I have two kids

I have two kids. This hit me today in an unusual way.

The usual way: two kids?! me? how is that possible? I swear I am still 21 and on my way to the library to study Clinical Phonetics and then hit Jamba Juice.

Today's way: I have two kids. Two beautiful boys. They are healthy. They are happy. I. am. so. lucky.

Here's their update (yes, you have my permission to skim).

Noah Boah
2 years and 11 months old

On a rainy day Noah likes to: fingerpaint, paint with watercolors, cut paper with scissors, scoop up playdough with a backhoe or make tire tracks in it, build train tracks, race Cars, play Curious George or Little Einstein on the computer, write his name (almost legibly).

When the sun is out Noah likes to: race his bike down the sidewalk, blow bubbles, draw on the sidewalk (and screen door) with chalk, run down the hill in the back and put sticks in the storm drain, jump in the mud, throw rocks.

Noah likes to go to the park, go on a walk, go to the children's museum, go to a friend's house, go to the grocery store, go anywhere. "Where are we going today, mom?" he asks first thing in the morning.

Noah likes to feed Gage, hug Gage, kiss Gage, give Gage toys when he's sad, step on him and squish him. When Gage is crying in the car he says "Its ok baby, we're almost there" and will sing him a song.

Noah loves to wrestle with his daddy and loves to "fight" with anything - let's play pillow fight, let's play train fight, let's play spoon fight.

Noah loves to build with the couch cushions. Yesterday we built a Book Nook, snuggled and read our stack of books from the library. Sometimes its a Flyboat, we put on our capes and save baby animals. Sometimes its his Ark and he loads it up with animals and feeds them.

He does not like: dogs, pizza, to brush his teeth, to wash his hair.

Noah does not stop talking. Lately he started telling his own bedtime stories. They are mostly long narratives with never ending sequences. I love to listen to these. Other fun things Noah says:
"Alright. Ok. Alright. Ok."
"Mommy, did you know that....(either Charlie likes spiderman, Abby moved to a new house, or whatever he is thinking about)"
"I can not believe it!"

He can count to 30. Or he can count to 100 if I tell him what's coming next. He loves letters. Thanks to the Letter Factory. He can read 3 letter words if they're phonetic - MAN BIG HAT SIT CAR.

Noah loves to hear stories about when he was a baby, his eyes get wide and happy with wonder. He also loves to hear "Something you did today that I really really liked" I tell him this at bedtime and its usually about how he shared a toy with Alex, how he sang a song to Gage to help him stop crying, or how he gave Mailee a hug. He gets quiet and really listens and smiles.

Gagey
9 1/2 months old

Gage has as two teeth on the bottom. He does a pretty fast army crawl and can sit up for about one minute, then he either slowly teeters to one side and falls or takes off army crawling after something. He can pick up his Cheerios and veggie puffs (and small bits of whatever off the carpet) with his finger and thumb.

Gage is a great eater - baby cereal, fruits, vegetables, this kids eats it all...even that green stuff that comes in a jar and is supposed to be "sweet peas."

Gage loves toys that light up and make noise or any toy that Noah is playing with. He loves to watch Noah do anything and wants to be wherever Noah is. He cranes his neck to watch Noah come around the corner and then squeals and kicks his feet when he seems him.

Gage babbles and babbles. He does a lot of reduplicated babbling right now /ma, ma, ma/, /da da da/, /ba ba ba/. He's got a lot vowel sounds and mostly front consonants /d, t, b, p, m, n/. Today I was hearing some variegated babbling too /aba, ee, ba/ and an approximated /g/ sound. That will be fun to hear!

Gage giggles and giggles. He loves to be thrown in the air, upside down or around and around. He loves to be tickled. Loves to grab noses, lips and ears. He is busy and does not sit still. But he also loves to be cuddled and will burrow into my lap.

He does not like: when I take him away from the computer cords or the curtains, to be held by Someone Else.

I have two kids. Noah and Gage.