The Gemini Diaries

<o:p></o:p>But my internal update clock has chimed at the two week mark and a new post needs to be made so here are some reflections on some of the less hilarious but equally enjoyable discoveries we’ve had:<o:p></o:p>

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Mary Poole’s Joy: The Smile That Might Launch a 1000 Ships<o:p></o:p>
In Greek Mythology, Helen of Troy's beauty is credited as being the cause of the Trojan War - her face being so beautiful that it “launched a thousand ships.” Of course I'm partial, but I'd be willing to bet Mary Poole's smile could summon up at least a battalion. Her smile, which emerged spontaneously overnight and was on full display the next morning when I was changing her diaper, is truly one of the highlights of these 2 months (along with Perritt’s conversational nature – see below). Tonight we even caught her smiling at the little mobile on her swing - just utterly pleased with the little bears. Unfortunately just as quickly as it appears, it vanishes. Then she's locked in a mortal staredown with some lock of hair or the ceiling or the light. But for those couple of seconds, for my money, there's nothing finer. <o:p></o:p>

Perritt’s Pidgin: Elel, Owow, Auooo<o:p></o:p>
This may look reminiscent of the foreign language you took as an elective in college but as far as I can gather there is no linguistic link between Perritt's natural tongue and any known language. What we, the researchers, have gathered so far is this: <o:p></o:p>

• El el - When Perritt has his pacifier in his mouth but isn't terribly pleased with the fact that his sucking isn’t producing the tasty liquid he’s expected - he lets us know about it by saying "el el ellllll ellelell ellllllll elell el el eeeeeel . . . " We now believe this roughly translates to "No. You're not doing it right." <o:p></o:p>
• Ow Ow- Over time "el el" turns into what sounds like "ow, ow, ow, ellllll, ow, ow ow." While work is still underway, early translation on this advanced stage of frustration seems to indicate that he is saying "You must be kidding. No seriously, are you kidding because this isn’t funny. I am an infant. I am hungry. I don't spell relief p-a-c-i-f-i-e-r. I spell it m-i-l-k. M-I-L-K! for Pete’s sake.”<o:p></o:p>
• Auooo - After we’ve filled his belly, we get an entirely different vocabulary from him – one seemingly devoid of any consonants. These utterances generally come as he’s gazing around the room and sound like "Auooo ahhhh eeeeeeeehhh auooooooo . . ." We're pretty sure this means something to the tune of "Wow that was good . . . now remind me the early bird special starts at 4:30 on weekdays, right. Ok cool - I'll start crying about <st1:time minute="15" hour="16">4:15</st1:time> then. Be sure my table is open for me."<o:p></o:p>

The 37-Minute Rule<o:p></o:p>
One of the things LeeAnn and I most look forward to is an activity we call "Not being indoors." Perhaps something that should be added to the "Things to do before children" list is "Enjoy being outside any time you want to before it’s no longer your decision." We've found that in the summer in <st1:city><st1:place>Atlanta</st1:place></st1:city>, there just aren’t a lot of hours where it’s a good or enjoyable time to be outside with the children. So we are inside. A lot. But there are periods when we are able to get out in the morning and evening for walks with Perritt and Mary Poole which are truly enjoyable . . . for approximately 37 minutes. <o:p></o:p>

<o:p></o:p>In our time out and about, we happened upon a previously undiscovered egg-timer in Perritt's head. Apparently after precisely 37 minutes - the stroller becomes utterly unbearable and he must be removed from it ASAP. Doesn't matter if you're at the midpoint of your walk or at the end. When the timer goes off, he's coming out of that stroller and you're carrying him the rest of the way home. Think you can stroll him back to sleep by driving over some bumps – I don’t think so. It’s time to be out of that stroller and it’s time to be out now.<o:p></o:p>

<o:p></o:p>Since the initial discovery of the 37 Minute Rule for Strollers, we’ve seen a related 41 Minute Rule for Car Seats which is even more fun because it’s exponentially harder to calm him down when operating (or even just riding in) a 3000 lb vehicle. That was a fun discovery. <o:p></o:p>

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The Antibacterial Characteristics of Ordinary Shirts and Pants<o:p></o:p>
This is something NASA should get on. LeeAnn and I are notorious clean freaks. It's no secret. We're not ashamed. And in that vein, we like to make sure our babies have nice, clean gear. At least we did. These may be the first chinks in the germophobe armor, Ted, or perhaps we've just been watching too much of Bear Grylls but for whatever reason - germs don't seem to bother us as much as they did when we were in the hospital. Case in point, on one of our outings, at about minute 36 when we were removing Perritt from the stroller, his pacifier fell out, did a lap on the ground and then came to a stop there by my feet. And somehow these words came out of our mouths:<o:p></o:p>

LeeAnn: "It's probably ok, don't you think?" <o:p></o:p>

Parker: "Yea *wipes pacifier on his magically antibacterial shirt and then his shorts for good measure* - I think so." <o:p></o:p>

<o:p></o:p>This is just the kind of idiot bravery that children drive parents to. Perhaps a result of apathy or sheer exhaustion but whatever it is, it's going to land us square in the pediatrician's office one day. That's just gross. But Perritt didn’t seem to mind.<o:p></o:p>

Our Feline Babysitter<o:p></o:p>
And one interesting side note about Rhett. He's really come to like our babies we think. Or else he's just waiting until they get good and fat. But either way, he seems protective of his new kin/prey and appears to enjoy just keeping a little bit of a watch on them when he’s inside. He'll sit in the room with them and occasionally, if they start to fuss and LeeAnn and I are in other rooms, he'll jump down from wherever he is napping in the nursery and come sit in the doorway of the room we're in as if to say - "Um - yea, those things are making that irritating noise again. You may want to go check that out. Oh, and the boy one smells - you may want to do something about that." Of course we're probably projecting human or dog-like attributes on Rhett - but it is cute and he's done it more than once. <o:p></o:p>

<o:p></o:p>I guess all of this is just to say that we’re getting used to having them around and are getting accustomed to the people they are becoming. Every day they become a little more human, a little bigger, and sadly more sufficient - although by nature’s standards they are still totally helpless.<o:p></o:p>