Embarrassment

Joy, laughter, pride, contentment, fulfillment, satisfaction.

All words you may associate with parenthood.

And of course, there's also frustration, confusion, exhaustion.

Try humiliation.

Sure, newborns embarrass you, like when Zeke pooped loudly, and repeatedly, in the middle of church a few weekends ago.

And of course toddlers have embarrassment potential, too, like our one-year-old Luke who would throw tantrums in the most public of places and flop around like a freshly reeled fish on a wooden pier.

But the embarrassment rises to new heights when your child learns to speak in words that people other than his parents can understand.

Today, for example.

Luke pointed at a very-nearby dad at the park who wore a ponytail (not a common sight in Orchard Park) and declared loudly as he pointed at the man: "LADY!"

We wanted to become ostriches, bury our heads in the sand, and disappear.

Later, Luke aimed his finger at a small-in-stature man and responded to the man's kind waves at him with: "KID!"

We wished turtlehood upon ourselves. Heads in shells. Gone.

And in Wal-Mart, Luke pointed to a tiny bikini top that we passed and called out, "NUMMIES!"

Grateful we didn't teach him those feminine parts by their anatomically correct names.

And this is just today.

Our little parrot listens.

(When you think there is no way on earth he is listening.)

He repeats.

(When you think what you said involved way too many syllables.)

And he remembers.

(Even words he hears only once.)

So in the grocery store when we passed a woman as she exclaimed an exceptionally foul curse word, we cringed. If our son learns how to shout the dirtiest of words at age two, now we're really talking embarrassment.

Can you imagine?

Out of the mouths of babes...

So we apologize in advance, men, if Luke ever points at you and calls you a lady; or if he points to you, ladies, and calls you a man; or if he points to your behind or chest and tells everyone what he sees; or if you come over and he tells you to go away; or even if he shouts a cuss word at you, for that matter.

We'll be embarrassed; but it's that exciting time right now of huge language discoveries, and we really have nothing to do with it. It just happens. He just hears something once and it sticks.

So forgive us, please... It's not our fault...

(Come to think of it, embarrassment heightens when children turn two, even if their words themselves aren't yet embarrassing. Luke has discovered how to push his finger into his nose all the way up to his big knuckle. "MOM! SEE! TRICK!" And he does it everywhere...)


Most of the process of little ones' language acquisition, for parents, is delightful. Like when Luke was experimenting with cause and effect, and depth perception, and coordination, and gravity, and removing lids, and opening the refrigerator. He told Mama he wanted to pour "lot milk." When it went everywhere, he announced that it was "REALLY LOT!" Really lot, indeed. Good thing we spent the extra bucks for organic. Takin' good care for the health of our linoleum.


As for Richie's interview last week... Here's the man in action. On his way!


Luke needed to "see Daddy way." (Watch Daddy go away.) Despite a bottomless son, Richie felt good about the interview itself; though the job description doesn't sound like the best fit for his skills and interests, so he's excited that he has a few more options on the table, too.


Thursday, Mama, Sarah, Luke, and Zeke were supposed to make the 45-minute drive up to Robyn and J.D.'s to spend the morning with Robyn and Jeremiah. Richie told Bethany it sounded potentially insane. (Hee hee!) Too long of a ride with that crew, just yet. So Robyn was kind enough to come to Davis, instead; and we had a great time. The boys loved each other, and Luke has not stopped talking about his friend "Miah."


"Miah" even got to ride in a swing for the first time! He was thrilled at first, but being the social bug that he is, he quickly got distracted by the little girl swinging beside him.


Even Sarah had fun at Orchard Park, balancing on the lily pads like the best of frogs.


And Luke became a monkey.


One highlight of the week: We awoke one morning to find a tractor right outside our house! We told Luke it's a backhoe, but he corrects us and tells us it's a loader. Sure, whatever floats your boat. Vicente and Sofia and he have had a ball on the backhoe... er, loader.


Zeke wasn't so sure about that tractor, though. He has thrush again (!) and is miserable. Two more weeks of treatment... (Hear Mommy's large, loud sigh.) It has really disturbed his daytime sleep, but boy is this kid a nighttime champ! 9 PM until 4 AM, 4 AM until 7 AM... It's a dream. Literally.


Oh we just loooove him.








Two-year-olds are at that funny age when they want to be grown up so badly, and fight fiercely for their independence; and yet they have little glimpses, still, of babyhood. This afternoon Luke awoke too early from his nap, and was in a real fit, so Mommy pulled him up to cuddle on the couch, and conk. All he needed was a little love. Happily given.


Here's Zeke this afternoon. Yawning, despite the fact that really, it was a momentous day for all of us (besides the episodes of getting embarrassed by our little two-year-old talker):

Zeke laughed! Twice! Good little chuckles, provoked by tickles of his soft, squishy second chin, of course. This topped it all.

But another momentous event for the day: our first trip to the grocery store that did not involve buying a goat product. Luke's dairy sensitivity has finally disappeared, as the doctors promised it would by age two, and Luke's all cow now. Mooo! This is great for our bank accounts. Goats charge a lot for their milk.

And there's more: Luke pedaled his big-boy red Radio Flyer tricycle for the first time! And pedaled. And pedaled more. And Daddy even got it on video camera.

Bethany had an accomplishment today, too: fixing the grain mill (of which the engine was burned out last baking day, she thought--when she stunk up our apartment with engine-burning smells, and the machine flung freshly ground whole-wheat flour around the house) (really, it was a scene). The mill worked this time, and out popped four loaves of whole-wheat bread. A major accomplishment these days.

And as for Richie? He met with success today, too. He finished our taxes. If ever you think that dads have an exciting life...

Exciting? Not usually. Embarrassing? Yeah, sometimes.