Busy Bodies

Ok, yes, my blogging skills have taken a turn for the worst. I have not been good at updating but life has been so busy that it has been hard to get to it and write. Harrison and Brooks are doing such amazing things though that I would be so upset with myself if I did not make note of their amazing progress. Well, mostly amazing progress. There have certainly been some days that weren't worth mentioning...but who doesn't know what I'm talking about??

Harrison's imagination has gone into overdrive. He can play for hours with his "men" (ninja turtles, superheroes, whatever) and his conversation skills with them are hilarious. He loves to make up stories and, most recently, he loves listening to music from the iPod so that he can sing and dance. He could do this all day. He, of course, is obsessed with games on the iPad or iphones and Robert and I are trying to keep a decent balance so that he does not overindulge in electronics. This is mostly a losing battle for us but at least he hasn't lost any desire to stay active. He is excelling in karate and has great balance and flexibility so this also helps him well in the dancing department! Occasionally, he will bust into a front flip from a piece of furniture just make things more interesting. We have been doing a lot of swimming and I think it goes without saying that Harrison is doing well.

One of my favorite AND most infuriating things about Harrison is his curiosity. Man, this kid can ask some questions! He wants to know anything about everything. And I love that about him. I have no doubt that he will be as resourceful as his dad because he always wants you to show him how to do something so that he can do it himself. When is his curiosity infuriating? Probably after the 20th question in a row with no relevance to anything. Sometimes I just forget to answer because my mind goes blank. And his questions can leave you on the edge of your seat when asked in a public setting. He asked a man who worked at the zoo why his teeth were gold. A few months back he asked a man with a beard and tattoes if he was a pirate. And just the other day he asked a lovely young woman if she was a girl or a boy, only because she had a short haircut. Never mind that she happened to be wearing a bikini. He is such a sweet boy and I love how he thinks of other people first. He is a great friend to the people around him and even though there is a tendency to do things his way (and by tendency I mean, that's how he does everything), he always wants to include others in the fun. Is this the way Brooks operates? No. Scratch that. She does ONLY like things her way but whether or not people are involved is someone else's problem, not hers. But her update is next.

Harrison is thriving in school and soaking up all kinds of new things. He is on the brink of reading and after a reading camp that he will do this summer, I fully intend to have him reading by kindergarten. Well maybe not me but I fully intend that someone else will have him reading by then! He is big on numbers and association, again like his dad, and he has a memory that just won't quit. He remembers faces and names like nobody's business and he appears to be pretty unforgettable himself. I think it is part of his goofball, charismatic self.

Now for the badger. Between her own personality and the fact that she is in her prime for being a 2 year old, she has taken honey badger to an all new level. A level that leaves me wondering will I be able to emotionally handle this when she's a teenager or should I invest in psychological therapy visits now. But even in her most terrorizing moments, there is something so comical about her. She is such a character even when she is demanding something from you. She gets what she wants 99 percent of the time and I find that fascinating, probably because I seem to get what I want about 5 percent of the time around here. I can only imagine what she will learn to do with that power in the future. She'll probably trade it for a never ending stash of Hello Kitty gummies and a couple of My Pretty Ponies.

Her imagination is just as big as Harrison's and she will tote her babies all over the house talking to them, changing them, and singing to them. Brooks loves to sing and usually, when I try to chime in with her, she tells me to stop because its her song. Or maybe she thinks my singing is bad...which it is. What I'm trying to say is, the girl is fine to do things on her own with out assistance. Or so she thinks. I've had a couple reports from school that Brooks has given her teachers a piece of her mind when they asked her to take a nap or simply, just sit quietly while the other kids sleep. I mean, it's insulting, right??  How dare they calmly ask her to play quietly just to let a few other kids catch some must needed rest? Rest that is ESSENTIAL to any other child...the audacity!  Anyway, Brooks is really picking up on swimming. She is keeping her head under water and doing a lot of kicking. This is a big development since only a few weeks ago she was petrified to get near the water. Her energy is unstoppable and I'm not quite sure how I ended up with 2 kids that have more energy than the sun but we are rolling with it!  If we stopped to slow down someone might get tired and take a nap.  And that person would probably be me.