Good mornings and bedtimes...

You can learn alot by watching a toddler eat. That is, watching a toddler under the age of 18 months. After that, they almost universally get picky. Toddlers savor their food, they attend to every detail and when they're full, they stop eating. Even if it's cake and ice cream. Therapists and spiritual leaders make big bucks teaching people to be "mindful." Its simple really, just watch a toddler.

You can also learn alot by watching how a little one wakes up in the morning. Since purchasing our spy-cam we have gained even more insight into the world of the one-who-is-almost-three. We now know what goes on during naptime (fodder for another post), and we get to watch the little man wake up in the morning. If we could all wake up in the morning as Kai does, the world would be a much happier place.

First, he rustles, then stretches, then either sits and looks out the window or lies back with his hands behind his head and ponders the day's weather (we are no longer allowed to close the blinds on the window near his bed so that he can engage in his morning musing while gazing out the window). Then he often breaks into song entertaining his crib mates whose numbers have grown. Let's see, there are the plentiful bunnies (and even blue bunny, a former playroom/basement dweller, has been invited up to the 3rd floor bunny penthouse), there is red door, mr. handle (who also doubles as a bunny popsicle lately), water cup, bunny book, blanket, Lightning McQueen pillow, blue lion, music lion and Kai-Li (also a lion but so named b/c of his uncanny resemblance to Kai - think messy hair with sticky stuff in it and a pot belly). I'm sure I'm missing someone. Anyway, after the morning serenade they all engage in some funny stuff. I'm not sure what it is but there sure is alot of laughing going on in there in the early morning. Then, Kai does a few moves that look very much like yoga. After 20 minutes or so his doting parents arrive, sometimes with a cup of milk in hand and are greeted with a cheery "good morning." I'd be cheery too if my days started like Kai's do.

Then there is bedtime. Lately bedtime at the Fennell household is a little time consuming. Miss Teia has taken to waking up several times before she finally settles down for the night. We're not sure what is going on with her. Maybe she gets a case of the evening munchies. Or maybe she gets a bit lonely up there in her big crib. Or it could be that she wants to catch the late night Olympic hockey games. I'm making light of it but it has been rather frustrating and before we know it the evening has disappeared and its time for bed and the dinner dishes are still sitting in the sink. We can't get too upset about it, seeing as she is pure joy most of the time. So for now, we'll let her have her bedtime vice. But, as a result, we've been trying to hard to instill in Kai the importance of NOT waking his sister up as he galavants around during his bedtime routine. Bedtime for Kai has become Greg's kuleana seeing as I am nursing Teia. Oftentimes as I sit in the dark rocking Teia, her bedroom door flings open and Kai bursts in bellowing "Teia is feeping!!!" (not anymore little man), or "Mommy is feeding Teia!" But tonight he showed that he is learning to be quiet at Teia's bedtime. I heard him outside the door and started to tense up expecting him to come in and disrupt our sleeping angel. But to my pleasant surprise I heard him say "Teia's magazine. Magazine for Teia" (magazine? where does he get this stuff? He seems to learn words simply by osmosis these days!) Next thing I know, I hear a crinkling sound and a magazine is quietly slipped under Teia's door before he scampered off. Now THAT is progress!

Tonight Kai decided to turn the tables on Greg and put HIM to bed. I think this all started when Kai decided to call Dada by his first name today, walking around calling "Where is Greg?!" So Greg got a bath, was wrapped in a towel and even had his diaper and jammies put on by Kai before the little man brushed his teeth and relegated Greg to the ottoman so HE could sit in the prime reading spot for books and milk. Luckily he did not insist that Greg spend the night in his crib. I'm sure we're in for many more bedtime adventures once the newly constructed BIG boy bed is moved into Kai's room. Stay tuned...