Boys & simple delights
Posted on | December 8, 2009 | 16 Comments
I always pictured this, and yet I could never have imagined how it really is: life with boys. My house is always a ruckus. Things are always flung, spun, twirled, jabbed. Sticks are essential. So are rocks. Forts are made everywhere. The couch is a launch pad. Trees are dangled from. Boxes are magic. They become boats and cars and rocket ships; they are played in and fought over and sawed into with serrated knives.
Each morning I wake up to the full catastrophe delight of little boy energy. Inevitably I get a finger in an eyeball, or an elbow to the ribcage. “Mommy! MOMMY LOOOK!” But by the time I do, Bean has already dragged a giggling Sprout out of my room, down the hall and into his bedroom, where I can hear thumping and banging and more laughter.
Bean is growing tall. He grew 3/4ths of an inch in the past month! Sprout is standing on his own, cruising everywhere, cutting teeth. He is hilarious. He does things purposefully just to make us laugh. He loves to bang on things: pots, cupboards, boxes. He loves music. He loves his big brother, and he beams whenever Bean enters the room. But he’s also a tattle tale—already. He makes this particular fussy sound whenever Bean takes something from him, or even just gets close enough that he might take something from him. He is absolutely, one-hundred-percent a Mama’s boy.
My sweet second son. We’re so smitten for each other, and truthfully, every single day I still kind of wish he’d stay small for a lot longer. I love to snuggle with him. I love the sleepy moments just before I tuck him into his bed at night. I love when he first sees me after I’ve been gone for the morning. I love how he gets such a kick out of everything: standing, eating, sticking his hands in the dirt.
That said, I’m much less of a wimp with him. I want him to sleep through the night now. He’s huge (really: as in, 18-24 month clothing is snug on him. SNUG.) and he has no reason to wake up four times just to tap into a boob for five minutes, although I can’t blame him for trying. It must be nice, little man. Sorry to cut you off.
So last night there was more fussing and less sleep as he adjusts to going back to sleep himself. He was indignant at first, but a trooper, and figured out how to find his pacifier & snuggle in and go back to sleep after a couple minutes of fussing. And already it was easier than the night before. By the end of the week I think we’ll be where I want us to be (as in, one or both of us will be getting five or six hours of sleep at a go!)
Aside from the whole sleep deprivation bit, which gets old, I admit, I’ve been having so much fun this month with my boys. All three of them. And even though money is tighter than it’s ever been, it is quite possible that I’m enjoying the holiday season more than I have in years past because it’s been all us, as a unit. Without the pressure to buy things—the holidays become all about shared activity, small rituals, adventures, crafts, and food.
We’ve already made a batch of gingerbread cookie dough; strung oodles of lights; and cut more than our share of snowflakes. Bean loves to do paper crafts. He memorizes the folds easily and delights with cutting each snowflake and then opening it up—each one a glorious surprise of symmetry and pattern. Sprout watches, delighted, trying to eat every paper scrap that falls to the floor.
Each morning we all look forward to the excitement of Bean scurrying out to see what the advent fairy has tucked into a little box for him: a tiny slinky, some balloons, a golden chocolate coin, a small crystal, silly putty, umbrella straws. It’s a lesson for all of us to remember: how much delight comes not from the actual gift, but from the suspense and mystery of each small box. It’s all about the ritual, the gesture of fun, and the small delightful moment of surprise.
What are some things you do as a family together this time of year?
Comments
16 Responses to “Boys & simple delights”
Leave a Reply
My Book:
ELSEWHERE:
33 before 33
CATEGORIES
Archives
- September 2010
- August 2010
- July 2010
- June 2010
- May 2010
- April 2010
- March 2010
- February 2010
- January 2010
- December 2009
- November 2009
- October 2009
- September 2009
- August 2009
- July 2009
- June 2009
- May 2009
- April 2009
- March 2009
- February 2009
- January 2009
- December 2008
- November 2008
- October 2008
- September 2008
- August 2008
- July 2008
- June 2008
- May 2008
- April 2008
- March 2008
- February 2008
- January 2008
- December 2007
- November 2007
- October 2007
- September 2007
- August 2007
- July 2007
- June 2007
- May 2007
- April 2007
- March 2007
- February 2007
- January 2007
- December 2006
- November 2006
- October 2006
- September 2006
- August 2006
- July 2006
- June 2006
- May 2006
- April 2006
- March 2006
- February 2006
- January 2006
- December 2005
- November 2005
- October 2005
- September 2005
- August 2005
- July 2005
- June 2005
December 8th, 2009 @ 4:32 pm
Boys are wonderful—and a new experience for me. I grew up with sisters and reams of female cousins. The one boy was amazing to us, all we did was giggle and squeal at pretty much anything and everything he did–he was so mesmerizing to us.
My little boy is 7 now. He is also of the hurtling, leaping, hanging…
What we do for Advent is we have a hanging calendar and each pocket holds a little strip of paper with a message—mind you, I write them the night before, I am soooooo not organized enough to have them all done… It’ll be like “check your shoe for something new” or “where you get nice and clean is something wrapped in red and green”. I am running out of rhymes though, ha ha!!!
Thanks for sharing your blog with us. You write terrific!
December 8th, 2009 @ 5:20 pm
I can’t believe how big your boys are getting. And so adorable. We always go downtown to Dayton’s (Macy’s) to see their holiday display. They usually choose a book and make it come to life with small moving figures, so you walk through the book. This year they did the same display as last year for the first time in my life. It was cute, but lame that it was the same. We always go with my mom, and then have dinner in the fancy Oak Room Grill on the twelfth floor. It gives us a chance to get out of school 15 minutes early, get all dressed up and spend some holiday time with grandma. She buys us treats and dinner, and last night she bought a couple of outfits for each kid. It was so much fun!
December 8th, 2009 @ 5:41 pm
Boys are so much fun!! Not that I know much about it now with 2 girls and one more on the way, but I had two brothers so I remember the magic!
December 8th, 2009 @ 6:42 pm
Hunting & cutting down our own CHristmas tree. Everyone helps to decorate it. Baking (which I haven’t even started yet!) there is just so much to do!
Enjoy the stress-free time!!
December 8th, 2009 @ 7:00 pm
Christina, your words touch my heart. You remind me to take note of the HUGENESS of small things, during this busy month, like small boys and small moments. Thank you for this today! Bean and Sprout are blessed little men to have a momma so nurturing.
December 8th, 2009 @ 9:56 pm
I’m the mother of 3 sons — 25, almost 21 and almost 17. I have never for a moment wished life otherwise. I love, love, love that even at these ages, my boys all adore their Mama and actually care what my opinion is on things. Go figure! Our favorite tradition was always taking a drive around town to look at all the Christmas lights on the houses. We’d get on PJ’s, the kids would take pillows and blankets, I’d make hot cocoa and we’d oooh and aaah over each house and at the end all vote on our favorite for that year.
Enjoy it all Christina — they grow up soooo soooo quickly!
December 9th, 2009 @ 1:55 am
I have two boys as well, 7 and 2, and your description of the constant chaos in the house is priceless. The noise level makes my head hurt. Just wait until Sprout can run around in the house with Bean–then you’ll really be in for it. As far as traditions, the one my kids like the best is unwrapping a different winter/Christmas book every night and reading it before bed. Some books are ours, and some are from the library. I wrap them loosely in newspaper or kraft paper–it takes a bit of time, but it’s worth it. On Saturday nights it’s a video, like the Grinch or Emmett Otter’s Jugband Christmas (my childhood favorite). Hope your holidays are wonderful, Christina!
December 9th, 2009 @ 2:35 am
….slink…..
i’ll just say we’re not doing enough (!) some grinching, breadmaking, decorating other peoples homes-(the on-top-of-it-nanna), reading wintery stories, & eating a lot of red and green peanut m & m’s. a lot.
and boy HOWDY do i hear you on the sleeping thing. ivy is just so persistent about waking up and tapping the boob. or growling at me like an angry bear if i try to get out of it. i’m so worn that i’m still obliging. but i’m gathering my strength! hearing your stories is bringing my sense of humor back and though i feel regretful at not having done *enough* yet, i feel heartened and inspired!
AS ALWAYS!
December 9th, 2009 @ 2:47 am
ohhhhh loved this– so much love– how the time FLIES, my god. the last time I saw you Sprout was in your belly!
December 9th, 2009 @ 2:52 am
Love this post! I, too, have 2 boys (4 & 19 months)…& I can’t figure out why they even make girls! BOY ARE SO GREAT! (This coming from a woman who cried when she found she was having a…boy! I know, what a nut!) We gotta get some serious traditions going. That’s been bothering me a lot. We’re so go-with-the-flow, whatever sounds good. Put on raincoats & play in the rain, stay in & play trucks, go the beach…in the sun or in the rain,take walks at night…or at 6 in the morning. I’ve got to really think about this…maybe there is some tradition in all that non-tradition. But…to this nursing thing– Does the little guy still sleeps with you or have you moved him to his own bed? I am at this same point with my little guy…there cannot possibly be a reason why one would need a boob that often. But I say that about myself & chocolate, too. He still sleeps with us, but I’ve started sleeping in my other son’s bed…until I am summoned. He WAILS & screams & won’t be pacified by anything or anyone. I keep hoping he’ll quit–his brother did at 22 months. I was okay with that–I needed to be done by 2 years, so I’m glad it happened on his terms, but this one? Oye! So, let me know about the sleeping arrangements…& congrats! Plus I love your kitchen!!
December 9th, 2009 @ 3:40 pm
What a touching entry. I am a firm believer that the little things bring the biggest joy and there is truly no better gift than time as cliche as that sounds. Looking back on my childhood, I don’t remember the gifts I unwrapped, but I do remember making Christmas cookies together, Santa coming to visit, decorating the tree. I still make the same recipes with my kids (8 and 5) that I made as a child. We also have St. Nick bring a special ornament every year that they will be able to hang on their own trees one day. I try (although I confess I’ve already failed) to read a seasonal story before bed every night.
December 10th, 2009 @ 3:12 pm
Love the update on the boys. I know the DNA fairy will probably give me nothing but boys, so I am fully anticipating a house full of ruckus. Heck, even with just one, my house is all about the ruckus!
So far, we are still establishing our traditions. Thomas is besotted with our Christmas tree and danced with joy while we put it up. I am just praying he doesn’t pull it over on himself. We are pretty determined to wake up on Christmas morning at our own house, instead of spreading ourselves thin travelling between families. And my favorite, favorite thing is the candlelight Christmas Eve service…it’s my favorite Christmas moment, singing Silent Night with our candles lit.
December 10th, 2009 @ 11:12 pm
I can’t believe the differences between life with little girls and one with little boys. My husband has instilled a love of Legos in Natalie and Sophie, but their favorite things to build are flowering meadows and cutesy grocery stores. They beg me–their mother who lives exclusively in jeans–to buy them dresses. They name each clementine section after a family member and have pretend conversations between them. They tiptoe through the house with improvised fairy wands, and I futilely search our movie collection for unfair gender stereotyping. I think I’d have to lean more toward nature than nurture on the boys love to bang on things / girls love to play house phenomenon.
We’re still in the development stage of family traditions too, but we always have some kind of advent calendar (this year it’s Lego!), and we always put up the tree together telling the story behind each ornament. Some of my favorite childhood traditions just aren’t possible here, like Christmas parades and candlelight services and driving to look at the holiday lights, but we have adopted the Italian Christmas tradition of panettone for breakfast (a fluffy sweet bread studded with candied fruit that just about makes up for all the missed traditions).
Any tips for cutting out snowflakes? Mine always seem to turn out square.
December 11th, 2009 @ 1:39 am
Oh I am loving these little glimpses into your holiday traditions…
Bethany: I want the panettone recipe!! Do you have one?
And snowflakes… you can fold one of two ways:
Fold a 8.5×11 piece of paper in half the fat way, then in half again. Keep the creased part towards you. Open the second fold, and then fold in triangular fourths (or more) Cut the raw edges off evenly, then cut again elaborately for the outer edge of the snowflake. This is the trick. The more curved, and shaped you cut the outer edge, the more elaborate the snowflake shape will be…
And the way you described your girls: exactly the way my sisters and I were growing up… which furthers my confoundedness some days..:)
December 13th, 2009 @ 7:44 pm
They are so cute together!
Nothing like a sibling bond,
that’s for sure! it’s so sweet to watch!
We always baked Christmas shaped cookies to decorate,
buy one new ornament (or make one), paint pictures,
ride around and look at Christmas lights w/ a cofffee/hot chocolate, buy mittens for the mitten tree at school,
make paper snowflakes, this year we did a paper chain for the tree and we loved it! we do alot of things, but I got
the flu last week and it really set me back big time!
tara
December 13th, 2009 @ 8:20 pm
It’s a very handmade holiday season around our house this year. Lately, I’m sort of repulsed by all the plasticy need to buy stuff. Maybe I’m getting old and crotchety, or just cheap, but I’m making nearly everything this year.
We are keeping some wonderful traditions this year — we went and cut down a little tree last weekend near Mt. St. Helens, brought it home and decorated it together. I am looking forward to finishing some knitted gifts, baking, and next weekend’s big yule dinner.
The hubby is taking time off while I’m on winter break, and we’re looking forward to some down time together. It really is a great time of year.
Your boys sound like so much fun! I am still hoping for sons, my husband for daughters — we’ll see what we end up with!