Talking at Two

Zealand has been making great improvements with his conversation skills lately, so I decided to try to write some of his sentences down over the course of a day just to document where he's at at the age of two.

I see go-go bridge. (golden gate)
More dada do this. (points jungle gym)
I see a white one. (motorcycle)
Whoa that's a big one! (sandwich)
Dada make a woo-woo track?
I think I can. (pushing trains)
How about this woo-woo?
Another window!
Battery all gone. (toy train)
I need a screwdriver. (to change train battery)
What's that noise? I don't know. (street noise)
Momma needs a chair. (for dinner)
Dada eat corn.
Oh my goodness!

Dear Zealand at 24 months

Dear Zealand,

You are now two years old! We celebrated your birth a few weeks before the actual day and you reveled in the extra attention, "new toys," and homemade strawberry ice cream and a vanilla lemon curd cake. For your Birthday, Ami painstakingly illustrated your very own ABC book with pictures taken straight from your world - lambie, ice cream, Maui, and all of the other images that dance through your day to day. The book is a treasure. Later that day, you insisted on taking your new wooden play birthday cake into the crib with you. Maybe it helped to ensure sweet dreams.

Four days before your real birthday you sister Avery was born. I have since taken a few steps back from our shared world as I nurse Avery and recover from surgery. The most difficult part of this process has been the separation from you. Upon leaving the hospital in the evening on the first day you met Avery you suddenly wanted mama really bad. It had already been a few days that I had been away and as well as you had received your new sister and dealt with all of the changes - you had reached your limit.

As everyone was leaving you asked "how about mama" and then the question dissolved into tears and then shrieks of protest that I heard getting softer and softer as you were carried to the elevator. I had my first cry since giving birth and cursed the gods for the C-section. One of the main reasons I wanted to try a vaginal birth was so I could bounce back quickly and be there for you as well as a 7 lb. bundle. But, alas. I turned to the business at hand, nursing Avery. And your dada texted me to let me know that you were fine once all of you reached the car. Life goes on and we all do adjust.

Since returning from the hospital our life as a family of four has begun. I still ache to hold and carry you and run around with you, but I keep reminding myself that this period of convalescence will pass soon enough. Your da da has more than filled the vacuum and the two of you are filling the hours with lots of fun and play. And, you now request that da da read night time stories to you and that da da make the oatmeal, etc.

In the span of this past week from my new perspective of not being entirely entwined in your every moment, a new big boy has suddenly appeared in full view. Of course you have been growing all along but now, and perhaps juxtaposed next to your sister who is so tiny and dependent, you are a little boy quickly throwing off the last vestiges of babyhood. And, your language! You are a chatterbox and are managing complex sentences as if you have been doing so your whole life.

And, I love the new phrases heard for the first time. "How was your day Zealand?" "It was fun!" you say back.

You love pointing out spatial relationships - "the car is on the track," "the bus is down there," etc.. And, the other day while standing on a boat at the playground you said that we were on the ocean in Maui, "for pretend." It amazes me that you can understand the concept of pretend. Although at this point in your life you seem to be a stubborn realist. I keep trying to encourage make believe - maybe there is an octopus in the bathtub, or a mermaid.. Each time you correct me and say, "no."

The photos above are from a hike you and your da da went on recently in the park near our house. You found a walking stick the other day and recently became obsessed with your new backpack from Su. You were so excited to go for a hike in the forest with da da who was also wearing a backpack. We could barely pry that backpack off to change you. You have also taken a strong liking to your red rain boots. Actually, on a visit to the hospital you insisted on wearing your red rain boots and rain jacket. You are quite the explorer! We look forward to our first backpack with you someday soon.

All of this and barely a mention of your response to your new sister - surely one of the most momentous occasions of your life thus far. One of the doctor's at the hospital explained it this way: Imagine your husband bringing a new wife home and saying "you are going to love her honey." Okay, maybe slightly different, but I think there is a point there. I imagine your feelings about her are very complex. If I were to guess, you are mainly feeling the loss of attention that has resulted from her arrival. You are very aware that mama is not as available. Even so you have been very sweet with Avery, if not a little disinterested. Since the hospital you have not wanted to hold her, which is fine by us. When you are ready. (I keep remembering the wife comment). You have touched her head softly and find her noises very amusing. "What was that?" you'll say. You call her baby Avery and the other day the four of us went for our first family walk. You were very proud of yourself for helping to push baby Avery.

It was the happiest I had seen you since we all returned from the hospital. You kept smiling at all of us and you looked so excited to help push a stroller with your sister inside. This is how we walk to places normally, you outside of the strolling "helping mama." But now, a real baby inside - wow! The weather was surprisingly warm for a late San Francisco afternoon and the four of us walked down to the Panhandle Park to see Su and Griffin. The two of you chased each other around the perimeter of the playground taking turns pushing someone's battered, pink, baby stroller. Our life as a family of four suddenly seemed very normal.

Well, little guy, I have to admit your mama has been a little sad mourning the loss of days when I could devote my full attention to you and could notice every passing thought and movement. Already you are in a new relationship with me and also with your da da. It will now be a juggling act with us always as a family of four. But, we are now all blessed with a little girl named Avery. I am pretty sure you are going to love her. This morning you shyly asked her if she would like to look at a "woo woo" (train) which you held close to her sleeping face. You then said, "or milk?"

Like pregnancy and childbirth itself, the pain and discomfort is necessary to bring in new life, more rich and vibrant than anything that came before. Here is to our new family and to new life long relationships that we have all just begun.

We love you Zealand, and our so proud how well you are managing what must be a difficult transition for you. You are doing so with all of the grace a two year old can muster.

Love,

Mama

Zealand Sings to Avery (Video)

BABY SISTER:

Zealand has to really learn how to share, starting with his blog...

Avery Isabel Kubischta was born Monday May 23rd, 2011 at 10:10pm weighing 7 pounds, 2 ounces.

Zealand's 2nd Birthday

Chelsea is going into Labor right now.

Which is why we celebrated Zealand's 2nd birthday a few weeks early...He had a great day, with cake, ice cream, and a tot-sized kitchen. Ami treated him to a beautiful handmade A-to-Z book with illustrations of all his favorite things.

Dear Zealand at 23 months

Dear Zealand,

This is the last month of just the three of us. In just a few weeks your sister will join our family of three and you will turn two years old! You are aware that a baby is coming and that you will be a big brother, but awareness in no way can prepare any of us for the huge change. At some point soon none of us will even remember what is was like just the three of us. Well, here is my chance to record in detail from the perspective of two eyes and one undivided momma heart directed just at you.

On this cusp of your 2nd birthday, you are nothing less than a complete character: goofy, silly, serious, dramatic, daring, feisty, willful, emotional, easy going, difficult, loving, fun loving, adventurous, thoughtful, and mischievous all rolled into one. Add your favorite phrases as of late and the picture is complete. You exclaim the following with dramatic effect at least ten times per day: "My goodness, " and "Oh boy!" The other day while at Ami and Papa's house you saw the cat on the roof for the first time. You exclaimed, "My goodness." When I share an exciting plan with you - that I will be making you a birthday cake, for example, you say "Oh boy" with a big grin on your face. You also say, "Oh dear" from time to time. I am always struck how adept you are at using phrases that fit the situation so perfectly. The other day we were walking up the hill to the car in the chill of the morning. A confetti of cherry blossoms were spread on the hood of our car. I pointed out the flowers to you and you replied in a soft pitch perfect tone, "how pretty."

At this point in your life you pretty much refuse a ride in the stroller unless cajoled with promises of coconut water (your favorite drink as of late) or if you are straight out exhausted before nap time. You love to walk and large San Francisco hills do not deter. On a camping trip with your da da and on day hikes you have gone for at least a mile and a half. You prefer narrow, uneven trails deep in the forrest. I suppose it feels more interesting and adventurous for you. I love that you are a natural born hiker but at times I must admit I wish you would just go in the stroller so I can push quickly and directly to wherever we are going. You instead insist on "helping mama" by holding on to the side of the stroller and pushing it along.

Another great interest that has taken root this month, that I am especially proud of, is your interest in cooking, in particular: soup, oatmeal, and hot tea.

You love to stand on a chair next to the stove with a pot and a long handled spoon making your soup. I have a jar of old beans that we continually use and reuse for this purpose. You dump the jar into the pot and then ask for cinnamon and various other spices. I let you dump in spices that have become stale. You also ask for various cooking utensils from the utensil holder on the counter to aid you in this process. You also enjoy making "hot tea" and will pour water again and again through a coffee filter until the entire stove is sopping wet. Admittedly this is a messy process but I figure it is worth it. It is a creative and exploratory activity for you. Recently, I have started cooking in the tiny space next to you so it becomes a win win for both of us. In the morning before our outing for the day I started to prep that evening's dinner while including you. You helped to toss diced eggplant in olive oil, sprinkled them with salt, and poured milk into the saucepan. I plan to do this more and more so that you can learn and participate and well, I can get a head start on dinner! I think you are just about ready too for more advanced cooking projects - pizza, bread, and cookies. I plan to do this with you very soon.

Aside from your adventures in the kitchen, you continue to blossom in the great out of doors. Of course your father plays a huge role in this. He has taken you on a father son camping trip this month and a long day outing to the coast where you cooked dinner on the beach. Da da also takes you for long bike rides in the park and has already managed to instill a fascination with skiing in your mind. I know it is just a matter of time with that activity! On a side note, since most of my posts tend to be mommy centric - your father has been a first rate da da. It makes me so happy to watch the two of you and to know that you are benefitting from two, not just one, active and involved parents. He is so hands on with you and imparts a different energy, perspective, and lessons than I can provide. I know, especially after working with so many children without fathers as a social worker, that this makes all of the difference. For all of us.

The two of you have a wonderful relationship and already you are picking up his mannerisms. You laugh a short choppy laugh that is almost like a "ha" - something your da da does regularly with you. You have loud giggle fits together during bath time and the two of you enthusiastically build train tracks together in the living room. Something that well, I can just quite never muster the same enthusiasm for, and, you know it. Whenever you hear the key in the door you immediately drop whatever it is you are doing and shriek "da da." You race to the door and greet him with every cell in your body. I am sure there is something about the father/son relationship that I could never touch or even capture here - for it is your's alone.

This month we have spent our Wednesdays at the Randall museum for music class. The class itself has been a bust - the teacher is pretty lackluster and you are all too aware that the behind the door of the classroom is one of your favorite places to monkey around in (the Randall has a train set, live animals, a playroom, and a wide lawn and trees to play in). Your friend Julian from our mommy playgroup is also enrolled in this class and the two of you have become partners in crime in ditching music class and as you say, "running around."

Julien is just as active as you are, if not more, and the two of you tear around the joint like you own it. Once outside you race around on the grass, climb benches, and make your way down rocky trails together. You also like to hold hands occasionally and the two of you will find ways to crack each other up. It is such a joy to watch you interact with other kids in this way.

I should also add here that you are a very thoughtful and sweet boy with other children who you know and who you meet at the park. You are not one to grab toys from other children and you will often share on your own initiative when we are out and about. Often times you will spot a toy at the park unattended and look at me first and say, ya?, before diving for it. I usually give you the okay since I have come to learn that most toys in the park, unattended, are communal. You offer hugs and have never, as far as I can tell, hit or acted aggressively toward other children or towards us for that matter. You are a gentle soul.

Well little guy, I must confess. The birth of your sister interrupted the completion of this post so I am finishing this as a mother of two. And, you have already celebrated your 2nd birthday. More on both of those momentous events in your 24 month letter!

We couldn't love you more.

Love,

Mama

Hiking in Marin

Z and Dada spent a day in Marin: beach at China Camp, 2 miles round-trip hike in Samuel P Taylor SP, and dinner/beach at Point Reyes. The most fun part for Zealand is playing in the car and pushing all the knobs.