No ideas what to post, so here is a photo

Totally out of inspiration. So look at my boys - Sparky (almost 5) behind Scout (almost 2 3/4).

eccentricity

My 2 year old, Scout, just gave me an insight into how others might see me. He brought me over my new box of cotton buds and said yours Mummy! and proceeded to get me some out. I realised I am the only person in the house that uses them. And I use them fairly frequently - I don't like the feeling of dirty waxy ears. And then realised it is probably odd to keep them in the living room. Which I seem to have got into the habit of recently- I hasten to add we have a small bathroom without much storage room. I had an image of myself as an elderly lady with my economy sized pack of cotton buds, a house littered with used buds scattered everywhere, and trying to give them away to any visitors.

And I realised this was a possible eccentricity. And started to wonder what other eccentricities I had. There is the not liking socks thing, as it feels my feet can't breathe, just for starters.

Btw, Scout has been sick the last 2 days but seems to be on the mend. And I have been very busy, hence only 4 posts for August!

Easter Sunday sickness

We were woken at 5 this morning by a very sick Scout. He missed out on his Easter eggs, and we have spent all day trying to keep water in him (without him gulping too much!!!) It went well during the day but he started looking well afternoon tea, had too much too soon to eat, and vomited again before dinner. He has been a very cranky and very clingy kid.

Can I confess to you as I write this I am feeling fairly sad and sorry for myself? And very much hoping Scout stays asleep tonight? As well as sad for Scout, Sparky and Bhaer. Our plan of joyful celebrations today didn't really turn out the way we hoped.

I'm finding it hard to remember that this too passes, so I can only imagine how it must feel to a 2 year old with a very rudimentary concept of time.

I'm struggling with being glad right now. I am worrying about who might be next. But I am putting my hopes in that time when God wipes my tears, and 2 year olds don't get tummy bugs.

200 posts and miscellanea

To state the obvious after my title, this is my 200th post. I am truly amazed that I am still blogging (I do have a tendency to be faddish...). I think I have kept going because of the helpful interaction with those of you who read and comment . So thank you! And to any lurkers out there, now could be a moment to delurk!

I've been absent from my blog for a week - I had a weekend away sans kids (ahhh) and been busy since I got back.

The major happening in our home is that Scout, having shown the ability to climb out of his cot, has been moved into a bed. The first 2 nights he was true to his Blog name by falling out the end of the bed - he couldn't fall out the side because we have a safety rail on. I have now rigged up a barrier with chairs and last night no falls (Sparky woke up twice instead...). Sparky never did fall out the end, so I don't know when Scout's adventurous sleep patterns will improve. Anyone else have a kids that did this?

cheekiness and slumdog millionaire

AS I said I saw this movie this week with Mim. (It was so good to get out Mim!) So much to say, and considering the plethora of Oscars, everyone else has already said it probably.

Thought I might share one thought, though. I was struck by the contrast between the subdued (though resilient) grownup Jamal and the cheekiness of the very young Jamal. Cheekiness is a quality hard to maintain in the face of horror and hardship.

As a mother coping with a child who is cheekiness personified (Scout, if you haven't worked that out already) I suddenly found myself hoping for a life for Scout which will retain that cheekiness to some degree in his grown up self.

Trailer below.

What has Scout been doing?

Scout and I are sick today - not fun.

I've just got the strength to share a Scout story. We discovered this week he can READ 4 words (and who knows what else). Yes, I have tested it a few times as I was flabbergasted.

They are: Sugar, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.

Anyone guess how my 25 month old picked up those words?

It's monday (otherwise known as swimming and ouma day)

Couldn't resist sharing this - Sparky was putting on pants due to a pre-breakfast accident, and I had told him to go put on his undies. Scount (25 months) was trying to say something to me, I was ignoring this as I was instructing Sparky. Finally I paid attention: "don't want undies. swimming. ouma's." Bhaer had told the boys it was Monday earlier. Scout was pointing out that Sparky doesn't wear undies Monday morning, as he goes to swimming in his swimmers, with Ouma (Bhaer's mum).

I need at least one more February post so here are some kid stories...

Sparky has been showing some theological thinking recently.

When we explained that he would get to see the people he loved in heaven forever, he excitedly exclaimed he would see K____ (a girl from preschool last year) again.

He was putting on some check shorts yesterday, and said they must be church shorts. He is under the impression checks are for church, because the collared shirts he wears for church tend to have checks (the lack of imagination of boys' fashion manufacturers). He then nodded and said "yes, of course it's for the cross". I put a striped tee on him as well, and he said "ah! half a cross !" I didn't have the heart to discourage this interest in symbolism.

Scout has been saying I love you a lot, which is gorgeous. He also enjoys saying "that's mine" - or, if he doesn't want the item, it's "that's Sparky's!". Ah the human paradox -loving and selfish all in the same person!

Two today!

Scout is 2 today - I can't quite believe it! We gave him a boy doll and stroller and I am listening to the 2 boys playing daddies as I write this...

a video for scout....his favourite youtube video!

In my future?

This is the kind of thing Scout will be getting up to in a couple of years...

Thankyou God!

A dramatic hot tea incident with Scout (very silly stunt by him) meant a non functioning laptop on Christmas eve and a very cranky me. But the next day, in the joy of Jesus' birth it didn't seem to matter so much. Then today it has dried out! Wow! Now just got to get the keys working properly where we had to take them off to clean out tea.

The complexity of children

One of the engrossing activities we parents like to indulge in is defining and categorising our kids. And yet my experience so far, particularly after no 2, is that while this is an enjoyable and even necessary activity, as it helps us to understand and appreciate them, they do defy our neat descriptions of them. At 19 months and almost 4, my two boys are already individuals of sometimes alarming complexity.

Sparky has recently learnt to read by himself. This kind of feat, typical of him, has confirmed my description of him as very verbal. (and by the way, shows that we have to be careful of applying general statements about gender, such as that boys arent as verbally gifted, to specific children). And yet, I was recently reminded that I can't ignore the other abilities and interests he might have. Sure, he will be probably be a bookish kid. But that doesn't mean I won't have to be dragged along to Saturday morning sport (you can see how excited I am about the prospect of that...). He doesn't seem particularly sporty to me as yet, but even if he has no huge talent in that area, he might still really enjoy it. What reminded me is that he suddenly came out with a mathematical statement he had worked out (5 + 5 = 10, he worked it out from hands and feet he tells me, and wasn't told by anyone). I had been so focussed on his reading I hadn't been talking to him about numbers or really doing anything about his numeracy recently.

Well, on to Scout (hehehe yes, finally owl is renamed, and all your suggestions helped guide my thinking ). Scout is what is often called a typical boy - though I am a little wary of saying this about him, as if his brother isn't therefore as masculine. Anyway, Scout is adventurous and rebellious. A typical stunt of his is when he learnt how to climb on to the dining table and spent the first day doing that continually, looking at me knowing he was about to get in trouble, and clapping himself. He is the kind of kid who does something daring, hurts himself, and just has to try again immediately to see if it will still hurt this time. He loves cars and trains. Yet to just define him that way limits him. He is also far more interested in nurturing play than his brother at the same age. He loves cuddly toys and dolls, and is already pretending they are babies and looking after them. If he sees a baby in the supermarket he spends the rest of the time looking for them.

It is good to recognise their distinct personalities and to therefore being looking to cater to their special interests and needs. But in doing so, I am trying not to at the same time close off doors they might want to explore. God makes them more wonderful than we can imagine or describe