A threat to Daddy

I had a function tonight, so Landon picked the girls up from campus and brought them home. They played, he bathed them and was trying to dress them, when Quinn decided to start wrestling. We're trying to dial bedtime back an hour, so he was trying to keep their rough housing to a minimum. Quinn took a run and tackled Cora; Cora laughed; Landon told them to quit and peeled them apart. Quinn stepped around and from a different angle tackled Cora from behind; Cora laughed, he told them to quit and peeled them apart. Quinn did it again and caught Cora the wrong way; Cora started to whine; Daddy got frustrated. 

Landon used a harsh tone when he told Quinn, "Quinn, stop it! That's enough!"

Quinn burst into tears (because she is hardly ever scolded). 

Cora (as always; it sounds like this story is on repeat) went to Quinn and started talking softly and sweetly to her, "It's OK baby, don't cry. It's OK Quinnypoo."

Landon was sitting indian style (criss-cross apple sauce? the description just doesn't work for a 33 year old man) on the floor.

Cora walked over and stood eye to eye with Landon. "Don't you EVER scare her again". 

He protested, saying that Quinn might hurt someone and he had to tell her to stop because it is bedtime. 

Again, deadpan and serious, "Don't you EVER scare her again".

Don't mess with little sister, folks, cause big sister is watching!

A basket of Quinn

For the record , I spent 6+ hours scrubbing that grout in the background today. I took this pic right before I started...

To Quinn, no entourage needed

Dear Quinn,

When Cora was born, we pretty much didn't have anything else to focus on, so we spent a lot of time focusing on Cora. Every 3 months I took her for professional pictures. I noted every milestone in her baby book, complete with pictures. I blogged about motherhood.

Today we were at the water park and I saw a toddler going down the slide with three doting adults following closely and cheering, one taking a picture. You waited patiently for your turn. Then you sat up on top of the new toddler tortoise slide, taking in your moment as queen of the mountain before sliding down. I cheered. But with two kids to chase, there's hardly ever a time when we have a free hand for a camera, especially at the water park.

Today, at 17 months, you went down the 4-lane-racer slides with no hesitation. It was awesome; I'm biased, and probably have selective perception, but you were years younger than the other kids on those slides. You did it on repeat; daddy and I took turns catching you at the bottom (one of us needed to escort you up), so that we could each get the reward of watching your face on the way down. It was awesome. I never want to forget it.

We didn't get pictures or a video. I'm not sure you aren't coming out ahead. I'm glad we weren't distracted by a camera. You looked beautiful, and brave, and athletic, and delighted, and anyone who wasnt watching sure missed out. Take my word on it.

Signed,
Mommy

Ps: This pic is from 2 weeks ago when you went crazy over the sprinkler. Different day but same swimsuit... Does that count?

Rescue from time out

Quinn flung "The Going to Bed Book" at Cora's head. Straight to time out... Which admittedly hasn't happened to Quinn much... So I put her in her crib to contain her.

Of course, when it first happened Cora screamed for justice. As soon as Cora realized Quinn was in time out, she went in to the rescue.

I hear from the nursery, "Quinny, that hurt Cora. You can't hit people with books; you really hurt me. No hitting, Quinny. Ok? You're sorry? Ok. I love you Quinny.... Mommy you can come get Quinn!"

When I walked in, I picked Quinn up and said a strong '"no hitting!"

Cora did not appreciate. "Don't say NO HITTING. I already gave her a talking to. Just say, no hitting Quinny-poo".

****

Below... Cora insists on sitting at bottom of slide to catch Quinn.

Concern for the Clingy Child

This is not what I should be doing right now. I should be working. But...

I have a friend who sometimes complains that her child is too clingy, and isn't very excited about going to school. She said this, and I proclaimed that I have the opposite fear... that my child would be the one who walked into the room, shooed me away, and never looked back.  

Cora started preschool today. There were a few questions on our way to school. 

"Where is Quinny?" 

"There isn't a baby room? When I was a baby I stayed in the baby room all day long. Why isn't there a baby room?" 

"I have two blocks at my old school. How will I get them to my new school?" 

"We're going to Mommy's work?"

And then there was one glorious statement: 

"You're going to work today? But I want you to be my teacher".

And that was it. We walked through the garage ("Mommy, it's dark in here"), down the block and across the street ("We wait for the white person to walk, right Mommy?") and straight into the building. 

I worried that she wouldn't want to put her lunchbox in her cubby - but she did. 

I wanted to help her unzip her lunchbox to pull out her water bottle ("Oh, I forgot to put your name on it, Cora!"), but she didn't want my help. And the teacher said they'd find a marker.

I worried that she'd protest when she was told to leave her water bottle in the basket with the other water bottles out by the table. She didn't protest. 

And just like that, she walked into her classroom. There is a one-way observation room (it's a research center associated with the college), and I was able to stand and watch her for a few minutes. Follow the instructions to wash her hands before she started playing. Sit right down next to the teacher and start playing with a peg/puzzle toy. Watch the other kids play with her inquisitive, taking-it-all-in, look. No anxiety whatsoever. 

When the teacher sent an afternoon update, she noted that there weren't many tears except for at naptime. Then I worried that I didn't send lovie... maybe I should have? A few minutes later the teacher sent me a personal note, "Your adorable daughter hasn't shed a tear.  She's been most helpful and caring to her few sad friends!  :)" I almost replied, "Not even ONE tear? Not ONE?!?!?!"

It's not like I wanted her to by clingy and needy, or sad to see me go (she sometimes does the fake crying thing at Miss Aimee's, but we all know it is just for show). And it's not like I think that it's better that she wasn't clingy, or that we've executed superior or inferior parenting, or anything like that... 

I'm just saying that I REALLY liked that one fleeting moment when she asked if I would be her teacher. That's all.

Leaving Cora at daycare. Surprisingly traumatic for Mommy, even though we've been doing this "going to work/going to daycare" thing for the past 2.5 years...

Preschool behavior

Cora starts preschool at ECDC today. Last night, while we were cleaning-up dinner, Cora sat on the kitchen counter and we were talking about her new school. As I bear-hugged her to put her back on the ground...

Me: Cora, you are going to be SMART and FUNNY and NICE...
Cora: uh-huh... And NO hitting!

She's honest

This morning I made the girls breakfast. Cheese eggs, blue berries, fresh sliced peaches. For some reason Cora took serious issue with the peaches, protesting when I put them on her plate (peaches?!?? She loves peaches. And they were good ones, too).

Landon came in, tasted eggs... "Wow. You've really gotten better at these eggs".

Cora, pointing at the peaches, "well you haven't gotten better with these."