Library Story Time

I've decided to kick my mom butt in gear and do more educational, worth-while, non-TV -movie -toy, related activities with the kids. After Peter was born, I re-instituted the limited TV time I can really see a difference in how it affects the kids. For me it means more work up front. But it is what it is.

So, I decided, with Sofia's emergence into reading, that we should make regular trips to the library. Lehi recently opened a "satellite" branch, Point Meadow, that seemed custom made for the kids so we took a visit during story time.

So this is why I'm always telling the kids to "please smile for c#*!$% sake". In the other picture, I think Sofia is picking her nose.

It is the cutest thing on the outside, like a modern one-room school house. I don't really understand why they made a library whose parking lot is bigger than it's building but whatever. Also, I think the fountain outside might have cost more. Clearly, I'm not privy to how these plans are made.

Marcelo really enjoyed Story Time. I think he thinks it's like his "Preschool". So cute. It's also nice to have your big sister there sometimes.

Kangaroo Zoo

I should have entitled this entry: "Too Scared to Jump. Too Much in Love Not To."

For the first two hours a Kangaroo Zoo, I followed Marcelo around trying to provide moral support so that he could feel safe and go inside the jumpy things or the slide-y things. He was so excited to be there with the rest of the big kids, Becky's kids. He would run right along side all of them until the entrance to one of the bouncy things and jump in. Then, he would retreat and mope. He just could not get up the nerve to do it.

Becky, with her more kid friendly persona, got him to go up one of the small slides and come down. When he saw himself emerging from the mouth of the shark, evidenced by the giant pointy teeth hanging down, he freaked out. Maybe a pre-briefing session about the bouncy place would have been a good idea.

So after a couple of hours at this place, I was ready to go. A little disappointed Marcelo wasn't able to partake of as much fun as he could have had he not spent all his time running from one bouncy house to another and waiting outside. Suddenly, I look over to take inventory of the kids and I see THIS! (Yes, it's blurry. I could hardly get my camera ready on time).

He is going up the BIGGEST slide on the premises with his beloved Lydia. Lydia is Marcelo's ever-patient, sweet loving little muse. He would, clearly, follow her to the ends of the earth, walk across burning lava, submit himself to poisonous scorpion bites, ... well you get it.

Unfortunately, something happens at the top and he ends up plummeting down the slide like a sack of potatoes with the evil sorceress, I mean, Sofia directly above him with her metal, piercing sword-legs pointed at his spleen. Oh, the poor child. I cringe with anguish as I witness the calamity occurring before me but there is nothing I can do except continue to document the calamity in photographs. I have flashes of how he will be traumatized for life fearing anything to do with inflated structures, slides, and dragons.

As they disappear from sight, I run to asses the wreckage at the bottom and prepare myself for the bloody and mangled scene.

OMG.
Where is Sofia?
Where is the blood?
... and the body parts?
Wait, I still can't see his face.
I'm not sure I'm prepared for this.

I am shocked to see this looking back at me, literally, the biggest smile I have ever seen in my life. It's so big, his lips are getting sucked into his mouth. It's kind of scary looking.

But I was SO happy to see he had conquered his fear, (wasn't hurt), and had the biggest rush of his short life. All to be with his beloved Lydia.

The End

Little Gym

I decided it was time for Marcelo to have a hand at some kind of organized activity, something he could do individually. I thought time without his older sister would be good for him. Having an older sibling always at his side is effectively like an automatic supply of self confidence in your pocket. It's nice, it's convenient but I want to make sure he has his own sense of self confidence that doesn't depend on Sofia's presence and Sofia always "going first".

Marcelo has always been very sociable and outgoing anyway. He loves to dance and recently, sing. He likes to jump and run. So we enrolled him in Little Gym class where he could do all of these things and have a chance to socialize and learn to be part of a group. He will also get individual Daddy time which is probably just as important. And Ray will reap some benefits as well albeit maybe not as life affirming. But getting out of the house is a welcome reprieve when you work at home.

On Marcelo's first day, we all went to see how he would do. Before going, I asked him if he would like to go to a gym class like the one Sofia used to go to where he used to watch her. He said yes. I'm not sure how much he understood that this was something we were all going to do for him. Since nothing has ever been just about him before, I don't really think he got that in essence, Sofia didn't get to do something that he was going to get to do.

When it was time to go in, I think he still expected Sofia to go in with him. We explained Daddy would go with him and he was OK. For the first fifteen minutes or so, he was very shy. Ray kind of dragged him around doing the activities like running in a circle. It took him a while to assimilate what this whole thing was about and what his part was going to be in it. Was he going to be made to do stuff he didn't want to do, was it going to be fun, was it going to be scary --all things that needed to be considered, I'm sure. Then suddenly, after the deliberation was apparently complete, he just started doing things, running here and there, wanting to try everything. By the end, he was the most enthusiastic child there. His cheeks were red with fun-filled excitement and satisfaction at this new activity.

I'm so glad we took him there. It's a positive experience for him in the "terrible two's year" that I hope will help mitigate some of the terribleness. He has been to two more classes just with Ray since, and he has done really well at the gymnastics activities, the group activities, and of course a little flirting with the teacher on the side never hurt anyone.

My Little Brother

When Marcelo first saw his little brother at the hospital, he followed suit to Sofia's reaction. He and Sofia entered the room quietly (this in of itself is highly unusual) with eyes and mouth wide open. In fact, their eyes were as wide open as I have ever seen them. I think Sofia knew what to expect but for Marcelo it was real wonderment at seeing the baby that we had been talking to him about being in my tummy for all these months. And then to see a real baby in my arms was probably like some kind of magic trick for him. I wish I could have captured it on video (but alas I am only one person and have only to hands.) Anyway, after the first five minutes of wonderment, Sofia started asking if she could eat my left over dessert and Marcelo became fascinated with the window and the blinds.

Since then, Marcelo hasn't been too interested in interacting with baby Peter. I've asked him if he wants to look at him up close or touch his feet, to which he replies, "no". I guess he's just not sure what to make of him much. He does talk to me about the baby and the baby's things and often refers to him as "your baby" or "my baby [brother]". And each night, he sweetly says goodnight to the baby when he goes to bed. He doesn't appear to be jealous or acting out do to our new addition so I don't mind him keeping his distance a little from the baby for now because ironically, I know I will be begging them to stop causing havoc together in only too soon of a time.

The cutest boy in the world

... even on a bad hair day and when taken off guard.

Stinkerbell

I guess that's what happens when your only friend is your five year-old sister.

Goodbye Baby Nursery

A couple of weeks before the NEW baby brother was born, we dismantled the baby nursery in Marcelo's room to ready the new baby nursery in the other little bedroom upstairs. This was Marcelo's room for his first 2 1/2 years.

View from doorway
(1) Wool Zebra Stripe Rug [Bargains.com] (2) Story Time Rocker [modernnusery.com] (3) Dresser [Ikea] (4) Rocking Horse [Christmas Gift 2008 Abuelos] (5) Ouef Crib [modernnursery.com] (6) Ceiling Fan [Lowe's] (7) Aquanauts Poster [meomi] (8) Shelf: Alberto Cerriteno Print; eel [Living Planet Aquarium SLC]; owl [Gymboree]; M [Robert's Craft]; dry cactus in Ikea pot; Orange Suitcases [Land of Nod]; Black & White Blocks [online]; Automoblox Car (9) Ikea Window Treatments

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Also see at Project Nursery Gallery {beta}