You're Invited to a First Birthday!

Will is almost one entire year old! I can't believe how quickly this year has sped by.

Before I get sappy and nostalgic I want to invite you all to his upcoming BIRTHDAY BASH! I know myself well enough to see there is no way I'm getting proper invitations done this year, so please excuse the informality. We really do hope you'll attend.

The birthday party has been cancelled. Will awoke at midnight with a fever. Sorry, all.

This is a very casual affair. Come and go as you please. Please do not bring gifts but if you feel moved to bring a small pot-luck item that would be nice. Or don't. I have a feeling there will be a ton of food. Do bring swim attire for the kids if you'd like them to enjoy the fountains. Other than that we'll just all enjoy the day gushing about how big the Birthday Boy is getting to be and how cute he is.

***      

When Harper was little it was just the two of us spending our days together, so I feel like I got more of a chance to experience her babyhood. But with two kids I feel like I'm barely treading water most days, so time is just speeding by. That's the thing about babies, you know they're only little for a short amount of time, but you only get a one month old for one month, and you only get a six month old for one month, and so it goes on and on until you suddenly have a toddler. You get the picture. And so, as I write this, with Will on the brink of toddlerhood, I want to take a minute to record the wonderful and new things about him right now. 

The theme song for our pool days:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A9QTSyLwd4w

He is talking! "Mama" was his first word at eight and a half months but it was quickly replaced by "dada" and, now, "daddy." He also says "no," "bye-bye" (although it sounds more like "buh-buh") and "doggy."  He repeated "yellow" several times but I almost don't want to count it since he was only parroting it and has no idea what it is. He also growls on command, sympathy coughs and will make the "Jaws Sound" (duh-DUH! duh-DUH! DUH-DUH! DUH-DUH!) in crescendo when we chase a screaming Harper around the pool. And, of course, says, "Yeah!" when he "Stirs the Pot." We have one funky baby.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eItZuy59N6s

He has a total of four adorable teeth in his head, although he is currently cutting an additional six (as my right shoulder will attest). His incisors are the most prominent as his two front teeth have yet to make an appearance (any minute, though, poor shoulder!), so we hear our fair share of Dracula jokes. I think he looks just precious, though! 

   

He claps, blows kisses (you should hear adorable smacking sounds) and plays Peek-A-Boo. But his favorite pastime, by far, is rearranging furniture. I have never seen a baby relish moving/tipping over chairs and tables the way he does. Brad jokes that at least he can fall back on a career in furniture moving if college doesn't work out. Then today he did this: 

He started in Harper's room and pushed it through the hallway, through the dining room and eventually all the way through the living room to the front door. Then he turned it around and pushed it back again. Go Will.

I just want to snuggle that boy up and savor the last of his babyhood. Heaven knows there isn't much of it left!  

Quiz Kid

Harper's been stuck on a particular line of questioning of late.

Harper: “Is Santa Claus real or pretend?”

Me: “Ummmm…”

Harper: “Are reindeer real or pretend?”

Me (relieved): “Reindeer are real! Would you like to watch some videos of reindeer?!”

And then yesterday, while watching a Tinkerbelle short:

Harper: “Tinkerbelle is not real. Fairies are pretend.”

Me: “That’s right.”

Harper: “But then where do the teeth go?”

Me: “The teeth? What teeth?”

Harper: “The Tooth Fairy is not real.” (suddenly concerned) “Who takes the teeth? Where do all the teeth go?”

Me: “Ummmm…”

… and a couple of hours later, from out of no where:

Harper: “Are elves real?”

Me: “No, elves are not real.”

Harper: “But who helps Santa Claus? Who makes the toys?”

Me: “Ummmm… Santa Claus is magical. That’s how he delivers toys to all the children all over the world.”

Harper (patronizingly): “But mom, magic is not real.”

Me: “Ummmm….”

I wasn't expecting these questions so soon, and I was really hoping she'd have a magical childhood filled with wonder, but that's just not who Harper is. Maybe I should just be proud that she's such a critical thinker. 

Premonition

Every once in a while I'll be doing something with Harper and I'll get a small glimpse of the young woman she will be someday, and my heart is so full of love for her I can hardly bear it. Today was one of those days.

Prodigy

I love music. Growing up, there was a lot of music in our home, which is one of the reasons I was so insistent on getting a piano. I can hardly wait to make Harper and Will take lessons and practice. When they pound away on the keys with their tiny, grubby fingers, my friends ask me if I'm still glad we brought the piano home and my answer is a resounding, "Yes!." The dissonance is the sound of joy. Every home should be filled with music.

Brad loves music, too. He is, however, completely tone deaf (which is weird because he can tune a guitar). And, so far, Harper seems to take after her daddy in that particular respect (she does have exceptionally good rhythm, though). Will, however, just might be a budding little musician. That kid loves to sing and, even at eleven months old (yes, he's eleven months old now!) he is trying to match my pitch. It's pretty cool to see him develop his talents. 

Earlier this week he discovered the piano and now, if we let him, he'll regale us with mini-concerts; howling away and banging on the keys with gusto (much to the cat's dismay). Last night was one of his more subdued performances, but you get the idea.      

 
P.S. Did you notice Harper's request for more dinosaurs? That girl is all dinosaurs, all the time.

National Treasure

Harper and I were discussing George Washington after watching an educational program about him this morning.

 
Harper: "He was the President."
Me: "That's right. He was our first President."
Harper: "But he's not anymore?"
Me: "No. Who is the President now?"
Harper: "Obama."
Me: "That's right."
Harper: "Is he alive?"
Me: "George Washington? No. He died a long time ago. Hundreds of years ago."
Harper: "When you were a little girl?"

This would probably sting less if I didn't have a birthday coming up.

Happy fourth!