Toddler Telephone

R and I have taken to sending Tadpole back and forth with messages these days, a role she relishes.  She happily summons us to dinner, offers snacks, offers to care for her younger sister, and generally makes herself helpful.

Today, I got a particularly interesting message:
"Daddy, I get to poop with Sprout!"

Did I mention that sometimes Tadpole's messages are a bit garbled?  When I confirmed the message with R, it was closer to what I'd first expected:

"Daddy, Sprout just pooped and mommy wants you to change her diaper."

Lucky me.

Rocket Ships

This evening we walked in on Tadpole just before bed drawing on the whiteboard. "I'm drawing a rocket ship," She announced.  "With flames coming out of the back."  Further questioning revealed that the figure in the middle is either the pilot or the canopy.

My daughter is amazing.  We've got a few books about space, and watch YouTube videos from the space station, but I didn't see this coming at all. 

Sometimes developments sneak up on you gradually, little pieces falling into place bit by bit. Other times they jump out of left field.  Tonight, Tadpole's drawing, and description, leapt out of left field.

She's pretty incredible. And she's drawing rockets with fire and canopies that will carry her far away someday.

Sleeping Babies

Sprout's asleep right now. And twitching occasionally to reassure me.  We've discovered that she can manage about 20 minutes in the crib at night, or hours in my arms/lap.  So R gets some sleep to start the night, and I get snuggles, which are awesome.

Based on recent experience, things you can do with a sleeping baby late at night:

• Listen to a podcast (quietly)
• Watch John Stewart (as long as I don't mind a trek to the basement, so as not to wake anyone else)
• Read Nebula-nominated Sci-Fi book "Fire With Fire"
• Tweet snarky comments about Fire With Fire because they're needed
• Work
• Blog

Things you can't do with a sleeping baby

• Most of the house cleaning since it involves 2 hands or tromping up and down stairs
• Sleep
• Listen to a podcast while blogging
• Edit and publishable blog post

Things you can do with a not-sleeping baby

• Dance
• Make shushing noises
• Cover her eyes and then look at them every 30 seconds
• Play Rosanna by Toto on repeat (this song lulled Tadpole when she was an infant, and seems to work on Sprout)
• Try to accumulate more steps on tracking app by making circuits of the kitchen
• Hand her over to mom

And Now We Are Four

Three weeks ago we welcomed a new addition to the household.

This week Tadpole celebrated her third birthday.  I have been thinking of her as "almost three" since at least November, so it's nice to actually have a three year old.

Since Tadpole and I share a birthday (best birthday present ever!), we are now together 34.  Also, I got to have my birthday dinner at Two Toots, a train restaurant!

So now we are four.  R and I, and Tadpole and Sprout.  Tadpole's pretty excited about being a big sister.  R and I are trying to remember what sleep is like.

Also we have a cat, to complete the picture of things.