Second Banana
There are days when I feel like David is definitely the second child. I have to fit in paying attention to him between taking Matthew to the potty, making lunch, putting Matthew on his “thinking mat”, washing dishes…. He doesn’t have nearly the iron-clad nap and meal routine his brother got, since we are often in the car taking his brother somewhere during said nap or meal times. David has had to be flexible.
This mommy guilt-trip didn’t get much better when reports started coming out that showed the amount of parental time first-born children get is something like 1000 hours more than their younger siblings. We also learned that first-born children have higher IQs (by 3 points, which hardly counts, in my book) and are more likely to be President, or a CEO, or an Olympian.
But in my better moments I have noticed there is a lot to gain from being second. David may not have my full attention, but he does have a toddler in his face most of his waking hours. It’s true he spent more hours than I’d like to count sitting on the bathroom floor while we potty-trained Matthew, but he got to listen to lots and lots and lots of books while we sat. He gets to play with a full-sized fire truck, something Matthew never did.
So maybe he won’t win the gold medal in shot put, or run a fortune 500 company, but hey, he got to eat his first potato chip before his first birthday.
See, being second has its advantages.
Boxed Goods
con·tain·er·ize – To package (cargo) in large standardized containers for efficient shipping and handling.
Spotters
There is a word in the train world for people who hang out near the tracks to watch as trains go by. No, it’s not “crazy”, although that label may be applied, too. It’s “train spotters” and we have joined their ranks.
It started off by accident. We had dinner with Nana and Grandpa at a favorite restaurant (Alladin’s -very yummy, BTW) and then took a walk. Actually, I took David home early because he was (surprise surprise) fussy. So Matthew and the grandparents took the walk up the path to the train tracks. Matthew was enjoying jumping from rail to rail when Grandpa heard a familiar sound – the train whistle. Oops! It was the VRE, which promptly came rushing past just as they got away from the tracks. It was Matthew’s favorite bedtime story for weeks.
Now we do it on purpose. It’s a Big Day when we go have dinner and see the train. Last night I got a few pictures of our new hobby.
Cheers!
David likes to share. Not toys, food. And the pacifier. It’s a big game now. He holds up the soggy, half-chewed toast or biscuit and grins like crazy. Our job is to reach over, bump his little fist, and say “Cheers!” Then he laughs. And we laugh. It’s a great age.
Family time
We spent the weekend trying to break the world record for most family met during a three day period. We came pretty close. We attended a family picnic at my parent’s house on Saturday for a few hours and enjoyed the good weather along with a number of my dad’s relatives, and a few of my mom’s. We drove up to Maryland today to visit Steven’s aunt and parents, who just returned from a trip out West. It doesn’t sound like much on paper, but we are wiped. David got in some good naps in the car, but he is the only one. We may have to get the cat to watch him tonight so the rest of us can go to bed early.
Moving Tribute
Our family went to Arlington National Cemetery today for the interment of Matthew and David’s great grandfather. The boys were troopers through the long, hot, day. Even without regular meals or naps they smiled for the relatives and took in the experience. And it certainly was an experience. Col. Hank Dettmar was a Pearl Harbor survivor who made a career out of his army service. He was buried with full military honors in a place that is both beautiful and sad.
When we got to Arlington, the coffin was placed on a horse-drawn caisson to be carried to the burial site. A riderless horse accompanied the caisson and a military band played.
When we got to the burial site there was a formation of soldiers on the hill. The color guard was flanked by the army band who played several hymns and America the Beautiful.
As part of the service, Great Grandpa received a 21 gun salute – seven guns firing 3 volley’s each. We tried to prepare Matthew for the noise the guns would make, but I don’t think we did too well. After the first volley he burst into tears. David looked around, confused.
The flag that draped his coffin was folded with a precision that never ceases to impress me. It was presented to my Aunt Vicki.
When I think of my grandfather, I remember him in his boy-scout leader duds, or sitting in his favorite chair while we ran around the house at some holiday or family picnic. I danced with him at my sister’s wedding, we vacationed with him at Bethany Beach, and once I went on a road trip with him (and my dad and Uncle Steve) to see the Philadelphia Phillies play a game. I still have the hat we got as a souvenir.
Because he lived so close by, Grandpa got to meet both the boys. His health was declining during the past few years, but we saw him at holidays and the ever-popular family picnics. Matthew knew him as a member of the family. David liked to grab his nose. This past Easter we had a nice visit. David played peek-a-boo with him and Matthew sat with him and talked. I hope that someday they will understand the sacrifice he made for his country, for his family, and really, for them.
Matthew’s Top Ten
Since I did one for David, it only seems fair to do a list of Matthew’s top ten favorite things. In all honesty, it could be 10. cars, 9. cars, 8. cars, 7. things with wheels, 6. cars… but I will try to be more creative.
10. Climb
9. Jump into David’s crib to wake him up
8. Chase the cat
7. Wear his diapey like a hat or cape
6. Eat potato chips
5. Play with friends
4. Take a bath
3. Look for fire trucks on the road
2. Give his brother hugs and kisses
1. Play with cars, trucks, trains, or anything else with wheels!
David’s Top Ten
David’s Top Ten Favorite Things To Do:
10. Play in the house
9. Grab the Kitty
8. Have a conversation
7. Eat
6. Stand at the table and play
5. Flap his arms up and down, especially while holding a rattle
4. Grab hair
3. Help Daddy with laundry
2. Take a good nap
1. Play in the tub at bath time
The Dentist
Matthew had his first visit to the dentist last week. It coincided with The Day the Fire Fighters Came to Town, so I didn’t get a chance to post the pictures. Overall, he did well. He cooperated with Dr. Metzdorf, much to my relief. For over a year we only got his teeth brushed because he opened his mouth really wide to yell “Nooooooooooo!” So it was a big step to sit in the fancy chair with the tres-chic bib and let some guy in a mask scrap his teeth. Reading books before hand probably helped, as did going along with Daddy for his visit the week before.
Matthew liked pushing the button to make the chair go up and down, and he got to hold the suction wand, too. Best of all, he got to spit in the funny little toilet bowl after having his teeth polished. He asked me to buy him some of that “yummy stuff” (root beer flavored tooth paste) at the store. Sadly, they don’t market that flavor, or I’d have some myself.
Big Boy Bed
We have finally done it. Jumped off the cliff. Bit the bullet. Ripped off the band-aid. We converted Matthew’s crib into a big boy bed. About a month ago he started routinely climbing out when the rail was up, which left us no choice. Daddy got out the tools last night and made the big change. Matthew was very very very tired and not that interested in photos of the big event.
We got him settled down and ready for his close-up.
But he still wouldn’t pose lying down. Instead he posed with his blanket.
I have mixed emotions about the big change. There is something safe about the crib. I put them in, I know where they are. The big boy bed means greater independence. Playing with toys, using the bathroom, wandering the house and turning on the gas stove.
But more than that it is a sign. He’s growing up. He’s not a baby. He’s barely even a toddler anymore. He is a little boy. He is ready. I am not.
