Long Time No Blog

Bear with us, dear friends and family -- it's a crazy time here at the Wingate household. With Brian's teaching schedule in full swing, most nights he doesn't get home til 10. This leaves Mommy with the lion's share of kid/house duties, so come evening time, neither of us tends to be up for computer time. Repeat with us, "This semester WILL end. This semester WILL end."
In the midst of it all, however, we somehow managed to organize a fabulous (albeit VERY late) 5th birthday party for our dear girl Cora. She made her "friend party" request way back in July, right after her real birthday, which we celebrated with our extended family at the beach. And what exactly was this request? Nothing other than a (and I qoute) "John Denver campfire singalong." How could one refuse her this? It took me a while, but finally, last weekend, she had her very own John Denver party at a charming picnic shelter in the woods, replete with a stone hearth and lots of friends. Some pics...

Cora

Cora
Originally uploaded by Wingates.

I finally got some pictures of Cora this morning. She can be hard to catch on the run. She's usually engrossed in something else or doesn't want to be bothered by the presence of a camera.

more notes

pondering
Originally uploaded by Wingates.

Cora has enjoyed an unprecendented burst of creativity since turning five. Learning to read boosted her creative confidence in all areas. She now wanders off and draws pictures or colors on her own.

When we're in the car she'll read signs as we pass by and ask questions. The world has opened up to her, and it feels like she has been waiting for this age since she was eighteen months old.

Our sleep has evened out a bit as Oliver grows accustomed to life without Mommy milk. He has a transitional addiction to Elmo crackers. As soon as he wakes up he says "Emmo............cacka?" He has been devouring food all day long for a week or two now. He must be growing.

Notes

Oliver started putting words together this week. He says the first word, pauses, then says the second in a singsongy question. He already has some words like school bus that are more than one word, but now he is starting to express concepts.

Long week

Last week was a long one at the Wingate household. I started teaching my Monday/Wednesday night classes, we weaned Oliver; he did not appreciate it one bit and started waking up for the day at 4:30am every morning on the dot, getting out of bed and wandering around in the dark, knocking on the door pitifully. He's also breaking in four new teeth all at once.

Today he woke up at 4:50, so that's some improvement. We don't know exactly how he does it, but Oliver has a circus-like ability to crawl out of enclosures. We've never seen him actually do it, so there's still an element of mystery to how he pulls it off. It involves kicking one leg up over the rail and then heaving his body up after it. But that takes a lot of strength. He's manly.

We retired Oliver's crib because he fell out once and was halfway out a second time when Kate came into the room. With his recent nightly wanderings we decided he needed to be contained for us to have any sanity. Rather than reassemble the crib and risk another high fall, we set up the portable play pen in his room. It's roughly the size of a crib but lower to the ground; the rails are at his eye level or a bit higher, so it should still be tough or impossible for a baby to climb out. Sure enough, at 4:50am this morning he woke up and started crying. A minute later we heard him plodding around in the dark, looking for a door to knock on. He didn't crash to the ground or make a thud; one moment he was in the playpen and the next moment he was out. He's a little Houdini. The playpen did help, though. We put him back down and he slept until 6:00. It was probably too much trouble to escape over and over again.

Cora, on the other hand, has been a dream. She enjoys school soooo much. She has had two sleepovers at friends' houses the last two weekends, so she really knows she's growing up.

Oliver--One Year Ago

Boy, kids grow up quickly...

Oliver has been a trip lately. His personality is blooming. He is absolutely obsessed with school buses and trucks, squealing with delight whenever we pass them on the street. "Boo Buck!" (School bus) "KUK! (Truck)

We were riding in the car a few days ago and listening to some old-time music on the radio. Uncle Dave Macon came on the radio. We didn't know that Oliver was really listening, but as soon as the music started he called out "Dad Dad!" for Granddad, who plays guitar. Then a day or so later, he pointed to a small picture of a fiddle on the wall and said "Dad Dad!" again. He obviously has Granddad's musical style and instruments pegged. Then when Grandma Sally was over for dinner he tried to strum the image of a fiddle on her shirt. He has been mesmerized by music since he was very young, when he crawled up to anyone playing an instrument and tried to strum the strings.

All By Self

hammock boy
Originally uploaded by Wingates.

When Cora was Oliver's age she would often refuse our help with any task and say "All by self. All by self." Oliver has reached that stage. He wants to do everything all by self. Going down stairs, putting on shoes, eating with utensils...all by self. He was in the hammock all by self and flipped out onto the ground moments after this picture was taken.

We enjoyed a visit from my lifelong friend Alex this weekend. Oliver called him Ack. Uncle Ack it is. Both kids loved Alex, and we managed to fit in some grown-up catch-up time as well as kid playtime. We took Cora to her first baseball game at the minor league stadium. We caught a foul ball, so Cora even got a nice souvenir.

Oliver's Mane

Sickies

Cora and Oliver stayed home with colds today. One week at school and the kids are swapping germs like crazy. Cora got to watch movies all day and Oliver was tickled to have her around to play with. It's a fine line when a five year old gets sick--they're crafty enough to realize the perks of getting "sick" more often--so you've got to make them suffer a little while at home. I know it's a beautiful day and you want to play outside, but you're sick, remember?

Oliver goot new shoes for the fall, and his feet have slimmed down to wide from 2X wide. Cora is still growing like a weed.

They Said It

Cora, hugging me goodnight:

"Daddy, I love you as much as a granule of sand."

(She was upset at the time).

School--Day One

Day One is in the books, and Cora came home from school on Cloud Nine. What a contrast to the stereotypical scene of children kicking and screaming as they are dumped at the school door against their will. Abintra is such a home away from home for Cora now after three full years. Her teachers have all been wonderful, and the staff really seem to have a special place in their hearts for Cora.

When she was two and in the Toddler room, one morning she breezed into the classroom and said to her teacher, "Casey, I'm going to make you angry now." Cora walked past Casey, climbed on top of one of the schoolroom tables (a verboten act), turned and smiled at her. Casey handled it beautifully I'm sure, and saw it as a clear indicator of Cora's intelligence and resourcefulness. Supposedly Cora was way ahead of the developmental curve in her premeditated efforts at pissing off authority figures.

The love and acceptance that Cora has received year in and year out was so evident this morning as she jumped out of the car with hardly a goodbye on her first day back after several months away. She has such trust in her teachers and the school itself, and for good reason. They have earned her trust over several years, and she is flourishing there.

Oliver, meanwhile, pined away for his sister all day. When he went to sleep at naptime the last thing he said was "Cowa." When he woke up, "Cowa." He starts school tomorrow with Kate--she'll be working with a few younger kids and he gets to come along. I think Oliver will love the Montessori environment as much as Cora has.

Transitions

Cora starts kindergarten tomorrow. Wow.

Oliver is now sleeping in a bed instead of a crib. He is using a fork at mealtimes. Wow!

Stuff

Oliver sat in the bath tub tonight until the water got cold, playing with cups, pouring the water back and forth from one cup to another. He loves bath time ("bat!") and water play in general. He has also enjoyed clacking around the house in Cora's high heels lately. His feet are so wide they fit into her dress-up shoes. He can barely walk in them but he loves the sound they make on the hardwood floors. Cora enjoys having a dress up partner. When I came home tonight Oliver was sporting a purple hairband. With his curls he is mistaken for a girl enough already. Every day-- "She is sooo beautiful!"--even when he is wearing blue from head to toe. Hair is a powerful marker. And at this age it is hard to tell boys from girls without clothing cues.

We're getting back to normal now and dinnertimes have been smooth thanks to the cooking brigade of Anne and Carol last weekend. Our freezer is stocked so dinner preparation and bedtime rituals don't get as pressurized, urgent and frazzling.

When Cora came out of her bedroom this morning Kate and I both had the same first impression--she grew overnight. Sure enough, we measured her against the wall and she had grown since yesterday. Amazing. She has really sprouted this summer.

Ahhh...7:30pm

It's a rare joy when both kids are in bed by 7:30pm. Such a humane bedtime for the parents, and good for the kids too, although they don't appreciate it now. Cora starts her last stint at camp tomorrow morning. In a way this starts her school schedule again because school begins next Monday. She is very excited. She has two teachers (they're called guides) in her class. One is the lead guide returning from last year. The second guide is new to the school. Cora can't wait to see what she's like.

All the family left today; it seemed they were gone as quickly as they arrived. It was a whirlwind visit but a good one.

Phyllis

Grandma Carol and Aunt Anne and Uncle Nate are in town this weekend, following hot on the heels of our friend Phyllis' departure after a four day visit. Phyllis is anywhere between ninety two and ninety five years old and full of vim and vigor, piss and vinegar, "the spirit", whatever you want to call it. She ran for mayor of Northampton, Massachusetts, last year just to stir things up. She's a dedicated lifelong political activist and a self-described agent for change. No moss gathers on her despite her age. Her visit coincided, overlapped actually, with Kate's return from the cabin in West Virginia. She arrived home with Oliver after eleven hours on the road to a full house. We've been trying to recover ever since. Phyllis flew out on Wednesday morning just as all the airlines shut down because of the British terrorism plot. We weren't sure she would make it out at all, but it seems that everything turned out fine.

Daily Updates

I was inspired by this local Nashvillian's blog today. He keeps his loyal readers updated on his life in daily detail, meaningful or otherwise. I think I'll try that for a few days to get the blog machine rolling again.

Catching up

Cora blackberries
Originally uploaded by Wingates.

We've been negligent around here keeping you guys updated on our lives. Between the stifling heat and children running amok, I guess we've been running out of steam in the evenings. I've had a mental list of blog-worthy quotes and events over the last few weeks, but sadly most of them have escaped me now.

We're into August already, and it's going to be a wild month for us. We'll have guests in town every weekend until mid-September. We always have more fun when guests are over. In September I start a new teaching schedule that will crescendo in October and November and conclude on December 14th.

Kate and Oliver are taking a road trip this weekend to visit her high school buddies at a cabin in West Virginia. Cora and I will be hanging out here.

We went to the Chattanooga Aquarium last weekend and had a great time. Their aquarium is fabulous, and there are great things to do and see all around the Chattanooga area. It feels like we have found a good family tradition vacation spot that won't cost too much and will be easy to reach by car.

Cora starts school in a few weeks. She has one more week of camp lined up and then the school year cranks up again. She will be attending Abintra again this year--which we didn't expect--things have a way of working out.

Our garden is overflowing with tomatoes right now, and the cucumbers are staging another wave of ripeness. Mom's soaker hose has kept the veggies hydrated through the heat wave.

Mommy has a friend over to play

My high school friend Jen came to visit us this past weekend and we had a great time. She lives in New York City but is doing an internship in Kentucky this summer, which makes us neighbors as far as states are concerned. I so enjoyed staying up late into the night, talking and catching up with an old friend. I keep telling myself there will be more of this kind of fun, grown-up/teenage behavior as the kids get older, but sometimes that's so hard to believe. Having small children makes me see how much I've always taken for granted the ability to just hang out with my friends. Sigh...

Cora has been in zoo camp this week. They apparently studied forests yesterday and she came home full of news -- she described the four layers of the rainforest, told us what kinds of animals and plants live and grow there, and told us that bamboo is used for chopsticks, buildings, and boats, among other things. Oh, and she also got to pet a two-toed sloth. She explained that their fur grows from their belly downwards because of the way they hang on the trees, and that it actually turns green in places because algae grows on it. Today, they studied the wetlands. She told us wetlands are like a sponge and that they are helpful because they control flooding. It seems like a pretty great program, if you ask me. I'll have to keep you posted on the next few days' featured bioregions.

Oliver said "cow" today, which was a milestone. Up to this point, whenever we would point to a picture of a cow he would just say "moo." He and Brian also talked trucks and colors tonight as they read books together. It's fun to hear him acquiring new words, but still amazing how few he has in comparison to Cora at this age. Not that I'm concerned or anything, but it just goes to show you how different two kids with the same two parents can be.

Brian was a super-dad over the weekend and really freed me up as much as possible to spend time with Jen. Not that he's not always a super dad, but he was especially super last weekend...

More soon...keep checking back!

Beach memories...

Ah, Summer...

How the days fly by. Please forgive our lapse, faithful wingateupdate readers... The kids and I (Kate) thoroughly enjoyed phase two of the vacation -- after leaving Grandma Carol's house, we squeezed in a visit to Bethlehem, PA to visit Great Grammy Stella and Aunt Tootsie, then headed to Pop Pop and Grammy Rena's farm in WV for a few days. Oliver and I visited friends in Morgantown during the days, while Cora and Pop Pop (and Grammy on her day off) did it all on the farm. And I mean ALL. They fished, they rode bikes, they read books, they played with the dogs and cats, they rode horses, they cleaned the horses' stalls, they had a campfire, they saw deer and a whole flock of turkeys, they visited the beavers down at the pond, they fed the hummingbirds, they went to a parade, they fixed a broken bench, they had just candy for dinner one night... Needless to say everyone was pretty wiped out at the end of each day (except for that candy night). Cora soaked up every minute. That's how she prefers life, it seems -- constant stimulus, constant activity, constant interaction. I was just glad to have someone else providing it all for her.

Now we're back home, enjoying fat tomatoes and baby okras from our burgeoning garden. It's always a difficult re-entry process for all of us after a vacation ends, but so far so good. Oliver still says "Uh-oh" as frequently as ever, but he is adding in some new words every now and then. Brian's massage class is going well -- he just taught his second class today. I'm still busy unpacking and catching up on email. We'll be sure to post some new pictures soon, but I just didn't want another day to go by without posting something.