Sunday, September 21, 2008

From the Balcony

Dominic is out on the balcony, staring between the bars, intently watching the older children playing below. He doesn't take his eyes off them for fifteen minutes. He just alternates between standing, sitting on his stool, and perching on the edge of the turtle sandbox. I keep watch from my computer chair in the nice, air-conditioned inside, just five feet from him. I am pleased he's found a diversion from his shrieking.

I hear one child say, "Look, it's Dominic." "Hi, Dominic."

Another, slightly higher voice, "Is he trying to climb out?"

"No, he can't, he's too little."

A boy chimes in, "What if he's like superman?"

Another boy, "Yeah, or spiderman!"

The girl with the higher voice adds her last two cents, in a somewhat reproachful tone, "Yeah, where's his mother. Shouldn't she be watching him?!"

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Dominic 12-14 Months Video

Our CD drive is finally working for a day or two, so I got all the footage uploaded from 12-17 months and am making it into videos for your viewing pleasure. Here's the first one!


Monday, September 15, 2008

Correspondence Guilt

Does this sound familiar? If you've ever felt snubbed by a lack of correspondence, take heart.

First thing in the morning, I think, "Gosh, I should really call Gina. How long has it been since we had a phone conversation? Months...? And how long since I sent a decent e-mail. Weeks...? Okay, let's do it right now. Oh wait, she's at work..."

That night, right before dinner, I think, "I can do it right now, I've got half an hour. Call Gina. Oh, but she deserves a longer, less rushed conversation than that... I'll just call tomorrow."

I think about it at eleven the next morning when Dominic is sleeping. "Perfect, I'll call now. Dang-it. She works during the day (like most people). I have to remember to call tonight, then." The night goes by and I forget about it in the whirl of company. "Tomorrow, I say." The next night I am just so tired. "Tonight I'm not really going to be a good conversationalist. I should call when I have more energy and can carry on an interesting conversation. After all, it has been a few months since we've talked. I owe it to Gina..."

And so it goes on. Then there are times when I do call and get the answering machine. In some ways that's a relief. I can leave a message, letting Gina know that I do care and I took the time to call. I wanted to have a conversation. And it would have been an amazing one, she just wasn't home. Now the ball is in her court. Catch me when you can.

Or, even worse, I have been guilty of calling at a time when I'm pretty sure they'll be out just so that I can leave a message. I reserved this tactic for busy times during college...

And this is the silly way that I allow my correspondence to slide...

Thursday, September 11, 2008

When you Say "No", it means no

Self-chastisement has gone to a whole new level with Dominic. A few months ago he started saying, "no-no" before he touched forbidden items. Then it moved up to saying "no-no" and wagging his pointer finger. Just recently, though, he has started hitting his own hand with his other hand! This, of course, is in addition to the ever-dramatic "no-no" and finger wagging that he continues to do.

While Matt was unloading the dishwasher I overheard a sweet little voice saying, "no-no" "no-no" and then an angry, "NO! Dominic, that can really hurt you". Dominic likes to "help" put away dishes, including fragile items and sharp knives. I hear a little pouting from Dominic. Then the sing-song, almost mocking, "no-no" "no-no" starts in again. About a minute later I hear Matt, "Dominic, when you say "no", it means NO".

Isn't it usually "When I say no, I mean no?"

Monday, September 1, 2008

Tricksy Dom



Dominic has a new trick in his bag of wiles. I haven't come up with a good name for it yet, but this is the form it usually takes. He'll take your hand in his little hand and while you're swooning over the fact that he is willingly holding your hand, he leads you somewhere or to something, then he places your hand on it and says, "Peash" (Please). Now this has been a doorknob that he can't reach, a cracker on the counter that he can see, or as of late, a forbidden item.

He seems to think that if he can get me to open that forbidden drawer with my hand, albeit without true thought, that he will get away with his own mischief. He tries to catch me unaware, blindly letting him lead. He's tried to get me to turn on the TV, hand him the computer mouse, let him drink from my coffee cup, and of course, type on the laptop.

Are they ever innocent?