Rather than boring everybody with more stories from our ‘Gastrointestinal Ward’, i opt for another of Mika’s drawings: “it’s a really bad bee (center), chasing a little bug (left), followed by a good bee (right)”.

Mika informed me the other day that “for Halloween this year, i want to be a butterfly so i can fly. You have to wear a butterly costume too, and Tobin can be a caterpillar since he’s the baby!” (see above).

Unrelated, except for the fact that they’re cute drawings, are the two t-shirts she decorated for herself and Tobin: On Mika’s shirt is a self portrait, holding a towering ice cream cone, as well as a sailboat with the number 4 on it (“cause i am 4 years old”). On Tobin’s shirt you can see a dinosaur (“boys like Tyrannosaurus Rex”) … and another sailboat with the number 1 on it.

Mika has been obsessed with making masks these days. Last night, she used one of her ‘teeth’ clippings as a beak and created a new monster species.

Tobin got dragged by the bug until late Monday night – 3 days of throwing up and nearly no food! Today we continued our very cautious approach to mealtimes and everything stayed where it belonged. He seemed to have most of his energy back, but timing for Mika’s school pickup was awful: right after he had fallen asleep for his much needed nap! Olivia’s mom came to the rescue and picked up Mika, but Tobin was still mighty tired when we left the house to meet his sister at her impromptu playdate.

Unfortunately, Mika picked up the stomach bug that has been making the rounds at school all week … just in time for the weekend!  She started being sick in the middle of last night, and Tobin joined her in the morning right after the first bites of his breakfast. It’s been going downhill ever since.

SUNDAY update: Mika is slowly doing better and has been on the BRAT diet, but Tobin threw up until noon today all day long. Most of the weekend he spent resting on either Sung’s or my shoulder, but at least we’ve been able to keep him sufficiently hydrated.

Another run to Luna’s Vet with Tobin in tow. Just this time under decidedly less friendly skies. Also, Tobin was awake the whole time and got a bit concerned about all the growling and hissing he witnessed. When they took Luna out of the room to take a blood- and urine sample, he asked me “(Lu)Na … done?” and pointed to her carrier. I hope he just meant to ask if her checkup was going to be over soon…

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Here’s Tobin trying to imitate a dog (wff-wff), a cat (miamm), and birds (pee-pee-pee). He just recently started exploring animal voices, but already cracks up if i ask him whether ‘the cat says woof-woof?’ or other simple jokes. I like this phase of pre-talking … when they assign words to objects/people without being able to actually pronounce them yet.

Here’s his ACTIVE ‘vocabulary’ so far (Tobin / German / English):

Daddyyyyyyy / – / Daddy

Ma-Ma / Mami / –

‘Na / Luna (this applies to any cat)

wff-wff / Hund / dog (woof-woof)

Nein / Nein / no

Ba’ / Ball / ball

Ba’ / Banane / banana

Bau’ / Baum / tree

Lgch / Licht / light

(ah) done! / fertig! / (all) done!

Nas’ / Nase / nose

Mmmm’ / Mund / mouth

However, his PASSIVE vocabulary must be much further ahead. Here are some examples of what i could ask him to do/respond to (We talk in German, but i write it down in English for this blog. Most of it he understands in English as well):

Where is Mika/Luna/Daddy? (points)  Where is Tobin? (hides)

Where is your nose? Mouth? Eyes? Ears? Belly Button?

Please put it back in the box and close the lid.

Arms up!

Get up.   Walk.   Sit down.

Are you tired? (If yes, he leans/crashes his head onto my shoulder)

Do you need to poop? (grunts) Did you pee? (reaches down to his diaper)

Go to the living room and get an orange. Bring it over so that i can peel it for you (this being said in the kitchen, with no view of the fruit bowl)

Please close the door (this was when i was taking a shower and he had opened the door to squeeze into the bathroom as well, so it was getting cold. I was really surprised that he understood me *and* was willing and able to close the bathroom door behind him)

Please throw out your diaper (getting him started early on the household chores…)

Could we possibly have too many bath toys? The kids prefer old packaging over actual toys, with the exception of xylophone and drums. The baby wipes container are among their favorite bathtime playthings.

Mika and i took Tobin to his first ever music class … with New York’s Queen of Children’s Rock, Audra Rox. He danced, clapped hands, and played instruments with the big kids. Then he lied down (!) for the final lullaby song, and got his first set of stamps after class.

Tobin and i caught another glimpse of Baby Harold today, who was almost too busy sleeping and drinking to pay us any attention. Only after all other needs were sufficiently satisfied, we were granted eye contact. Newborns are hard working people (and so are their parents!).

Today was Mika’s first visit to the dentist – better late than never. All 20 teeth were accounted for and cleaned professionally (see above). Mika made out like a bandit: not only did she get a toy of her choice, but also got sent home with a new tooth brush, stickers, coloring booklet and some other dental trinkets. I sure don’t remember getting a whole goodie bag after my first visit to the dentist … i think i just got my first filling.

(Shepard Fairey-inspired artwork created here)