I  knew what she was going to say before she started talking. I'd noticed her noticing  my baby boy for the last 10 minutes. She had the same envious look on her face that I'm sure I had on mine. I had been watching her quiet, demure and gentle two year old for the same amount of time. She'd been watching  my boisterous, outgoing, curious, chatty, (exceptionally handsome) little boy as he climbed and explored at the Children's Museum as he talk, talk, talked his way around the room.

But there's another reason I knew her question and it's because I had been in her shoes watching other two year olds and comparing. The first time around is always hard, but it's harder when you have the nagging feeling that something isn't quite measuring up.
I watched this mom ask Demure Daughter a question and get no response. Demure Daughter didn't even register that she'd heard her mama, she kept playing sweetly as Concerned Mama inched closer to me and Dutch.

I knew what she would say and I had my response ready to go, right on the tip of my tongue. I put a smile on my face and broke the ice "Your daughter is just beautiful," I told Concerned Mama, but the look of concern stayed put. "How old is she?" I knew she'd tell me about the same age as Dutch. And in the same breath she said "I'm so worried. Mine doesn't talk. Like at all."

It's hard to remember a time that Clementine was ever quiet--but she was. Even after she'd caught up with her peers in the height/weight trajectories, there was one worrisome reminder of her prematurity. She was left with a fairly significant speech delay.
 I worried about it and we sought advice and we voiced concerns and then I worried a little bit more for good measure. After more than a year, our concerns were taken seriously by an actual professional. Clementine received Speech and Language services for nearly 2 years. By the time she entered Kindergarten, those delays were nearly forgotten.

And so I said to Concerned Mama what I had wanted to hear myself and now know to be true: "It's all going to turn out ok. You'll see."
Concerned Mama continued to watch Dutch chat--to me, to Demure Daughter, to himself--and I told her to always follow up with her instincts but not to let these get in the way of enjoying time with D.D.
We chatted a bit more and then they got ready to leave. "Don't worry!" I urged. "It really will turn out in the end." I said it with confidence and authority because we've been there and come through to the other side. I hope she bought my story.

For good measure, a picture of Clementine--almost 3

Children's Museum

 Cam and I took the kidlets to the Children's Museum today. We hadn't been in a long, long time to this one--our favorite down in Burlington. We have been coming here off and on since Clementine was about 18 months old!

 Clementine spent most of her time here in the crane.

 And while Dutch joined her for a bit, Cam and I noted how very very different these two are in their play behaviors. Clem has *always* stuck mostly to the crane and fishing pond, just like she did today. Even at Dutchy's age, those were her two big draws.

 But Dutchy was WAY more into the tug boat and the sand box. He spent most of his time there.

 For awhile there I thought I'd lost Cam inside the museum, I couldn't find him anywhere! But, he'd found a flight simulator and spent some quality time on the computer.

Christmas Morning

 Christmas morning was such a blast. I love having TWO little offsprings to share it with. Clem definitely gets the Christmas spirit in high gear while Dutch just kind of follows her lead.

I was SUPER surprised to be the first one awake on Christmas morning at nearly 7am. I got breakfast started in the oven (homemade cinnamon rolls and sausages with eggs). I took pictures and made sure everything was just so.

 See what I mean about that Christmas spirit? The oldest one heard be puttering around downstairs.

 But this little one took his own sweet time joining us. He needs awhile to wake up in the morning.

 The first thing Clem spotted was the Barbie she'd asked for from Santa. Barbie comes with a dog. The dog poops. (Seriously folks, this is my life. I'm surrounded by poop and fart jokes. Now a Barbie with a pooping dog.)

 And Dutch found a Dusty Crophopper airplane. He was good. He felt no need to open other gifts. Clem helped him when she was done and then he finally got into it more.

This boy

Aw man, this Moosling of ours. This one is a doozy. I forgot the roller coaster of age two (well, I didn't really forget so much as I had no idea it could be like this).

This kid is a BOY in the most traditional of ways. He loves to wrestle and be noisy and wild. Any padded surface is a trampoline. Every longish stick like thing is a sword. He loves semi trucks and mud puddles, dinosaurs and airplanes.

 

 

But, he is also the most sensitive of little souls. The wrong tone of voice can get him sniffling. He gives hugs that make you  melt with arms wrapped tight around your neck. He gives kisses and says "I missed you today."  This boy loves  his mama and has also recently found room in his heart for daddy. But forget those grown ups, it's his "Shoo-Shoo" he loves the most.

 

This boy loves to be included in the big kid stuff--no baby cups or baby sized silverware, he wants what Clementine has. He loves music and singing--he quickly learns choruses and claps along to songs with perfect rhythm. He is drawn to daddy's "t-tar" (guitar) and longs to play drums in the drum room.

 

Dutch is the biggest talker of the family and he often creates  his own Dutch-ese. Recently, he's asked for "Roni-peppers" on his pizza. Pomegranate somehow became "Apple Pie". Sister became "Shoo Shoo". He sings the words "thank you" as well as "You're welcome." After school, he wants the music on the radio turned off because he's "Got stuff to say!"

 

We love this wild little moosling. Even at his all too familiar 5 am wake ups.

 



This Girl

This girl, our darlin' Clementine. We just can't get enough of her these days. Seven is an amazing age.

She sings wherever she goes. She makes up her own epic songs. She sings Katy Perry in the shower. She has a poet's heart (and recently learned about metaphor) and she expresses her love for us thusly: "Mama, you are the moon and Dutchy and I are the stars close by."

She is sensitive all the way through. Tender to the core, Clementine just wants everyone happy. She's a born care-giver.
(She is also literally sensitive--she can't hold an onion or walk close by the bin of onions in the grocery store as her eyes start leaking immediately!)

She is an artist, a story teller, a musician and a tremendously patient big sister.

She is growing on up and changing more and more every day. Making her own way is becoming  more important to her and sticking close by mom and dad is a thing of the past. We love this little soul so much.

Holiday Port Festival

My mom came up for the weekend and to celebrate we took her to the Ferry Terminal's annual Holiday Port Festival. (Where are the boys, you may be asking?? After getting up, ready to party like a Canadian, at 4am-Dutch finally crashed and took Cam along for the nap.)

 Clem got her face painted and then we listened to some carols and kind of watched some dancing.

 There were DOZENS of really cool gingerbread houses on display. It was really super crowded around these tables so we saw the items on display from our school then high-tailed it outside for....

 HORSES! We got to go on a little horse and carriage ride.

 It was literally around the block but this girl loved it so much!

O'Tanenbaum, O' Tanenbaum

We are the kind of family that does one holiday at a time. As soon as Thanksgiving is over, we're over it, moving full steam ahead toward Christmas. To get in the Christmas holiday spirit, the four of us headed on down to Old City Hall to check out 22 themed Christmas trees and see Santa Claus.

 There were all kinds of Christmas tree themes. This one was called Granny's Memories and it was my favorite because it was pretty vintage-y. It had old spectacles, kid's handprint ornaments, quilted and hand-stitched as well as some traditional ornaments.

This one's theme was Shiny Things and it had lots of hand made tin ornaments in all different shapes.

 

Here's Clementine's favorite tree, full of Nutcrackers! It was German themed.  

(Fairy themed!)

 I get asked a lot about carrying this nearly 40 pound boy on my back (still). Mostly it's the "Why are you still carrying him on your back??" question. "He's nearly three!" And I'll tell you why I do: this kid is a RUNNER. And he's not nearly three, he just looks like it! He's only 2.5 today! My point is, I'll take knowing where this kid is and enjoying the scenery as long as I can.
(He proved his running skills when we finished up at City Hall seeing the trees and walked over to the Children's Museum for the babes to get their goofballs out. He ran laps around the Children's' Museum for about an hour and a half.)

 

 

 

When we were done, we checked out the vintage Santa Claus figurines behind the glass. While Santa was there today, my kids just weren't quite ready to see him. Clem was especially timid when we went in the Santa Claus room! She prefers Santa statues.