Sometimes they play together.
Nicely.
Sometimes, they have help.
Monday, September 12, 2011
Walden...this is not
We went for a walk in the woods on a nice day.
This was before the injury.
Henry seems to have a premonition in some of these.
Minor Surgery, on a Minor, by a Minor
So last weekend, Audrey helped Henry to trim his fingernails, and got more than either bargained for.
I was cooking and Melissa was changing laundry when I heard a scream from upstairs. When I arrived in their bedroom, Henry was bleeding all over from his right index finger and, as mentioned, screaming in pain. A quick assessment showed a stool pulled up to the basket in their closet where we still had the pediatric nail-trimming scissors available for just such surgery. Audrey was nowhere in the vicinity and Olivia was in her room. We scrambled to try to staunch the bleeding and get Olivia and Audrey someone to watch them while we took Henry to the ER. Our kind neighbors Kasha, Kelly and Keegan could come over quickly on a Labor Day Weekend Sunday, and we ran Henry in. A few hours, 3 xrays and a lidocaine-numbed lavage later, Hank's dominant hand index finger was missing most of the nail and a good hunk of meat but was well dressed and had stopped bleeding. Our clever nurse had placed tube gauze with a disposable speculum! So with no bone involved, topical abx all over it and oral abx in hand, we went home to sort things out. Our friend Shirley had come over to relieve K.,K.and K while we were out, and she had gotten the girls a nap. We returned home with Henry when the "3rd string" of NaNa and Aunt Margo had arrived to help too.
When the girls woke up, we grilled Audrey on the most likely turn of events: "Audrey, did you cut Henry's finger?" Nod yes. Henry confirmed: "Audrey CUT my FINGER!" We didn't remind him that there was no way she could possibly have cut his finger if he had not cooperated by holding still, but why bring that up during his grief. One week later, he's healing nicely, no pain meds at all, and nearly finished with the p.o. abx. Even lets us dress it with bandaids without too much whimpering.
So I mentioned to the ER Attending MD that we had Henry in a couple months prior with Nursemaid's Elbow. Same kid, ER injuries within months, and that I would completely understand and comply if he thought DHS needed to pay us a visit. I was frankly embarrassed that we had allowed this to happen, though less guilty about the elbow. He just looked at me and said: "You've got 3 kids at home. It's a contact sport. Get out of here." I really appreciated that.
I'll include more photos of the gore soon. But here he is, reliving the pain and rocking the aluminum finger splint over a picnic in the backyard AND in the swell voetbal jersey from Cousin Owen and Uncle Joel. Holland Hup Hup!
Friday, August 12, 2011
Henry Speaks Oddly
I wanted to make note of an interesting habit of Henry for future reference.
There are some words that he says by scrambling the rest of the sounds of the word after the initial consonant.
The best example I have is Music.
He says, "Micus", pronouncing it MEE-kooz, so that the phonetic sounds are all there, just mixed.
He does it repeatedly, consistently, and can obviously hear well enough to copy almost every other word he hears anyone say, including their inflection. So it isn't his hearing. And he doesn't seem to grin or look at us when he does it, which might make me think he was intentionally joking or playing a game. I guess I still think he is playing a little game, but I'm not sure.
He does something similar with "butterfly", but I can't place or remember how he jumbles the sounds for that. He also does this sound combination consistently, though.
Interesting.
And tonight, on a walk to our neighborhood Nature Trail, he discovered his shadow. He spent quite a frustrating, if somewhat charming portion of the walk saying hello to his shadow and looking for it in the shade.
Adorable. Looking forward to him understanding Peter Pan.
He and Audrey love a Thomas the Train reader book we got at the library. Mostly for Olivia to sound out the words, but the twins love it so much they want it read every night. After a week, they can both give the last word to every rhyming line in the book. This isn't necessarily that precocious or original, but I was always so tickled when Olivia did this too, that I'm doubly charmed to hear these two bark out the words.
They like peaches, still won't give up their pacifiers at night, and have only used the poddy chairs a couple times each. Their favorite game right now is to tell me, "Go night-night, Daddy!" Then after my head drops onto my chest and I'm instantly snoring, they shout, "Wake up, Daddy!" Then laugh uproariously when I jerk alert. It will break them out of a full cry to join up the call and response. Nice tool to have in the drawer.
There are some words that he says by scrambling the rest of the sounds of the word after the initial consonant.
The best example I have is Music.
He says, "Micus", pronouncing it MEE-kooz, so that the phonetic sounds are all there, just mixed.
He does it repeatedly, consistently, and can obviously hear well enough to copy almost every other word he hears anyone say, including their inflection. So it isn't his hearing. And he doesn't seem to grin or look at us when he does it, which might make me think he was intentionally joking or playing a game. I guess I still think he is playing a little game, but I'm not sure.
He does something similar with "butterfly", but I can't place or remember how he jumbles the sounds for that. He also does this sound combination consistently, though.
Interesting.
And tonight, on a walk to our neighborhood Nature Trail, he discovered his shadow. He spent quite a frustrating, if somewhat charming portion of the walk saying hello to his shadow and looking for it in the shade.
Adorable. Looking forward to him understanding Peter Pan.
He and Audrey love a Thomas the Train reader book we got at the library. Mostly for Olivia to sound out the words, but the twins love it so much they want it read every night. After a week, they can both give the last word to every rhyming line in the book. This isn't necessarily that precocious or original, but I was always so tickled when Olivia did this too, that I'm doubly charmed to hear these two bark out the words.
They like peaches, still won't give up their pacifiers at night, and have only used the poddy chairs a couple times each. Their favorite game right now is to tell me, "Go night-night, Daddy!" Then after my head drops onto my chest and I'm instantly snoring, they shout, "Wake up, Daddy!" Then laugh uproariously when I jerk alert. It will break them out of a full cry to join up the call and response. Nice tool to have in the drawer.
Monday, August 1, 2011
Interlude, to post character studies
Just look at their faces. This sort of rubberface goofballedness is commonplace for these imps. Still photography is the only way to capture the humor of it; motion allows no time for response and appreciation. This can be incredibly frustrating when all you want is one nice picture for...oh what are nice pictures generally for anyway?
That said, they are very polite at the beginning of dinner. Please and thank you for their food, big smiles, very pleasant. This lasts about 5 minutes before their fingers go into their cups and they start blowing raspberries in their milk. Literally.
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Two are Two
Beneath and between the diapering and feeding and napping and playing and fighting and learning, Audrey and Henry survived and thrived another year.
They are extremely close siblings, including being able to outright snatch things from each other as well as casually share other things with each other, guided in this solely by whim. Noise and drama are disregarded, as well as thanks and hugs. They are each others best audience when they want to entertain, especially when they are supposed to be sleeping.
But they share another very influential sibling, and each must respond to Olivia as well. She seems to pick no favorite or scapegoat from between them, and loves or harasses them basically equally. She merely wants playmates and attention as much as the twins themselves do. So while they are all this small age, they orbit each other as they orbit us.
Maybe what I mean is that I see more commonalities among the twins and Olivia to any children, rather than detecting any secret language or sentience between The Twins. They grow into more of themselves each day to me and less of a twin unit.
Yet I realize that they share with each other more than any other kids. Last week, when Audrey seemed distraught and emotional at school, she would only share her toys with Henry and rejected all other kids. And at times when Henry can be his very dramatic self, it seems Audrey can make him laugh whenever she chooses. So they are clearly close to each other as well. I just don't know that they depend on each other as much or more than they depend on Mom and Dad and Olivia? Which isn't so bad either. Fortunately at two, family is still the largest influence on their lives and maybe not yet peers? In case this is true, I will admonish myself to again learn and practice patience. Because their snatching and crying and pushing and shoving and tantrums with, for and over each other remains the loudest and most frustrating part of my days. This is not limited to Henry and Audrey, obviously, but being their blog I'll restrict my prosecution to the defendants at hand. Remember Daddy: distraction, diversion, less sarcasm because it is wasted on them and bitter to you. And they love it when you imitate animals, no matter how mad they are.
They are extremely close siblings, including being able to outright snatch things from each other as well as casually share other things with each other, guided in this solely by whim. Noise and drama are disregarded, as well as thanks and hugs. They are each others best audience when they want to entertain, especially when they are supposed to be sleeping.
But they share another very influential sibling, and each must respond to Olivia as well. She seems to pick no favorite or scapegoat from between them, and loves or harasses them basically equally. She merely wants playmates and attention as much as the twins themselves do. So while they are all this small age, they orbit each other as they orbit us.
Maybe what I mean is that I see more commonalities among the twins and Olivia to any children, rather than detecting any secret language or sentience between The Twins. They grow into more of themselves each day to me and less of a twin unit.
Yet I realize that they share with each other more than any other kids. Last week, when Audrey seemed distraught and emotional at school, she would only share her toys with Henry and rejected all other kids. And at times when Henry can be his very dramatic self, it seems Audrey can make him laugh whenever she chooses. So they are clearly close to each other as well. I just don't know that they depend on each other as much or more than they depend on Mom and Dad and Olivia? Which isn't so bad either. Fortunately at two, family is still the largest influence on their lives and maybe not yet peers? In case this is true, I will admonish myself to again learn and practice patience. Because their snatching and crying and pushing and shoving and tantrums with, for and over each other remains the loudest and most frustrating part of my days. This is not limited to Henry and Audrey, obviously, but being their blog I'll restrict my prosecution to the defendants at hand. Remember Daddy: distraction, diversion, less sarcasm because it is wasted on them and bitter to you. And they love it when you imitate animals, no matter how mad they are.
Happy Birthday Twins, and many happy returns.
Love, Daddy.
Sunday, July 3, 2011
Audrey
Just a really nice photo of little Audrey. She won the "grocery trip lottery" this morning by being up first and so quiet as to not wake her siblings. So she got to go with me to get donuts and juice and milk etc. She's NOT cutting her molars yet, as is therefore delightful.
Hanging Out
Literally.
And as I write that, let me add this little tidbit about Henry and Hanging.
While chucking my son onto the bed Thursday night, using legs and arms to swing him, he came out of the pile of pillows crying and holding his arm instead of laughing uproariously. Ten minutes after not letting his parents touch his right arm, he was actually in the ER.
Expecting the child abuse questions, I got the wonderful statement of "this is probably a really common injury" from the triage nurse. And it was: Nursemaid's Elbow.
Common etiology, comes from swinging under-age-5 children by arms, briefly dislocating the radial head from the anular ligament at the ulna. Corrected in one jiffy by supinating the hand and raising the hand to shoulder. He was reaching for stickers from the doctor one minute later with the effected hand, and talking up a storm again 2 minutes later. New to me, and about half the people I tell. The other half have either had this themselves, or a sibling did. No swinging Henry until he's 5.
I will probably still toss him into the pillows, but will grab him under the arms.
He's cutting his 2-year molars right now too, so is especially emotional anyway. Poor guy.
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Personality Meristems
Henry and Audrey don't seem to be physically growing even half as quickly as their personalities are. They are both exerting themselves right out into their world like plant tendrils, uncoiling, reaching, grasping, sampling, rejecting, singing, dancing, testing. Philodendrons.
Audrey is more attached to things: Charlie Horse, blankets, has definite ideas about who is to carry things or where things go. She is not shy about communicating these directives, or simply repositioning, or helping you understand what you are supposed to do. More and more words trickle out daily, with more inflection than just sweet vs growl. She is generous with her hugs and stingey with her tap-taps.
Henry is similar to Olivia in his attention and sensitivity to people and their reactions to him and what he is doing. And what he is doing is usually dancing. His vocabulary comes in torrents, words mimicked and added by the minute, absorbed from any proximate source or conversation. He has very few item attachments - I can't think of even one.
Both children remember experiences well and clearly. When we set out in the morning for school, they immediately ask "Muffin Man? Cookie?", remembering trips taken on weekend morning walks to the neighborhood bakery. It is worth a shot. They consistently wave at a single neighbor or even her apparently empty house, remembering a walk from this past January when they said hello to her and blew kisses peering over snow drifts. I am astonished at their positive mental associations with events and locations.
And they love their sister, wanting her first thing in the morning and last hugs at night.
And both used the poddy for morning urination today. Progress.
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
The Many, well, Two Faces of Henry
Just a couple of the expressions Henry now takes on. There may be character or even dairy product names for these, which I will let you generate.
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Audrey Haircut
So Audrey just had to wait a month (March 12, 2011) after Henry for her first haircut. More calm, more squirmy, less hair taken. Olivia did a better job of cheering her on than Henry, plus she had Cindy who usually cuts mine, take her careful scissors to those superfine curls. Nice work, everyone. Now we don't need to document these again until the first mohawk?
Comeupance
So the next day, Audrey does some time in Think It Over.
For some other general naughtiness too, like standing on rolling desk chairs.
Actually, probably her first time in time out, she's been so good for so long.
Or we weren't observant enough?
Henry Haircut
February 5th brought Henry's first exfoliation.
I'm not quite sure why we make haircuts such a growth landmark.
Could this be what truly separates us from the apes?
Henry liked it about as much as a chimp would. Screaming, brachiating, un-pacified.
Don't let 'em take your strength,
Sampson!And then when we got home, Audrey steals his car! Insult to injury! Booo!
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Daily Refrain
I have lately enjoyed diapering and getting the babies ready in the morning. I'll pile all the diapers, wipes, clothes and shoes into the chair while they stand in their cribs, then get down on the floor, change and clothe them, one at a time. They seem to be used to this treatment after a month or so now, and are relatively docile. And I'm doing all that I can to be the person doing this in the morning.
I think I most enjoy just getting hands on them, leaving raspberries on their bellies and hearing them laugh with their still-sleepy eyes and yawny voices. In turn, they seem to like the clean pants, tolerate the pulling-over of turtlenecks this cold winter, and then sitting on my lap for pulling up pants, socks and shoes. Then the gentle push on the rump to be off and playing or waking their sister, or saying good morning to Mommy.
I am appreciating all these moments. As I've always been admonished to do. As they are short-lived and these children will soon be jumping from their own beds independently, singing songs and toileting themselves without slow Dad's help. And I look forward to that part too. Just not yet.
I think I most enjoy just getting hands on them, leaving raspberries on their bellies and hearing them laugh with their still-sleepy eyes and yawny voices. In turn, they seem to like the clean pants, tolerate the pulling-over of turtlenecks this cold winter, and then sitting on my lap for pulling up pants, socks and shoes. Then the gentle push on the rump to be off and playing or waking their sister, or saying good morning to Mommy.
I am appreciating all these moments. As I've always been admonished to do. As they are short-lived and these children will soon be jumping from their own beds independently, singing songs and toileting themselves without slow Dad's help. And I look forward to that part too. Just not yet.
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Plus Proud Pappy
This is not the most efficient way to control mouse and keyboard, but who cares about mouse and keyboard. Until the Sesame Street videos run down.
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Sledding
They tried sledding for the first time, back during Christmas break. The twins didn't like the Longfellow grade school hill, but loved the front yard. More to come.
Words and Wherewithal
Henry and Audrey are both verbal now, Hank for quite a while, Audrey more recently "controlled" to having MaMa actually mean Mommy. Henry is very imitative, and can spout back 3 syllable word-like sounds, even 3 note fragments close to pitch. Audrey doesn't care as much about that yet, and can convey everything she needs with gesture and sounds. She is using more expression in her sounds, less for needs and more attempts at communication.
In the bathtub, Henry has been "swimming" for a month, meaning lying down on his tummy and kicking, sometimes putting part of face in the water. Which can be kind of a pain for Audrey if she's in the tub with him. Meanwhile, Audrey has done her own tub-learning of filling containers with water from one to the other. Quite happy with this, it occupies her well, until it is kicked over by Henry. Tonight they were in the tub together and I asked Audrey: Do you want me to take you out first? Slow shake of head. Do you want me to take Henry out first? Rapid nod of head. I had to call Melissa in to have her see it. Henry was swimming, oblivious, but I can't believe he didn't hear.
Audrey seems to occasionally let Henry take things away from her. He's a bit stronger or more coordinated, and does this sometimes. She used to growl and try to get it back, but lately she seems to let him go if she can't hang on, find something else to play with almost immediately, and bides her time to push him or bite him at a later time. I figure the best course is to let some of this work itself out, know that they both have the capability, and know that I'm probably only seeing a small-to-medium percentage of the occurrences of this sort of thing. Contrapuntally, they really enjoy playing together, running from room to room laughing as they just seem to like following each other. And at their Eye appointments this week, Henry came over to check on Audrey as she was crying, being held down, had lights shone in her eyes. And it didn't seem to be self-interest or assumption that he would get the same treatment next, as he had just had the same. Maybe they just like having each other around, for good or evil?
Audrey picked out her own clothes last week. I got out a sweater, then put it back and came out with another. She started crying and pointing to the closet. You only know that she was after that first sweater because of my first sentence - it took me five minutes of looking, holding things up, then bringing her over to the closet for her to grab the soft sweater and hold it to her face for me to finally understand. She forgave quickly and went off to eat cinnamon toast.
Henry has more patience for books and TV shows than Audrey. Both have their favorites books and lobby for them during their lap time before bed. They are becoming increasingly sophisticated in their means of getting me or Melissa to read the book they want when they want it. Bait-and-switch, running to be first, slowly putting their book on top of the one being currently read.
In the bathtub, Henry has been "swimming" for a month, meaning lying down on his tummy and kicking, sometimes putting part of face in the water. Which can be kind of a pain for Audrey if she's in the tub with him. Meanwhile, Audrey has done her own tub-learning of filling containers with water from one to the other. Quite happy with this, it occupies her well, until it is kicked over by Henry. Tonight they were in the tub together and I asked Audrey: Do you want me to take you out first? Slow shake of head. Do you want me to take Henry out first? Rapid nod of head. I had to call Melissa in to have her see it. Henry was swimming, oblivious, but I can't believe he didn't hear.
Audrey seems to occasionally let Henry take things away from her. He's a bit stronger or more coordinated, and does this sometimes. She used to growl and try to get it back, but lately she seems to let him go if she can't hang on, find something else to play with almost immediately, and bides her time to push him or bite him at a later time. I figure the best course is to let some of this work itself out, know that they both have the capability, and know that I'm probably only seeing a small-to-medium percentage of the occurrences of this sort of thing. Contrapuntally, they really enjoy playing together, running from room to room laughing as they just seem to like following each other. And at their Eye appointments this week, Henry came over to check on Audrey as she was crying, being held down, had lights shone in her eyes. And it didn't seem to be self-interest or assumption that he would get the same treatment next, as he had just had the same. Maybe they just like having each other around, for good or evil?
Audrey picked out her own clothes last week. I got out a sweater, then put it back and came out with another. She started crying and pointing to the closet. You only know that she was after that first sweater because of my first sentence - it took me five minutes of looking, holding things up, then bringing her over to the closet for her to grab the soft sweater and hold it to her face for me to finally understand. She forgave quickly and went off to eat cinnamon toast.
Henry has more patience for books and TV shows than Audrey. Both have their favorites books and lobby for them during their lap time before bed. They are becoming increasingly sophisticated in their means of getting me or Melissa to read the book they want when they want it. Bait-and-switch, running to be first, slowly putting their book on top of the one being currently read.
Look, We'll Post More Ourselves, Dad
They're at the computer, trying to get me to put out more H&A content. Or figure out if the Sesame Street characters on that big window are really behind there. Or just type too. The adults do it enough, it must be interesting.
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