Esti at 18 months

Esti turned 18 months today with little fanfare. It is hard to remember to make as much of a fuss over her as we did over Henry (both because she's a second kid and because we're more fully employed); perhaps that's a good thing. If this were four years ago, we would be meticulously documenting every little effort to say "Bunny" and "Monkey" and put these two animals to bed or offer them pink plastic mugs of pretend tea.  In case you're curious: "Monkey" sounds just like "Mommy"; at this point it's also true (though occasionally embarrassing) that "Daddy" is indistinguishable from "Doggy." 


Still, she manages fine. Very independent, takes whatever she wants from the cabinets.

Loves to make mischief when she knows we're looking. Is also starting to get into a private property phase: for about a month now she has been distributing jackets and accessories when it's time to get ready in the morning, reprimanding us if we try to wear each other's hats or boots or mittens. Now she has started saying "Mine!" about things. Fortunately, seems to have no trouble sharing. (Though I try to avoid the word; I've always thought "sharing" was bogus. Prefer to call it "letting Henry have a turn" or "bringing that back to Daddy" etc.)





Of course it is also true that she was born into a box, so to speak: a pre-existing family with a pre-existing big brother. The notion of "Mine" (as opposed to, inevitably, the vast chunk of things not-mine) has inhered in her world from the beginning. As a feisty girl, she is learning some good ways to come to terms with that.

Troublegirl

Attacking Henry.

Mr. Brunchface

Saturday excursions

Ken is a little under the weather. Since we got back from Nevis (how awfully dull it was, with all that perfect weather and sunshine), we have not had one week in which none of us had a cold. Perhaps that, plus being glued to Al-Jazeera for the past month, partly explains the long hiatus. So Henry and I joined Sean and Gretchen and kids on their trip to the Museum of Science. Esti stayed home with Ken, despite her efforts (putting on Henry's shoes) to get dressed and come along. She is very organized and determined these days, especially in all things concerning hats and shoes.

Henry in the kids' area of the museum, communing with the forest toads.

Esti, who joined us at my aunt and uncle's house in Brighton later that afternoon: still accessorizing.

Not much can stop this girl. She dragged my handbag up three flights of stairs.

Cinderella at Tufts

Sunday. Tanglewood Marionettes presented Cinderella at Tufts. Henry was the perfect audience: listened carefully, laughed at the physical comedy, anticipated all the plot twists (he knew the plot, having apparently seen one of his friends' videos of something called CinderPenguin, where the fairy godmother gives the protagonist a pair of glass flippers), admired the technique, even knew what a "ball" was.

Here's an ugly stepsister pursuing the Prince at the ball.

Happily ever after

Backstage with the puppets! (I don't think Henry was as excited by this part as I was.)

"I Saved Some Snow for the Summer"

Henry's latest practice session.  (Long hilarious video coming as soon as I figure out how to upload it.) Some go better than others.  My strategy is to set the timer for 8 minutes: if he gets distracted during that time or can't really settle down to practice, then it's over.  But if by the end of 8 minutes he's doing some actual strumming and chord switching (as opposed to talking about playing, goofing around, pretending to play, etc.), then I reset the timer for another 8 mins.  This can continue till bedtime.  The effect is that whether or not it's a good night of practice, he's saying, "Please? Can't I just keep going for another 8 minutes?"  Which is the attitude we're trying for here.
Today was especially fun.

He played a song that Henry and his teacher, the inimitable Dan Flannery, wrote a few weeks ago to practice the C and F chords.  I don't know where they get these things, but they are great.Here are the lyrics:

I saved some snow for the summer

I saved some snow for the spring
Saved some snow for the autumn time
The snow was all mine, the snow was all mine

Oh I like throwing snowballs
And I like snowball fights
But I also like summer
And I like to fly my kite

So now I have it both ways
With my freezer full of snow.
Come visit me on a hot day:
A snowball I will throw.