Life has been fairly boring recently. We’re working on job applications, so every few days we stop to think about what kinds of jobs we’re going for this year, which sends us into a bit of a tailspin (which country or continent? what kind of school, teaching or research? which field?), but other than that life is full of the usual kinds of work: cooking good food, playing with the little ones, and bundling them up for walks outside. Each child now has his or her own blanket/animal/pillow (Lisa E. gave Katherine a giraffe; Grandma B. gave Nathaniel a crocodile), so I now push Ms. Orange and Mr. Green down the streets of Oxford and check frequently for exposed fingers and knees. I still get gasps when tourists realize that there’s a second little kid tucked behind the first one. It’s amusing, though I am not thrilled when they then dig out their cameras.
Nathaniel has had quite a week. He just abandoned his rather careful ways and started getting reckless, so we’re starting to see bumps and bruises on him, too. He tried crawling up the stairs a few times earlier this week (just to the second step, where the baby gate is), and in the process he slipped and gave himself a bloody nose. He managed to do the same thing when he got tangled up in his own limbs while crawling in the kitchen earlier this morning, so I’ve been patting a number of bloody lips this week. But he is also starting to babble syllables, he’s cruising along furniture quite nicely, and at his checkup this week I learned he’s holding steady at 22 1/2 pounds–where he’s been for the last few months. He gets a lot of attention at playgroups, probably because most mothers remember how brief this stage is, and yet how cute. He’s also suddenly become very interested in trying our food. Yesterday he had some soup and an entire banana over the course of the day. Katherine was thrilled . . . but then she tried feeding him her cereal. Nathaniel seems quite keen on this whole “real food” experience, and I can’t say he’s nearly as interested in nursing, so I may let him incorporate more solid food into his diet as he explores. If nothing else, it makes for great faces when he tastes something new!
Katherine has learned about half of her alphabet, and finally really got into the song time at our playgroup. She still stares solemnly at the group during the singing, but whispers to me every time there’s a pause “Sing. More singing?” and eagerly asks for repeats when we get home. She also likes to count to 10, though she gets a bit eager and seems to skip 4, so she’s only accurate up to about 3.
Erin
Alan Schmierer