CTKS

The Peanuts call me something that sounds like "Tahntuh Eeyah". Oddly, since Christmas, Four has taken to saying "Tahntoo yah" which makes me feel like a Star Wars character. It's my jedi name: Tantoo Ya. Little Number Five Peanut never bothered with a name - he'd just bang on my arm if I was sitting, or my bottom if I was standing: the toddler's 'hey you!' He's recently christened me 'Yaya'.


Five got new snow boots recently. His Mommy and his Yaya learned how hard it is to put a chubby two-year old foot into a stiff, unyielding boot. I was drawn out of my room by the cries of his Mommy telling him to "push your foot in, Five! Push! Push!" Gales of hopeless giggles, punctuated by a sweet little voice asking"Poose? Poose?" We tried: forcing the boot onto his foot; imparting the meaning of 'push' by exaggerated miming gestures; jumping him up and down hoping to pound his feet into the boots; holding his legs up by his ears in order to get a different angle. It was ridiculous. Not sure if his plump feet were all the way in or not, Mama Nut set him free on the living room floor. He attempted to walk, looking like a person in ski boots trying to walk on stilts. An hour, a shoe horn, and a break to recover our strength later, we decided it was hopeless: those boots just weren't made for walking.

Four has entered a new stage in his language development. His favourite phrases (when not repeating what you say) are "I said", "I told you", and "because". Sometimes they are used in combination "I told you, I said!" One afternoon, I had the delight of waking him from his nap. I crooned his name and rubbed his tummy, giggling a little at the grunts and stretches as he surfaced from sleep. His eyes fluttered open, he sat bolt upright, said "Because!" fell back to his pillow and promptly went to sleep again!

Having had an enjoyable jaunt around town, we stopped at a Farmer's Market, and bought some yummy pepperettes. Four and Five were given small morsels to eat on the way back home. As we neared the driveway, I looked back to see that Five was fast asleep with a piece of the meat clutched in his hand. I inadvertently woke him up when I unbuckled his car seat harness, and what did he do? Put the meat in his mouth and fall back to sleep, cheeks plump with their hidden stash. Classic