sep-nov update - socialisation

i have been remiss in updating the blog. what i will try is to group my anecdotes into broad categories - socialisation (covering her interactions with her cousins and other kids), speech & cognition, and random stuff - stuff that don't fit into the above 2 categories.

i had hoped that the bean's trip to the uk, where she would be interacting properly with her older twin cousins for the first time, would inspire her in some ways. well, she did enjoy being near them, although she could take herself off to play by herself (she was totally enamoured by their train set).

"hi guys! i here now!" was a refrain she'd cry before running to see them. but at her age, being a year younger and still really a toddler, she was really playing in parallel with them.

one funny moment came when the 3 kids were playing with a sandpit in the garage. the twins as usual would be talking-bickering between themselves, commenting on their own and each other's work. the bean was in a different corner working on her own thing, then while still concentrating on her work, she announced, "you guys. you are so naughty." (i am not sure what incidents inspired this observation of hers though.)

christopher wasn't particularly perturbed by her comment as he was engrossed in his own plans for the sandpit (involving moving very heavy bits around the garage) but edward was indignant, "we are not!"

another time, the bean was engrossed with crayoning at the easel when she was kissed on the cheek by christopher. she put one hand to the spot, turned and said to him, "thank you." she then turned around and saw me and explained, "kwiffer did kiss me." the boy in question was a little abashed and ran off...exactly like how i imagined georgy-porgy to react after kissing the girls.

but for his affection, christopher was pipped by edward in looking after the bean. when the 3 of them were packed off to a playbarn, edward was the one who kept saying, "christopher, wait! we have to wait" for the bean.

the bean was obviously attached to the elder boys, but unfortunately, because the younger twins are still too young to 'play' with her, she wasn't as interested in them...the younger cousins are still very new toddlers and at the curious stage where they want to grab everything and do not know their own strength. this they displayed to the fullest whenever the bean was near them - they'd reach out and tug at her hair or give her a whack hello. so after a few experiences the bean tried to avoid them as much as possible.

one morning it culminated as we stepped out of the bathroom and encountered the twins' mother, and the bean solemnly declared, "aunty mimi, i don't like florian and samuel."

talk about kids not having any filter for their thoughts. i was speechless at her frankness/rudeness and mortified. thankfully, aunty mimi was a lot more understanding than i!

i am sure though that when the kids are a bit older all the cousins would be able to play together.

back in oz, while the bean likes being around other kids of the same age or slightly older, she still doesn't know how to share or take turns.

everything is "mine", even public stuff or stuff in school. when i told her that she would have to share her toys with visitors to our house, she thought on it then informed me, "mummy, i don't want anybody to come visit me."

and her wants must be satisfied immediately. i have to constantly remind her about this in the desperate hope that she will learn delayed gratification.