It's hard not to put some of the differences between Jasmine and Beau down to gender. And whether Beau is rougher because he's a boy is anyone's guess. But hey, I'm up for some gratuitous gender stereotyping!
Beau has become a real Man Of Mischief recently. Even his teacher at childcare commented to me the other day, "He' so curious! He wants to touch everything, put his hands into everything! He will be a scientist one day." I couldn't help but be reminded of all the stories I've heard about his dad as a toddler touching everything in every store he entered.
One of his favourite pastimes while I'm cooking dinner these days (other than crying around my ankles to be picked up) is to open the bottom drawer of our pantry and take all the bottles in and out with as much glass clanking and noise as possible. It's not really an ideal activity, but it's the only thing that keeps him quiet for 5 minutes at that time of day. Fortunately none have spilt yet, especially since there are some with contents that would be a doozy to clean up (like sesame oil or fish sauce, euggh!).
We never had to put child locks on any of our cupboards or drawers with Jasmine. She just figured out which ones were ok to play in, and which ones were out of bounds. Beau, on the other hand, will have a crack at opening anything. He especially loves the fridge and freezer, and says " 'ot! 'ot" (hot) whenever he touches anything inside. We've had to 'lock' it shut with an ikea plate wedged behind the handles, and for a day or two after we implemented the new high tech locking system he would stand there grunting like crazy trying to get it open and then throw himself on the floor, crying in frustration when he couldn't.
He has also discovered the highly entertaining pastime of irritating his big sister. Which, I guess, as her younger brother is his birthright. It's made me so grateful I had a little sister! He loves to give her a whack on the head to get a reaction. Which, of course, he does every time.
The other morning Beau finished his man-sized bowl of porridge and refused milk and toast, which is very unlike him. He kept saying 'Booze' and shaking his head. I couldn't figure out what he wanted. 'Booze, booze". Finally he reached around and patted his bottom and I realised that he was trying to tell me he had done a poo!
Trouble is, he's also starting to get very cross when I try to change his nappy, and will often give me a whack or try to pull my hair when I carry him to the change table. Usually I'd just put him down on the floor, but it kind of defeats the purpose when that's exactly what he wants! Plus when he does it he usually has a big stinker in his pants which would just squish everywhere.
Here are a few photos of my favourite little Man Of Mischief.
We have endured pretty much non-stop illness for the last month. Beau has had croup twice, a double ear infection and bronchiolitis, and for one night, what we feared might be meningitis (but wasn't, thank goodness). Jasmine meanwhile has had croup and bronchiolitis and mummy has almost had a nervous breakdown.
I was feeling so relieved that we'd made it through winter with two whole months free of illness, but it came back to bite me in spring. I have got so used to seeing Beau with green snot coming out of his nose and red-rimmed eyes I've almost forgotten what he looks like well.
Fortunately he's a little trooper and pretty cheerful even when he's crook. He spent most of Thursday last week being lugged around in the back seat of the car while I did errands, happily playing with an empty yogurt tub. Not one whinge or whine, just big smiles every time I turned around to look at him, thrilled with his toy and a few seconds of attention.
Jasmine, on the other hand, has been very testing again lately. When Jasmine was a baby I thought she cried a lot because that's just what babies did. Then, when she started childcare I thought she cried a lot because she was sick so often. Then when she turned two I thought she cried (and had tantrums) a lot because she was in the terrible twos, and was also dealing with having a baby in the house. Now she still cries, whinges, whines and tantrums a lot but I also have another child who is so different that I've come to realise that it's just her personality. So I have started compiling a list of possible vocations for someone who is headstrong, determined, grumpy and sensitive. I've only got two so far, so if you have any other suggestions please let me know:
1) Actress
2) Managing Director
Everyone knows how obsessed Jasmine is with pink. Since it's been a long time since my last blog I thought I'd give you an overview of a few happenings in pinkland.
Jasmine has taken to getting up during the night when the whole house is sleeping, running to the laundry, turning on the lights, dragging her step stool in, fishing through the dirty laundry until she finds her favourite princess fairy dress (which is only ever on or in the laundry basket - as soon as it's washed it's back on again without delay), puts it on, then runs back to her bedroom and climbs back into bed and sleeps the rest of the night in her filty, stinky fairy dress.
The other day when watching an episode of Sesame Street Jasmine pointed out a pink monster and said "Mummy, were you ever pink?"
I said "No, I was never pink."
"Was your hair ever pink?"
"No, I've never had pink hair." (Pretty much every other colour of the rainbow though!)
"Mummy, when I get bigger, can I be pink?"
...explanation about why we are born a colour and that's the colour we'll always be, and that people can be born lots of different colours and all colours are lovely and beautiful...
"But I want to be pink!"
...short explanation of why she can't be pink...
"BUT I WANT TO!!!"
...melt down.
Last night; "Mummy, when I get bigger I'm going to be a princess and live in a pink castle with a pink car, and a pink roof and a sparkly pink cat and a pink dog that licks me".
