The highlight of the month is definitely Lorelei learning to walk. It started slow. For a couple weeks there were a total of 15 steps or so. She was teasing us. Then one evening Pip started messaging me saying she was walking. Like across the room, and back. She’d just figured it out. For about 2 days she did the Sumo walk on her toes, then things got more stable. She’s great with stairs and loves to go up and down. It’s become really aggravating because now when we spend time in the driveway area she can walk away. Either into the street or up the concrete stairs. I get about ¼ as much weeding done but we’re having a lot of fun. She doesn’t like wearing shoes or socks so we mostly let her walk around barefoot. I’m told that’s better for learning anyway. She’s hardy and will walk over concrete, mulch, rocks, and gravel!
She’s learning a lot of other things too. I decided it was time to switch from a sippy cup to a real cup (she’d also bitten the tip off the sippy cup). So we practiced on the back porch. It took about a week and now she’s adept with a cup! Better than with a straw in fact. It’s such a huge transition. She’s not a baby anymore. At all. She’s insistent on what she wants and whines and points until we figure it out. She loves to take our shoes and walk them across the house. She wants all the toys Moriarty has. When we call her name to ask her to stop doing something, or to come back to us, she often turns, smiles, giggles, and goes back to what she was doing. Classic toddler time.
The playgrounds at the parks have been closed since Covid started so we’ve been using what we already have. We got Moriarty a pedal bike a couple months ago but he was really anxious about using it. He’s fantastic on his balance bike, and this month he found the courage and started using the pedal bike. He doesn’t pedal fast enough to keep his momentum up but it’s started. Lorelei can’t use the playground swings, but we have a disc swing Moriarty uses. It occurred to me we could hold Lorelei and swing. OH YEAH! She’s also started trying to jump on the little trampoline herself. We often play on the big one as a family, more tag and rolling games than proper jumping. She’s learning to let him know when she needs space, but he often ignores it and we have to intervene.
Moriarty’s big leap this month was using his phone to make movies. The nanny has been helping him think through a beginning, middle, and end. They make costumes and props and then film his movies. There are a couple videos for your enjoyment. I didn’t include any of the 40 minute disorganized ones with several restarts! He’s just so much bigger. Lisa Francine has started giving him reading lessons and he’s so grown up.
Now that we’re at the end of the charming blog post, there’s always more to the story. Moriarty still throws hour long tantrums over stupid kid stuff, but his world is very uncertain and I’m very stressed out, so I understand it’s harder for him than usual. Our nanny leaves at the end of the week and while we finally have another lined up (OMG YAY!!!) it’s stressful for all of us. I still don’t know what the fall will look like. I haven’t pinned down my next job. We don’t know if Moriarty’s kindergarten will be remote through the district or home schooled. We refuse to send him into school. It’s too risky while so many people are being irresponsible and selfish about basic protections. Lorelei can’t be placated with a simple toy or binkie anymore, which is a hard shift for the whole family. One afternoon she pushed a foot stool over to a book shelf, climbed up, and got into all the tiny toys Moriarty puts up there to keep away from her. Exciting! But exhausting. She’s not using any words or baby sign yet so it’s all shrieking and pointing and expecting everyone to magically understand. I’m working so hard to keep up some semblance of self care and happy mom time, but I’m really depleted. Luckily the contagious giggle sure go a long way.
New pics here, password “mal”