Choo-Choo Hair Do

The Before Pic: playing with Grandma behind a curtain of toddler locks.

During: Driving a Choo-Choo Train and watching two large TV screens. Because two screens are obviously necessary for toddler hair trimming.

After: Riding home in Daddy's arms (because strollers are for babies who can't walk yet and who don't have pretty hair cuts) with a new friend. One quarter buys you a stretchy beetle bug toy, and twenty bucks gets you a new girl with a page-boy bob.

Not so Terrible to be Two

I'm behind on posting this week. Again. But since you are all friends and relatives, I'm guessing it hasn't ruined your internet explorations. If it had, you would have told me, right?

Watch the blog for all the things I didn't tell you about that happened over the last few days. But maybe don't watch too closely, I'm not making any promises to post very promptly - the latest daycare plague has taken Morgen by surprise and so they're both at home for the next little while. Thankfully, Grandma Lovett is also here, helping me to keep my sanity and making fevers as fun as possible.

Morgen turned two years old today, and a few days ago we celebrated with a party. This year it featured helium-filled balloons (did you know you can pick up recyclable tanks of helium fairly cheaply?), many copies of Phoebe Gilman's The Balloon Tree, lots of friends and friends' parents, and a mildly embarassing children's music moment. Embarassing, because in between organizing lists and getting the menu and party gear ready, I never did practise any of my songs or learn any new ones. There were cadences, but not many that fell in the right places. Whatever. The important thing is that Morgen had a great time, we took terrible pictures, and spent some time playing despite the start of the heat wave. Lillian dressed up for it, and so did I, although about one hour in we both had to change into much less flattering outfits as a result of a gigantic baby vomit. Lillian is already learning how to steal her mother's attention from big sister, oh, yes she is. As I recall, the first time Lillian's outfit made an appearance, it was on Morgen, and she didn't wear it for very long either. So maybe Lillian is just following in big sister's footsteps.

And now those steps are big indeed. Morgen is two years old. Two years old today. What's so terrible about two? (Tantrums? No!! Unreasonable demands? Never!!). She's still soooo advanced for her age, and she's still my baby girl. When she wakes up from her nap and refuses to have her temperature taken and kicks the tylenol out of my hand, I might be inclined to see a shade of terrible in her latest developmental stage. But for now, she's just my little big girl.

Family Ties

Remember this post from when Morgen was a something-month old? Well, last weekend we were surprised to discover that the shirt still fits her (if we leave the snaps undone). And of course, Grandpa was happy to dress for another photo opportunity - even if Morgen was less than cooperative.

In other news, Lillian Dawn met one of her namesakes last week - and managed to be awake for some of it. That would be the sum of our news post bike seat. Pretty exciting, isn't it?

We've been trying to work out our new family dynamics, and we're finding the balancing act a tad challenging. How do we fit "me" time into "us" time, when us is a nursing newborn, a toddler, and two phD students who are supposed to be working on their dissertations while caring and working for the newborn and the toddler? Is there any one out there who has done it and has an idea? So far, we're taking care of the kids just fine, but the adults are starting to look rough around the edges. Don't even ask us about the school work right now.

I've got a bike, you can ride it if you like ...

One of my fondest memories from early childhood are of family bike rides. When I was about 4 or maybe 5, my parents would take us on occasional bike rides around the neighborhood, me perched, in retrospect somewhat precariously, in a makeshift seat behind my mom's bike (a double basket with a blanket for padding) and my brother in a fairly flimsy plastic yellow seat behind my dad's. Such an arrangement would undoubtedly draw criticism today. Still, I loved those bike rides, and I would love to provide similar memories for my girls. So, with that in mind, last weekend I took my bike in to the local bike shop to have a toddler seat installed. And today Morgen and I went to pick it up - and to have our first father-daughter bike ride.

Well, some things have changed over the last 30 years. The toddler seat is now safety certified and made of very hard, durable plastic with a back that provides plenty of neck support. The seat even comes with a bright yellow cushion for comfort. And of course no children's bike ride today would be complete without a bike helmet. Morgen's "bike hat" is pink with little white bunnies.

Other things, however, haven't changed at all. Morgen loved her first bike ride - about a mile and a half during crowded and hectic rush hour from the bike shop to our apartment. And despite the challenges of bumper to bumper traffic and riding in office clothes, I really enjoyed it too. Hopefully someday Jessica, Morgen, Lillian and I can all go out for regular rides.

Preferably at a park or on quiet residential streets. In shorts.

Happy Mother's Day!

My mother's day: watching my children play with their grandparents in Wellesley. Seeing the yellow chair my dad made for me regain former glory with a little help from Morgen and some stuffed animals. Anticipating yummy food, none of which I made myself. If only we could live here!

Accidental News

Big news, friends and relatives: Morgen used her potty this weekend for the first time.

Hasn't she used it before, you ask? Well, in a way, I suppose she has. For the past several months she has sat upon it, kicked it, put Leona her pet lion in it, tried to run around with it, etc. All of that aside, she had never really used it the way it was intended to be used until Friday night, when her full bladder and routine pre-bathtime potty practice coincided. It surprised all of us - usually Morgen says "I have to pee on my potty" and then pretends to go pee "Like Mommy does!" or "Like [insert any potty-trained toddler friend's name] does!" Usually we just praise her for sitting on the potty, and then dump her in the bathtub. But this time, a confused but willing Morgen had the opportunity to use toilet paper, wash her hands and then flush the big toilet once her potty had been emptied into it. Then she was subjected to all kinds of cheers and congratulations by her whole family.

Morgen has been eyeing her potty with a bit of suspicion since Friday. It is as if discovering its true use has somehow diminished the potty's potential to be fun in Morgen's eyes. I'll keep you posted, but I'm fairly certain that Morgen is a long ways away from potty training. We're treating Friday's event like a happy accident - but hey, I'll cheer for happy accidents anytime.

In other news, Lillian continues to sleep during the day and wake up to play and/or cluster feed through the wee hours of the night. And she looks really cute in ladybugs, doesn't she? I think she has the look of a high fashion newborn in the below pic.