Harrison and I have had trying times recently. He has become very attached to his superhero figurines and even though he has about a million of them, he can tell you which one he is missing in a fraction of a second. This has consumed all free time that Robert and I have had in the day to go on a random scavenger hunt for batman, or as Harrison would request, the blue helicopter Batman with yellow eyes that goes like this, and at this point, Harrison would also show you the stance of that particular figurine. It is frustrating but a true testament to his observation and memory skills. He is also very demanding and does not like, nor will he tolerate, being told no. This has lead to many meltdowns, both by Harrison and myself, over how to remedy the situation. He and I are both strong willed and bull headed so sometimes it is up to Robert to intervene and help clear the air. Yet, sometimes, it is a stern nudge that is needed to steer Harrison in the right direction. Recently, I have put my foot down on the superhero obsession by taking them away when he is misbehaving. This, again, has lead to many meltdowns, but has also proven to be a good way to get better behavior. Just the thought of not having full access to all his "men" will either send Harrison into a frenzy OR help him to make a good decision. It's not always a win/win but at least it's something. And one of the most important contributors to Harrison's behavior has been his diet. After a weekend of non consistency in his gluten/sugar free diet, Harrison's behavior had extreme highs and lows and it was apparent to Robert and I that we need to tighten the reigns on foods that we are feeding him. He's become really good at working the system for our night time routine so even though bedtime is 7, Harrison can manipulate it to where he won't fall asleep until 8:30...sometimes 9. And it's these nights that I feel like I could completely lose it.
Now, enough of the bad and onto the good...which there is tons of! Harrison, as always, has more energy than a Mexican jumping bean. He can run and front flip on almost any type of flooring, and today I watched him swing across the high bars at the playground without dropping until the last bar. He's a tough little cookie and he has really quick hand/eye coordination so I know that athletics are going to be a huge part of his life. He adores hid friends and he asks me everyday if we are going to see his best pal, Noah. And he will ask me if we are going to see friends whenever we get in the car. On top of that, he can name every friend that he encounters and also knows the names of most all teachers at school. I'm so impressed when he addresses each of them, by name, when we are leaving. His manners are coming along and he will start almost every question with, "excuse me". That is, until, he decides it's easier to just start barking commands like "I need pants" or "Where's my Captain America shield? Go get it!" But he is a sweet little boy and he is very concerned with people's feelings. Even after a one hour blowout meltdown that has me running for a bottle of wine and a hole to bury myself in, he will turn around, look me in the eyes and say, "Mommy, you happy?"
I love this kid and even though he can drive me into a complete lunatic, he is amazing beyond words. I am still fascinated by the affection that he shows his sister and the way he tries to make her happy. Sure, they have their moments when they frustrate one another but they really do love each other. He will hold her hand in the car when she gets upset. She doesn't want to hold my hand...just his. And it is so sweet. He also tells Robert and I that he misses us and loves us all the time. We're around him all the time so I'm not quite sure why he misses us but it sounds good anyway. There are some really crazy days but I would be lying if I didn't say that there are some moments that I wish would never end. Harrison loves to hold Robert's and my hand and he loves to be snuggled, hugged and kissed. These are the moments that I never want to end! With all his wild and charismatic personality I know this boy will always make life an exciting adventure!
Now, onto another creature who is really starting to show us that she WILL NOT be out done by her older brother. And if I thought that she was going to sit back and be laid back with all the ridiculous antics going on around here, well, guess who's got another thing coming?! Brooks has a very commanding personality because she can tell you exactly what she wants without even talking. She screams and points at something until you get it for her and if you don't...you will wish that you had. Usually it's a blanket that she will drag around the house until she spots something that she wants more. Other times it is one of the cats that she seems to believe are here for her amusement. She is talking a lot and it sounds as though she speaks fluent Chinese. She does say many words that are somewhat clear and one word that she says most frequently...Dadda. If she even hears the sound of Robert's voice on the phone she screams "Dadda" over and over until she hears some kind of acknowledgement from him. And once she hears him talk to her she squeals with delight only to keep chanting her favorite word. She is definitely one of the biggest "Daddy's girl" that I have ever seen because Robert is a total sucker for her and she knows how to get his attention. She gets my attention too but Robert is way worse.
Just like her brother, Brooks is a tough little girl and she can hang with boys all day long. She will play with Harrison and his friends but she'll make sure to add a doll or a purse to the barrage of superhero toys. And the other day she took a tumble out of her crib just to let me know that napping is a thing of the past. I will still continue to selfishly hope for that 1 hour of productivity that comes from putting a one year old in a restrained bed without interruption. But for her, she's done. If she sleeps for 5 minutes in the car you can forget about a nap. She is extremely busy so I guess that sleeping gets in the way of her over booked agenda. But she sure is a funny little character if she sees her brother getting a laugh, she wants to join in on the fun. Like I said earlier, I love their relationship because they always manage to play with each other and understand what the other one needs. Watching the two of them together is like watching 2 squirrels run all over the place. Sometimes they fight over over a nut but usually they are running back and forth chasing each other and having a good time.
