boot camp ninjas

We have had some funny times of late.

Both the boys are getting bigger all the time of course, but you know how from time to time you suddenly realise they (and sometimes me!) have made big jumps ahead.

Thomas continues to adore his brother and is thoroughly enjoying Al’s mobility as his crawling has become very fast and he is regularly cruising the furniture and pushing a Stephanie Alexander Cookbook filled trolley. He was also very taken with our ‘new routine’ provided by the lovely baby bliss gal Jo who met with us yesterday to give us some new strategies to assist Al to learn to sleep.

Al is in baby boot camp now. No milk between 7 and 7, out of the wrap and into a big long sleeping bag and very limited interaction during the night. It has been a bit of a challenge for us both as I think we would most naturally just bring him into bed with us (as Thomas was) but Al doesn’t respond with sleep he responds with play and grunting and crawling around the place. For hours. At 2am.

It was a tough night last night – mostly for Gaye who did the long haul – but we can see light at the end of the tunnel and he doesn’t seem distressed (either at night or today) but things… we shall see.

He is verbalising much more now, lots more sounds and noises. I can’t wait for him to start using words…I think he is going to be a lot of fun.

The speaking and developing communication skills thing is really one of the things I love about watching the boys grow. Thomas is nine now, so of course is perfectly comfy in many situations and can appropriately and clearly engage in conversation – including rather delightfully bringing in new topics of conversation over dinner with friends and family or while driving in the car that he thinks people might be interested in “so blah de blah have you heard about the Japanese and how they kill whales?”. (often as a result of previous conversations with us about an issue). Still he does continue to delight with the phases and sayings all of his own. Some recent examples are:

"finger knoting" and "kniting sticks" - used while he finger knits and I knit and he discusses ALOT with me how finger knoting might be better because it is faster on the way down but not the way across and exactly how much finger knoting would be need to make a scarf or maybe a jumper for Lightning.
pends on He used to say 'perpends' some sort of perhaps and depend compbo. He now uses depends but will follow up with pend when looking at the options.
by my side by far one of our most amusing interactions recently was one where we needed the services of the large insurance company that uses the above song as it jingle. Thomas lay on the wall singing the song loudly and asking questions of Gaye about the service provided by the bloke who was trying to get our car started compared to the blokes from the ad on the television.
ninja Not his most polically correct moment but the other day he and I were in a cafe with his Dad having a coffee/milkshake before he headed off surfing for a couple of hours. A woman in full purda(sp?) came into the cafe and although our area is pretty diverse and there are plenty of women who cover their heads particuarly in my workplace Thomas was completely taken by her - hey Mum look at that woman. I started down my usual path of explanation when he interupted with 'yeah yeah I know, but she looks like a ninja to me' I admit the adults choked on our coffee with laughter