Potty Precocity?

Like most parents, we tend to be especially proud of every little accomplishment and milestone attained by both Helios and Hesperos. It is hard to not be just the tiniest bit smug when your child is potty-trained before others or can spell words or is the size of the incredible hulk. (Why is it a source of pride when your offspring is the size of Jabba the Hut? I don't know.)

But, even I must admit that it's a little strange when an infant takes to the potty. Yet, a couple of nights ago, Hesperos started to make some tell-tale sounds and turn various colors in the red family while in the bathtub. The only likely causes were either a need to perform a bodily function or having swallowed a particularly large and disgusting bug. Since no bugs were around (and since he's not so choosy right now about what goes in his mouth), we assumed the bodily function.

Thanks to Daddy's stealth maneuvers, perfected through the last 8-9 years of being around offspring, nieces, and nephews who issue forth fluid from all possible bodily orifices, Hesperos was removed from the bath with lightening speed and placed on the potty where he proceeded to "do his business" (as one of his grandmothers would say).

Hesperos' exuded glee was matched only by an equal amount of dismay on his brother's face that his little brother was using his potty. And so the fun begins...

Thank You, Easter Bunny!

The Easter Bunny came this year and was characteristically generous to the children. In fact, under the guise of various grandparents, aunts, and uncles, the Easter Bunny visited multiple times, every time to the delight of both boys.


Hesperos' official Easter basket contained a set of blocks which, apparently, are instructional, colorful, and delightfully tasty. The Easter Bunny, omnipotent with his knowledge of what parents will/won't allow children to have, thoughtfully brought Hesperos wheat-free teething crackers instead of chocolate. In this picture, Hesperos is gazing heavenward to give thanks to the holy powers for this especially tasty holiday.

Helios also had a good Easter. Of course, there was the obligatory train gift in his basket plus a super-sized MagnaDoodle already decorated with a self-portrait of the Easter Bunny. Helios' basket was filled with little nut-free chocolate eggs which were a tasty, if questionably healthy, supplement to breakfast. Although, given Helios' chronically terrible bed head, a comb might've been a better gift choice.

The Walking Wounded

Yesterday, Helios suffered a battle wound. Regrettably, this was not the result of getting too close to a much-beloved train or even touching a fire truck. His tiny fingertip got squished in a door hinge. Naturally, he howled. Mama hugged him and told him it was okay without ever looking at his hand. When the weeping finally subsided and his hand was examined, Mama commented, "Oh, no. Does that hurt?" Predictably, that spawned a whole new bout of sniffling.

Upon further investigation, the injury appears to be limited to the entire nail of Helios' ring finger having fallen off (a fairly painful event, I'm sure). It doesn't seem that any part of his finger was damaged. His Aunt Tiffany held him while his finger was cleaned and wrapped, and even had her finger bandaged as well to show comraderie.

Helios' injury might've been the best thing to happen to him though. Not only was he endlessly cuddled and doted on by Aunt Tiffany, but he was treated to a large mixing bowl full of popcorn and allowed to watch an extra-long episode of Thomas & Friends and Caillou.