Kids grow up so fast. Corwin is already having memory loss problems. This morning we woke up a little late, so I sent him off to do his morning stuff while I did mine (normally I try to get done before he gets up). After getting myself ready, I went over to Corwin’s bathroom to check on his progress. He was just standing there, in the middle of the bathroom, staring. I asked him why he wasn’t doing his morning stuff and he says “I don’t know what to do”. I suggest that he do what he has been doing every morning for the last several years. He replies “I forgot”. Fortunately Dad is not yet terribly afflicted and was able to provide guidance. I can just see us in a few years, both standing around wondering what it is we are supposed to do in the morning…
We finally made it home. Today’s travel adventure was not so bad. We didn’t have any problems getting seats on the plane, we had plenty of time and we got to sit all together. Corwin got to play at two airport playlands, one in San Jose and another in Chicago. We bought some Magic Color Change Markers, which were somewhat expensive but Corwin promised to not be bored on the airplane if he had them. The pens did keep him busy for about half the flight, which is pretty good.
More posts tomorrow on our adventures Friday and Saturday, but tired Dad needs to decompress for a bit and Mom is the walking dead. Corwin, on the other hand is ready to go back and Charles is screeching with joy in the bath. He’s so happy he doesn’t even need a car!
Charles has always had a harder time adjusting to change than Corwin, so when we were in California and dropping them off at the temporary day care, we asked Corwin to try and help Charles be happy (because Charles is so fond of Corwin). Tuesday Corwin basically ignored Charles and Charles didn’t have a good day. We had a little talk with Corwin, explaining that if he didn’t help Charles he would be in Big Trouble, while if he did an extra good job then he would get a special treat — tobiko sushi.
Corwin was much better the next two days, especially on Thursday, were apparently he stopped Charles from crying twice and played a lot of chase (Charles’ favorite activity with Big Brother). So we out for sushi and get Corwin two pieces of tobiko, which he scarfs down immediately. Later that evening we are working on Corwin’s journal, which he has to keep because he’s out of school for a week. I have to make all the suggestions about what to write because of Corwin remembers nothing of the day by evening. I suggest we write about eating sushi. He’s ok with that, so I prompt him with “and what did you like best?”. He answers right off “the rice was good”.
On Saturday of our last trip, we went to the Children’s Discovery Museum in San Jose. Our timing was impeccable - we arrived at the doors just 2 minutes before they opened. Corwin and Charles both had quite a good time. There was a bubble room with big bubble making rings and a bubble sheet device. Charles was originally reluctant but he warmed up after a while, to the point where we had to take him away to prevent all of the bubble fluid from being transported to other visitors and the floor. Dad managed to impress Corwin by mastering the trick to creating meter wide bubbles.
Corwin’s favorite exhibit was part of Arthur’s World. There was a screen showing Arthur videos with a bluescreen and a camera, so that the kids could stand in the right place and show up in the video. There were monitors positioned so that both parents and the kids could see the output. Charles liked it too, because there was a panel with buttons to select different video clips and Charles’ main joy at any of these exhibits is pressing buttons. He’s a very modern toddler.
Corwin and Charles were good boys Tuesday through Thursday, while Mom and Dad suffered through endless meetings at corporate headquarters. On Friday it was the boy’s turn and off we went.
We drove down to Santa Cruz to look at the boardwalk, but it was all closed up (probably since it was October and a Friday). We walked out on the beach, but Corwin didn’t want to go - he refused to get close to the ocean. Charles was fine and played near the waves (it was too cold to actually go in the water). Corwin managed to get so much sand in his shoes that I couldn’t figure out how his feet still fit.
Next stop was the Monterrey Bay Aquarium. Corwin and Charles had much fun. There were quite a number of good exhibits. The highlighted creatures were jellyfish, which Corwin found very interesting. What he liked best, though, was an interactive tidal pool simulator. This had water, plastic fish and water jets. What more could a boy want?
For Charles there was a special section for smaller children (it was a new experience for Corwin to be told “you can’t go there, you’re too old”). There was an interactive water section there which Charles found to be very interactive.
We went shopping a bit afterwards and of course Charles got a new car. As we walked the aisles Charles looked around until the car aisle. Then his eyes latched on. It was like a sprite from an old video game - no matter how Mom moved the stroller forward and backward, Charles head stayed in the same position, staring at the cars. Mom made the mistake of getting too close and wham Charles’ grasping appendage lanced out and siezed its prey! His prize was a blue VW beetle. Despairing of rescuing the car from Charles’ predatory grasp, we had to get another one to show to the shopkeeper to get the price. But Charles had cars for both hands and all was right with the world.
Mom and I have to work late tomorrow, so Corwin and Charles will be visiting one of Corwin’s old friends, Jacob. Jacob’s parents are close friends of one of friends at work. Corwin spent a week of days with Jacob a couple of years ago when we were out, although he barely remembers it. When we told Corwin about this, he was confused at first because his friend in the neighborhood is also named Jacob. “How can there be two Jacobs?” Corwin demanded. We assured him that it was ok but he remained a bit dubious.
Both boys survived the torment that is modern day airplane travel. Both flights were completely full so that Mom and I were in separate seats. Mom enjoyed Charles’ company while Corwin was stuck with me. Corwin, who loves airplanes, refuses to watch during takeoff or landing but he still insists on the window seat. On the long flight, the person in front of Corwin only had to ask once to have Corwin stop kicking the seat. Corwin was therefore “bored bored bored”. But all things end and eventually we arrived, got our car and made it to the hotel (it took 2½ hours from landing to getting to the hotel which is ~2 miles from the airport).
But the hotel had a heated pool so we manged to persuade Corwin not to spend the rest of the day watching TV. Charles of course took a couple of cars out to the pool. He had been grumpy all day but once he was in the water he went wild with joy. Charles did his standard “perform action, through head back and laugh” dance. This entertained him for a while and he was so happy that he eventually put down his cars. Later Mom carried Charles around the pool, for which of course he needed his cars again. To give you some idea of how much he clutches these, he only dropped a single car in about 20 minutes of being hauled around the pool.
Overall the boys were very good about traveling. No child related disasters, which is always a major victory for an all day travel adventure.
[Corwin and I are waiting outside the grocery store in CA while Mom finished up shopping]
Corwin: When will Mommy be done?
Dad: Soon. But maybe she’ll forget we’re out here and leave us behind.
[Corwin looks pensive for a moment]
Corwin: Is our car still there?
We decided to cleanse the children before the big trip.
Mom bathed Charles, so it was my turn to deal with Corwin. Corwin decides (contra his usual) that he wants the “quick bath”. This consists of an assembly line operation where the goal is minimal time in the tub. Even Mom is impressed at how fast I get Corwin naked, washed, shampooed and out. While I’m washing Corwin I point out that he’s probably old enough to wash himself. Corwin is unimpressed with my assertion. After he’s out and dry, I send him off to his room to get clean underwear and a night shirt. He shows up a few minutes later, nightshirt wrapped around his waist as a makeshift loin cloth that he has to hold in place, complaining that he can’t get to his underwear. I go in to get him a pair and say “why don’t you put on your nightshirt while I get the underwear?”. Corwin replies that he doesn’t want me to see his butt. This from the child who not 5 minutes ago, while naked and being attacked by Dad with a wash cloth, evinced not the slightest interest in taking a bath by himself. Pointing this out simply yields the silent frown that indicates that Dad is being difficult again. Clearly I have far too simplistic a view of these complex matters.
I’ve managed to teach Charles something wonderful. He’s always had a preference for smushing his face into someone holding him. I’ve now worked out a visual signal to do this to his Mom. I smile at him, and then touch Mom on the nose. Charles will come over and mush his nose into hers. Afterwards he will lean back and laugh with joy. I cackle along with him, which he finds wonderful as well. Poor Mom is left desperately searching for kleenex to remove the aftermath of Charles’ fun. But the important thing is that Charles is having fun.
Tomorrow morning we head out to Calilfornia, the entire family. Corwin gets his own seat but Charles is not quite 2 so he gets to ride for free and sit on Dad and / or Mom, depending on his mood (he frequently fixates on one or the other parent and refuses to sit with the “wrong” parent).
I’m packing up snacks and drinks. We went to the bookstore and picked out several new car oriented books. Mom even bought him a car magazine. Hopefully that will keep him entertained on the long trip out west.
Corwin has been very excited about traveling. He had been bugging us over the summer about traveling again. We had originally planned to leave him behind with Grandma (because this is a business trip, not actually a family vacation) but he was so eager about going that we broke down and decided to take him. He’s promised to keep an eye on Charles during the day when they’re at temporary day care. Charles likes Corwin a lot so that should help keep Charles from becoming too stressed out over the change in routine.
I took the boys and Jacob to a jazz for kids show with the Marcus Roberts trio the other night. It was a pretty nice experience.
Corwin and Jacob sat up in front, so I couldn’t see their reactions. Fortunately, from the bit I could see of them they were pretty well behaved.
Charles sat with me back in the chairs. He spent much of his time standing on my lap and dancing. Kind of an spastic, white-boy dance, but he seemed to enjoy it. I think he’s going to be our music boy.
The musicians got the kids involved by having them clap and do things during breaks in the music. Corwin and Jacob seemed to enjoy it, but they had had enough by the time it was done. An hour is pretty long at that age I guess. Corwin liked the first piece best. I forget its name or the composer. Just remember that it was pretty loud.
The other interesting thing about the experience is that I’m starting to recognize other parents. Between school, soccer, and tennis, I’m seeing the same people again and again. Evidently it takes kids to get a sense of community.
That didn’t take long. Corwin is already counting the days during the week until he doesn’t have to go to kindergarten. He was originally just full of enthusiasm for school. He pestered us all summer about when he would get to start school. Now, it’s “two more days until no school?”. I think he may just be going through a rough spot where he’s not as interested in the activities. He still goes off to the bus in a rush, though (which may be because his friend Jacob drops by to walk to the bus stop with him).
We had a particularly rough morning today, where Corwin got up at 7:00 and by 7:30 had managed to get clean underwear and pants on, which is not a good pace for a bus that arrives at 8:00. After some prodding he managed to be ready a few minutes early. It’s difficult to keep a close eye on him because if I actually watch him he gets sullen and doesn’t do anything - “don’t look at me!” — and because I have to hold Charles continuously. But saying “Corwin, what are you doing?” starts a flurry of activity that’s enough to get him ready on time.
Charles’ obsession with cars has now moved to a new level. Over the last week or two he has discovered that some of those books he’s been using as toys have pictures of cars. This has been quite the revelation. Charles has gone so far as to carry a book with pictures of cars instead of an actual car. He has a couple of favorite books, little thick paged ones. One is a book of trucks and the other is a counting book which on one pair of pages has fifty cars. Charles has sat in my lap, looking at that page for 5 or 10 minutes, touching each picture. He eats with a book open beside him and goes to sleep clutching a book.
It hasn’t been all joy, though. There are some books that are bigger which are harder for him to carry, so big that he can’t carry a physical car at the same time. It’s somewhat sad to watch him desperately picking up the cars and the books, never quite able to have them all in hand at the same time.It does no good to pick him up, because then he has even more trouble holding on to his cars (physical and pictorial). Eventually he gives up enough that he can be comforted. At least we know what his first word is going to be.
Charles likes cars. His standard state is to run around with a toy car in each hand (occasionally he’ll have another in his mouth). He’s never been much for stuffed animals or even balls. It’s cars that fascinate him. He’s also become fond of computers, probably because Mommy and Daddy spend a lot of time doing computer stuff. He is fond of keyboards and mice and “helping” the parents with their typing.
Now Charles has discovered that he can use the computer and play with cars at the same time. He’s discovered Midtown Madness and the Sidewinder Racing Wheel. At first he just spun the wheel back and forth randomly, but he quickly picked up that he could control the car by turning. Now he cruises virtual Chicago. If the draw bridges are up and he gets some air going over he says “whoa” in an unbearably cute little voice. He’ll come over and make me get up and then drag me over to the room with the computer, show me where to sit down, climb up in my lap and then instruct me to use the mouse to fire up the game and finally to put the wheel on the desk. If I don’t let him play he gets quite upset, although he’s learning to deal with such setbacks. I try to not let him drive more than once every couple days, but it’s hard when I have to work on the computer since if I’m in the room Charles can’t understand why I won’t let him drive (what else would Daddy have to do in there?) If only he didn’t delight in running in to buildings quite so much…
Corwin driving the snowy virtual roads of Chicago with Charles in rapt attention
Charles discovered stars tonight. My friend, the Intrepid Girl Reporter, was back in town from covering Africa and her family was having its annual cookout. The Mommy was sick so we left her behind and headed out. It got dark fairly early and as I was holding Charles, he looked at the fire and sparks and followed them up. I could see him notice that there were lights up in the sky. He started pointed at them, very excited. At first I thought he was just seeing the sparks (which were going 20-30 feet up) but he started pointing at other places above and cooing and bouncing up and down as he does when he’s excessively happy. Then he looked at me to make sure that I understood what a cool thing he had discovered…
After the bike rack incident, I took Corwin over to the office. He spent some time drawing on some post-its (he loves post-its, of course). He drew a set of four pictures and then showed them to the Mommy as a flip book. I didn’t know he had ever seen a flip book, but here he is doing animation. It was pretty crude but was actually a sequence instead of just four random pictures. A guy is walking along, then clouds appear then rain and then snow. Now if only I can get him to do his “4”’s correctly.
Yesterday Corwin managed to get stuck in the bicycle rack at school. He was climbing on it and slipped down in such a way that he couldn’t get his knee back out. He was stuck for about 5 minutes before anyone really noticed. Eventually another father came over and held Corwin up so that he wasn’t putting pressure on the knee. A couple of mothers came over to help, insisting that they pull his knee out immediately. The teacher decided to call the fire department instead, who came over in a fire truck. They smeared KY jelly all over Corwin’s leg and popped him out. Corwin was very distraught because there was goop on his pants. His teacher called us at work asking that we rush over because Corwin was so upset. However, when I got there they had put him into some new shorts and then he wasn’t upset anymore. So the knee is a bit sore but I can’t tell which knee got stuck. More importantly, we’ve put the pants into the wash so there is no more goop.