we decided to go downstairs to breakfast and get the kids some Vietnamese food. I carried David to the elevator but set him down once we got in it. he got instantly grumpy so i distracted him with the Press the Elevator Button game. Oh what fun that is! Emma climbed right out of daddy's arms so she could join in too. we theorized that once David claims an area as his own, he adds it to his comfort zone, like the apartment, pool and playground. now the elevator is part of the comfort zone too. at the restaurant (which we've been to at least once a day) I set him down and it was right down to the floor for grumpasaurus rex. he was doing his quiet moany thing, and there weren't any patrons around so i let him sit there. the waitress brought over two hi chairs and we put Emma in one. David whined a bit louder so i picked him up. he was instantly quiet again. so i sat him in the chair. that was not to his liking. but he sat there just the same. Emma busily devouring the watermelon and bread on the table. David, in the end, would rather have fun then be all whiny, so he got up from his chair and started to climb into the other high chair (something we've never done before for him) now he was all smiles again. the waitress brought over a big bowl of Pho and their eyes just lit up. i think they've missed eating their traditional food. they both just dove into their food. no peeps, no cries, just happy munching. David shocked us both when he put down his spoon and picked up the chopsticks and started going to town on his noodles. It stands to reason he could use chopsticks but we never saw him eat with them. and at the center the nannies always fed the kids so he wouldn't have used them there. so we gave him huge Yeahs!!! Good Boy!!! he eats that up. speaking of eating up, our "little" Emma is quite the piggy. she ate FOUR bowls of Pho, plus the watermelon and bread. this is more food then an adult can eat. she's a non stop eating machine. she's not doing a crazed, starved, shoveling the food in her mouth kind of thing, more of a constant and happy munching away. she had a buddha belly when we met her and now she's developed chunky thighs and her face is really rounding out. Jeff finally pulled the last bowl of soup away concerned she'd make herself sick with all that food.
David is also spending lots more time on daddy's lap. Daddy has become Daddy Mountain and both kids will frolic and play jumping and climbing all over Daddy. Even though we're not a traditional, old fashion couple, Jeff and i seemed to fit that role anyway. Daddy is about having fun and playing. Mommy is about feeding, wiping away boogers and potty time. (or as i think of myself, their personal servant) Jeff walked to the door planning on buying some groceries when big surprise, David got all excited and wanted to go with him. So we said Great. more bonding time with daddy. Emma was not one bit happy with this. She's not liking having to share her daddy with anyone. She started crying the moment they left. So i picked her up and started humming to her. they love looking out the window and being on the 23rd floor we have a really nice view. within two minutes she was sound asleep. i tried laying her down but she did not like that, so i ended up slowly maneuvering myself so i could sit down on the bed, then slowly lower myself until i had her sound asleep on my chest. oh i cannot begin to describe my bliss. having this tiny little sweet being this close to me was wonderful beyond words. hearing her soft breath and rubbing her back and hair. utter and complete joy and happiness. okay she was sleeping and missing her Ba, but for now she was mine and i just cherish that moment. she napped for about 30 minutes. resting on her mama. when i tried putting her on the bed she woke up. she looked up right into my face and I expected her to start wailing, but nope, she was only interested in waking up and playing again. we came into the living room where Jeff and David were resting together on the sofa. And as for David, Jeff said he walked all the way -- on his own, into the elevator, thru the lobby, thru to the adjacent building, around the outside, back inside, to the market and upstairs on his own. this is the same boy that just this morning refused to leave the apartment unless i carried him. that's why we encourage him the way we do. we want him to feel love and protected and comforted, but i think he feels better about himself when he's being a big boy.
The other thing we wanted to work on is potty time. at the center all the kids walk over to the famous bucket, set it down, sit on it and do their business.
no help from anyone. it's kinda funny because they'll take their food, toys whatever they have with them to the potty. i guess they're still afraid of losing their goodies if they set them down. in fact many times i had David in there and Emma would walk right up and hand him some food. when i take David to go potty, i undress him and then put his clothes back on for him. i noticed sometimes he starts to remove his own pants then suddenly stops. hey why make the effort when someone is willing to do it for you? so today i let him do his business, got his undies on for him, then told him to pull up his shorts. he just stood there and sulked. so i walked out of the bathroom. Emma being the good sister ran in there and whispered to him, calling me and concernedly pointing at David. but we just sat here and watched tv. he shuffled his way to the door. all sad and puppy dog eyed. we just kept watching tv. next thing you know he had his pants on and was jumping all over daddy mountain again. and just so you know what an amazing and quick learner he is, after lunch, i took both kids in to potty, i was distracted as Emma was being fussy. i left David in one bathroom and took Emma to the other. It was Emma's turn to be crabby and only wanted Ba to take her to go potty. so i went back and there was David flushing the toilet! he had taken his own bottoms off, done his wee wee and put his pants back on. i was so happy for him we stared jumping up and down and doing the super big yeah's for him. he shyly looks away but you know he just loves this good attention. so all in all an amazing day and it's only 12noon for us! can you believe that? we're going to take the kids this afternoon to the water puppet show. we're not going to push David and if he wants to sit on my lap during the show, that's more then okay -- he's earned that right to be babied and loved on.
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