The beginnings of Kinder-hood

Andi and Robot

A brother's kiss

Vinny at the Goonsa Gansa Park

Vinny on a hike in the Vienna Woods

The kidlet mobile

Dainty little finger

Nice face, Vin.

A very hungry caterpillar we found in our broccoli

We have finally moved into the new house, Elsie is about 3.5 months old now, and Vinny has started his second week of kindergarten. At 2 months shy of his 2 year birthday, he is starting to really talk up a storm. This happened in a flash over the summer. I would say he went from just 'apple', 'frog' and 'dog' to real communication. I, unfortunately, have been too overwhelmed, tired and busy to keep a strong record of his growth, but here is a little glossary for you of the Vinny of today.

Words Vinny says:
Letalo (translation: airplane)
Oblaki (translation:cloud)
Voda (translation:water)
Riba (translation:fish)
Mleko (translation:milk)
Goonsa Gansa Park (translation: Any park with a swingset)
Pasta
Train
Auto
Wamboomboomboom (translation:watermelon)
Bellendindin (translation:belly button)
Coptuter (translation:computer)
Essie!! (translation:Elsie!)
Traktor
Monkey
Gjjaff (translation:giraffe)
Bear
Apple
Book
Puncka (translation:girl)
Fantek (translation:boy)
see comments for more...(Andi and mom...add what words you can remember into the comments)



Sentences Vinny says:
Good Morning Mama (Every single morning when I walk down the stairs, I hear this excited little angelic voice say these words. It melts my heart)
Vinny dinking wata (He said this whole sentence this last weekend when we had a family BBQ in our dirt and gravel 'garden')
No biting (He hears us say this a lot. He is a big fan of chewing on Essie)
Essie cayin (translation:Elsie is crying)
Green shoes off (We have surrendered and yes, little baby crocs are all that little Vinny wears. He has outgrown his blue pair, and we are waiting for him to fit into his yellow pair. Currently he sports his little green crocs every day. I suppose we will change this once winter rolls around.)
I love mama (I say, "I love Vinny", he says, "I love mama". Anyone else says "I love Vinny", he says, "I love mama." It's the best)
Let's go, buddy (About a month ago he completely surprised me by walking up to me, taking my hand and pulling me with him while saying this. I melted. Now he says it all the time, and even the kindergarten teacher uses it to get him to go places)
Ice cream please (a popular sentence this summer)

Kindergarten started last week. I was oh so very excited for it to start. I thought it would mean a break for me, finally. But I failed to realize that in fact, no, my days are actually much busier now. The way this 'kindergarten' (I suppose it is called daycare in the States) works is the parents join the kids for the first few days/weeks of classes until they are comfortable and feel at home. It is only then that the school will 'invite' you to step outside of the classroom for 10 minutes. Then a half an hour, then a couple of hours, then you can move into the regular routine again.

For the entire duration of Vinny's first week, I was not invited to step out. It was only today that I left for about 15 minutes, and he handled it really well. He askes for 'Mama?' 'Mama?' 'Mama?' often, but he isn't panicky or insistent. I think he just likes to say it, it is an easy word for him to say.

So I think it will work well this week, and maybe by next week I will get a few hours a day off. And by off, I mean to take care of just little Elsie and to keep working on putting the house together.

Elsie is a super easy, super sweet little girl. She knows when she is hungry, she knows when she needs a fresh diaper, and she knows when she is lonely. Other than that, she is cool just joining us on trips around town, to furniture stores, to hardware stores and to lighting stores. When we are stuck at home, she is building her patience with her brother, who is so excited to see her, he shakes and must MUST touch her. Touching her can include a gentle hug, a kiss, even a lick on the head while he says, "Like ice cream". But touching can, and often does, include biting her fingers and/or toes or pressing his teeth into her head. We have now established the "No biting" corner. I hope it will work.

Today included kindergarten for about 2 hours, home for pasta and a nap (1 hour) and then legos and homemade playdough until we hit yet another furniture store.

Tomorrow will include more kindergarten, more lunch and in the evening I get to go to the first parent's night at the kindergarten. Maybe I can consider that as a 'break'?