G wants things. All sorts of things, at all sorts of times, for all sorts of reasons. its no longer a bright shiny thing distracting her, its a precious rarity and its very very important she get it. this must be the start of the terrible 2s.
it started as:
<asleep | awake>
then it became:
<asleep < content | discontent > awake>
onto:
<asleep < content < happy | unhappy> discontent > awake>
and now at:
<asleep < content < happy <want | not getting what i want> unhappy> discontent > awake>
Gimulation
–noun
Ex: We played with the screen door, we did the bellybutton game, we read The Little Firefly…I need some new gimulation or she’s gonna blow!
beckie coming and going from the hotel room has gotten G very angst-ridden. nothing will take her mind off of pounding on the door. not even strawberry cheesecake. not even strawberry cheesecake…
sometimes you wonder if they didn’t switch her at the hospital?
I’m saying it, here, now: this kid will teach herself to swim before summer is out.
After a busy morning of dirt exploration, we slipped into a pair of swimming pants and headed to the hotel pool. Best part, pool lets me skate on a bath. we started by walking around the pool, to tire her out a bit and make her a little more compliant. at first G headed right for the edge of the 9 ft section, of course, the most dangerous section. She had no idea about the drop-off; our pool may have given her false confidence. Then she moved to the ladder, which i figured was an acceptable risk and opportunity for continuing education. She started by putting her feet on the top rung and kickity kicking and stomppity stompping, with much delight. some back, some forth, some running out of the pool and back to the first rung…it was pretty amazing watching her get it down better with each repetition. Then she tried to go past the first rung and I grabbed her harder and said “NO”. and she tried it again and heard my command, and she got it. Its just like the dog, as long as you give her really clear signals.
but she was having too much fun playing in the water, so it was time to go in! She cautiously approached the top step, figured out she was safe, and then the fun began! First step, 2nd step, she knew what she was doing. I didnt know if she’d be scared in a new pool but she was totally cool with me taking her around. She was having much more fun then she ever had with me before…her increasing comfort with the water is just incredible. Back on the steps, she was trying each time to get the water closer and closer to her mouth. It shouldn’t surpise me but its just like her with everything else — she just keeps pushing her limits. jumping off the 2nd stair for me to catch her, flopping her way back to the 1st stair, each time getting more comfortable. She laughed when I went underwater, and it was only like a month ago that move got her crying. I kept thinking it was too much, cause after awhile her face got and stayed real serious. But each time I moved to get out she kept going “no no”. must have just been the water in her eyes. she just kept splashing and putting her face in. finally, she miscalculated a jump and a landing and wound up going underwater by herself on the 2nd step. I figured that would trigger a meltdown, and she ran to the top of the steps, but then changed her mind and came storming back for more.
a brief nap, then back outside for more!
Official Word #2: bb
It might be spelled Bb or bebe. i don’t think spelling should matter if you can’t tie your own velcro shoes.
G can’t go anywhere without it. not anywhere. except there is more than one. there are actually 4 or 5 in varying shades of pastel and sizes, and in a pinch, any fleece jacket or sateen robe or misplace lingerie will do. the point is, she wants something soft and she’ll gauge out your eyes to get it. that kind of all-encompassing fixation really isnt so bad, we just have a lot of blankets stowed about the house.
apparently the day care one was getting cleaned one day, much to G’s dismay.
beckie got home from a bacherlorette party right as I was leaving to go ride. parenthood has not affected our lifestyles much, other than we never see each other. i worry about the consequences of this, but the consequences of giving up our fun are worse.
somehow Genevieve found colored pencils. a whole tin of them. this is very very dangerous and potentially messy, very very messy.. Apparently…apparently Beckie has had these pencils approximately “for ever” R.A. Holmes, Jun 17 2007. I have never once so much as caught a whisper of the pencils, but G sniffs them out like blood to a shark. It takes me the better part of a day to collect all the pencils from all the tiny fists and tiny hiding places.
So, we store the pencils on a higher shelf.
Today the pencils were re-discoverd. tinyHuman is growing. I was a bit annoyed, more to clean up.
Later I am working on my bike. My knees had been hurting and I felt cramped in the seat, i needed to raise the seat a smidge. this is always difficult, my seatpost has no gridmarkers, and it does not show a mark well. how will I know how much to raise it?
pencils
i chose light blue. i rode 3.5 hrs on the Double Bypass this morning. knees feel great.
its awesome!
we’re running around, one direction, the other direction, shit I dont care what directions, we’re above, we’re below, we are combining the bellybutton game! i need to get a new camera that will take videos. and a new mp3 player. this is exhausting, this kid rocks.
Shaggy – Oh Carolina.mp3
hehehe. this is how G rolls:
not once, but twice, i got unprovoked dancing to the sultry rhythms of Shaggy.
I found out about the belly-button game today. Apparently Beckie has known about this for quite some time. Apparently this is very 15 and half months. Apparently everyone and their mother are well-versed in the belly-button rules, and skills, and lore…familiar with the winners of epic belly-button duels, heroes and losers, great moments in belly-button history, subtleties and ettiquette dealing with appropriate booping and tickling…apparently all common knowledge, practically public-domain. Apparently I have fallen off the curve in just 2 weeks!