A Boy's World

For a four year old boy, adventure is the name of the game.  Just walking in the hall, past your mother, then out the back door there are knees to push, doors to slam, karate poses against invisible enemies.  At age four, there are stories to tell and large armies to assemble.  Switch n' Go dinosaurs vs. a legion of Super Heroes.  ImaginNext castle knights vs. The Ogre and The Dragon.  There are cannonballs and boulders to launch.  There are long-winded dialogues and sound effects too difficult for your mother to imitate.

Then suddenly big sister is home and your world is interrupted.  Your alone time happily traded for play alongside Sophia.  You play family.  You are Daddy, Sophia plays baby and sweet neighbor friend plays mommy.  Only a few minutes pass before protests are heard.  You've pulled their barrettes out or run from the room giggling, doll clothes in hand.  Picking at the girls is your specialty.  You find their annoyance to be great fun. 

"Hey momma!  I fixed your phone," you say in your uncharacteristically deep voice.  And sure enough you have re-assembled all four parts of my phone case.  I've disassembled Luisa's jumparoo time and time again only to have you reassemble it behind my back.  You love fixing things.  When we praise you for a job well done, you tilt your head to the side, shrug those little boy shoulders, and smile sheepishly. 

Speaking of shrugs, you continue in your habit of Italian gesticulating. When you are story-telling, especially excited, or upset you hold both arms out and move them up and down in emphasis of your point.  When you have a secret, you cup your hands in a "w" around your mouth and shout whisper your message.  Every kid has a trademark and gesturing just may be yours.

Vincent, you are quite physical.  Your favorite thing to do, in the whole wide world, is wrestle with your Daddy.  During weeks when Daddy's surgery schedule is especially brutal and for several consecutive days he doesn't arrive home until after you are asleep, I  find that you jump on my back more, push on your sister, launch yourself off the edge of the couch.  I text Daddy, "Wrestle match Saturday morning.  Your boy is wearing me out."  Then we all gather in the living room, on the red carpet, coffee table pushed back.  Tougherbat (Vincent) vs. Small Mouse (Daddy).  Names courtesy of referee, Ana Sophia.  Luisa stares wide-eyed and a little afraid.  I cheer for Tougherbat.  Forever and always.

Your physicality rarely plays out with baby Luisa.  During your fourth year of life you became a big bother and what an awesome brother you are!  You are Luisa's fierce protector against stray paper, beads, or any small choking object she might find on the floor.  We call you the "paper police."  One of Luisa's first words was "bubba," clear as day when you walked in the room.  You make her laugh. 

Sophia enjoys you as both her playmate and her foe, depending on the time of day, your blood sugar level, and whether or not you two have had too much time together.  Here in Florida you share a room with your big sister.  This close proximity results in sweet moments.  Sister has crawled in your bed numerous times when nightmares keep you from sleeping.  Sharing a room results in conniving moments when you plot and plan reasons to come out of your room, soliciting mommy and daddy in shifts to go to the bathroom, get water, and even distract us while the other runs to the playroom to retrieve a toy.  The funny moments occur when we eavesdrop on your conversations.  You've promised to buy Sophia all the cotton candy in the world and jewelry to make her feel better after she's received a reprimand.  And there are rowdy moments when you argue in the way only passionate Morlandts can do. 

During your fourth year of life, you spent most days at home with Mommy and then eventually Mommy and Luisa as Sophia attended preschool.  Currently you exhibit signs of introvert, including craving time by yourself, internal monologues that sometimes slip out as you play, and melting down when you've had too many hours and days with too many people.  One of my favorite memories of your fourth year of life occurred during a morning before Luisa arrived and while Sophia was at school.  You were playing happily in your room with your toys and puzzles.  I was cleaning the kitchen, doing laundry and listening to you play.  There was not a sound in the house, except those made in your boyish play and the hum of the washing machine.  I'm not sure how much time elapsed before I heard you crying.  I rushed to the hall to find you standing there, panic on your face.  "Momma!" you exclaimed.  "You left me!"  I pulled you in a reassuring hug, "Momma didn't leave.  I would never leave you alone.  I was washing clothes in the other room!"  So lost in your private world, you didn't see me checking on you, popping my head around the corner to silently observe your play.  I want to jump in your head and watch your worlds like a movie.  You are interesting, Vincent. 

I will end this update with four of my favorite quotes from your fourth year of life:

To me while pregnant with Luisa:

"I give your tummy a hug and a kiss.  I love you Luisa in there!"

 

In reference to this book by Peggy Rathmann.:

"Safety tip 71 - Don't yell and scream that can hurt your feelings."

 

Spontaneously said to me in the back of the van:

"You are a hundred bits of nice."

 

Overhead from the room you share with Sophia:

"Don't be sad.  I'll give you everything you ever dreamed of.  I'll buy you cotton candy."

For posterity here are a few other things that occurred during your 4th year of life:

• You completed your first 50 piece puzzle.

• Hit the ball with your baseball bat without a T-ball stand
• Began to write your name ("vint")
• Attended Mother's Day Out 2x/week and then 3x/week here in Florida
• Moved to Florida
• You were a ring bearer in your first wedding

• You became a big brother

• You learned to cast a reel, all on your own
• You continued to be the earliest riser in the family (with the exception of your Daddy who gets up at 4 a.m.!)

• We lost and found Gus (your lovie) more times than mommy can count
• You experienced numerous ear infections
• You acquired several superhero costumes.  You were fierce and strong and irresistibly cute.

• You grew everyday.  In your fourth year of life, you were loved, most loved.....

Their Thoughts on the Baby

{Soon to be family of 5.  I guess baby girl will fit right there in the middle, in place of a Popsicle in the nose.}

Sophia and Vincent have a lot to say about the newest member of our family.  As we await the arrival of our baby girl I would like to share a few of their thoughts.

{Sophia borrowed one of baby girl's outfits to dress her Rebecca Rabbit.}

 



Sophia prayed this prayer at the beginning of June when we were about to find out the sex of the baby.

"Dear God,

I pray for the baby in mommy's tummy.  I pray it will be a girl but if it's not that's ok because it will be small and cute and I don't want to hurt its feelings.  But I pray it will be a girl."

 

Vincent likes to hug my ever-growing tummy.  He puts his little face on my tummy and says,

 

"Hello baby in there.  I love you baby in there."

 

{What baby wouldn't be blessed to have these two as her siblings?!?!}

 



With all the cleaning and picking up we've been doing lately, Tony has challenged the kiddos to help me during the day.  With their daddy's admonitions not to make me bend over to grab toys and to take good care of his wife, the kiddos have become quite helpful around the house.  Vincent frequently greets his Daddy in the evening with:
 



"Daddy!  I took good care of your WIPE (because he can't say his 'f's yet) today!"

 

 

and to me

 

"Mom! I won't make you bend over!"

 

 

Their creative energies are spent making things for their baby sister.  Vincent made her a pillow from toilet paper the other day.  When Sophia learned that her baby sister would eventually share a room with her, she proceeded to decorate her walls with paintings for her sister.  She got the idea of painting pictures for the nursery from this book:

She copied every picture in the book.  Then she hung them on her wall with blue painter's tape where they stayed until we put the house on the market.  It broke my heart to pull them down but I stapled them into a book to read to baby girl when she arrives.

Each day, we await baby girl's arrival with growing anticipation.  Halloween decorations, pumpkins, and mums are making their appearance around our neighborhood.  I smile with the knowledge that a Fall blessing will, prayerfully, soon make her appearance into our lives as well.  I have a feeling that one of the greatest joys this time around, will be watching our two children welcome their new sister into our family.....


 

Vincent's 3 Year Old Update

Vincent turned three almost two months ago.  I would love to capture in this bloggy space just a glimpse of the delight he is to our family on this his 3rd year of life...

In the last year we have delighted in milestones reached.  Vincent was potty trained in March and we've enjoyed a diaper-free household (if only for a time).  Vincent was easily potty trained, possibly a second child phenomonan?  Right around the same time he was potty trained he began to insist on being called, "big boy."  Lullabies were no longer to be sung with the word, "baby."  "Momma!  Say 'big boy!'"  "Sweet little Vincent Laws, mommy's baby boy," turned overnight into "Sweet little Vincent Laws, mommy's big boy."  In case we questioned his transition to "big boy" status, he would proudly stand up in his dining room chair and reach for the sky.  "Look Momma.  I'm a big boy.  I eat my chicken.  I will grow big!"

We tell Vincent often that he is a big, strong, brave boy.  He seems to take these admonitions to heart as he dons his Storm Trooper mask and light saber to take on the evil Darth Vader, who happens to arrive around 6:00 each evening wearing scrubs and Dansko surgery shoes.  An arsenal of swords and light sabers clutter Vincent's bookshelves, along with a slew of Thomas Trains, MegaBlocks, puzzles, and MatchBox cars.  Just recently Vincent has taken to arranging our couch pillows around the living room.  He then positions himself in a perfect fencing stance, lifts high his light saber and stabs the pillows declaring, "I kill you!  I got you!"  What is he imagining in his boyish mind's eye?  Legions of Storm Troopers?  Bears?  Snakes?  Or maybe cockroaches?  The latter he defended his sister and I against when it crawled out from under the couch.  We squeled and he raced for his light saber pushing it back under the couch with its red tip, all the while declaring, "I save you!"  No matter the foe, he meets his adversaries with a scowl and determination. 

{The scowl with a makeshift sword and his buddy Judah}

Vincent's physicality has exploded in the last 3 months.  I hover with uncertainty as he wrestles his friend James.  They grab eachother's shirt collars and swing eachother around until someone falls on the ground.  They push eachother and stand deadlocked until the other gets tired and falls, all the while laughing deep belly laughs of delight.  Occassionally, Vincent will try the same moves on his older sister, knocking her over unexpectedly, or jumping on her back while she colors.  She plays along for a short time before rising in righteous indignation at his rough play.  Needless to say, when Tony gets home the coffee table is moved to the corner of the living room, the red rug serving as the perfect wrestling ring for father and son.  Glad my extra X chromosome excuses me from such shenagagins. 

{Vincent with our friends, the Sampsons.  James is his wrestling buddy.}

Besides wrestling play Vincent enjoys "time in his bed," where he does jigsaw puzzles and plays with his Thomas trains.  We have seen a decrease in requests for "time in his bed," as the backyard has become his refuge for solidarity.  He enjoys playing in the sand box.  He likes to take his "big boy tools" up on Morlandt mountain where he beats the dead tree stump with his mallet.  The "big boy tools" were a gift from his Grandpa and Ms. Leslie.  They are authentic tools including wrenches, screwdrivers, mallets, a measuring tape, safety goggles, and a slew of other tools I do not have the vocabulary to name.  Each tool was ground down so as to reduce the risk of pinching or cutting oneself or one's sisters.  They are all encased in a genuine, red tool box complete with stickers of the electrical trade.  It pays to have a Master Electrician as a grandfather!  Vincent treasures his tool box and can be found lugging it's heavy contents around the house to fix his sister's doll chair or anything else that looks broken. 

Vincent's imaginative play is developing early.  Having an older sibling helps, I think.  For a few days this summer Vincent and Sophia spent each afternoon perfecting a "medicine soup" of dirt, leaves, and sidewalk chalk to nurse King Louis, who lives in the branches of the Magnolia tree at the top of Morlandt mountain, back to health.  The soup was concocted in the back of a yellow Tonka dump truck using a selection of some of my favorite kitchen spoons.  Weeks later I am still collecting spoons from the backyard.  Vincent likes to dig all the soil out of the large, empty flower pot.  I watch from the kitchen window and reassure myself that although they do not have access to miles of country land, like I did, Vincent and Sophia's backyard serves as their kingdom for wild imaginations and explorations.  As I stand in the sunny window my heart is filled with gratitude for the opportunity to observe them unaware in their creative play. 

{Mornings outside}

{Playing doctor}

{Excavator and dump truck work at our favorite park - Triangle Park!}

Other favorites include Scooby Doo, Diego, and Star Wars.  Vincent would live on chips and french fries if allowed.  His favorite phrase is, "Hey!  I need to tell you something!," said frequently and with great intensity to friends and strangers alike.  Vincent adores his sister, most of the time, and at the park last week he said, "My sissy is the best.  I love her in my heart."  We have heard Vincent refer to Sophia as "Sophia," only a handful of times.  It's always "sissy," and it warms my heart to hear her referred to as such.  He loves all of us in his heart and will frequently end the day, after his daddy has tucked him in with, "Daddy, I love you in my heart.

Vincent continues to be a tender heart.  He is easily corrected for the most part but exhibits the strong will that seems to characterize our little family.

{Where strong willed children end up}

Vincent has been prone to ear infections over the last two years.  When the stomach virus has darkened our door step, Vincent takes weeks to recover.  Most recently he was plagued with hand, foot, and mouth virus - a truly unfortunate and painful virus.  These illnesses worry a mother's heart but are merely milestones of a strenthening immune system.  We are truly thankful for his overall health this last year!

Vincent, you are full of personality and expression.  You keep your Italian heritage alive with passionate storytelling, complete with animated gesticulating and facial expressions.  You make us smile everyday.  Your personality is a fantastic, delightful story unfolding right before our eyes.  How blessed we are to be your parents!

{Personality in motion}

Things Parents Say

I recently rediscovered a list in an old journal of funny things I've heard myself say to the children.  Here are a few to brighten your day:

1.  "We do not lick counters."
2.  "There is more to cake than icing."
3.  "Do not lick the truck."
4.  "Guys, please stop yelling 'No' at one another.  Yell 'flowers and sunshine,' or something else."
5.  "We must wear pants when we fly a kite."
6.  "Shoes do not belong in hummus."
7.  "We wear clothes when we play outside."
8.  "We do not put Velveeta in the sandbox!"
9.  "Please do not brush the dogs with your hair brush."
10.  "Why in the world is there poop on your feet?"

While this list makes me smile, it may be a rather telling picture of life in the Morlandt house.  Obviously my kiddos have a difficult time staying clothed through-out the day and they like playing with their food.  But then again, what kid doesn't?

And here's a picture - just because I love the men in my life:

Passionate Sophia

     Sophia turned four on October 29, 2011 and while I have jotted down thoughts here and there about the goings on of her fourth year of life, I am only now sitting down to compose them in an orderly fashion.  Writing these updates takes time and effort.  Recently I read a quote that renewed my determination to persevere in these annual observations despite their difficulty.  “To love a [child] well, we must become a student of him. To see him, we must observe him, consider him, perceive him, and learn him. This involves lots of listening, patience, and attentiveness.

The nature of seeing combines three elements:

1.      a curiosity about who he is

2.      an appreciation for who he is

3.      a vision for who he will become”

~ Wild Things, The Art of Nurturing Boys (as quoted on GypsyMama's blog)

So now I will write of Sophia’s fourth year of life, her activities and her interests but more importantly I hope to capture her essence.  Who she is now so that who she becomes might look back and see her beginnings and evolution through the years.

     If I had to use one word to describe Sophia at age four it would be PASSIONATE.  She exhibits great passion in her preference, her play, and her personality.

Preference – Sophia is a girl of strong preference.  She prefers Disney princesses over any other character (Hello Kitty would be a close 2^nd).  She prefers playing with others rather than alone.  Her favorite teachers are Mrs. Elmore (Sunday School teacher) and Ms. Ganelle (childcare provider at our church’s gym).  She prefers chewing gum above any other reward and she prefers to go to bed with a mountain of books piled around her.  “More books in my bed, please,” is a nightly request after we tuck her in.  There are usually more books in her bed than on her shelves.  She prefers to go through the day with tangles and knots in her hair.  Much to her dismay, her mother prefers neatly combed hair with two braids and two clips.  Neighbors, if you pause quietly sometime between 8:30 – 9:30 in the morning you will hear wild screaming coming from our residence.  Please know that I am not torturing my daughter but rather brushing her hair with loads of detangler – she is passionate in her vocal opposition of this daily ritual.

Play – Her favorite play activity during her 4^th year of life was painting/coloring/drawing.  Our hearts are warmed by her creations.  Her favorite theme in free painting were portraits of our family with flowers and vases.  She also learned to string tiny beads this year and has become quite the jewelry artist.

 {"Rainbow sky"}

Sophia is passionate about babies – both real and pretend.  When we are out and about town and see a small infant, Sophia will coo with delight then dart over to pat the baby’s head and kiss them.  I am working with her on no kissing or at least kissing only their socked feet (unfamiliar four year olds planting kisses on small babies understandably concerns most mothers).  She loves to hold other people’s babies and it warms my heart to see her be so loving and gentle.  On the pretend side, she is passionately devoted to her own “children,” as she calls them.  Her children are a diverse lot ranging from small bears, mice, baby dolls, and American doll knock-offs.  She takes her role as mother quite seriously and pushes them around in the stroller, swaddles them tightly, and corrects them firmly – frequently placing them in time-out.  She is passionate about dressing them and loves to acquire new outfits for her dolls.  Occasionally she asks me to babysit her “children” while she runs errands.  There are lengthy instructions on meal and bath routines.  When I’m “babysitting” Sophia calls me “grandma,” solidifying my resolve to never be called that later in life. 

 {"Momma, take a picture of me and my children!"}

 {Picnic with her children}

{Happy Birthday, Hello Kitty!}

She is passionate in her play with her brother.  She alternates between passionate admiration and passionate dislike as all siblings do, especially those sandwiched 19 months apart.  They spend many hours on “Morlandt mountain,” the small hill in our backyard.  They have created their own imaginary world amongst the magnolia tree that grows green and low at the top of the hill.  They stand on a stmp of a tree, grab the magnolia branches and swing by their arms like little monkeys.  When indoors, their preferred play activity is building “forts” from couch, bed, and throw pillows from around the house.  They stack them up high then jump from the dining room chairs into the pile.  Yes, I allow them to do this.  It wasn’t too long ago that I did the same thing with my brothers and the memories are precious.  They also enjoy playing with play food, serving us up pizza, cupcakes, and cookies on a nightly basis.

 {The beginnings of a fort}

Recently Sophia has become quite passionate about the dogs – defending them when we scold them for barking too much and bringing them treats and toys when they are locked in their crates.  She enjoys dressing Bella up in costumes but knows better than to mess with the feistier Schnauzer!!!  She loves to play fetch with them in the back yard and giggles with delight when they jump on the couch to sit beside her. 

     Sophia recently rediscovered "dressing up."  She took a long break from this past-time but I can now say that every afternoon our hardwood floors are covered with brightly colored princess and fairy dresses, scarves, hats, and beads. 

 {Dress up and dance - I love the pointed toes!}

Personality – Besides being passionate in her personality she is also self-assured.  Her confidence shines forth when she displays her artwork.  After she completes a painting or colors a picture I hang it in our gallery in the laundry room.  Later that day or the next day I will frequently find those same pieces of artwork removed from the gallery and strategically placed through-out the house for greater visibility.  For example, she props them up against the lamp in the living room, on my jewelry box, or on her brother’s tool bench.  We find them hung on the old widow latches in the kitchen, taped to the wall in the dining room, or placed on her daddy’s pillow.  She is proud of her work and resents it being relegated to the laundry room.

                She is passionate about gifts – both the giving and the receiving.  I once made her a homemade card and she slept with it for days.  When her brother naps she likes to gather up toys from around the house, wrap them in towels, then place them outside of his door for him to discover and open upon waking.  As a special gift to me, she has become quite the helper.  She can rinse dishes and crack an egg like an expert.  She has become quite efficient at cleaning up toys, although we are working on organizing them - mommy included!

                She is tender hearted.  We monitor the movies we watch because she becomes frantic if the main character is harmed in any way (you can imagine the tears and screams of protest during Dumbo and Pete’s Dragon).  Another good example of her tender heart is an interaction we overheard at a park recently.  Sophia was playing with two girls about her age when her brother came over and tried to join in their play.  The little girls informed Vincent that he couldn’t play because he was a boy.  Sophia replied matter-of-factly, “He’s my little brother.  He’s a Morlandt.”  She then gave him a role in their pretend play, most likely the “baby” but I was proud of her still.

                She is passionately “in charge,” and this can be both a blessing and a challenge.  We are working on “you will not always get your way.”  She is a girl who likes to know what is coming next and likes to teach others.  We attempt to harness her leadership spirit to appropriate situations, with frequent reminders that “Mommy is in charge.  Daddy is in charge.  Jean Jean is in charge.”  She has grown so much in the last year in this area.  I am proud of her strong, yet tender spirit.

                She continues to be passionately fearless.  She’s never met a stranger.  Just the other day we were playing in the sandbox at the zoo when she walked over to a stranger to admire her earrings.  Sophia reached up to touch the stranger’s dangling pink crystal hoops.  She then looked the stranger in the eye and said with passionate longing, “If I had those earrings I would treasure them for the rest of my life.”  You will not find the words “shy” or “reserved” in describing Sophia.  She is fearless on the playground and will climb up and jump down from high equipment.  She has learned to climb over our chained link fence and has led her brother and neighborhood friends to do the same. 

                And finally she is passionately descriptive in her language.  One moment we are the recipients of loving soliliques, the next harsh tongue lashings.  Her vocabulary continues to expand, with such grown-up words as “banished,” “require” and “foolish” appearing in her daily conversations.   

                For posterity sake, I now feel the need to record her weekly activities.  For many reasons that I will not go into here on the blog, we decided to keep Sophia and Vincent out of Mother’s Day Out this year.  Yet you will not find us home on most mornings of the week.  Sophia’s week stays busy with ballet, Bible Study Fellowship, Dawson childcare while mommy works out, Kindermusik, gymnastics (last fall), and playdates with sweet friends.  She spends the night with her Jean Jean about once a month and those two girls have the best time!  Cookie baking, jewelry making, art, worksheets – her nights with Jean are jam packed with activity and fun.  About once or twice a week Sophia and I sit down at the kitchen table and have “school.”  We are working on identifying letters and sounds, following directions, and writing her name.  Our one on one time together while brother naps is dear to my heart.  In the fall Sophia will be starting Preschool at one of our local elementary schools.  We are all very excited about this opportunity!

 {Beginning of the 2011-2012 ballet season}



{Sophia's ballet recital last year, Spring of 2011.  This video so perfectly captures her sweet, unique personality.  She gets totally lost in the moment and has her own way of doing things. I love this girl....}

 {Sophia and Lawson - partners in crime...}

                {Sweet girls - Natalie and Sophia}

 {One afternoon while brother slept, Sophia and I went on a butterfly rescue mission}

 {Butterflies were everywhere!} 

     Baby girl, my prayer is that when you have grown into the beautiful young woman I know you will be, you will look back and feel that I “observed you, considered you, perceived you, and learned you.”  I may not get it right and you will certainly change over the coming years.  But know this; you delight me and your daddy.  You’re our “Soph la Doph” and I love you dearly….