Progression

I continue to be amazed at this thing called childhood. I watch as our children grow, develop and change right before my very eyes. What was new and uncharted territory yesterday is old hat today. Having mastered that skill, they move on to the next challenge.

The lightening speed that they observe, try, adapt and then master only became more apparent to me as Stella went off to kindergarten. (Preschool for us in America).

We are no longer the solitary teachers, exposing our child new things. Immersed in a new situation, full of stimulation, new ideas, new games and new experiences, she has become the teacher. Bringing home new words (some bad, mostly good), new songs, new games and new skills.

Her consciousness grows just the same. Drawing with determination, she explains exactly what she is doing. Proudly holding up her latest creation, “this is you daddy, this is mommy, there’s Opa. Here is an arm. This is a face, here the eyes, here the hair, mouth and ears.” “I drew this picture for Mommy, and this one is for Grandma.”

Her association of things outside our immediate circle continues to expand as she relates it to her world. The other day when mommy picked her up from kindergarten she wanted to play a game. “Mommy, when we get home let’s play family. You can be mommy, I’ll be the daughter, Emmet my brother and daddy can be daddy.”

And on another of the day she told me quite matter of factly “you are Daddy Tygielski”

These minds are such sponges, regurgitating information that you told her but thought she was oblivious too.

And what about her brother? He has been excelling at a lighting pace as well.

Shall we call him the Bulldozer? Nothing stands in his way. It’s very logical actually. Isn’t the shortest route from point A to point B a straight line? Who cares if there are obstacles blocking your way, just climb over or around them. When you’re a little munchkin however it can cause some problems. When we first started to crawl he wandered through a dining room chair. He gave a new meaning to suspended animation. Crawling over the leg supports, both arms and legs elevated his body to a point where neither could help the other and he hung puzzled to his lack of forward movement.

This too has passed and he crawls around with dexterity of an expert mountain climber, pulling himself up where ever he can, dangling from the high chair, trying to peer over his sister’s shoulder. Every day he tries anew to stand by himself. Pulling himself up and letting go only to plop to the ground. Sometimes not as quickly as the others though. Walking holding both hands securely to his parents, he’ll drop one to see if he can manage.

Maybe it’s the beer. He doesn’t have an aversion to beer like Stella does, gladly grabbing my bottle and sucking on it. Savoring that taste along with real food. Food that comes out of a jar is for, well babies. It is becoming increasingly difficult to get baby food down him. Instead, give him a bowl of noodles or a hot dog and he chows down. As he sits with his new assortment of food, he’ll even place small bytes on his spoon and try and feed himself. Most of it ends on his lap but he tries.

Upgrade

Our little photographer usually grabs Mommy’s camera when she wants to take pictures.

While on Vacation Stella decided that she wanted to use the big camera.

It first happened while sitting on my shoulders. She wanted to “push the button”

After that she actually wanted to use the camera. Of course it is too big for her to carry so I told her to let me know when she wanted to use it.

When asked for the camera I would ask what she wants to take a picture of. She had a vision in her head. She told me exactly what she envisioned and she tried to achieve that while I held the camera.

Demanding Independence

“I give up” that’s what she said. “You win” She reached over the high chair tray. Its contents resembling the aftermath of a tornado having a heyday in a trailer park.

She tried two types of baby food

She tried hot dogs

She tried cooking fresh vegetables

She gave up

Nothing he would take.

He would protest… shuddering, shaking his head, flailing his arms.

Anything within reach flies through the air, crashing to the ground with a big splat.

I’m convinced plastic was invented by a parent.

She carefully places her feet precariously between landmines to keep balance and lifts a gooey mess out of the chair and sits him on her lap.

Quietly now, he confidently he picks up the spoon.

He dips it in the bowl and expertly puts it in his mouth.

It wasn’t about food.

It was a battle of wills.

Asserting his independence

Today he won.

The next step

Two weeks ago we took another big step together towards leaving toddlerhood. Along with several other kids in her tumbler sport group, she graduated up to the next group. No longer randomly running around with daddy jumping and climbing, now there is a structured program…with only the two trainers….and kids up to 5 years old.

No daddy’s or mommy’s aloud. Preferably you should leave or not be seen. (which is understandable)

Even though on the way to the first day she adamantly proclaimed that she was still a baby and needed to be in the old group, she really knew she was ready.

To make sure everything was okay, I watched half hidden from the sidelines. As we walked in a half a dozen kids called out hello to Stella. Some were worried when she didn’t show up to the earlier group. Others were excited that she would be in their group now.

I quietly found a seat on the sidelines. One parent of a new child had to hide behind a pillar; another just had to leave as her son started crying. Out of site out of mind…it works.

The trainer called all the kids to the circle to sing the welcome song. I sat back and proudly watched as the learning and integration manifested itself before me. The situation was somewhat familiar but new.

Stella pulled back a little but not all the way. She watched the first round taking it all in. A child stands in the middle of the circle and they sing a song about a giant and dwarves with hand gestures. At once everyone disperses and a giant game of tag starts. The “giant” the one in the middle has to catch a dwarf. Then they all come back to the circle and repeat the sequence with a new giant in the middle.

At the second round Stella was in. She had about a half a second lag time between everyone else but she was catching on. By the third and fourth rounds she was totally in.

Every now and then during the hour she would look over to me, making sure I was still there and wave and then go about her business.

The next big game was to climb a series of benches and then jump down. Stella showed those big kids how she could fly.

For the last 5 minutes the trainers released the kids to do what ever they wanted. There was a wild frenzy as little kids ran round, grabbing balls, jumping, screaming and letting the last bit of steam out. In the midst of this Frenzy, Stella found herself and started dancing by herself. I could envision in her head a field with butterflies swarming around sniffing the flowers.

At the end, the kids carry what they can to clean up and the parents help put the big stuff away.

The last thing to go be put away is a pile of mats on a cart. Standing over 6 feet tall all the kids jump on for a ride as the mats are pushed into the storage area. Purely the highlight for all the kids adding a nice closing touch to a great experience.

ps. Pictures are from a day trip to Travemünde.