snow friends.
Meanwhile, Tyler, at 4, is having some physical growth spurts. There are times when we can't feed him enough. Ashley, at 2, is becoming more and more sophisticated in language - she already has pre-reading skills.
These two kids make a surprising amount of noise, but they anchor this bustling home, this family of 5. Happy Family Day to you and yours!
Sunday, January 18, 2015
The shiniest car
Tyler returns home, and his sister and I hug him. He has a nice homecoming, reacquainting himself with his toys, and his environment. He has gained a couple of Monster Truck Hot Wheels vehicles, and a truck he put together at the car show. He's a big presence in the house, and I can feel my mother-in-law fade to the background as she interacts with him and attends to him.
The kids are each other's best playmates, with the most experience negotiating, sharing, and imagining through the same scenarios. They improvise with each other and feed off each other.
He's very chatty, having spent the weekend with two five-year olds, and asserting himself in a crowd. He's had a fun weekend and been on long journeys.
By all accounts, it seems like the best kind of daddy/son weekend, spent doing stuff together.
Quietly he tells me he was thinking about me. He says he chose the shiniest car for me at the car show.
His lunch is made, his backpack is ready to go, and he's gone to bed. I'm happy to have him back, and his dad too!
The kids are each other's best playmates, with the most experience negotiating, sharing, and imagining through the same scenarios. They improvise with each other and feed off each other.
He's very chatty, having spent the weekend with two five-year olds, and asserting himself in a crowd. He's had a fun weekend and been on long journeys.
By all accounts, it seems like the best kind of daddy/son weekend, spent doing stuff together.
Quietly he tells me he was thinking about me. He says he chose the shiniest car for me at the car show.
His lunch is made, his backpack is ready to go, and he's gone to bed. I'm happy to have him back, and his dad too!
Divide & conquer
My spouse took Tyler for a three night road trip with his car club buddies. Tyler had a couple of older boys to play with, and devoted daddy time. From the pictures, it looks like he had a great time. It's Sunday night, and I'm waiting for his return, on a school night.
Meanwhile, Ashley has had the attention of my mother-in-law and I all weekend. We splurged by going out to a local restaurant on Friday, and on Saturday headed down to do an errand and stop by the Royal Ontario Museum, where we have a family membership (the named adults are my mother-in-law and I, as I guessed correctly that it would us who would be going. I took her to church solo this morning and when I picked her up from her preschool class she was playing at the sand table with 5 other kids. We took her to Costco after lunch and she and I goofed around. We have a few inside jokes, her and I...
She is sophisticated. We have moved past physical humour into verbal exchanges that amuse us both. She is getting to be better and better company. It's been a calm weekend. It would have been lonely without my mother-in-law these few days, so it has worked out well, to share in the care of Ashley, and to do things for each other as well.
If the three of us were completely healthy, I would have suggested we go to Ripley's Aquarium. It's something Tyler might not like, but I'm sure my mother-in-law and Ashley would have. Another time...
Meanwhile, Ashley has had the attention of my mother-in-law and I all weekend. We splurged by going out to a local restaurant on Friday, and on Saturday headed down to do an errand and stop by the Royal Ontario Museum, where we have a family membership (the named adults are my mother-in-law and I, as I guessed correctly that it would us who would be going. I took her to church solo this morning and when I picked her up from her preschool class she was playing at the sand table with 5 other kids. We took her to Costco after lunch and she and I goofed around. We have a few inside jokes, her and I...
She is sophisticated. We have moved past physical humour into verbal exchanges that amuse us both. She is getting to be better and better company. It's been a calm weekend. It would have been lonely without my mother-in-law these few days, so it has worked out well, to share in the care of Ashley, and to do things for each other as well.
If the three of us were completely healthy, I would have suggested we go to Ripley's Aquarium. It's something Tyler might not like, but I'm sure my mother-in-law and Ashley would have. Another time...
Cleaning up
I took the opportunity in some free time I had to clean up...I filled four garbage bags with stuffed animals and stashed them in the space under the stairs. I went through the toys and pulled out the ones they'd both outgrown. I organized the remaining toys, and I hope it will allow them to focus their play. As I say this, however, my daughter has just scattered all the dollhouse furniture on the floor....sigh...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)