My Boys

I guess I never really knew how much I'd like these little guys being in my life! I mean, you love them, of course, but I really really like them too.

Carter is just a hoot (and a pistol). On good days I am in awe of him and his abilities. On bad days I am still in awe of him, but a little bit afraid too. He can wear me down faster than anything I've ever experienced. He goes from zero to sixty and back again in a matter of seconds. Happy, sad, angry, frustrated, giddy, tired, silly.....he's enrolled in pre-school for September. He will be attending Die Rasselbande German pre-school. I'm so excited for him. I need to be speaking more German with him. I'd like to see him attend the German elementary school in South Park...ahh, a mother's crazy dreams. This evening he was sitting with his papa in papa's new work truck and he pointed to the cigarette lighter. He said to his papa, "you want to show me how this works." I love that child. He's beautiful and smart. And he likes tofu, beets, and arugula. Come on! I know you can't imagine a better child.

Wyatt is at such a fun stage right now. He does his crazy attack of the babies shtick. You know the routine: grab mama by the ears, lunge in open-mouthed, and bite her. Or is it kissing? Just in the last couple of days he has started giving things to us. Paper, teething toy, whatever his monkey hands can get a hold of. He's sitting up really well and only falls back about 5% of the time. He's been attending sign language classes just like Carter did at his age. He signs "milk" and is such an easy-going guy that sometimes he just sits quietly signing "milk" until someone notices him.

I am having such a good time with these guys. As Carter says, "my two boys". Yeah.

A Whole Lotta Love

Two years ago, I wrote about Carter's new love.....she was a pot holder. And he loved her, grinned at her, played coy, flirted, cooed at, and pretty much made a complete fool of himself over her.

Wyatt has yet to meet this pot holder lady friend of Carter's. We ought to drag her out and hang her on the cabinet one day to see if the old lady can charm this young lad.

She's got stiff competition though. Wyatt's already in love....with his brother. He's silly about him. The world revolves around Carter and it's Carter who can make Wyatt howl with laughter no matter his mood. I do admit, I do abuse this new power of Carter's a bit. Sometimes I try to eke out an extra 3 minutes of mommy time by saying, "Carter, go jump up and down for your brother." He usually obliges, Wyatt howls with laughter, and I guiltily enjoy my extended break.

Carter is starting to like Wyatt a bit more too....they like to lie on the bed together and grin like fools at each other. I love it. I love them. Can't imagine my world without them.

A Typical Teasdale Day

This was a rough day. It started for me at about 2:20 a.m. when Wyatt became restless. We finally got out of bed around 3:50 a.m. and I stumbled towards the coffee maker. By 11:30 a.m., I was done...beat down physically and emotionally.

A summary of the morning's activities:

Wyatt needed to be held non-stop...and was held non-stop til he went to bed at 8:00 p.m. That was 16 hours and 20 minutes of holding Wyatt.

Carter went out on the back porch to play, promptly took his clothes off and peed in the dog dish....which he then put on his head to wear as a hat.

Rob took the kitchen compost bin through the house to be deposited outside...and dumped its contents in the entryway. The smell was so bad that we had to run the whole house fan for an hour. Agatha was undeterred by the smell however, and ate some of the rotting compost....which she then threw up later in the hallway.

The day didn't get a whole lot better after that...it's hard to rally after such a morning. Rob and I just sort of sat around dejectedly while Carter ran circles around us and Wyatt was held.

I'm going to bed.

The Oh So Important Body Part

The penis. With two and a half years old and and six months old boys our world pretty much revolves around it. We talk about it, we touch it, we tug on it, we pee with it, we look at it, and we compare it.

Wyatt has recently found his and I'm grateful for that. It means he will lie on the bed quietly for a few minutes. He holds it, he pulls it, tugs it, twists it, and tries to get it in his mouth. Alas, it won't reach. It's like a little beacon...off goes the diaper and no matter what Wyatt is looking at or doing, one hand immediately shoots down to his penis. It's quite a sight to see.

Carter is at a whole new level with his penis. Now that we are potty learning, we see it a lot more. And familiarization hasn't worn our admiration down any. Carter has started to compare his penis to that of others. Granted, he doesn't see many. In fact, he's only seen three. His papa's, his brother's, and the horse's penis.

After studying Wyatt's closely: Wyatt has a teeeeny tiiiinnny penis. Carter has a BIIIIGGGG penis.

After studying papa's somewhat surreptitiously: Papa has a BIG penis. Carter has a little penis.

After studying the horse's penis: Wanna touch it? (Okay.) It's black? (Yup, his skin is black, so his penis is black.) It's a little bit pink? (That's where he goes pee.) Wanna touch it again? (Okay.) Concerto has a REALLY BIGGGGGG penis. Carter has a teeeeny tiiiinnnny penis. (He will no doubt find himself in therapy over this in a few years!)

Carterisms - Compilation 1

No explanations needed:

Mama: Carter should we buy mickey mouse ears at Disneyland?
Carter: Have to take Carter's ears off first?
Mama: No, you can keep your ears.
Carter: Okay, yeah.

Carter, do you want to go to the tidepools? NO! Do you want to go to the beach? NO! Do you want to see the carousel? NO! What do you want to do then? GO POO POO!

Carter unpacking his books at the hotel: ...."and llama llama came on vacation, and puppy came on vacation, and panda bear panda bear came on vacation, and caterpillar came on vacation too!"

Carter " Wanna nurse on papa." Me "OK, can you?" Carter "No. Very little tiny boobs. Broken (shakes head sadly). Wanna fix 'em. Get Carter some glue" Me (Thinking oh how I wish we could!)

"Boys. A lot of boys. Running around and crashing." - Summary of today's Super Bowl by Carter, 28 months.

Carter just marched into the kitchen with his "It's Potty Time" book and said, "wanna read the propaganda book." Oops, must watch what I say!

Carter: Carter go to Katie's baby shower with mama?
Me: No, honey, boys aren't allowed.
Carter: Carter be quiet. Carter not loud. Katie have a quiet party.

Carter gave me a big hug and shouted "I love mama's boobs, thank you, don't touch 'em!". Is this really the conversation he and I have on a daily basis...

And at the end of Christmas, Carter had a poo poo and could be heard shouting, "Papa it won't flush...get the plunger!" A magical end to a magical day!

Carter went to see Santa at mommy's work. When 3 nice ladies asked him if Wyatt was his baby brother he replied, "He eats the boob." Humph.

Santa: "What do you want for Christmas?" Carter: "To go outside." Guess we will have to let him out of his cage now that our secret is out!

I got out of the shower, Carter patted my bottom and said "mama's body parts, yay!" I love this kid!

I apparently have difficulty decorating gingerbread men...I put the last "button" on the little guy and Carter pointed and said "penis!". Well, I guess that's why they are called gingerbread MEN!

Carter, what do you want for breakfast? "Tofu and grapes." Breakfast is served.

Carter went excitedly into his own bed last night. I tried to prep him...Carter, if you wake up and need mama or papa, what do you do? "Carter be sad" (and then he signed 'cry' ). Broke our hearts!

2 year old's question of the day: Little scarecrow girl toot out her bottom? (I was a bit stumped on that one.)

Toddler Speak

I never cease to be amazed at the linguistic capability of a 2 year old. Carter has been a never ending font of funny Carterisms as of late. A few of our more recent conversations:

(Me, wrapping a baby shower gift for Aunt Katie's baby...)
Carter: A pwesent?
Me: Yep, a present for Katie's baby. Aunt Katie and Uncle Rob are going to have a baby.
Carter: Boo Boo have a baby?
Me: No, Boo Boo isn't having a baby.
Carter: Boo Boo only sits in a chair.

(The day after above conversation, Carter examining present.)
Carter: A present for Katie's baby.
Me: Yep, a present for Sydney Lynn.
Carter: Katie be a mama.

(Me, announcing that I had a birthday card for Boo Boo.)
Carter: Make a present for Boo Boo. Boo Boo open up present, Boo Boo be happy.

(Advising Carter that mama and grandma were going to a baby shower.)
Carter: Carter come too?
Me: No, honey, boys aren't allowed.
Carter: Carter be quiet. Katie have a quiet party. Carter not loud.

He amazes me. My current favorite Carter-ism is when he really wants something and wants a lot of it, like a whole bunch of chocolate chips: Carter want too much!



(Me, announcing that I had a

Two Very Different Nursing Styles

How can two brothers be so different? Carter never slept. He might have slept 4 or 5 hours MAX on several occasions for the first, oh, two years of his life. Wyatt, on the other hand, slept 4 or 5 hours a night by week two of his life. He now sleeps a good 6 to 7 hours a night. Carter, fortunately, decided to sleep in his own "tiny tiny bed" for most of the night right about the same time Wyatt moved into our home. He's still in our room and in our bed a lot of the nights.

And nursing. I joke that Wyatt will have weaned himself and Carter will still be nursing. Carter was, and still is, a comfort nurser. Wyatt is all business. He only wants to see a boob when hungry. If he's not hungry, there better not be a boob nearby. I learned that early on when, if offered a boob and not hungry, he would wail like someone was really trying to do him wrong.

Carter? He will take a boob any time, anywhere! He asks every few minutes to nurse...guess he figures, what can it hurt? He asks when I get out of the shower. Why not? They are right there. Stubs his toe, scratches his knee, bumps his head? "Wanna nurse on mama." Can't listen to another music video? "Wanna nurse on mama." Can't play outside because it's raining? "Wanna nurse on mama."

He's evolved too, in his asking to nurse. He used to just sort of smack my chest. Then he signed "nurse" (and sometimes still smacked my chest). Then he moved to "wanna eat the boob". And while we thought that rather funny, we moved him on to "wanna nurse on mama". He also recites mama's rules for nursing a toddler. "Carter wanna nurse. Don't bite! Nurse properly, just five minutes! No hands pinching, hold mama's belly!". Poor guy, he must think he's attending some sort of paramilitary nursing camp.

We took the boys to work to see Santa. A nice lady asked Carter if he liked his brother. Carter said, "he eats the boob." I'm kinda surprised he didn't repeat his other favorite saying, "Mama nurse the both of you. Carter on this side and Wyatt on this side".

Ahh, I did it! I raised a boob man. At least one.