Grass

This is the fist time Mack crawled on grass. He kept on trying to eat the leaves.

Morning Fight

Mornings lately have had their fare share of challenges. It's a mixed bag what with Mack grinning and spitting up and drooling and screeching like a wild animal, and Nate pushing back against our quest for authority for reasons mostly known to Nate. There are funny moments too -- like this morning when Nate was entertaining Mack with assurances that super heroes were coming to save Mack from his crib- jail and opening the blinds again and again to let them in. The boys waking up together in their room followed by squeals of delight, has been a revelation.

But this morning, when it came time to finally put Nate's coat on, he twisted around violently, mad with resistance. I counted to 3. He ignored it. I gave him a time out in his bed. "I've had it!" I barked. He cried. "Come here and put on your coat," I said in his dark room after a minute or so. He didn't. I counted to 3. Nate didn't budge. I took away privileges like iPad and TV. He still didn't move from his bed. Finally I picked him up and dumped him in his orange stroller while he cried. I angrily wheeled him to the elevator. "Bye," I heard Shana say as I headed down the hall. "Bye," I said.

Nate got quiet on the stroll to school. We chatted on Whyth and North 5th Street and I told him how important it was to listen to me and Mommy. He nodded his head in agreement when I asked him if he understood. He then mumbled about wanting a snack (was he hungry the whole time, was that what the tantrum was about??) and so we went to get a bagel. "I'm sorry we got into a fight," I said after, crossing Bedford Avenue. "But I really need you to listen to me." I bent down to hug him in his stroller and he hugged me back.

"Next time I will be good," Nate said in the sweetest voice imaginable. I felt my heart cave in. I started to cry, there on North 5th Street just east of Bedford Avenue. I hugged him again so he wouldn't see.

Sunday

If we're home on the weekends -- we've come to realize -- it's nearly impossible to do things together. Not only are nap schedules precarious (Mack from 8:30 to 10:30, Nate from 12:30 to 2:30, Mack from 2 to 4), but it's difficult to find activities for both boys. Mack might like Frolic, but Nate gets bored there. Nate might like the playground, but Mack can't do much there.

At home, Nate seems intent on rough playing with Mack, usually leading to "NATE BE CAREFUL WITH MACK" or "NATE STOP IT STOP IT" or "NATE EASY EASY COME ON NOW NATE STOP IT I SAID STOP IT NOW NOW STOP IT NATE NATE NATE!" Nate doesn't seem to get it. I suppose he never will -- it's human nature to beat the crap out of your younger brother. Nevertheless, it's tiring to constantly be on the defensive; Nate's attacks on Mack are relentless.

So we split up for now. On this Sunday, Shana hung back with Mack (who was cranky and snotty and drooly and spit uppy -- Shana got the short straw on this one), while I took Nate to the movies (Wreck It Ralph -- bad).  Here's Nate on the subway platform (he loves the subway!) and then a video of Nate eating popcorn (he loves popcorn!) at the movies.

Singalong

Every Tuesday the Edge hosts a kiddie singalong which is more or less chaos-- lots of babies making noise while an odd woman plays guitar --but its something to do on these cold afternoons. Nate is -- rightly so-- over these. He did his fair share as a baby and this time opted to watch three fratty guys play simulation golf while I took Mack into the music room. Mack loved it and crawled right into the center if the room to play his maracas on his back--as Nate used to do. As the pediatrician recently said at his nine month (nine months!!!) check up, he doesn't seem to have any stranger anxiety. And the guitar lady noted he seemed very excited by the music. I remember Nate having a similar experience in Audra Rox's classes, and Nate has recently taken to dancing, showing us his "new moves" and "old moves" at home. 

Halloween

Nate was a polar bear and Mack was Kermit. We trick or treated around Bedford ave w William until Nate went into sugar shock and started babbling nonsensically and walking into things.

Big Boy Swings

This is the first time I saw that Nate wanted to hit the big boy swings -- on his belly. He noted two other boys going on their stomachs and gave it a go.

He made lots of "rarrrrrr" noises.

Sands of Time

The boys are doing well lately. Mack is crawling around with this big dopey grin and a pool of drool and snot around his nose and mouth. But his positive energy is amazing.

Nate -- not without his meltdowns from time to time when he's tired -- has been funny and chatty ("You play me Mommy? You play me?? Five minutes? You play me?"), his language hilarious and relentless.  This morning, as we were leaving for school, we were in the hallway, Nate in his orange stroller and Shana and I rushing around in order to get him out of the door. 

"You got you keys?" Nate said.  Shana and I laughed.  

"Yes, Nate." I answered.  

"You got you phone?" asked Nate sweetly, not trying to be funny. 

We laughed again. "Yes. OK, Nate, let's roll..."  

I closed the door and said goodbye to Shana and Mack.  We strolled halfway down the hall.  

"You got you book?"  I stopped.  "Wow. No Nate, I.. uh... forgot my book.  I'll be right back."  

Hilarious.

I took this picture at school, Nate looking at the blue sands of time. They don't stop falling, do they? I want to stop them sometimes, or slow them down, or at least appreciate them. These days -- the ages of the boys, the youngness and sweetness -- feel precious and lovely to me. Once in a while, it's good to pay attention to the time going by.