Mack in Late May in Love's Folly

Oha and Mimmy

Another great Memorial Day at Love's Folly.  This was a pic of us in the morning, after it all, getting ready to hit the road. Bye bye Oha and Mimmy!

Remi

Today is Remi's birthday - and Aunt Margot's! and we are going to celebrate with them this weekend. Remi has remained such a true friend to Nate--they genuinely love and respect each other. They scream with joy when they see each other (which is often), play together 3 times a week after school and often on weekends (we love Bev and Adrian, his parents). Remi is a laid-back confident , super mature ,smart kid who seems to appreciate Nate's silliness and sweetness and his enthusiasm for new games, ideas, adventures. It's such a rare and lovely friendship- and sometimes includes Ronan (on the far left). Here they are at Remi's house last weekend.

Mack 15 mos

Mack's doc visit this week revealed that he is-a tall thin guys (25% weight and 95% height). All is well-he’s strong and strong willed and doing all normal 15 mos old stuff like temper tantrums and screaming for his way and fighting us and waking at night. (It’s been a tough month.) Poor kid got 3 shots and a finger prick and screamed his head off but then was fine. As our babysitter Sylvia says, he’s gonna be a tough kid...even if he's the cutest thing on earth. 

The veggie wars

Nate has been eating badly-no veggies and saying no to anything new. At first we did a "new foods" chart-when he ate a new food we would post it and give a gift when we got to 6. It worked for a week and then it didn't. Lately we're trying the eat your veggies and you get a treat. If you don't we take away your toys. The last two nights he's refused the veggies and acknoweledged that the punishment was to have his toys taken away. In fact last night he went digging for cars that ell behind the TV that we might have missed and offered them to us. "Daddy you forgot this one!" Strange. Subversive. We are confused.

Tonight we had this conversations:

N how about four carrots and one cucumber

S ok deal

N how about 10 carrots.

S OK

N how about one carrot and one cucumber.

S No.

Bertille

We love Bertille who replaced Leisha a few months ago and is amazing with the kids and such a cool reliable efficient funny TALL nanny.

Boys in Blue

I've figured out a way to bike with both boys. Nate is in the front, his legs too long for the Bo-bike but dangling down a bit, and Mack on an Ergo on my back. It's quite a scene -- people stop and stare. I've never seen this done before, three boys on one bike -- it's not easy on the legs.  But it's worth it. On this day we took a bike ride to Long Island City and hit the playground.

Mack 2.0?

Mack is showing signs of mellowing. His laugh has changed from a siren-screech to a bona fide giggle. You can change him on the changing table and he tolerates it, even chuckles. You can put a shirt on or take his pants off without him going completely insane. He sits on your lap without fuss. He still is a needy little funny thing no doubt, but we are seeing signs of a transformation into a next stage.  Maybe the haircut relaxed him? 

Haircuts

The boys got haircuts on this first Friday in May. They needed it. At the end of the day we strolled on the pier and Nate and I had our first real tennis call catch and throw. For real. Here they are with Shana looking our at the water, their short hair blowing in the breeze.

Tantrums

Mack has been throwing major tantrums lately when he doesn't get what he wants - a jar of pickles in a store for example. He screams and thrashes about sometimes throwing himself to the ground and banging his head. It's quite unnerving and annoying but I get that he's frustrated. He can only say boat and ball and has no autonomy. Sunday Mack and Emma went for the same ball and Mack wound up with a shiner. Poor Mack he wants to be like the big kids. I keep referring to him as a spaz and a handful which he sometimes is despite being quite charming and sweet. I look forward to calmer phases.