Jaws...part 2

When you are three and half years old there are boundaries in your life that your parents set to try to keep you safe and to raise you to be a respectful, polite child. However one thing that parents cannot set any boundaries on is imagination. For my son, his imagination seems to get even bigger when he is asked to explain why he did something. Usually that something that he has to explain is something naughty. As any of my loyal blog followers know, my precious little Alexander found his inner "Jaws" a few weeks ago and bit his sister. After I dealt with disciplining him for that incident I had hoped that my little shark was a one trick pony and would not reappear. I was sorely mistaken. He has made a few special appearances since...biting his sister again (apparently the second time he wasn't biting, he was "tasting" sissy), biting mommy, and biting random toys. the latest sighting of Jaws Brody was at Nana's house this week...

Xander had been having an excellent week behaving splendidly during the mornings he had spent with Nana. He had amazing listening ears, a cooperative little spirit, a playful imagination, and wonderful attention span during school time. However, the last day of the work week when I picked him up, Nana met me at the front door and told me Alexander needed to tell me something. I naturally assumed that he had had a potty accident or something of that nature, not a naughty outburst...not my son. But as I met Xander at the top of the stairs, I looked down and was caught off guard when the normally impeccably painted railings at Nana's were VERY scuffed up at the end. (And by scuffed up I mean, the paint was completely ripped off in perfect bite size imprints.) I asked Xander what happened and his honest little self informed me that he bit Nanny's railing and made her sad. I made sure he apologized to his Nana and headed for the door. Only, baby Jaws did not tell me the whole story...

Nana had to fill in a few blanks. Xander had indeed bitten the railing, but he had done it sometime throughout the day when Nana had not been around. When she finally noticed it, it was after my Xander had time to concoct a story. He very plainly explained to Nana when asked what happened, that he was pretending to be a shark and the shark was hungry. It only made perfect sense. Everyone knows that when sharks get hungry, they eat wood railings. But Nana asked Xander where sharks live and if they live in Nanny's entry way? Xander responded in an exasperated little way, (almost as if to say "Ummmm somebody needs to catch up on their shark National Geographics) "Nanny, sharks live in oceans and seas." I think it was then that he realized that he was neither in an ocean nor a sea and Nanny was not into pretending to be hungry sharks that eat railings.

Well, at least he was not pretending to be King Kong on top of the roof at Nana's. Oh dear, I better be careful what I wish for.

Xanderisms

Mommy to Xander: "Xander, watch your mouth!!!"
Xander: "Mommy, I can't see my Mouth!!!!!!!!'

Abby to Xander when he was waiting impatiently to go into the hot tub with Auntie: "Xander, hold your horses!"
Xander: "But Auntie I am holding my whales!"

Mommy to Xander when I found him in the bathtub cupping his weenie with his hands: "Baby bear what are you doing with your hands?"
Xander: "Making a house for weenie to keep him safe!!"

Xander when he saw it snowing outside: "Mommy, look at all the tiny, icey comets falling down!!"

I love that boy and his imagination!!

Four months

Today marks Cally Boo's four month birthday and there is lots and lots to celebrate(...besides the fact that she survived an attack by Jaws,aka her brother).

I am still savoring every moment of cuddling with my little bird. She loves to be held and snuggled and loved and cuddled and loved and snuggled...you get the idea.

Cally's most sought after talent is her new found ability to laugh. For a while only Nanny could get her to laugh, but now she is starting to discover what a gift it is. She consistently laughs whenever you play peek-a-boo with her. Except, she doesn't like you to say peek-a-boo, she likes it when you say PEEKERS!! She has the most petite, girlie little giggle. If I closed my eyes and imagined what a baby fairy would sound like giggling, it would be how Cally sounds. Cally's giggle makes your tummy feel warm.

Smiling is another gift little miss gives to us every day. Her toothless grin is amazing and if she is not nursing, she can usually be found smiling. Her loving, tender spirit shines through her gummy smile.

Some new things we are doing...we started brushing her gums and she loves it. She chews on my little finger brush as I attempt to clean her gums. Cally gets her hair brushed every night after her tubby and it is so relaxing to her. She also loves getting her little piggies massaged after bath time. Whenever I rub her feet, she just smiles, no noises, just smiles.

Her new favorite activity is playing in her jumperoo. Even though her tippy toes barely reach the ground she loves to sit in her activity center. She loves it so much, she even takes naps in it.

My little bird surprises us with new noises every day and has taken up her brother's affection for talking and has started even making noises in her sleep. SOOOOOO precious.

Xander continues to be her favorite despite him trying to bite off one of her phalanges...now that is TRUE love. I can't wait for her to laugh at him for the first time. He will think she is even more fantastic!!

She is spending lots of time on her tummy and enjoys it even more if you put a mirror in front of her. I mean really, what girl of her caliber wouldn't want to stare at themselves and all her beauty.

My little girl is growing up quickly, but her strength, not only physical, but emotional strength amazes me every day. She makes me want to be a better person and seek after my own inner beauty so that she will have someone to look up to. My prayers for her seem to still be the same...for a peaceful rest, a brighter tomorrow, a healthy spirit, a strong soul, a tender touch, and an understanding of the extent of her mother's love for her.

Firsts

Lots of new things happen in a household with a new little person. Most the time they are exciting, grab the camera for a Kodak moment types of times, but sometimes they are grab a pillow so the neighbors don't hear you yelling the special kinds of words one would yell when they hear a shrill cry come from the bathroom that their 4 month old daughter is in with her 3 year old older brother. *DISCLAIMER: NO CHILD WAS LEFT UNATTENDED. ADULT SUPERVISION WAS PROVIDED AT ALL TIMES BESIDES THE 2 SECONDS DADDY'S BACK WAS TURNED TO GET A TOWEL. CHILD SERVICES NEED NOT BE CALLED.*
It is quite amazing the chain of events that can happen in a two second flash. Picture this if you will...Handsome boy Xander (Rudy, Finder Fander, etc) in the tub taking a bath with his adorable, tolerant sister in her tub chair watching his every move with amazement. Mommy is in the bathroom soaping up Cally Boo's head and body when all of the sudden the phone rings. Daddy stays in the bathroom with the kiddles and Mommy runs to catch the phone. After a very brief conversation Mommy starts to head back to the bathroom. When all of a sudden to what do my wandering eyes should appear... a screaming, crying, I'm so mad I am shaking with my hands in fists little baby girl and a brother cowering in the corner of the bathtub refusing to make eye contact with me. Gee, wonder what happened.
Mommy: "Xander did you bite Sissie??!!!!!!!"
Xander: "Yes I did."
Well at least the boy was honest.
To put your minds at ease, Xander bit Cally's little fingers, but she seems to be fully recovered this morning and only slightly scarred from the experience. (And by scarred, I mean that the teeth imprints are almost all faded from her little fingers.) I think Xander's pride was hurt more than baby girl's fingers.
I think the thing that was hardest about the whole scenario was that I had to realize that Xander wasn't the perfect boy I thought he was. He does have a bit of a malicious, see how far I can take this spirit and he is capable of doing very naughty things. Through it all though, I still think he is mostly perfect and it does warm my heart that he came and apologized to his Sissie and told her that he would never hurt her. He also told her to be happy and then promptly asked me if I was happy. To which I replied, "Xander, you always make my heart happy and I love you. But I don't love when you make bad decisions, especially ones that hurt other people." Then he said "Mommy, I love you SOOOOOOO much." And all was right with the world again.