This post is dedicated to Ivan. He deserves it because in spite of us not paying as much attention on him as we do on his sister (sorry, that's a fact) he is remarkable by various means. Almost unnoticeably he has began to talk. First in Hungarian, with a few Bulgarian words picked up by daddy. Then daddy started noticing, that Ivan understands actually everything in Bulgarian too, and soon after Ivan started phrasing simple sentences in his father's language too. Finally, after spending a couple of months in England, and exposed to his sister chatting in English as she plays, Ivan has very easily started using English expressions as well.
What is remarkable about all this is that, unlike his sister, he is able to accomplish it on his own. I mean, he does not get even half of the attention and efforts we have been investing into Maia's learning processes ever since she was born. I remember myself systematically telling her Bulgarian fairy tales every evening before even she was able to speak. Then, once we arrived to England back in 2008, Maia was immediately enrolled into a half-day kindergarten, with the sole intention to get her to pick up English.
She did quickly. And so does Ivan. Except, he gets less stories in the evenings, less singing and playing with alphabet cubes, and no English kindergarten thus far. Part of the reason is, of course, that we have only this much time to share between our kids, so apparently as their number grows, the time spent per kid diminishes. But there is also the element I mentioned earlier about - that we are not as surprised as excited anymore with everything. A first time is a first time.
Back to Ivan. If there is one extra that he receives in comparison to Maia, is Maia herself. Indeed, he may not have us around as much. But he has her - playing, singing, drawing, talking. Imperfect as they can be when done by a toddler, all these things are important for Ivan in this copy-cat stage of his life.
He literally does everything what he sees from Maia. Talking, crying, laughing, playing, you name it. Most recently I am putting efforts to convince him that we, men, should not sit in the loo. Well, not always. He seems to get the point, but then he also wants to do what Maia does. I hope he will get the point of gender difference at some point.
I am sometimes really amazed actually by the fact that in spite of all this exposure to Maia, Ivan remains so different, and unique. He is quieter. More focused. Able to spend more time on his own, playing or reading (Maia is also catching up with the later). He is a bit more controlled and shy than she used to be in this age. And he sings. His own songs. With his own words - that no one but him can understand the meaning of.
Finally, and no difference here, Ivan is a very positive and smiling boy. That is inspite of his "angry Bulgarian look" that he maintains. Emese blames it on me. I see some features of his Hungarian grandfather in it. But, again, the look is just on top, once you get nearer Ivan is full of smiles, laughter and jokes.
Yes, he makes jokes, for a few months already. Started with his mummy, when his Hungarian allowed him. He is now doing with me too. Pity I cannot recall one now, but I promise to tell you a joke of Ivan's as soon as I remember it.
And one last, important word. Ivan has Anita. Unlike Maia, with her numerous nurseries, play-groups, kindergartens, Ivan now spends most of his time with our Hungarian au-pair. She is in her early 30s, blond and tall Hungarian woman and invests a lot of time, and I think, love, in him. Her English is just coming, so their primary communication is in Hungarian. But they have developed a bond - visible when Anita is able to put him to sleep within 5 minutes, by reading to him a fairy-tale. Or when he sees her - and his face starts glowing with happiness. They do spend a lot of time together. And I am convinced she is his first real serious relationship with a woman. We shall see how defining it may get for his tastes. His mother is a brunette after all.