How to Slow Down Time?

Calvin who is now two and half has been telling elaborate stories with more details than ever before. But he's also gotten to the point where his ability to describe his world is slightly below the complexity of the ideas he wants to share, which can lead to some frustrating moments.

One of these moments was a couple weeks ago, I was changing Thomas and I exclaimed, "Wow, that's a big poo!" Calvin started saying something rapidly, and ran to the next room while talking. Then I hear him crying. I quickly wrap up the diaper to make sure he's okay, I find him in the bathroom trying to drag his giant heavy sink stool to the changing area because he wanted to "see the big poop" He was very upset that it was already wrapped up and only calmed down after I unwrapped it for a quick peek.

I love hearing him reason to himself, repeat what happens in the day:
"No Ho jie cheet ah, mommy cheet yah"
(If Calvin cuts the fruit with the knife, it is dangerous, mommy should cut the fruit instead)
"Ho jie bae chee gun mommy, mommy thank you, ho jie your welcome, ok?"
(If Calvin gives mommy the spoon, you say thank you and I'll say your welcome)

And what's more, I hear him starting to express his desires, thoughts, and love without it being a response from us.

"Mommy fan lei, Ho jie happy." (Mommy came back, Calvin's happy)

"Ho jie jee gai!" (Calvin wants to do it by himself)

"Doh dee poh poh, yee yee" (More Grandma and Auntie--> I want to keep hanging out with Grandma and Auntie)

"Ho jie cho hung sik fae gae" (Calvin wants to ride the red plane when he wasn't quite tall enough to ride that ride)

He's also becoming more independent, before the light turns green in the morning, he tries on new clothes, goes to the bathroom, and reads to his stuffies. I can hear him over the monitor retelling the books just like we read them to him and laughing at all the right parts. He draws recognizable little people, is able to engage with the puzzles he used to just scatter all over the floor, and he has an imagination that he can share with us. It's been delightful seeing him thrive and be happy, I want to bring him treats and new toys every day to see him happy.



Thomas just almost two months, while he mostly still just lumps, he is becoming rounder and more alert. He looks around and smiles. We are becoming more convinced that they are genuine smiles and not gas. Thomas is also starting to look a bit more like Calvin did when he was 2-3 months old, but also distinct with his own little sets of features. One difference though is when Calvin gets sad, he pouts out his little bottom lip and it quivers. When Thomas cries, his mouth collapses into a a giant upside-down smile. Looking at him sometimes makes me feel like I'm looking at baby Calvin, or sometimes, even like looking at my youngest sister as a baby.

 


I've found that as a second time parent of a newborn, I am more at ease/have less time to worry about most things. Am I hold him too much? Is he sleeping enough? Is he sleeping too much? Milestones? I remember all the things that I wondered about with Calvin and everything was just in a huge range of normal. And I know that the next stage that is to come is also wonderful, and will be my new favorite, and hopefully that hold as my older grows from this sweet, funny toddler into a capable, independent child. For now, I'm enjoying this sweet, lumpy, squishy stage for what it is, just a short snippet of time. And I know that if something is hard or painful that it will pass, but all the same but I also I feel a pang of sadness almost grieving when there's evidence that a stage is ending. Like when Calvin tells me, "bye mom, I'm going to Auntie Huang's and I'm going to eat cereal with milk" and "goodnight mom, I love you and I'll see you when the light is green" cause he's growing up, and it only goes in one direction. I both am delighted to see him grow up, and want his little toddler talk and his little toddler run to last forever. Then I relive some of those firsts again with Thomas, and when they end... well that might be the last time I hear that newborn coo'ing, or that these little tiny dino newborn pants will fit their little tiny butts.

It's impossible to express how much gratitude we feel for the immense support that has come from my school community, friends, and neighbors. We are getting to spend more time enjoying these fleeting moments and trying to make memories that last.