bullet points will have to do

Election night! Woo! I'm simultaneously keyed up and exhausted and I didn't even watch the returns because my delicate nerves cannot take it. How about some utterly random kid-related bullet points?

>> We went to a musical storytelling thing at the library and while Nico was only kind of half-interested in most of it, he LOVED every bit involving the little handheld drum. I can't remember what it was called, but any time there was a part for the drum, N would perk up and pay attention. At the end of the 45 minute performance, Nico was trotting back and forth in the back of the room when the drummer did a little solo. N stopped in his tracks and stared, mesmerized, then lit up and started clapping. It was so cute. Ever since, he's been tapping things on other things and saying "I'm playing the drum!" I am seriously contemplating getting him a simple little drum for Christmas. That's probably crazy talk, isn't it? He's generally not super into music, so seeing any kind of interest in that direction makes me want to jump to encourage him.

>> I took Nico to visit a preschool on Monday and I think we might be doing this thing. The little classroom was so cute with the miniature chairs and tables and its own tiny bathroom. I really liked the teacher and the style of the class - short and varied structured time blended with plenty of unstructured play, lots of patience for non-pottytrained kids, understanding of the limits of 2-year-olds' "school" abilities. If the budget allows, he may start in January. I cannot believe my first baby is old enough that he might be starting preschool in two months.

>> Nico is now reciting entire picture books. It's not reading, but it's still ridiculously impressive, especially since some of the lines he can recite are things like "A giant dump truck works on the biggest building jobs or in quarries and mines. It carries enormous loads of earth and rock in its body, then tips them out wherever they are needed." Seriously, kid? I don't even have that one memorized. He's been "reading" Old Bear by Kevin Henkes to us for nearly a month, and last night he recited almost the entire Dr Seuss ABC book. I nearly died of the cuteness of "O is very useful / You use it when you say / Oscar's only ostrich / oiled an orange owl today." Here's a video I got of him reading Old Bear:



>> This new one is a rambunctious little nib, just like his brother was. With Nico, though, the placenta was in the front and at this stage I could still barely feel much. With this guy, I can already tell that there are bony little arms and legs in there. It's cool and weird all at once.

I was going to say more, but Nico is awake and having a hard time re-settling so I must away.