Adventures, Big and Small

Last weekend we took the kids to Six Flags New England, a place we had not been in more than 10 years. Despite my concerns that paying $100 for admission and $15 for parking might not be worth it, considering Tai's hot-and-cold fear of rides, we decided to try it. Some friends of ours were taking theirs kids (almost exactly the same ages as our kids) so we figured it'd be a fun way to have a play date. And we hoped that the other little boy might help coax Tai onto some of the scarier rides.

The last time we went to Six Flags, Minh and I enjoyed the water park and the Mind Eraser, and then I literally thought I might die on Superman, Ride of Steel. Not coincidentally, that was the last roller coaster I went on, to date. During that trip, I never even noticed that they had kiddie rides.

During last weekend's trip to the park, however, I hardly noticed the thrill rides, as we spent all our time in Thomas Town, Wiggles World, and Looney Toons Movie Town. My, how times have changed. Tai's fear seems to be one of speed, as he was happy to go on the slow moving train, the carousel built in 1902 that creaked and groaned in a disconcerting way, and even the kiddie version of the elevator-drop ride. But one look at the kiddie roller coaster sent him running the other way (a boy after my own heart?)

Actually, I'm trying hard not to let my fears rub off on him, and I offered enthusiastically to go on the kiddie coaster with him, but to no avail. He also skipped the helicopters and rockets ships in favor of the teacups, cars, and monster trucks. Quynh went on a few rides herself and had a blast climbing and running around in the play area. All four kids enjoyed the live Wiggles show, which contained no actual Wiggles, but a woman who put her heart into every song and clearly had aspirations bigger than the Six Flags Stage. My favorite part of the show was the security guard, in charge of keeping kids from rushing the stage, who danced with such enthusiasm we were sure he was after the role of Captain Feathersword.

Then, on Monday, we grown-ups went zip lining in the Berkshires. Now this is my type of adventure. While roller coasters terrify me (because they're certainly going to either derail or crash, or throw me from the seat). I was not the least bit scared of zip lining. Perhaps it was the heavy-duty harness, or the feeling of control (we were taught to brake as needed). Whatever the reason, my only fear of that first zip was the worry that I'd do something wrong and look like an idiot.

After three hours of zipping, repelling, and traversing bridges from tree to tree down a mountain, I was plotting our return visit. Since the first few zips of the day were spent learning how to take off, break, and land, I'm sure we'll have even more fun now that we are experts. But maybe we should skip the Berkshires and head straight to Costa Rica?

Nothing is Cute at 2am

My fantastic sleeper is not so fantastic anymore. For months now she's been sleeping 7pm-6am straight through, like an angel. Suddenly, all last week she started sleeping till 7am -- even better! And then this week her wake up time started creeping earlier and earlier. 6:05, then 5:50, then 5:40. And THEN last night she was up calling for me "Mama! Mama! MaaaaaMaaaaa!" at 1:30am.

Ugh. I was sleepy and I have a cold, and I'm a softie, so I went to her after 5 minutes of very loud wailing. I tried (briefly) to comfort her without taking her out of the crib, but she was all "up! up! up!" so I caved in and brought her to our bed, hoping she'd snuggle with me and go back to sleep. No such luck.

First she pointed at the TV "watch! watch!" I said no. She wailed.

The she handed me her nuk and lovey and said "all done" (sleeping, I assume). Yeah, right

.

Then the cat heard all the commotion and jumped up on the bed. Great. "Nibbies!!!" Quynh squealed.

Then Buttons came over to see what was going on "Butties!!!"

After goofing around for 15 more minutes, and taking a few sips of water, she settled. And was *almost* asleep when Minh came to bed at 2am. (why he was up that late, I have no idea)

"Daddy! Hi!" she said as he climbed into bed.

Then she stood up, walked all over the bed, climbed up on Minh and tried to play with him.

Minh and I did our best to pretend to sleep and ignore her, so that she would get bored and settle down.

Then she broke out into song "A, B, C, D....."

She never asked to nurse, but did sign, and say, the word "eat" a couple times. But I'll be damned if I'm gonna set a precedent where you can get up and go have a snack in the middle of the night.

After what seemed like *forever* she settled next to me, on my pillow and started playing with my hair, twirling it in her fingers in a very uncomfortable, tickly, knot-producing way, and saying "mama, mama" quietly.

Finally, she was still. I opened my eyes only to find her laying very still, eyes wide open, staring at me.

Creepy.

I pretended to sleep for 10 more minutes, then peeked again.

She was still staring at me.

Eventually, we all fell asleep again. Probably around 3am.

I can't wait to see what time she wakes tonight.

Pike and Parent

Tai and I are enrolled at a swim class for 3-5 year olds in which the parent also goes in the pool. It meets Saturday morning for six weeks and I'm hoping that at the end of six weeks he'll want to sign up for the "regular" pike class and I can just sit on the sidelines and watch.

I think it was a good choice for him to take the class with the parents, because the first couple weeks he was clinging to me and always making sure I had a good grip on his waist. But last week he had a breakthrough. With a bubble on his back and noodle under his armpits, he "swam" all over the pool. When I first let go of him, he noticed and panicked. So I held him lightly. But then I let go again and he was kicking those legs and moving himself across the pool, so I whispered in his ear "I'm not holding you -- you're doing it on your own."

He had reached the edge of the pool, and it was time to turn around and swim back across. I positioned myself in front of him and held out my hands. But he said, "No, Mama. Don't hold me. I can do it." I was so proud of him. And during the "free time" portion of class that's all he wanted to do. He swam over to the toy bin, then across the pool, and then batted a ball back and forth with the instructor (on whom he appears to have a huge crush). All the while with no adult holding on to him. I wished I could take a video to show everyone, but I was standing in 42 inches of water and my phone was on dry land.

The Well is Dry

Q has not nursed in over two weeks. About a month ago I implemented the "don't offer, don't refuse" method of weaning that worked so well for Tai. However, Q is her own person. This method served only to piss her off and turn her into Cranky Pants Clingy Baby 24-7.

So I began turning down her requests to nurse, which made her fiercely angry for about 1 minute each time. But in between she was more pleasant. So we went cold turkey. And I tried to keep us out of situations that would cause her to ask. So each morning after taking her out of her crib, instead of snuggling her in the glider I'd whisk her off to the living room, or the breakfast table. But I missed our morning snuggles.

After a couple weeks, we're just getting back to the point where I can sit with her in the glider again. We read several books each morning while Minh and Tai are still snoozing. She just can't get enough of Peek-a-Who these days. It's really quite nice. Every couple days she still asks to nurse, but with a look in her eye like she knows she's being ridiculous. And she's much less angry when I turn her down. Soon I hope to be able to snuggle her in our bed on a Saturday morning without causing an argument over my breasts.

I'm guessing the well is indeed dry at this point, though Tai has other ideas. The other morning Quynh was being unusually grouchy and was pawing at my shirt. Tai noticed and said, "No, she doesn't nurse anymore. She can still eat food. And Mama's food still turns into milk, but Quynh can't drink it."

Personal Shopper

I'm taking a personal day tomorrow. To go shopping.

Is it just me, or does anyone else periodically go on shopping "sprees" thinking they they are buying loads of new stuff that will ensure a closet full of fashionable, well-fitting clothes for years to come, only to get home and realize that (a) you really only bought six things and (b) those six things are so nice they make your old clothes look worse? So now you only have six things you feel like you can actually wear.

Anyone? Anyone? Is it just me that does this?

Well, tomorrow I'm headed to the mall, once again. This time I not be pressed for time (since the kids will be at school) and I will not hesitate to (gulp) spend tons of money. All in the name of not having to go shopping again for a good long time.

I'm going to justify the money spending with the fact that whatever I buy now should fit me for a very long time, since I'm done with pregnancy and nursing. Now I just need to stop eating like I'm still nursing a newborn 10 times a day ;)