It only takes a millisecond

Ezra did a header off the changing table the night before last. It was horrifying. I felt so scared and stupid and awful. How many times have I held on to him when he's been sitting in the changing table and thought how I wouldn't dare leave him unattended in that position because he would most likely fall and then I let that exact thing happen!
I was holding on to him as I was monitoring Noah get into the shower and helping him one-handed with the curtain and such. Then when Noah decided to take a bath instead, seeing how thoroughly filthy he was, I wanted to put some bubbles in his bath. I was still within reaching distance of Ezra, but unthinkingly took my other hand to unscrew the cap off the bottle of bubbles and out of the corner of my eye I see Ezra go head first off the table and land on his head on the floor between the garbage can and toilet, like some kind of terrible human slinky summersaulting through the air and unfolding on the floor. I can't get the image out of my mind. It just keeps replaying again and again.
He didn't cry for long. I snatched him up as soon as I saw him moving his arms and legs which was instantly and took him naked into his room to nurse him. He was happy again within just a few minutes, probably less then five, but it's taken me a day to get over it. I just keep thinking about what could have happened. How he could be paralyzed or dead or brain damaged. He doesn't even have a noticeable bump. We called the advice nurse just to make sure, but there were never any signs of concern. There's still part of me that worries that there might be long term brain injury, but I guess there's nothing else I can do except make sure I'm never so stupid again.
Thank God babies are so resilient and he's fine.

Press the Buzzer

Avi's favorite grown-up song is Press the Buzzer by Dar Williams. He wants to listen to it over and over. How appropriate. I think my favorite song at that age was Day in the Life by the Beatles. Neither feature content even remotely comprehensible to a three-year-old, but intriguing rhythm and melody is where it's at, especially if there's a catchy repeating phrase in their somewhere.

Solo trip to Sundance

Can't forget to note that Noah made his first solo trip to Sundance last week. I don't know many other moms who would have allowed their seven-year-old to do so, but he was fine. He did a great job and was so proud of himself. I don't know what I would have done for dinner that night if he hadn't have gone either. Here's to independent confident kids.

Literary appetite

Ezra loves books. To eat. He is as uninterested in books as Avi was at this age. What doesn't mean much in terms of predictions as Avi is practically reading to himself these days and loves to be read to book after book. But whenever I try to read to Ezra, he just wants to grab the book and get it on his mouth. Actually, that's what he wants to do with anything, blocks, toys, our hands, faces, food, spoons, musical instruments. Just about everything I can think of except the talking Elmo doll, which he expresses his appreciation for in the more traditional way, with giggles and smiles.

Always something to entertain him

Ezra meanwhile has discovered what great noises his tongue can make. Not letter sounds exactly, but clicks and slaps and bubbles. He likes to wave it about and push it out and in until he gets attention for it. Then we laugh and then he does too. Great fun. Such simple amusement. He continues to be very fascinated and entertained by his brothers. They keep him smiling. He doesn't roll over much, but he is sitting quite well now. I'm not ready to have him sit on the hard floor yet, but close. I figure his lack of mobility is due to the fact that there's always something to look at even without moving anywhere else, what with a dog, a cat, and two crazy brothers romping about.

Comics: the gateway drug to the morning paper

Noah has taken to reading the comics every morning now. Before we know it he will be reading the rest of the paper too. I remember it progressing like that for me, but it was much later, maybe middle school.
Speaking of reading prowess, did I already mention that Avi is reading three-letter words? Not all the time, and not without support, but far more than the average 3 1/2 year-old. I promise I'm not pushing him in this area. He wants to learn and asks to practice with me.

Tough boys

Not only is Ezra shaping up to look exactly like Noah, but he appears to be tough like him also. Mellow and tough. Nice combo. Last night he did a face plant in the tub. I picked him within a second, but I wasn't quick enough to keep him from banging his face into the drain and being facedown in the water. I snatched him up and he was clearly a little startled and take aback, but I'm certain that many other babies would have been howling. He just went on with his bath, happy to grab at toys with his new sit-and-reach abilities.
Noah today had his second or third accident on the tree swing in Chris and Julie's back yard. He lost a tooth there last year. Not even a particularly loose one. Tonight he scraped up against the tree and got pretty roughed up on his arm. Most other kids would have been in tears. Even seven year old boys. Not Noah. He calmly came to show us and tell is that it hurt. Chris took him inside, performed appropriate first aide, gave Noah the cool new see-through bandage and all was well. Though Noah wasn't sure he could help set the table or clear it either as a result.
That however has more to do with his incredibly annoying new attitude. He whines and protests about anything. He's often demanding and won't take no for an answer (not that he ever manages to get another answer with that behavior). What boggles me is how he persists with this behavior when the consequences have been clear and consistent forever. It doesn't work, so why does he keep trying?