The Snowman Project

The Snowman Project from Robert Kerner on Vimeo.

We got pounded by snow Thursday and Friday. The yard is filled with the stuff and it is just the right consistency to make a snowman. We don't have snow suits for both kids-somehow that slipped past us- so rather than have one upset kid waiting inside, Donna went outside and built the snowman as the kids watched from the window.

They were very excited by Donna's craftsmanship, so we're off to find another snow suit so they can help build the next one.

February Update

It has been awhile since our last update. Here is the latest:

The kids are 21 months and are pretty independent, when they want to be. The are both becoming very verbal, both with individual words and short sentences. This morning, they both looked out the window and proclaimed, "Oh no, snow!" How right they are. It's miserable here in NY as we suffer the wrath of a Noreaster. What's fair is fair, however, since we got no snow from the big storm over the weekend.

The picture is from last night and shows Sammy doing what she does best: eating. She has developed a reputation as a food thief at day care, swiping other kids' snacks. The day care ladies like to put her hair up into tails and, although she looks cute in them, it's a devil removing the rubber bands from her hair at the end of the day.

Robert is still a peanut compared to her, probably because he rarely stops moving. Hopefully the wind will subside and they'll get to go out and experience the snow drifts.

That's all for now.

Trimming the Tree

Trimming the Tree from Robert Kerner on Vimeo.

We set up the tree yesterday while the kids were taking their afternoon nap. We struggled with the decision whether to use our artificial tree or get a small live tree and put it outside on our back porch. We were concerned that Robert and Samantha would want to rip the ornaments off if the tree was in the living room. In the end, we really wanted them to see the ornaments and begin to understand the Christmas experience, so we decided on the in-living room option.

The tree went up in just under two hours and the action is compressed down to just over three minutes in this film. So far the child safety fence, which you see Donna fussing with for the first few minutes, is doing its job. We tried to sit the kids in front of the tree this morning for pictures for our holiday cards but they would have none of that!

Samantha looked out the window this morning, saw all the snow and declared "Uh oh!" We agree.

Have a Merry Christmas,

Bob & Donna

Stop Motion Living Room

Stop Motion Living Room from Robert Kerner on Vimeo.

Here's a  short stop-motion film we made in the living room yesterday since it was raining cats & dogs and we couldn't go out. This is the same type of filming used in clay-mation movies.

We continue to be astonished by their development. Robert is learning to be helpful. The other day, Bob was looking for some missing bottles and Robert got on his hands and knees and looked under the couch and television stand. When he found the first bottle, he stood up and pointed to it. He did the same for the second. He's also very good at finding lost shoes.

Sammy, on the other hand, is learning to be mischievous. She now can run and hide from us when she wants to. The other nights she systematically threw most of her toys over one of the safety fences we have in the living room. When Bob asked her (not expecting a response) to "put that stuff back," she went to the other side of the fence and proceeded to throw it all back to the other side.

We're spending the weekend analyzing whether it's safe to have a Christmas tree in the living room

The Little Businessman

Here's Robert at day care earlier this week. We think he looks like a little businessman in his sweater.

The last month -their 18th month -  has been rough. Both got sick shortly after returning to day care, culminating in several trips to the doctor, ER and urgent care center. Now that everyone in the family is on antibiotics, life is good. It's simply amazing to participate in their development. They seem so much more mature than just a few months ago. They can make their needs known beyond just crying. Both ask for things by name. Robert can wipe his nose and deposit the tissue in the trash. Both understand the concept of taking a bath or shower and going to bed; if you ask them, they will start upstairs toward the tub or bedroom. 

Now if we can just get the little businessman a job!

Toileting

We are introducing the concept of toileting to our kids. When it's time for a diaper change, we ask "Who needs to use the toilet?" and escort them to the bathroom. The ritual is pretty straightforward: we have a changing cushion on the floor and then have them step onto a small step stool to wash their hands in the sink. Sometimes they even flush the toilet.

This afternoon, Bob was home with the twins since it was "staff development day" at the daycare center; in other words, the center  was closed for Election Day. Bob was doing chores when he realized it was very quiet in the living room. Quiet isn't usually a good sign. When he went to investigate, he found Robert sitting in front of the t.v. but no Sammy.

No Sammy in the living room. No Sammy in the dining room. No Sammy in the kitchen either. Only one room left, the bathroom. And there she was, sitting quietly in the sink, inspecting the items that are normally out of her view.

Unfortunately, she skipped the diaper step and went directly to the hand washing step.

Doodle Doo's

Robert's First Haircut from Robert Kerner on Vimeo.

Robert had his first haircut back in September. We took him to Doodle Doo's, a children's hair salon in lower Manhattan that Bob found one day while on walk-about. There are plenty of places to buy a kid's haircut, but this one caught our attention because it is run by a former teacher and they have plenty of staff to distract nervous kids. They also have a section of the store set aside with books and games. It's not just a haircut, it's an experience!

It turns out Robert didn't care much for the experience. Not that the staff didn't go out of their way to make it nice; he was just intimidated by the scissors and new faces. They did a fine job cutting his hair. It turns out that Sammy had more fun running around the shop, playing with the toys. She'll have to wait for another day for her haircut.

After the experience, we walked around the west village and then over to one of the piers on the Hudson before storm clouds forced us back to the car. 

It took so long to get around to editing the video that it's time for a haircut again!