by Heather
Holden, at 33 months, is really getting the why why why thing down pat. I try to be patient and answer the questions he’s asking, but he (invariably) reaches a point where I don’t know the answer.
Questions from this week:
- Why is the moon red? (asked because his preschool teacher had mentioned the lunar eclipse) Ummm, I don’t know, maybe something’s in front of it like the earth or a star. (Alec said it was the earth’s shadow, oops!)
- Is this your underwear? (while holding up a sports bra) It’s a sports bra, like an undershirt, kind of. (Alec said I didn’t answer the question; he’s just looking for a yes or no)
- Is that an iPod, and a phone, and a computer? (to my iPhone) No, it’s a camera, and an iPod, and a phone. (Alec says that because we check email on it, he thinks it’s a computer too. Fair enough)
- Why don’t you have a penis? ummmmm (Alec, where are you when I’m getting these questions?!)
Despite my fumbling and occasional loss for words, we want to encourage his natural curiosity and tried on two different occasions this week to get extra science-y and go for the real hands-on experience rather than just talking.
The adventure of the lunar eclipse
So Wednesday night, we made a big deal out of putting Baby Milo to bed, brushing teeth, getting into jammies, and bundling up in a blanket to go out in front of the house and look for the lunar eclipse. I guess the next one isn’t going to happen for another almost three years. Only Big Boys can go out like this in the cold with Mommy and Daddy and look for the red moon. We saw it peeking out of the clouds, sort of pinkish, and then went to bed?
Too young for a science museum?
My husband, Alec, and I were both engineers in college. We’re both fairly geeky compared to most parents and hope to raise kids with a healthy love of math and science. In my opinion, “healthy” means that Holden is too young for video games and chemistry sets, but he’s a great age to work the cd player and help in the kitchen.
On Monday, we joined the nearby Lawrence Hall of Science because we think we’ll get a ton of learning disguised as fun over the next twelve months. And just because my first visit with two boys ended with a major pee-through within twenty minutes of arrival, I don’t think every visit will end that way. And if it does, a membership really softens the blow of a visit-cut-short with the knowledge that you can come again soon.
More info and links:
Nasa Lunar Eclipse Page
Cool Photos of eclipse from Wired
What other Parent Bloggers think of Science and Kids
Zula Intergalactic Inquirer PBS science show for kids
by Whitney
As eager as I was to have another child after Julian, my uterus felt otherwise, and we ended up with two kids under three years old, rather than two years old, and are really happy with the spacing. Heather was equally eager and hit the jackpot with the famous “two kids under two” status. (She has already lost her chance to have three under three, BTW).
It turns out no matter how close or far apart they are, if they are both under-age for independent street crossing, there are a lot of logistical questions to be worked out. I am undergoing the true test right now with my temporary living situation that lacks a parking space. Sometimes I have to park on the next block and then walk, in a sidewalk-free neighborhood, with two kids and all the stuff that goes with them. Sometimes, it just cannot be done.
Just today I had to stop the car in front of my house, leave the groceries there, then go find a parking space, and then make the walk. If I had kept the groceries in the car, they may have had to stay there until my husband got home.
If you’re pregnant with your second child, this is going to be you soon. Don’t miss Amy’s helpful post about “How to do two”.
> Pretty Babies: How to do Two
And if you’re onto number three, you’ll love Jennifer’s series of essays on the topic.
> Having Three Kids
by Whitney
First and foremost, I wish I wasn’t familiar with what the lighting in my house looks like at this time of night. Sadly, having been in this house only 6 nights, I already know too well how to navigate the route from my futon, past the couch, turning a corner, past two doors into the children’s room.
So I wish I had nothing to say at 4.42 AM. I had already been awoken at 11.30 by Scarlett and then again at 3 am by Scarlett who, after an uneventful nursing session, went easily back to sleep.
But then at 4.40, I heard a small voice in the night call out, “I have a poopy diaper.” I went to change MR. ICANTHOLDMYPOOPUNTIL7AM and it was a false alarm. I was pissed. I put him back in bed and returned to my room. I heard him open his CD player, pop in The Beatles and turn it on.
I quote myself, “If he f***ing wakes her up I am going to kick him in the head.”
by Heather
For those of you who know me well, this may not be news. But I have only *not* been pregnant or nursing for a mere six weeks of my marriage.
I got pregnant 4 weeks into our marriage / round-the-world-honeymoon and then again 2 weeks after weaning Holden.
It’s the kind of stat that makes me feel special. “Special” in that hormonally anxious mama bear way that we get when our mother-in-law wakes up the baby to get an extra cuddle when we know it is naptime. But also “special” in the way that makes me wonder if I’ll be special anymore after six or so more weeks pass and Milo is done with nursing.
- Will my husband still like me? We’re counting on YES.
- Will I be super fun and have a flat stomach like I used to? Ummm, maybe and probably not.
I know from last go that weaning was roughly on my timetable (just over one year) but not at all like I imagined (I planned a one week phasing out involving distractions, sippy cups, and cow’s milk but instead Holden bit me, saw a bottle on a shelf, and never looked back).
Will it be like that again? Will Milo forget about it/me in an instant? Or will we still be going strong in another four months because we both want to hold onto breastfeeding beyond my set timetable? Sometimes life events get in the way and sort of force the issue. My upcoming weekend to Miami might be one of those events.
I’m just hoping that the hormones are on my side making me cool and fun for the weekend and not weepy and enraged (not to mention leaky and engorged!).
Here’s hoping.
by Heather
My old former roommate Marla has two daughters, age 3 and 4 and a new baby expected within the next couple weeks. Her sisters-in-law (one with three kids and the other with twin one-year-olds) knew exactly what she needed in lieu of a baby shower: food for the freezer!
Jen and Julie combined a few of my favorite ideas into one and I attended the “Let’s make dinner for Marla (and ourselves)” not a shower party last night! I’m only sorry I didn’t think of it first.
Between having fun chatting it up with Marla’s friends and leaving with three dinners and side dishes, it was absolutely brilliant. Am I gushing? Sorry, but come on…
[dinner prep place] + [food for new mom] x [fun evening out] = genius
Related activities:
#54 Cook and Play
#378 Stock your freezer
by Whitney
I just saw that mod*mom and our friends at Babyccino have been blogging about the Phil & Ted stroller, the slickest buggy around for a two-kid family.
Both Heather and I debated whether this was a (major) purchase we needed as we had our second babies. We both decided to skip it, although it sure does look nice. Instead, we typically wore the small baby in a Bjorn and pushed the toddler in a stroller.
As the small baby got too big for the Bjorn, s/he got promoted to the stroller and the little dudes had to walk.
Then one day Julian decided he would get in the undercarriage of my cheap-o universal stroller, and we both loved it! It is so much faster to get two kids from a city parking space to a destination two blocks away (in San Francisco, two blocks distance is considered a pretty good parking space) when I am not relying on the little man walking on his own two feet. Julian says that it’s his clubhouse.
Who needs Phil & Ted?
by Heather
My second son, Milo, is a very active 11 months now. He likes to climb, pull up, scoot all the time.
But that sort of gets in the way of my plans for him.
Our normal getting out of the car routine includes me bringing him inside the house, plopping him into the exersaucer or jumperoo (depending on what room of the house I want him to be in), and going back outside to fetch Holden from the car so we can wrestle with shoes, jackets, and stuff. I like Milo to be safely contained (and possibly entertained) while this is going on. But am I relying on these crutches too much?
Do I need switch things around and let the two-year old come in the house first? Should we all enter together and forget about the stuff? How old is too old for the exersaucer? Can I wait until he can climb out of it or tell me in words that he’s sick of it?
by Heather
Sisters unite. Help me think of the perfect non-new gift for my sister-in-law’s new baby. She’s due in about a week. My compact month starts in about a week and I don’t want to go in cheating.
A few things to know about my sister-in-law:
- Her name is also Heather
- She hates used stuff
- She lives cross-country in DC
- This will be her second daughter, g-d willing
- and she’s Orthodox Jewish
What’s a good gift? Help please!!
ps I don’t think she reads this site, so go ahead and give me some ideas. 
by Heather
We started RookieMoms.com when we each had one baby son. We challenged each other to think of fun things to do with our babies and we started listing them and describing them. I, Heather, had a five-month old so I took the first six months of life and Whitney had an eleven-month old son, so she (the Expert) took the back half of the first year.
Well, time marches on. Now, we have charming preschoolers that can be reasoned with about 80% of the time. They know how to put on their own shoes and eat at the table with spoons and forks. Interestingly, they still have plenty of crying jags.
And we have new babies too. Scarlett is six-months old and Milo is just over ten months old. So, by our earlier definitions, we are not even rookies anymore.
In the interest of keeping it real, we’ll keep sharing our favorite baby and mom activities, toddler activities, fun stuff to do with two little ones (or how to best strap one on while you chase the other), and even some preschooler favorites over on the main site! Oh yeah, and the great things to do when you get a moment to yourself…
by Karen
I don’t know if you’ve had the opportunity to work with Play-Doh lately, but my niece Mitra loooooves the stuff so I get to play with it all the time. It comes in all kinds of crazy colors these days- you can actually buy a pack that claims to have 50 different colors! Oh, and it smells disgusting.
I never knew about REAL Play-Doh as a kid, because my resourceful mom made my sisters and me play with homemade play-dough. It’s cheaper, it’s safe, it’s edible, and it’s great for people like me who don’t have too many toys in their house. It only takes a few minutes to make, and can even be composted afterwards (if you’re into that sort of thing.)
You don’t need the fancy toys and accessories either- you can find all kinds of great substitutes around the house. A garlic press was our personal favorite as kids. Plastic cookie cutters and rubber stamps are really fun as well. With littler kids, anything that makes a texture is fun and educational- a pot scrubber, a mesh strainer, etc.
To make play-dough: In a saucepan, combine 1 cup flour, 1 cup water, 2 teaspoons cream of tartar, 1 teaspoon oil, and ¼ cup salt. Stir over medium heat until smooth. Remove from pan and knead until blended. Store in a plastic bag or airtight container when cooled.
If you want to add colors, you can knead in food coloring pastes or liquids. It won’t be as vibrant as the store-bought stuff, and your hands will pick up the color when you mix it in. If you don’t want to risk blue hands, just let the kid mix it in!
> Related: A gallery of sculpting ideas from Play DOH
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Karen is our friend and the sneak behind the gift Heather and her husband both got this Christmas: mailboxtees and a very colorful Auntie.
