Oh there is so so so much to share. But where to begin.
Well, we'll start with me. I'm working a temp to perm position at a non-finance company and am enjoying it although I get nervous and frustrated. It's the usual first month jitters kind of stuff, so I try to not let it get to me. I think I'm doing as well as I can be and time will tell on that.
As for Mark and I, we've fallen back into our old, but improved, routines, and are managing well although we're both sleep-deprived and probably will be until the kidlets get married. Aside from that, each day brings new joys for us with the kids. They have finally gotten to the age where they are independent enough to be little people and have left babyhood behind, something that both saddens and thrills me.
The new highlight of my morning is when the kids come up to me and say "Bye." Now mind you, I might be sans pants and shoes when they do this, which amuses me to no end. It's kinda like they're saying, "Leave already so that we can get on with our day."
But their voices are so sweet when they say it and I know they get a kick of knowing what is going to happen... That I will leave and that they needn't worry cause they will be safe with Papa and that I will be back again to see them before they know it. I wish I had as much blind faith and certainty...
Other new morning rituals include brushing our teeth together and washing hands. And at 2 years and 1 month, they are finally, finally, finally starting to talk more. They're counting, identifying letters and colors and doing more than randomly pointing and grunting. This comes as a bit of a surprise since the Early Intervention evaluator told us not to expect for them to know their colors until 3 or better. However, they can not only point to the green thing or pick out what's blue, but they verbalize it in cute toddler speak. Hunter picked up a yellow Froot Loop and held it out triumpantly saying "Lellow" before consuming it. (Before anyone flames me for the Froot Loops, this was the first and only time EVER that she had them and we had them only because I got a variety cereal pack for my breakfasts. So there.) They are exhibiting signs of being very bright kids, which makes their mom and dad happy!
Bottles are a thing of the past, too, and it looks like sippy cups will be in a couple of months. They are both capable of drinking from cups, but Hunter likes to see what gravity does to liquid so we try to keep it enclosed for the time being. Less spillage, less agita for the 'rents..
And now... they have little kid haircuts.
We bit the bullet and hired a stylist to come to our apartment and give Aden and Hunter their first real haircuts. (We're ignoring the fact that I butchered their bangs at 9 months. That doesn't count in the scheme of things...)
We'd been putting off cutting their hair for what seemed to be like forever. The place we wanted to take them to had a wonderful reputation for being kid-friendly, but it was on the other side of the park and the first appointment of the day -- the one recommended by all the books we read as the best time to go for a first-time haircut -- was right smack in the middle of the kidlets' nap. It was also inconvenient for one parent to go at it alone and we had procrastinated all the way through my unemployment so it couldn't be a two parent deal.
Finally, it got to be too much to deal with for everyone. Aden was constantly pushing his hair out of his eyes, Hunter looked like a sheepdog and bathtime led to DRAMA when it came time to brushing out their tangles. Mark found our stylist, Jennifer Bilek, through the "A Child Grows in Brooklyn" website. After a brief call and chat, Mark hired her to come out and do the long-dreaded deed.
She came to our apartment this morning and set everything up, quickly and efficiently. I really liked her as she was super friendly to the kids -- it was one of the first times that the kids didn't cry when meeting someone new -- and was really nice and reassuring to us. Both kids cried their eyes out during the actual cutting but sat pretty much still in my lap which was perfect for what she needed to do. All told, she was done in about half an hour or so and the kids looked great! It was well worth it and I heartily recommend her to anyone in NYC looking for an in-home stylist!
Here are before and after pictures:
Hunter modeling "Hearts for a Little Lady"
Aden looking very much like a rockstar...
Hunter after the cut (there are other pics but this one shows her hair mostly dry)...
And Aden looking like a little man...
Bonus Pic: Mark reading "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" at bed time.
P.S. Yes, that was an FO in the pictures above. Nice of you to notice. I am currently more than halfway through Aden's Baby Bubbles sweater.
