Monday, May 31, 2004
Bob
Max has become very focused on "friends" this month. He will say such things as, "I want to go to my friend Babi's house" or "I want my friend mommy to change my diaper."
On the way home from the ranch yesterday, Max mentioned that when he got home he wanted to play with his friend Bob. Max has mentioned Bob a couple of times in the last few days, but I hadn't given it much thought. This time, with a two-hour drive ahead of us, I decided to find out more about Bob. Here are some of the things I learned:
Bob and Max build train tracks together on the table in Max's room.
Bob likes to eat oranges for dinner.
Bob is two, just like Max.
Bob goes to Max's school.
Bob lives at our house.
Bob sleeps with his mommy, not in Max's room.
Bob doesn't wear diapers or use the potty.
Max sometimes draws pictures of Bob.
Bob is blue.
I asked Max if Bob was a pretend friend or a real friend. Max said, "A real friend." Well, he certainly is to Max.
On the way home from the ranch yesterday, Max mentioned that when he got home he wanted to play with his friend Bob. Max has mentioned Bob a couple of times in the last few days, but I hadn't given it much thought. This time, with a two-hour drive ahead of us, I decided to find out more about Bob. Here are some of the things I learned:
Bob and Max build train tracks together on the table in Max's room.
Bob likes to eat oranges for dinner.
Bob is two, just like Max.
Bob goes to Max's school.
Bob lives at our house.
Bob sleeps with his mommy, not in Max's room.
Bob doesn't wear diapers or use the potty.
Max sometimes draws pictures of Bob.
Bob is blue.
I asked Max if Bob was a pretend friend or a real friend. Max said, "A real friend." Well, he certainly is to Max.
Sunday, May 30, 2004
LOUDER!
Max has two favorite songs, both from Lyle Lovett's Step Inside This House album. One he refers to as The Bear Song and the other as The House Song. He asks to hear them each and every time we get in the car. Relentlessly.
Intellectually, I know that repetition is a cornerstone of early childhood learning, but emotionally, I would sometimes rather bang my thumb with a hammer than listen to The Bear Song one more time. That's when, I admit, I resort to a little white lie: The songs are broken.
And that's when Max, as if on cue, replies, "Don't worry, mommy. Daddy will fix it."
I do not bother to explain to Max that in our household, that is not exactly how most things get fixed.
When I do acquiesce to Max's wishes and turn on The Bear Song or the The House Song, I can count on another response from him: "LOUDER!"
It does not matter how loudly the song is playing when we begin. He always wants it LOUDER. So I have learned that I might as well say "no" early, because I will have to say no, and I'd prefer to do it while my eardrums are still comfortable.
I feel as if I have peered into the future, and when I am 55 and have two teenage sons, it is not a harmonious picture.
Intellectually, I know that repetition is a cornerstone of early childhood learning, but emotionally, I would sometimes rather bang my thumb with a hammer than listen to The Bear Song one more time. That's when, I admit, I resort to a little white lie: The songs are broken.
And that's when Max, as if on cue, replies, "Don't worry, mommy. Daddy will fix it."
I do not bother to explain to Max that in our household, that is not exactly how most things get fixed.
When I do acquiesce to Max's wishes and turn on The Bear Song or the The House Song, I can count on another response from him: "LOUDER!"
It does not matter how loudly the song is playing when we begin. He always wants it LOUDER. So I have learned that I might as well say "no" early, because I will have to say no, and I'd prefer to do it while my eardrums are still comfortable.
I feel as if I have peered into the future, and when I am 55 and have two teenage sons, it is not a harmonious picture.
Saturday, May 29, 2004
Max's Vocabulary
Max augments his verbal dexterity with a healthy dose of creativity. I think he gets this from his father, whose malapropisms from a young age are a part of family lore. (In his own defense, Lee says that he doesn't like to be constrained by the Engligh language.) My favorite word of Lee's, which seems particularly befitting Bush, Cheney, Rummy, Wolfowitz and other members of the current administration, is "politicioner." To my ear, it oozes with so much more slimy duplicity than "politician." But I digress. Here's a sampling of Max's favorite words:
Bangese: Sterile gauze with adhesive on both ends, which, when coupled with a mother's kiss, makes every booboo feel better. Also effective, evidently, for all manner of psychological pain. A fashion statement among 2 and 3-year olds, Max is sporting three of them today.
Elethtant: Pachyderm with a long trunk.
Nok: Max's favorite drink, particularly when coupled with cinnamon toast for breakfast or as a nightcap before bed.
Patissereed: The neighborhood pastry shop and bistro where Max eats orange rolls every Saturday morning with Babee and Poppi.
Patuler: The grey box on my desk that enables me to send pictures of Max to relatives and friends, and that allows Max to listen to clips of the latest Wiggles tunes so he can rehearse his favorite dance steps.
Panello: Musical instrument with 88 black and white keys. The day Max decided to decorate most of the white keys with a purple crayon was a particularly bad day.
Shipley: A condition caused by water, soap, sunscreen or, if you are a plaintiff's lawyer, banana peels that increases the chance that someone might accidentally fall.
I imagine I could remember more words if I'd had a full night's sleep, but I haven't seen one of those in over 7 months. I'll try to add more words as they occur to me--or to Max.
Bangese: Sterile gauze with adhesive on both ends, which, when coupled with a mother's kiss, makes every booboo feel better. Also effective, evidently, for all manner of psychological pain. A fashion statement among 2 and 3-year olds, Max is sporting three of them today.
Elethtant: Pachyderm with a long trunk.
Nok: Max's favorite drink, particularly when coupled with cinnamon toast for breakfast or as a nightcap before bed.
Patissereed: The neighborhood pastry shop and bistro where Max eats orange rolls every Saturday morning with Babee and Poppi.
Patuler: The grey box on my desk that enables me to send pictures of Max to relatives and friends, and that allows Max to listen to clips of the latest Wiggles tunes so he can rehearse his favorite dance steps.
Panello: Musical instrument with 88 black and white keys. The day Max decided to decorate most of the white keys with a purple crayon was a particularly bad day.
Shipley: A condition caused by water, soap, sunscreen or, if you are a plaintiff's lawyer, banana peels that increases the chance that someone might accidentally fall.
I imagine I could remember more words if I'd had a full night's sleep, but I haven't seen one of those in over 7 months. I'll try to add more words as they occur to me--or to Max.
