Balancing the birth order

We try to encourage Franny in every way possible to be involved in Cole's daily routine. Although every time she shoves the pacifier into his mouth, I make a silent apology to Cole, I hope that these acts will help to nurture the sibling relationship much more than it actually causes him any discomfort. When I see expressions like this one, however, I can't help but sympathize with poor Cole. But then, I figure that if Franny had to suffer through our parental inexperience as the first-born, then it's only fair if Cole is subjected to a little bit of sibling suffering as the second-born.

Spicy hots

To my amazement, Franny really likes one of my favorite treats--Chile Spiced Mangos ( I love Trader Joes' snacks!) . And these do pack a punch, as they are dried mangos covered in cayenne pepper and paprika. When she first started requesting them, I told her that they were "hot" and then, to avoid confusion, "spicy hot". When her interest wasn't diverted, I hesitantly gave her a small piece and expected her to balk. Instead, however, she wanted more. Now, when she sees them on the counter, she says "Spicy hot, please!" Between the two of us, we could probably finish an entire bag in one sitting, although we would be a little teary-eyed when we were through!

Two napping burritos

The Jeep Book

Franny and Auntie reading Pierre, the Paris Policeman

Franny absolutely loves her Richard Scarry books, so I recently bought a new one for her. This particular one was her Auntie's favorite growing up. Since she had dubbed it the "Jeep Book", we are continuing the tradition. It is a wonderful book, with a great mix of stories that will keep Franny's interest for a very long time. I love Richard Scarry books not only for great pictures, but because I don't have to read the story every time. The pictures are so great and have such a tremendous variety that we can sometimes just identify and point to different objects or make up our own story as we go. It's a lot of fun to pass on my childhood favorites to Franny, especially when she loves them too!

If only

With a toddler and a newborn, opportunities for doing cleaning and other routine household chores are few and far between. So, when I see Franny grab a broom and go to "work" sweeping with such immense and joyful enthusiasm, I can't help but wish that her efforts would actually ease my work load. Although I would never squelch her feeling that she is actually helping me, a heavy sigh always escapes me when I witness her undoing the work I've already done. The latest example is Franny's new lawnmower. In general, I buy very few toys for Franny, as her interest is typically minimal and she is much more into imaginary play right now. But after cleaning up multiple stains resulting from her pushing her stroller through the grass and then, into the house and across the carpet, I thought the bubble lawnmower would be a gift for us both. And, when she wanted it to join her sleeping entourage, it was confirmed that it was, indeed, a big hit. Now, if I could somehow get a child-safe blade on it, we would have the most manicured lawn in the neighborhood! Heavy sigh.

Adventures with Daddy

It's wonderful that Franny has such a special relationship with her daddy; he is always making special time to spend with her and they always have a lot of fun together. Their weekend outings frequently involve Franny's cousins, as she loves her time with them, as well. Today, Franny, her cousin Thomas, and their daddies went on a bike ride and a trip to the park. From seeing the pictures and hearing Franny chatter on about it during lunch, there is no doubt that they had a wonderful time. And the smiles tell all!

On her own terms

I tried, most persistently, to persuade Franny to wear her hat to the Fourth of July parade. I was unsuccessful. Since we've been home, however, it has been worn quite frequently--frontwards, backwards, and sideways. With Franny, I have repeatedly learned that she has her own, very strong sense of self and doesn't like to be pushed. I definitely pick my battles with this strong-willed little person, and save them for the important issues. And, I have learned, battles over a hat are too inconsequential to warrant any time and energy. I utilize a lot of the methods detailed in Love and Logic with Franny, to give her as many choices as possible to give her a sense of control over herself and teach her consequences. Of course, she is a toddler and an individual, so there is no magic formula to gracefully achieve this, but it has given me a lot of ideas that help. I have a feeling, though, that these challenging toddler years will pale in comparison to what we will face in the teenage years! In the end, I just hope that she will learn to challenge her will in ways that will help her be a productive and successful individual.

Franny and Cole

I think Franny is starting to enjoy having her little brother around. Yesterday, she got a big kick out of Cole reaching out to touch her face several times. I have decided to start a journal to document the growing relationship between these two, as I am finding some of the sweetest moments (like this one) are impossible to capture with the camera.

Pool, please!

Franny absolutely LOVES playing in the water. We have even had to strategically "place" her dishes set, because she would otherwise take them into the bathroom to play in the sink, and her enthusiasm would take several towels to clean up. But, summer is a very fun time for Franny, since her opportunities for swimming and playing in the water increase dramatically. Lucky for Franny, her grandparents set up a pool for her to play with this summer. And she loves it. Climbing in and out; giving the dog a dousing; giving herself a dousing; and just splashing about--for Franny, nothing beats it! It's going to be a very fun summer.

4th of July

Last year, we started a new family tradition--4th of July at Auntie Noelle's. Our very fun day began with the parade, which Franny really enjoyed, with all the different trucks, horses, and floats throwing candy. While we all go as a family, it is really a special day for Franny to enjoy with her beloved Auntie. This year, as an added treat, Auntie had a pool for her, as well. Franny loved it, and was constantly in and out all day, until we finally embarked on our ride home.

Enjoying the parade

Talking with Auntie

Sharing her candy stash

In the pool

The ride home

Sibs

Not the best picture of either of them, but...

Clever girl!

Franny is extremely interested in everything that is Cole's--from pacifiers and teddy bears to the bassinet we have downstairs. Needless to say, we strategically positioned the downstairs bassinet for times when we needed to put Cole down but also needed him safe from Franny. Although she would never hurt him intentionally, she does not always have the most gentle touch. Franny has been eyeing the bassinet for some time now, wanting to get into it. We have been telling her she is too big, but refusing to accept that, she pulled her bathroom stool into the dining room to test it for herself. Fortunately, we have rarely used the downstairs bassinet, so the fact that our "safe zone" has been compromised is rather inconsequential.

Franny's new suit

Among other "big sister" goodies, Auntie brought over a new swim suit for Franny during her visit this week.

And how pleased Franny was! We thought she would insist on wearing it to bed, but in the end, it came off, as all clothes do.

A rare mellow moment

Franny and her daddy enjoying a lazy morning.

It all depends on your perspective...

Franny is slowly adjusting to the arrival of her new little brother. She can be very sweet with him, but it has been very hard for her, as well. Although things are smoothing out a bit now, her temperment has been best described by her daddy as "unreasonable!". Although toddlers are unreasonable by nature, his assessment has merit. One way it has manifested itself is in her bedtime routine. She now is sleeping with her doll, Elmo, four plastic ducks, any combination of four blankets, two pillows, the same pair of PJs every night, as well as her favorite sweater and a water bottle. Keeping track of the location of all these things is a challenge in itself. An additional bedtime story is also frequently requested. She has also had some difficulty falling asleep--or, more likely, is fighting sleep--which has led to some interesting conversations with herself (or doll or Elmo or whoever) and some interesting sleep positions. I am a big believer in wisely picking my battles with Franny, so unless she is trying to push her limits, I try to let her do her thing and give her as much control as is reasonable. With sleep-deprived parents, however, the line between reasonable and unreasonable can be very fuzzy.

The pool was a big splash

This past weekend, Franny went to a birthday party of one of her playgroup friends. Fortunately, the weather cooperated and they were able to use the blow-up swim pool. Franny was in heaven. They climbed in and out, threw the ball at each other, scooted around on their tummies, and did A LOT of splashing and cannonballs. It's wonderful to see her have such a good time, after the hard week she had watching us come and go from the hospital. And having her come to the side of the pool and yell "Hi Mama!" made my heart melt and allowed me to escape a bit from reality's chaos. Not to mention that smile!

Anniversary

I began my blog last year at Mothers Day. Since then, I have posted 200 entries and have tried to capture Franny's wonderful personality and spirit, through our day to day routine and adventures together. She brings so much joy to our life, and it delights me to be able to share them on this blog. Although when I initially compare Franny to one year ago, I think how dramatic the change in her is, on second glance I see she is the same amazing little girl--the sparkle in her eyes is the same, as well as her adventurous and gentle spirit. She touches our hearts everyday and we are so blessed to be able to call her our daughter.

May 14, 2006

May 13, 2007

Happiness is Mothers Day

Park! Kids! Play! These are a few of Franny's favorite words.

Everyday, Franny requests a trip to the park. She loves climbing, swinging, sliding, hanging on the bars, and chasing the ducks. She especially loves to be around other kids, and be where the most action is. Being very outgoing, Franny will attempt to befriend pretty much any little kid--mostly ones her age--to make her trip to the park more fun. Sometimes, there will be a toddler that will reciprocate her advances to play, but it is surprising to me how many little kids refuse. Of course, this breaks my heart, but Franny's spirit is usually only momentarily hurt, and then she is off again, on the search for fun and adventure. She is amazing.

Friday, I took Franny to our neighborhood park, which turned out to be a very fun trip. It was sunny but cool, and the ducks and geese both were out with their new ducklings and goslings, which was very intriguing for Franny, and everyone was friendly, including the older kids. Then, as we were leaving, we ran into little Graham and his mom, who we know through some of Franny's activities. We ended up staying another 20 minutes, as Franny followed her friend around and they climbed, swang, and played on the teeter totter. She was ecstatic, and it made our trip so worthwhile and fun.

It's interesting to see how her focus has changed in such a short time. A year ago, or even less, she would play but barely pay attention to the other kids around her. Now, she clearly wants to play with them. While most of the time she just wants to play, a lot of the time she is also observing, absorbing, and learning from the other kids, and will then dive into her new found activity and mimic their play. It will be fun to see how much she learns when she starts preschool next month. Regardless, I know she will love just being around more kids!

Best friends

Franny's doll is very important to her. Everyday, Doll--as we call her--becomes more and more involved in Franny's routine. They eat, sleep, and play together and are increasingly inseparable with each passing day. I don't recall being so enraptured with dolls myself, so it is fascinating to see Franny develop such an incredible relationship with her. In the last six weeks, three newborns have joined their older siblings in Franny's playgroup. She has been very intrigued and acutely observant of these tiny newcomers, which has further impacted how she interacts with Doll. She is definitely still her playmate, but now is also becoming her baby--changing diapers, putting on clothes, feeding, burping. I am hoping that Doll will actually help Franny in her transition as she adapts to the homecoming of her baby brother. We'll see!

Today, I bought Franny a "big girl" chair to replace the rocking chair in her room. Given her relationship with Doll, I couldn't resist getting a matching chair for Doll, as well. Franny loves it! And, actually, I do too!

Ride 'em cowgirl

What the cowgirl rides when the horse isn't available...

Mother and child reunion

My hospital stay and bed rest took me away from Franny for two weeks. She really did well adjusting to the situation, although it was clear she knew things were out of the ordinary. She was surrounded with people she loved who tried to make each day as close to her routine as possible.

While the hospital was not fun, the hardest part of the two weeks was being home but not really be able to resume life. When she slowed down, we did read books and do puzzles but that was about all we were able to do. She seemed to know I wasn't able to play or do the things we usually do together, as she seemed to just play around me, which was nice since I didn't have to say "I'm sorry, Franny, I can't do that" but at the same time it was very hard since I definitely wanted to! The hardest days were ones where Grandpa played with her all morning, she took a nap, Grandma played with her in the afternoon, and then Daddy swooped her up and took her on an afternoon excursion, coming home just in time for dinner, books, and bed. It was very difficult to going from the one she's with the most to the one she's with the least.

Fortunately it was short-lived, and we are back in our routine and I can do all the things I did before. I am taking it easy and have slowed down a lot, as I need to take care of Franny's little brother, too. But it such a tremendous joy to be with her as a full-time mom again! In just those two weeks she changed so much--I don't intend on missing anything else!

Peanuts

One of the only good things to come out of my being in the hospital and then on bedrest--besides postponing Baby W's birthday, of course--was Franny being able to spend a lot of time with her grandparents. Besides having a great time, she always seems to learn or experience something new, which is wonderful. On my last day of bedrest, I came home from the doctor's to Franny expressing her emphatic new passion for peanuts. Unquestionably, it is her new favorite snack. And with all that great protien, I am not complaining in the least. But Grandpa might need to find a new hiding spot for his peanut stash, because this girl can really put them away!

Easter Sunday

A special tradition in our church is the decorating of the cross on Easter Sunday. The beauty and symbolism is extremely moving and significant for those hold Christian faith within them. Times like this make me seriously contemplate how and if we will choose to make religion a part of Franny's life. Although I feel there is much to question, I also feel the benefits will greatly enhance her life's journey. But having a family that is unified in our values and how we live our life together is very important, as well. It is definitely a decision that we will need to revisit in the future.

Two years old!

After a week, I have become accustomed to the fact that Franny is two years old. We celebrated with family this weekend, and she had a fabulous time. Although I think the highlights for her were her special cake and playing with her cousins, she had a great time beginning to end. It's always interesting to have everyone together, but everyone loves her in their own way, so that is very special. She is definitely fortunate to have a family that loves her so much!

Franny and her ladybug cake

Franny enjoying her cake and her cousins!

Eighty degrees!

Although it's difficult to believe amongst all this rain, Friday was a beautiful day, topping eighty degrees! We all headed out to the zoo--Franny's favorite destination--to enjoy the sunshine. It was warm enough that she was able to wear her new ladybug shorts outfit, which she has been requesting since her auntie gave it to her a couple of weeks ago. Hopefully we'll have another unseasonally warm day sometime soon!

Young Picasso

Since Grandma and Grandpa gave her this great easel for her birthday, Franny has become a budding artist. One side is a chalkboard that we cover with paper so she can use crayons (better variety of colors--especially pink!) and the other side is a whiteboard that she can use washable markers on. She absolutely loves it and it's fun to see her so enthusiastic about something new and very different than other things she likes to do.

Now, after breakfast, it's the first thing she wants to do, and throughout the day she is constantly asking for crayons, markers, or some particular color to draw with. Letters and shapes seem to be her favorite genre, right now. She will draw in big sweeping motions, look at me and say "Z"! or "circle!" It is a lot of fun, but is definitely something that requires continuous supervision. I have found that if I get distracted with something else, she inevitable emerges with her body and mouth covered with green, purple, or whatever color she happens to be working with.

Then and now

Setting up the nursery for Franny's little brother-to-be has left me scrambling to keep two closets organized, since she has now begun emptying and attempting to try on the baby's clothes. It makes me realize how much she has grown since she originally wore these pants. I am actually amazed she was able to get them on! Crazy girl!

5 months/ 2 years