Parent Theoretical

Max: 7 weeks
Probably the most smiley baby I've ever encountered. He's been socially smiling since about 3-4 weeks. (I'm the biggest skeptic when it comes to milestones, so trust me when I say it's really remarkable.) He loves to be talked to, & I swear he laughs on occasion. He is also cooing already. I generally don't care for terms like "good" or "easy" when describing a baby, but ... he is really laid back.

Zach: 20 months
His vocabulary is coming along slowly but surely. He's recently added "Hi," "Bye," & "baby," to his repertoire. He really enjoys cleaning. (Lucky me!) And really must have things just so. ("Pardon me, but the plastic fireman hat belongs on the stuffed monkey's head, madam, not on yours.") Not sure where he gets it from. =P He is very enamored with his brother. Sometimes he loves a little too hard, but is generally very gentle with him. He's finally stopped eating the crayons & has discovered new fun in actually using them. (OK, MAYBE he snacks a little, but he's mostly over it.) Zach has a wonderful sense of imagination already. The heirloom, wooden kitchen we bought for him has inspired many play tea parties, soup-making & luncheons. He GETS pretending & it's wonderful to watch.
**********Two under 2. To what can I compare this? You know that dream in which you're trying to climb a flight of stairs & the steps keep turning into marshmallow therefore never letting you reach the top? My days go kinda like that. They are a little slow moving & going anywhere is a challenge; but the marshmallow is sweet & a lot of fun playing with.
What I've come to appreciate most about parenting two little ones is their capacity to teach you so much about yourself. For instance, I had no idea that throwing food on the floor would evoke so much ... er ... passion in me. Or that one's refusal to move to the middle of the tub where I can reach would inspire ... um ... disapproval. Or that I have an opinion about the number of protein grams in snack foods.
The days are challenging, to be sure. And I struggle every day diligently avoiding ways in which I might screwup my kids for good. And isn't THAT something? A concept that seems like such a no-brainer like: "Raise your kids to be healthy, productive members of society," becomes so complex when you actually BECOME a parent. "Raise your kids to be healthy, productive members of society." Sure thing. You got it. But then the doubt sneaks in, which is usually buttressed by a smattering of insecurity. Add to this a dash of inexperience, a sprinkling of childhood scars & a pinch of guilt & you have a recipe for parenthood.
Self-reflection, I've found, is everything. Recognizing your weaknesses as they influence your parenting decisions, however, is the easy part. Acknowledging them and altering your response in SPITE of them during a temper tantrum on the floor of the kitchen while you're trying to make dinner & nurse a baby at the same time? Well, that's something else altogether.
Friends have asked how it is raising two so young. First, it helps to have a dedicated teammate. One with whom you rarely have to confer on parenting decisions because you're both on the same page (Love ya, Shug). It also helps to have a family member nearby to help ease the load (Thanks, Momski!). And having a mom who will listen to you whine over the phone is also key (Thanks, Mom!). Not to mention the cadre of mom friends who will whine right along with you, preferably over a glass of the same. (Thanks, ladies!)
Indeed, it takes a village.

I've always had an affinity for toys & have formed my own collection over the years, but I have none from my own childhood to pass down. I really believe in open-ended playthings, so we have been limiting the number of plastic and battery-operated toys in our home. I want the boys to have a collection that they can preserve for their own children one day; ones that will stand the test of time. So the heirloom kitchen & its many beautiful accoutrement (enamel toy cooking pots made in Poland, for instance!) are part of this endeavor.