You hardly ever mention Simon anymore. Did he move out?
No, no, he’s still here. He can’t really move out yet, he’s only two years old. I stopped writing about him because everything I wrote was basically an update on his growth and development, and you know what that is? BOR-ING! But if you have questions about him, by all means, go ahead and ask away!
So, um, how’s his growth and development?
Sigh. Fine, thanks for that thought-provoking question. I mean, there are some things that could be better, mostly his speech development. He is just now starting to get more words. We were really concerned for awhile (or, I should say, I was concerned … I don’t know that Jesse was as worried as I was) because it seemed like he was only saying “momma” or “doggy”. He couldn’t say “papa” or “Millie” or hardly any other words, and since he’s such a quiet boy to begin with, it really seemed like he just didn’t want to talk. We were also concerned that his hearing was the reason his speech was delayed, because he has chronic ear infections. But we got his hearing checked out in January and everything was normal. The ear infections haven’t stopped, though, so he is getting tubes put in his ears at the end of this month. I really hope that gets rid of the infections, because I can’t stand to see him tugging at his ears and moaning in pain. Lately, his ear infections have come on so quickly, that from the time I pick him up from daycare to the time I get to Millie’s school to pick her up, the aforementioned moaning and tugging has progressed in the backseat from mild to full-on crying in pain. And that’s a fifteen-minute ride, folks. And of course, the pediatrician’s office is closed by that time so I am wandering the city looking for a walk-in clinic to get my baby on antibiotics, stat! But anyway, his words are coming much faster now – some of them are still garbled, so I think the tubes will help with the muffled hearing he is probably experiencing, and once that happens I think the words will clear up. But now that he’s graduated to the 2-year-old room at daycare, and is surrounded by other kids who are talking a lot, his speech is coming along nicely. He’s starting to repeat what you say, so I can name all the colors and he will repeat them back to me. He is a skinny boy, just like his sister and just like his mommy, only 24 lbs right now. He’s a picky eater, too, so he’s not eating tons. He loves meat, and fruits, but he won’t eat vegetables of any sort. He loves junk food – cookies, chips, candy, but we try to limit it. Millie wasn’t interested in any of that stuff until she hit about 3 1/2, and we were vigilant about not letting her have any of that stuff. Simon benefits from Second Child Syndrome to be sure.
Any interesting personality traits?
My boy’s middle name should have been “Shecky Green”. He thinks he is hilarious (trouble is, we sort of think he is, too). Although he’s shy, when he’s comfortable with someone he can be very silly and funny. He loves to smile – he’s got a very slow smile that is just too charming. He will look at you, all serious, and then this smile will break out on his face and you can’t help but smile back. He loves to wrestle and will lay on me and his sister, laughing hysterically the whole time. He is also very defensive, meaning he will defend his territory or his stuff with every ounce of his being. He won’t let someone take something from him, and there are a couple of kids in daycare who have the bite marks to prove it. I think we are probably very lucky that we’ve been at that daycare for so long, because I think any other kid would have been marked as “trouble” after the first two bites.
So, what’s he into these days?
Pooh. Winnie the, to be exact. In the morning, he wakes up and says, “Pooh” and hands us the remote control. When we get home from school/work, he runs to the living room and does the same thing. When he sees the DVD main screen come up, and Pooh flies up holding a balloon, he squeals with delight. We’re trying to mix it up now, and have added “Doggy” (Lady and the Tramp 2: Scamp’s Adventure) and “PaPahn” (Or something close to that – he’s trying to say “Peter Pan”). Tonight, we were watching Peter Pan and right as we were about to tell him it was time to go to bed, he said, “Doggy?” and handed us the remote. When we said no, not tonight, he had a meltdown (back to interesting personality traits, he has lots of meltdowns when he doesn’t get his way or he’s overtired) because he REALLY wanted to see those doggies! He will lay with his head on my lap as he watches the movie, and it’s probably one of the best parts of my day. He also likes pretty much anything Millie is doing at the exact moment she is doing it, which of course annoys Millie to no end. But it’s reciprocal – if he is doing something by himself, she has to do it, too. Ah, the joys of siblings!
What do you love best about him?
I think the thing I love best about him is the fact that I love him so much. I wasn’t sure, at the beginning, how I would relate to a boy. I have no experience with boys, and even when I delivered him, I was sure he was going to be a girl. But he is a mama’s boy through and through, and we have this amazing bond. I love my girl, to be sure, but the love I have for my boy is different, and it has been a wonderful surprise. He is my snugglebunny – when Jesse brings him into the bathroom in the morning to greet me, the delight on his face is mirrored on my own. After dinner, we will sit on the couch and he will either rest against my shoulder or lay across my lap and watch tv. Putting him to bed is our special time together. He knows it’s bedtime and will lay his head on my shoulder and I will sing our song:
I love you Simon
Oh yes I do
I love you Simon
And I’ll be true
When you’re not near me
I’m blue
Oh Simon I love you
It is our peaceful time together, and I look forward to it every night. And you know what? I think he does, too.
Any closing remarks?
What is this, the White House Correspondent’s Dinner? Um, In Conclusion, I would like to say that I am an incredibly lucky mommy. I have two beautiful children that not only do I love painfully hard but that I also like immensely. If Simon’s next year and a half is anything like Millie when she was this age, we are going to have a blast. I can’t wait to see what happens next!
