So here we are, almost at Christmas! It will be Little Mister’s second festive season and Little Misses’ fourth – and her last as a proper toddler before starting school next year (deep breaths!). Today our baby boy (rapidly turning into a feisty toddler himself) turns 17 months old, and a few days ago our his sister turned three years and 8 months. It’s been too long since I wrote a post just about them, their ever developing little personalities and their lovely little quirks. So here’s a snapshot of what they are both like right now, so I can look back and remember details that might otherwise become a hazy blur.
The last month or so has really seen Little Mister finding his voice. He’s saying new things every day and yesterday strang together what I think might have been his first mini sentence –“bib on”. All important to him as it signals that food is imminent!
His early words, other than Mum-mum and Dada (now quite clearly being said as Daddee) included banana (said as “mana” and now generally requested at the end of every meal!), “mulk” (milk) and “more” (again, important at meal times!). He’s also really keen on animals, using “baa” for sheep, “woo” or “woof” for dog and “neigh” for horse. And tiger and duck are also popular. He gets very animated about his animals, it’s so cute. Monkeys are also a favourite too.
Our little man certainly knows his own mind now too, demanding to be let “out” of his cot, buggy or highchair as soon as he’s fed up (or fed in the case of the latter).
He’s learnt that his sister’s favourite dolly is called Wah Wah and he’ll say that too whenever he gets his hands on her. All dolls are called Wah Wah as far as he’s concerned. And he quite likes to play with them at the moment. This is probably because he generally likes to get involved in whatever little Miss is doing but possibly also because he’s learnt he can wind her up a bit by doing so. We’ve had quite a few skirmishes lately over Wah Wah and her accompanying buggy!
But despite the daily tussles, he loves his sister really and now says her name and has started to call out to her, which is lovely to hear. Although they are in separate rooms at nursery they sometimes meet in the outside play area and last week I was told Little Miss and her friend had been playing with Little Mister, pushing him around in a Crazy Coupe car. Cue lots of warm fuzzy feelings!
His first fumbling footsteps seem so long ago now. He can still be a bit wobbly on his feet but he’ll happily run across a room shouting “go, go go!”. Apparently he also does this at nursery while chasing two young lady friends!
He’s already trying to jump and is a keen climber, which keeps us on our toes. Having an older sibling to copy has made him far more daring than she was at his age. Being much bigger and a boy probably also has something to do with it. Given half a chance he’ll be stod up on one of our little wooden toddler chairs, grinning with delight, arms aloft, wobbling precariously. “Get down” is becoming a common parental phrase. He also loves climbing up on his sister’s bed and the other morning we caught the pair of them stood up by their window, drawing on the steamed up pane. It’s definitely a case of double trouble now!
Sharing a room
Little Mister finally moved out of our room at the end of September (having enjoyed a much extended stay compared to his sister). In our little two-bedroom house, he now shares with Little Miss and so far it’s been great. We’ve heard her talking to him in the mornings and him trying to communicate back, it’s very sweet.
We recently redecorated to give the room a new identity for the both of them, with sunny yellow walls, grey as an accent colour and star prints on the curtains and new toy basket. We just have some new wall stickers to add now as a finishing touch.
Not-so-little Little Miss
She’s still one of the more petite ones for her age but it feels like Little Miss has grown up such a lot this year and the last few weeks have seen us visiting schools and applying for places for next September.
Like any three year old, she asks lots of questions about the world around her – including this week why her brother’s ‘bottom’ is different to hers! I’m surprised she hasn’t asked that one before. She also asked how I got her ‘out of my tummy’ when she was a baby – a lot of hard work I replied!
Her games have become increasingly imaginative and I would love to be a fly on the wall at nursery where some of the most creative scenarios seem to originate. She’s also starting to get a bit better at incorporating her little brother into some of her role play and he in turn is becoming a more able participant (for five minutes or so at least!). She likes to pretend he’s her pet dog and take him for walks using the rein on her old backpack. And he’s very happy to run up and down barking enthusiastically! I must film it to bring out when they’re older.
Her drawings are becoming more detailed. She recently did her first family portrait of us – see the masterpiece below. I am far left, looking rather serious. Daddy is far right, hanging upside down. This was, apparently, not a mistake!
I wouldn’t be surprised if she really did draw Daddy upside down as a joke. She is quite the little comedienne and has been from an early age. She will say things to be deliberately funny or silly.
And she says a lot. It’s amazing to think that this time two years ago she was only really just starting to talk. She still can’t always say her Fs properly, pronouncing them as P instead which leads to the somewhat amusing use of “pox” instead of fox, “pish pingers” for fish fingers and one of her favourite songs in Frozen (which she adores right now) is “Por the Pirst Time in Porever!”
I’m looking forward to a Christmas where she understands just that little bit more than last time and really appreciates all the magic. It’s such a blessing to have two small children at this time of year – even if life does feel a bit like a hamster wheel at times.
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