Things I want to remember (part 2)...

Because of Jeff's busy work schedule and a business trip, I have been single-parenting a lot lately.  Normally this would be no big deal for me, but because I have also been sick for the past two weeks, I am totally about to lose my mind!  Avery and Noel are a little sick, too, so they are unusually whiney and needy.  They are also pretty stir crazy and totally bored, because we have been largely homebound for the past week or so.  Today, I just about reached my breaking point and, thus, determined that I needed to do something to (quickly!) alter my point of view...so, I decided to complete the second installment of my on-going list of the seemingly insignificant but ultimately moment-defining things that I want to remember about my children's childhoods.  I needed a reminder that, even when it's trying, my time with Avery and Noel is something I want to cherish every moment of...and making a list of my favorite things about them right now put things back into perspective for me.  I feel better...a bit restored...like I can make it to Saturday (when Jeff comes home).  Let's hope I feel the same way tomorrow, when my two little crazies are up and going again...

I want to remember...

...how Avery makes up songs about everything...seriously everything...from putting on her shoes to being mad about having to leave the park.

...how Noel (in the midst of his "language explosion") repeats the last word of every sentence he hears.  It makes him seem very agreeable...Me: "Noel, are you ready to take a bath?"  Noel: "Bath."  See how that works?

...how Avery so easily becomes completely immersed in her own little world.  She pretend plays with anything--blades of grass take a trip to the zoo, edamame beans become Goldilocks and her bear pals, piles of bubbles in her bath water turn into a classroom full of busy children--and could spend hours participating in this imagination play.

...how, if Noel does something we ask him to (or something he thinks is good), as soon as he has completed the task, he says "dain doo, wol-come"...his attempt at "thank you, you're welcome."

...how Avery (unintentionally) stomp-stomp-stomps around our house.  It is amazing to me how such a tiny little girl can make so much noise by simply crossing a room...

...how, when Noel is upset and crying, he lets you know that he is, in fact, shedding tears, by saying over and over and over again, "I cying [pronounced like 'crying' but minus the 'r']...I cying!"

...how Avery could spend hours dancing to the "demo" song on her keyboard.

...how, when Noel gets hurt, he says "saw-e [pronounced kind of like 'sorry' but minus the 'r's]."  I wonder why he associates pain with apologies...Avery?

...how Avery subconsciously and haphazardly sweeps her hair out of her face and eyes when she is engrossed in playing or reading.  It's so sweet...

...how cute Noel looks as he is learning to run.  He is currently in the beginning phases of mastering this skill...at the point which he moves his super-straight legs as quickly as he can...an action which causes the lower-half of his body to (rather dramatically) twist side-to-side.  He doesn't move very fast at this point, but he is so proud to be moving fast-er.  When he "runs," he holds one arm tightly in the "jogging position" while the other arm--held down by his leg--rapidly swings back and forth by his side.  He tucks his chin down, shifts his weight forward, and takes off!  He gets a HUGE smile on his face, and you can see his happiness/excitement build and Build and BUILD until he erupts into laughter...at which point he usually completely loses control of his wayward legs and face plants...

...how Avery has yet to grasp the concept of time, timing, and how things are related to each other in terms of days, weeks, months, and years.  She will say things like, "It was fun going to the circus last week," when we actually went to the circus yesterday...or I'll tell her to brush her teeth, and she'll say, "But I just brushed my teeth last year..."

...how Noel's big, full cheeks bounce and jiggle when he "runs."