Friday, August 15, 2008

The Olympics and the second child



So, I just sent out my almost monthly photo album to the family and there's something new--pictures of Aldo with his friends. Aldo has friends. He has interests. He has a scrunchy little scowl that resembles none of us, but looks a little like Elvis. He has favorite books and trains (Everybody Poops and Gordon, respectively.) It's reassuring and expected, but still a little surprising. He requests a napkin (towel) at the table to wipe his hands. And he brings me my shoes when he's decided he'd like to go out. Who is this kid?

In an attempt to avoid the second child guilt, I've joined a second playgroup for Aldo's age and am making the effort to learn names and make playdates. The names is the hard part. In fact we're on our way to meet um, Gemma and Alex(?) and someone else at the model railroad museum in less than an hour.
What else is new?

I'm freaked out by the idea of child predators. I know, everyone is, but I mistakenly clicked on a link to a news story about a torture murder of a child (and I'm not going to link it) and it keeps creeping around my head. I'm thinking that we did the wrong kind of dog training with Harriet, you know, the no biting strangers kind, when we should have enrolled in junk yard dog vocation school. Not sleeping enough is probably not helping. Or rather the sleep in three hour increments that I'm getting because Aldo would like a little company when he wakes up in the middle of the night is affecting my ability to think straight.
I'm still going to the gym. I think it helps. Yesterday, we had a substitute "Power Core" teacher named Olga. She is from the Ukraine and I think it was the accent, but I felt like we were going for the gold, which brings me to:
The Olympics--why do I think the Olympics is better viewing for the kids than kiddie programs? I guess I want them to soak up the internationalism and the idea that working hard to be the best is valuable. Plus, it almost always puts Owen to sleep if we watch the events in the afternoons.
And lastly, this month's preschool topic is "Community Helpers" and today is "Dress as a Community Helper Day." Owen is dressed as a police officer. He loves his whistle. And his hat. It's just adorable.






1 comment:

Helen said...

I love the pictures of Aldo... he is certainly growing up. I can't believe he is almost two!