36 months (3 years) of Remarkable

A few weeks ago I took you to the park. There were a ton of kids on one of the playgrounds so I took you to the other one, since it seemed quieter. Here I am pushing my adult needs to be alone on you. You played and played and when some older kids (maybe 4 and 6) came and started to play a weird game or tag/keep away, you joined right in. I was so nervous. It was just a matter of time because they told you to leave them alone. They appeared a brother and sister duo and wouldn’t want to have their fun interrupted by a “baby” as they would, no doubt see you. But while I cringed inside, you confidently ran along with them, growled at the boy, hid with the girl and played whatever version of their game you wanted. They didn’t mind. Actually they started calling for you (“polar bear” because of the growling I guess) and including you in the process. I was fascinated by the wonders of youth. As an adult you sit in a seat where you don’t have to be too close to any other person, you want your space and don’t want to socialize. But you joined an existing group, and had no fear. No fear of rejection, no fear of anything. It made me immensely proud of you. I was prouder still when you accidentally bumped a toddler you said “sorry” right away and made sure he was okay. Then it hit me. You are the big kid. Granted there were kids much older on the playground, but you were one of them. You didn’t need me to run with you, or help you get down the slide. You were more than happy to find new friends and make up new games.
I miss the days where your world revolved around me, but now your world is huge. You have school twice a week and spend time with your grandparents and aunts. You are a child in a sea of adults. But you won’t be ignored either. You make your presence known and always want attention.
You have finally gotten the potty training thing pretty well down, which is nice, since you are now three. Now if I could just get you to wipe your own butt, we’ll be home free. But wiping is a good alternative to spraying out your underwear. I’m done with that professionally.
This year your birthday party is going to be a lot more laid back. I don’t have the cake all figured out, although you would think with my Wilson Decorating Class (level1) under my belt, I would have more passion for it, but I think that took all the desire to bake right out of me. We went to the Zoo! It’s nice to be able to take some time off work to be a mom, and since we didn’t make it to the zoo during the summer we should at least go on your birthday. Too bad Ellie got sick today. She was way more excited to go to the Zoo then you were. Also boy it’s hard on me trying to walk with you and make you go where you need to and to stop trying to climb into the gorilla exhibit.
You actually ate some lasagna last night, and that was shocking for me. You are still fairly picky, but at least you’re opening up a little here and there.
I have committed to you growing out your bangs. They are cute, but I think I am enjoying not having them. Your hair is just as much work anyway, why make it any harder?
This month we decide to get you out of your crib and into a “big girl” bed. Which is your crib minus one side. But it’s been a learning experience for us both, but at least you’ll go to the bathroom 6 times after we’ve put you to bed. Really, when I put you down, you know I mean business, but if your father puts you to sleep, you play for hours. I think the zoo would have been more fun for us both if you’d gone to bed before 11 pm, but I could only try to put you back to bed each time, I couldn’t force you to fall asleep. As much as I would like to.
Still, as much work as it’s been, there are the moments of pure joy when you throw your arms around my neck unexpectedly or start giggling at something silly. Here’s to years and year (except when you become a teenager. All bets are off then.)
Love ya kiddo,
Mama

33 Months and Counting

It feels like I see less of you, even though I'm getting Friday's off with the later work schedule. We are so busy most weekends, it doesn't seem like that much of a break.

Just when I am ready to give up on trying to potty train you, you decide that the potty is for you. Mostly. This last week you've been able to wear underpants almost the whole day, there were a few accidents, but on the whole, this is progress. I had decided that you weren't ready and I was tired of trying to train you, since it felt like trying to keep a snow flake from melting in my hands. But look at you! You can do it! I think buying new stickers were very helpful. Although you aren't playing with them the way I thought you would. We used to put them on your hands or your shirt, but you LOVE to put them on others. Mostly you want to put your new sticker on daddy's tummy, but there is also something about putting them on a chart. You are so proud of your chart with all it's little pink stickers, and honestly, I am also ridiculously proud of that.

Going through my monthly newsletter, it's funny to see how proud I was of you when started talking, and now you are singing and talking all the time! You know the ABC song, but there are some interesting variations you've got there. J is absent, but K usually makes at least 2 if not 3 appearances. You're not going to be winning any competitions just yet, but I think it's the cutest thing. I would give you a prize.

I think everyone is displeased with the way you eat or rather, the way I feed you. Meaning, I don't get too fussed if you don't eat very much. Apparently I'm suppose to make you eat somehow. Well I do my best, but my best is usually trying to offer you food that you will eat, and hope that somehow you get some nutrients out of the air. I figure if you're hungry, you can eat. I usually only stop you from eating junk food. You can't eat chocolate goldfish forever, child. I'm hoping that with some of this maturing, you'll learn that not all food is disgusting and some of it, while some potatoes are not in fry form, they are still palatable. Okay #2 is still a problem so I may sprinkle Metamucil on your cereal. Sorry kid, but I'm just as tired of the tummy aches as you are and if you wont' eat vegetables, I should probably find some way to get you some fiber.

You're getting close to 3 and that's really freaking me out. I shouldn't be a 3 year olds mother. I'm not mature enough. I'm sure I'm still 21, so the math doesn't add up at all, either.

I love how much you love. It never ceases to put a smile on face to see you after a long day at work and you see me and exclaim and throw out your arms in the biggest, best hug. It makes me think you appreciate me, even when I'm not there. Heavens knows I miss you when I'm not there!

Kisses,

Mama

32 Months of Twinkle

I realised after the last post, if I don't have pictures taken and ready to go up here that if I post, they will never be done, so yes I'm late, but pictures are better then no pictures.

I think it's a mark that you're getting older, that I have to make a point to take your picture at all. I used to follow you around with the camera waiting for something cute to happen. Or perhaps it's that I'm used to your cuteness, so I'm desensitised to it.

I realised yesterday that we're been trying to potty train you for longer then I realised. 9 months almost, and though some days are worse then others (see how I didn't say better?) and I'm feeling really defeated, as there has been little to no progress from where we were 3 months ago. And now just getting you to sit on the potty is a trial. I don't know what to do at this point, I'm kind of giving up, so if you're going to college in diapers, this is where that all started. Sorry about that, but it's your own fault.

The last few days you've gone from your miniature appetite to actually eating food. And you act like I'm starving you. Like I don't offer you food at all the proper intervals. You had your first picnic of the season yesterday and I think the clean air made you extra hungry since you finished your plate of food and kept going. Asking for more hot dogs, more yogurt and finishing what I gave you. I'm enjoying the hungry you, even if you are more demanding, but I'd rather you demand to eat rather then proclaim that dinner is for the weak. Then after your big lunch you ate a ton of food for dinner. I was so shocked I didn't even know what to feed you! Luckily there was plenty of food that day. It was a BBQ full of jello and veggies and ice cubes! You ate chips and carrots and even raw broccoli and cauliflower (double-dipped in the ranch dressing.)

You are loving the nice weather. You want to be outside constantly. Which is all well and good, since it helps me get the weeding done in the garden. Our backyard finally goes with the front yard (meaning there is grass and it's even green.) Last year the backyard was nothing but knee high weeds and dirt, but somehow it's turned into a lawn with a garden. Of course the trouble now is keeping you out of the garden. You steal our shovels and use them with abandon. I never know when you will strike at vegetables or weeds alike. I've tried to give you your own little patch of earth, but your not buying it which means there may be more broccoli with missing leaves in the future.

You're going through a weird phase were you don't want me to leave you. Not at school, not at nursery. You want to go, but you don't want me to leave you there. You actually cried today as I left you at school. You're being very clingy, but then if I was to come and get you, you would cry that you have to leave. Make up your mind little girl! Of course now, it's daddy's turn to pick you up so that I can work late, then we'll be able to have Fridays to ourselves. I'm excited that we'll be together another day. maybe we can get this potty thing worked out.

Kisses,

Mama

31 Months of Coughing & Runny Noses

This month has been tough for us what with being sick all the time, between the two of us. Seems that of course you get every disease at daycare and then you give it to me. That's so like you, always sharing!
Of course with your diseases, you've occasionally taken the very needed nap! It's been blissful again! I can read or watch TV while you pass out and struggle to breathe through your nose! Everbody's happy! Except that we're not. We're still dying too.
At first we thought it could just be that you're getting new teeth (more teeth for you to not brush!) But then the cough came and that theory went all to pieces.
It's hard to believe how big you've gotten, you're running around like a maniac and talking in sentences and soon you'll be driving and going to college. Although if you can't subsist on a diet of cereal and hot dogs, that might not be the way to go. Hopefully hot dogs are brain food, since I know your little body needs more nutrition then just to suck on a chicken nugget and announce your done. I think it's your father's fault. I'm not sure how, but it can't be my fault. You usually don't try new foods, but if you do, it usually touches your tongue and is then dropped unceremoniously from your mouth, usually onto the carpet. Thanks for that. Like the cat puke isn't enough to keep me busy.
You are getting more vocal about singing. We have a potty song and you can sing with me for several other songs. You love to sing and it's so fun to listen to you when you're suppose to be sleeping and we hear you talking and singing to yourself.
Potty training is very hit and miss. Some days for hours you are great! and then you just can't be bothered anymore and there are accidents all over the place. Also, you are not so great with the #2 potty option. That is probably where the potty training goes right out the window. And really it's not so much that I'm "training" as I am "threatening" and "cajoling" and so far you're only receptive when you want to be, which is very frustrating.
I had parent-teacher conference, sort of. They say you're doing really well and you know all the shapes and colors, and while you're not doing great on using the potty, you're average with the other kids. Of course I was hoping to hear that you're the genius in the class and are learning to read all by yourself, I didn't expect it! But I'm glad that you are average. Reading other mommy blogs I've been forced to wonder what we would do if you were developmentally behind. Lucky for us, we don't have to worry about that at this point. Of course I totally expect you to have ADHD later, since you did take a sip of my soy milk that one time.
I love all the smiles and seeing your imagination really start to take off. It's scary what a big girl you are already, but a good scary.

Love You,
Mama

30 Months of Ups and Downs

This month has been full of ups and downs. You love school still, but come to find out your hitting and while I've tried time-outs and reasoning and taking away privileges, and you are doing better at home and finally after a few weeks, you're doing better at school. But it was a tough time trying to find a way to get through to you. But I think you're doing better.

You are also doing better using the potty! Of course if you're watching a movie or playing you still don't realise that you have to stop and use the bathroom, but mostly of the day when we're at home, you're wearing training pants. Which you like to call your "ariels" since I bought you underwear with Ariel on them, so now everything is ariels.

The trip was your first ever experience with the ocean. It was great to see your reaction. You loved to run into the water and "touch your toes" I was worried that it would be too scary for you, what with all the crashing waves and the vast hugeness of it all, but I guess to a 2 and 1/2 year old, that doesn't matter. And now it's official, you are 2 and 1/2, I've been saying that for about a month now, since it's easier than saying 29 months.

Also, on our trip, you had your first experience on a "big girl" bed. The couch bed where you could get up whenever you felt like it, although I think that didn't really register for you, since you stayed put all night and when you couldn't sleep or when you woke up in the morning, you still fussed until I came to get you.

Naps were also completely given up on since I was obviously more likely to sleep then you were, and I'm very sad that this means I'll not have a few brief moments in the future to get anything done, but maybe with warmer months coming I can just send you outside for hours instead, I'm pretty sure that's what my mom did to us. I'm looking forward to gardening without worrying whether or not your were awake from your nap yet, of course I'll have to keep an eye on you, so there are still some pros and cons about that.
After a vacation where we could spend time out of doors without dying of exposure, has made me really excited for the coming months of summer where we'll be able to run and play at our hearts content (hint, I'll be content waaaay before you are) and all the good times we'll have.

I can't wait!

Mom

29 Months kicking and screaming

(Picutres are forth coming but I didn't want to delay this another day because I forgot the camera)
Okay, maybe not all 29 months have been all kicking and screaming, but this month had a rough start which is starting to pick up.

This month you started "school" or day care twice a week at the only place that I would even consider having you. You are a few minutes walk from my office and I can visit you any time I want. Although picking you up afterwards was like trying to shave a cat. You ran away, you kicked, you hit, your scratched. You definitely didn't want to come home at the end of the day. Finally about a week ago I came to visit during lunch, you freaked out at first but when you saw that you got to stay things calmed down. I stayed for book time and had 2 little girls whom I had never seen before climb into my lap and ask for stories. You were also glad to have me there, but didn't mind giving up your lap space. That day, when I came to get you, you came willingly. I have since brought treats to entice you, but you haven't needed them. You are always starving at the end of the day since if you don't eat what they give you, there is no other options, and while you eat a bit of it, you're not downing the fish fillet or sloppy joes to make sure you're not hungry later. But you love it. Yesterday you asked to go to school and went I told you it would be a few days, you were pouty. Which makes me glad that this wasn't the mistake I thought it might have been at first, what with all the violence.

Potty training is starting to see a little bit of light. Yesterday also saw you using the potty twice, in one day! There are still a lot of accidents, but maybe it's connecting a little bit, maybe. I'm excited, but we'll see how things go from now on, it's difficult to only have you not in diapers in the evenings and on the weekends. I'm sure that's a big part of why this is taking so long. But I think it's coming, soon. I hope.

Food is getting better, you're more open to things, but it's still mostly you getting your own meal and us eating something else, but a few times a week, we're eating all together and that's nice, but whenever I ask what you want for dinner, it's either goldfish, or fruit snacks. Lucky for you I know that's not healthy food and feed you hot dogs and chicken nuggets. Still, you've learned how to open the fridge and occasionally I find that you've pilfered an apple and left the door wide open. Now if you could just be taught about shutting doors, but I have a feeling that will be a long process to learn, like until you're an adult.

You're looking like such a big kid these days. seeing you run around and really looking at you, you're so tall, hardly the baby you once were. You have so much hair and it's still curly! Even some new hairs are coming in curly. I'm glad to see you still have mostly grey eyes, so I hope you get to keep those, much better then boring brown, you can thank your father for that later.

I love cuddling with you, and while you resist a fair amount now, it's so great when you finally let your guard down and I get to kiss those little cheeks and give you big squeezes.

Keep those coming and things will only get easier.



Love you,

Mama

27 Months Of Sass

You are such a sassy young thing. We are continuing your Christmas education. You're completely in love with Frosty the Snowman. You will watch those Frosty cartoons over and over and over. You're not quite as sold on the stop-motion things like Santa Claus is Coming to Town and Rudolph, but we're trying. If your father would make you watch those more instead of giving into your demands for more "snowman" then I wouldn't have to work so hard to get you to know the other stuff! You know that Santa will be bringing presents and you can recognise Santa and snowmen at will and you know what reindeer look like, but you still need to watch Rudolph again.

You're still throwing in nonsense words to your talking, but mostly when you talk to yourself, your pretty good about communicating with us. Your also singing more. Especially when your in the car. I've had to turn on the child window locks because you have figured out that you can step on the buttons in the jeep and buttons are fun!

You are still a pain to fix food for, but now eggs are on the approved foods list. You like scrambled eggs with ketchup, which is awesome. I love ketchup on my eggs. Your father is not so impressed.

I'm excited for the holidays to spend more time with you and hopefully get back to some potty training. We've kinda abandoned that after the first time and it was so frustrating, but it's been a month, I've calmed down and so have you ( I hope.)

You're starting to really get some separation anxiety. I almost didn't get to perform with the ward choir yesterday since you wouldn't let me go without crying and even taking you to Poppi's house you want to stay with me (until about 30 seconds after I've gone and you remember that Poppi spoils the daylights out of you.) It makes me feel bad, so thanks there, but it's also a little nice that you love me best, more than poppi or grandma. I want you to like me, even if I Put you in time out.

You have to sit in time out quite a lot. Throwing things is a bad habit of yours and it seems that even though you get put in time out for throwing food and crayons off your tray, you persist.

You're really into stacking. You take the candy tins and stack them over and over and now you're really playing with the wooden staking blocks that I got you for your birthday, your not just having fun pushing things down, you build! It's fun to watch your little mind work out which blocks will go on top.

I suppose we won't trade you in for a newer model yet.

Heart You!
Mama

26 Months of Wonderful

I can't believe how much you change even month to month. This month you've started adding non-sense sounds to actual words and phrases. I'm not sure if it's wanting to sound like you have more to say, or that I just talk so much that you're trying to keep up.
It's really difficult leaving you every morning, but the loves and kisses that come when I get home are very nice. It seems like you actually miss me, even though I know that when I get home, the TV gets turned off and then it's nothing but whining for "Credibles" or "I's Age" and I'm the mean parent that refuses to let your brain rot when there are shows I could be watching instead.
Your still a very picky eater and very much in charge of what you eat. We go through the list of things you will eat at meal time. Tacos? sandwich? mac and cheese? it's anyones guess, but you still have a little belly, so I figure that means you're not starving. You can put away sweets like it's no one's business, but real food only gets a few bites in before you are totally done.
I'm a little sad, all the 2T clothes I've been saving for you, well the tops are a little short. Apparently you have a long torso but stubbly little legs. I do not have a long torso, so maybe this is something that you will grow out of and become a normal sized child, or maybe you're going to be a freak of nature, but I hope not. I hope that some day you eat and grow like a normal child, but for now we'll just try and make sure you are eating something with some kind of vitamins. Although I gave you some toast with Nutella on it, and you loved that more then life itself, it was like candy! That's what I do with stuff, just smother it in chocolate and call it good.
Today your favorite color was green. We were looking at a Christmas tree here at work and they had fiber optic ornaments that changed color. You were only happy when the lights were green. When they would change you would say "Oh! Green gone!" and wait until it turned green again and say "There is!" It was pretty cute, but I've never noticed any affinity for green, so maybe it's just today. I can't wait to put up our tree. Last year you were still pretty young and didn't get the whole Christmas scene, but this year, what with all the Christmas videos i have, you'll be an expert!
I'm hoping that this thanksgiving you try the food. As I recall the only thing you tasted last year was jello and even that wasn't good enough for you. What kid doesn't like jello? Even I liked jello! I have high hopes once again for stuffing. It's my favorite, and I'd like to pass on my love of fatty goodness. Actually I would hope that you remain aloof from food. If you have my genes at least, time will tell, as your father has no sisters what the female body shape will end up being. My fingers are crossed for "never needs to think about what she eats" body type. My life would be so much better if that's where I was. And if I wasn't obsessed with diary. Wait, this isn't a post about my insecurities? Oops. Anyway, I hope you eat things at some point, that's all I'm saying.
Here's to the next month!

Kisses,
Mama

25 Months and Counting

How long will I try to send you monthly newsletters? I don't know, until I give up or get bored, so enjoy it while you can.
It's been a month since the zoo and you still shriek out "Elephant poops!" at odd times. Like yesterday when you were running in circles around the chair in the living room. You do that a lot, run around that chair, and ask that I chase you, but if I do you veer off towards the kitchen to escape. You're a weird kid, you know that? We've started to put you in your 2T clothes, which are adorable, but your legs are short. You have been cursed with my genes and so that means your jeans will always be a bit long. But you have a long torso, so what this means most of the time is that you have a little plumber's crack. Your shirt is too short and your pants are slipping down, it's cute, but let's not try to make this a habit.
You are very opinionated about what you want to eat. I did get you to eat spaghetti-Os, but not before I almost had to ground you just to make you taste it. I promise I'm not trying to poison you! You call spaghetti-Os "beans." You also call skittles, m&ms and most small candy "beans," so if I try and offer you "beans" you are sadly disappointed.
It's so fun to watch you try and converse with us. I have no doubt that you know exactly what you are trying to say, but since you're not super great with all the consonants, sometimes I have no idea what you are taking about. Mostly you ask to watch different movies. Your father just showed you The Incredibles and you rather liked that, but "simon, dore" are the old stand bys. That means The Chipmunk's Adventure. If you want to watch the live action chipmunks, you call that "munkicks."
Potty training is slow going. You sit on the potty once to twice a day. Since you're home with dad, I don't want to give him too many things to forget to do, so potty time is right before bed. But it doesn't matter how long we sit and sing songs and read books, nor how many stickers I promise you, you don't really want to use the potty for what it was intended. This makes me sad. I really want you to be this brilliant child who no longer needs a diaper change. Please, please learn to use the potty! Not even Elmo has convinced you of the potty's merits!
I am so excited for Halloween that you have 2 costumes purchased from eBay. You like the care bear costume, but I did also buy that unicorn costume, so you will be wearing that at some point too, so help me! We're going to taking you treat or treating again, but hopefully this time you'll be able to manage the short walk between houses. Last year it was us holding you to walk up to the door and we would ask for candy for you. It works out well for us, because we give you a little candy and we can eat the rest after you go to bed! It's a win-win situation.
You are definitely two and we are reaping the repercussions of that, both good and bad, but I guess you're pretty cute still.

Here's to us!

Love,
Mommy

2 Years Passes Like 24 Months

I'm sorry that your birthday was not spent doing the most fun things ever. We got your pictures taken and then went to lunch with daddy and you were way too into coloring to eat your sandwich or your fries. Then it was off to the doctors office, Ouch! On your birthday? Sorry, we were going to go to the zoo but it was rainy on your birthday. So yeah, sorry.
But the next day we went to the zoo! And you really loved the monkeys, feeding the swans and the pooping elephants. Aside from the animals, you loved the play ground more then anything else and watching other kids was an added bonus.

I look at your pictures from a year ago and can hardly believe your the same little person. You didn't even have much curly hair to speak of and now it's all over the place.

You're speaking in fairly complete sentences now and can usually get across most of your ideas to me. You know more then I even think you do, naming things I never taught you. That's what is so nice about all the people that watch you. Your not limited to just my meager knowledge, so at least you have that going for you.

It's so fun to come home from work and when i walk through the door to hear your little shrieks of "Mommy! Mommy's home!" It's nice to know that you missed me, or at least that you want me to sit and watch Go Diego, Go with you.

We're starting the whole "potty training thing" and so far it's just getting comfortable with the potty. We bought you a book! It has Elmo in it and it makes noise! I'm sure that'll teach you everything you need to know. Please?

I've gone a little nuts buying you things. Tell me how it is that I can withhold buying things for myself that are much needed, like pants that fit and shoes that are 2+ years old to wear to work, but when it comes to you, I can't hold back any amount of money? Trust me, if you don't look good, it's not because I didn't buy you nice clothes, it's because your father never changed your outfits from one day to the next so you're always encrusted in peanut butter goo and filth. You don't mind. You would rather not be able to see then sit still for the 2 minutes it would take to comb your hair. So tragic, but it's not my fault! I tried to teach your father how to work a pony tail, but his boy fingers can't figure it out.

So far 2's temperament is not chipper. 2 is fairly surly and has wide mood swings and pouts for no real reason. But 2 is also filled with giggles and dancing and smiles that I'm sure would melt six feet of snow. So I guess we'll wait and see how this thing pans out.

Love,

Mama

23 Months Now with Sentences

This month has been lots of fun! And I mean that, mostly. The past few months have held leaps in vocabulary, but this month is the month of sentences. You can say things that can be expressed in 2-3 words. Black cat. There daddy. Tummy full, etc. Sometimes I expect you to politely ask for what you want. But that's not the case quite yet, since not everything you feel you want is easily expressed, but we're getting there. And of course you are the smartest child in the whole world.

I just bought you some new clothes for your upcoming birthday and pictures and you don't even want to know how much trouble it was to find a dress that met all my criteria. It had to be less than $25 (I'm cheap, blame your grandfather) and not be too overtly holiday themed or summery, as this should hopefully be your nice dress for a year or however long it fits you. It's really hard to find a toddlers dress that isn't very summery or made or red or black velvet for under $50, believe me, I scoured the entire world wide web, I know. But I'm a bargain shopper and found a really cute dress on clearance for $8! And while it's sort of spring/summery it's so totally cute I don't even care!

I'm more excited for your upcoming birthday then I probably should be. I've had the theme all worked out in my head for months. Let's just say I'm excited. I'm excited for you to really be done with this whole "baby" thing and be a real bona fide toddler. Of course you've been in your terrible twos for a while now. But I hear that's what happens to the smart kids who just really want to communicate, and I want to believe that.

Just the other day you counted from 4 all the way to 10! By yourself! of course you wouldn't do a repeat performance since usually 9 follows 4 or 6 and 7 are left out entirely, but this time you did it! I was so proud.

Just a few days ago, you ate a chicken nugget! You cannot believe how happy this made me. Hurray! My child will eat processed and fried meat products! Of course you only ate one cut-up dinosaur shaped nugget, but it was your first time eating more than one accidental bite of meat! I have been worried about your protein intake since there's no way I'm getting you to eat beans or soy, meat does provide some essential nutrients, or something like that. All I know is that I'm getting burned out on the 3 things besides candy and ice cream you will actually eat.

You get put in time out quite often when I'm home (daddy's a softie) mostly for trying to kill the cats or throwing food on the floor. It's so cute even though I'm irritated to see your chubby little face pucker up for the "I'm sorry" kiss when I come to dismiss you from the "naughty step."

We're trying to fill up your time with play rather than TV, but you are already on your way to being a junkie. I'm sorry, this is mostly my fault. I also have a TV addiction. It's something I deal with everyday, but I'm working hard and trying to take small steps towards being independent from my electronic master, and I hope that you can also live free from this, but it's hard. it's so much easier to let to watch Ducktales or Finding Nemo because you want it and it'll totally engross you for 20 minutes to 2 hours where I can get things done or just have quiet time. But I'm trying. We'll see how it goes. We can only take this one day at a time.

This month has been full of kisses and bliss and tantrums and frustration, but someday we'll look back on it and laugh. Or be in lots of therapy.

Love ya,

Mama

22 Months of Crazy!

This month has definitely been interesting. There was the development of you calling me “honey” whenever you wanted something and the spatial relations that you can move things like people on your whims. You have taken to trying to grab people’s hands and lead them to where you feel they will be most advantageous to you, or push people to where they should head to maybe get you something, or turn on a movie for you.
I’m trying to control how much TV you watch (again) and sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t. According to the doctors (what do they know?) you shouldn’t watch any TV at all. But the doctors aren’t probably as concerned as I am, to whether or not our dishes ever get done. So I will cave in and let you watch an episode of Ducktales which you ask for by name: “Ducks. Woohoo.” Which is hilarious and adorable until the one millionth time that day.

You are one crazy little toddler and have transitioned from being around one cat, to two. You love Nemo, even though he barely tolerates your presence. He’s used to your kind. You sit in cats and swat at them when you feel waspish and he won’t have any of that. But you still sing his praises and whenever I ask you about the kitties, you are all about Nemo. Link sometime, but it’s mostly Nemo. Probably because his name nicely coincides with one of your favorite cartoon fish’s name. But it’s cute when you say the cats names as its Memo and Ink.

You had a really real and official hair trim just a few days ago. I of course missed it but now you wake up with more manageable hair and mostly I don’t see much of a difference in length and your grandmother assures me she only took off tiny bits to even things out.

You can say your own name! Kind of. It’s Hey-Bee when you say it, but you know it’s your name. I was worried you would think your name was baby or something like that, but making a conscious effort to use your name lately has paid off.

The summer months are being spent mostly indoors. Our backyard is a field of noxious and pokey weeds, so we don’t go out there much, and of course in the front yard you could run into the street at any moment, so that’s a no go either, but we have gone to the park a handful of times, but even you know it’s too hot to keep playing and give up and don’t throw any tantrums when it’s time to go.

We have a weekend ritual. You generally wake up before I'm ready to, or at least before I'm done being lazy, so I'll get you out of your crib and put you in bed with me. You never go back to sleep, but you will roll around and punch me in the face but also sometimes you'll give me hugs and kisses when you're in a super duper mood. That's why I keep doing it, the bruises are worth it for a little cuddle time before we start our day.

This month has been full of ups and downs, but mostly it's been fun to be with you. I hope it's fun to be with me too.

Kisses,

Mama

21 is a Good Number of Months

Well little thing, you've made it this far. So let's enjoy this month in review.

After church, which is about a 2 minute drive from home(because your mommy? she is lazy) and I promised you that we'd see our kitty if you got into the car. You acquiesced to my request but when we walked in the front door, and you saw the kitty you pointed and said "Kitty!' like "Holy crap! I didn't know he was going to be here! This is so awesome!" which made me giggle.

But not all the days have been roses and sunshine. Camping this past weekend, you went with your grandparents on Wednesday, but I couldn't come up until Friday. When I got there, everyone wanted to tell me about what funny thing you had done, mostly about how you threw a fit and laid on the dirt or smacked your great grandma in the face. So when someone came up to me and said, "Your little girl is so cute" I finished her statement "but so evil." Unfortunately, I don't think that was where she was going with her statement, but honey, you really are evil. Last night brought 2 time outs in the period of 4 minutes. They seem to work temporarily but not long term. I guess your logic skills aren't advanced enough to know that when you do something bad you get punished. Just so you know, your grandmothers are both requesting corporal punishment for you, but I have not given in to their demands for "soft smacks on the hand" mostly because I don't think I'll be able to do that without being angry and super nanny hasn't given me the go-ahead yet.

Feeding you is insane. There is nothing that you consistently will eat that gives you any nutrients. Broccoli is still okay, but you won't eat a meals with of it. Mac'n'cheese? You need the spiral noodles and then it's only a maybe. Even cheese, you'll be loving it and 2 seconds later you're spitting it out and cursing its name. Hot dogs can find favor with you, but I haven't figured out what the trick to those are.

You are really into singing right now. If there is music you will generally sing your own words and tune with it. At church you sang your little heart out during the hymns even though your words weren't English, but it was totally cute.

We did make it to the park this month. We stayed forever! I brought a picnic lunch, but you were too interested in sliding and running and swinging to even think about eating. Not even the juice box could keep you all there for long. You do have a very short attention span, so we swing for about 3 minutes, then it's run to the slides for a few times up and down. then push the keys on the broken xylophone then, hey! swinging! and then, wait, there are slides? and so on. We both got a bit too much sun even with our sunscreen and you went down hard for your nap.

There are still good times and hard times, I guess that's life and i wouldn't trade you in for anything else. Probably not even a pony.

Love,

mama

20 Months of Wow

This month has been one of words! You know what animals make what sounds and where the fish live (water, obv) and can repeat most of the alphabet on cue if I tell what to letters to say. Q, R U & W are tricky ones, but you try and that’s good enough.
Dancing is your new fun thing. You are totally into New Wave, but as Daddy proved with his country “music” you’ll dance to anything with a beat. You’re also a real TV addict now. If you can con someone into turning on your videos you will watch them over and over. If the TV isn’t on, you’re miffed about it and keep pointing and grunting. Sorry babe, I can’t let the TV babysit you, apparently they rot your…hey what was I saying? Oh well.
It’s getting warmer and so we starting to take little walks some evenings, you’re still into just watching the world from your stroller, and so that’s fine with me. I’ve been wanting to take you to the tiny park near the house, but that has not been in the cards, but this weekend, fingers crossed, we’ll make it. I say this as it’s raining buckets outside, so we’ll see. But you love swings, our at your uncle’s house, they have a swing set and every single time you went back and forth you said “Whee” so I figured you were having a good time, but then when we had to leave you sobbed and threw a fit! Speaking of throwing a fit, I tried one of the shopping carts that is also a little car for you to drive. We were shopping for a long time, so when it was time to get back into the car, I figured you would be done with it. No sir! You had a little meltdown there in the parking lot. That was fun.
Feeding you is still tricky. Some days mac and cheese will cut it, but some days it’s like poison to your little mouth. But I have discovered that you love raisins, so there is one thing I can get you to eat and they are very portable. We can take raisins to church!
That poor cat, you love him, but it’s very tough love. He will sit there and let you pull out his hair trying to pull him onto your lap or when you try to turn his head for him so you can kiss him. Every time we pull into the driveway you always starting exclaiming “kitty, kitty” and the only way I can get you to leave to go home is by reminding you that there’s a kitty at home who needs you.
I’ve been scrambling to make sure you have a summer wardrobe as when that oppressive summer heat hits us, you’ll need something other then long pants. Time will only tell if I’ve gotten enough shorts to manage the long sweaty days ahead.
You’re going to have to have some more patience with me, as I have very little patience left at the end of the day and can get very frustrated with you. It doesn’t help that your very stubborn and independent now. You have to do everything your way, heaven help us all if I try and tell you no about something. Oh don’t get me started on time outs. They seemed to work for awhile, but now, I can’t get you to sit on the naughty stair for all the tea in China. You melt right off it and onto the floor and then you think you can just go chase the cat as long as I’m not paying attention. I’ve got news for you kiddo, I’m always paying attention. Which leaves us in the middle of our power struggle. I don’t think we’re going to get this resolved any time soon, no matter how much Super Nanny I watch, but I’m sticking to my guns. There will be some kind of discipline in our house!
But for every fit or meltdown is a moment of spun gold where you want me to read to you and climb up on my lap, or you repeat something I just said out of the blue. When that happens all my tensions are released and we just giggle and go back to having fun.

Here’s to more fun this month,
Mama

19 Months, Hey!

You are now 19 months, but will all the attitude you’re throwing around you might as well be 19 years old. I can’t even count the times you yelled “No!” at me, sometimes when I want you to do something and sometimes for just being.
We have recently acquired a new cat and you are in love. You chase the cat around the house and when we can get you to sit for a minute he has been known to curl up on your lap while you hug the crap out of him. Of course he has also been someone to face your wrath as you shake things at him and yell “No!” Seems I am not the only person you must express your displeasure at.
Your eating is still touch and go, some days you will devour things I never thought you would and some days you live on air and sunshine. Although macaroni is usually in favor now as long as there is ample ketchup to go around. You are definitely related to your grandfather, he is also a lover of all things ketchup covered. I didn’t try to make you this way, it’s the way you were born.
For as much trouble as you have been lately, you’ve also been a ton of fun. There have been days where I completely lost track of time while we’re playing. There is nothing better then your little giggle when I’m teasing you. You are also fine playing by yourself. You love to take blankets and put your stuffed animals to sleep and tell them little stories and sing them little songs. You also love to “read” your books while sitting in your chair and carefully turning the pages. You are big enough to climb up onto the paino bench and open up the keys and play all by yourself. It’s neat to hear you experimenting with sounds and sneak hearing you sing your little songs. You don’t realize that I can hear you over the wall in the kitchen yet.
You’re getting used to the nursery at church. You love with the other kids, but you are so sure about me leaving you there, but I have to! I’m sure you get over your crying quickly as when I come to get you (almost 2 hours later!) they tell me how good you were.
You are definitely more independent everyday. You want to walk (or run!) whenever possible. You don’t want me to hold you or carry you. This can create a bit of a problem at stores or in crowds or restaurants. Luckily I haven’t lost you yet, but it’s only a matter of time. But when we look back at you getting lost, we’ll both know it was completely your fault.
We’ve started time outs and they do seem to work, although sometimes I don’t think you know what it’s really all about yet. Give it time little one and you’ll be screaming your way through time outs and saying how mean we are to you.
Your vocabulary is increasing by leaps and bounds. Now you can mimic a lot of words and will even say “please” when prompted. Mostly it’s still gibberish, but you also make meowing sounds if you’re trying to play with the cat. It’s adorable.
I can’t wait to see what this next month brings!

Love you,
Mama

Can It Be? 18 Months?

Oh my little girl, you are SO big now! You said with clear distinction "Shoe" yesterday. You are starting to really mimic things we say, or at least try to, where you used to stop talking if we tried to get you to repeat a word. Now you know that you're trying to communicate!
Easter was a blast! We did a little "practice round" with the plastic eggs in the living room, but boy were you happy to find these little treasures outside! You looked so adorable in your little pink dress and you curls running around in the bright morning light and finding all the (completely unhidden) eggs. You were even happier to find out that in some eggs, there was chocolate. And the heavens opened and the angels wept with joy.

You are now officially in nursery at church so your father can quit being such a baby about how hard it is to watch you, because I have to watch 4 kids you are so much worse! But I actually have to try and teach those kids something, at least with you, it's all about making sure you don't scream too loudly. But with our first week in nursery comes the first week of getting the Treat Bucket. I have to fill it with nutritious snacks for babies. I can't get you to eat any nutritious snacks, so I don't see why other people's kids should get anything from me!
Speaking of eating, I don't know what to think of you. I thought I figured out the trick to getting you to eat macaroni (ketchup!) but the trick only worked once, you have now figured out my game. I was so clever, I kept giving you things to dip into your ketchup and you would eat them! Now you just eat the ketchup and throw the food onto the floor. Thanks for that by the way.

You are so getting more lovely (possibly because of the hunger pains you must be feeling) but you hug! you hug me! Usually it's you hugging other people and trying not to actually touch me, but the other day you ran up to me and put your stubby little arms around my legs and it wasn't because you were afraid of something! Hurrah!
Now that you are starting to grow out of your 18 month sized clothing we've hit a snag. There aren't too many items of clothing in the next bigger size. And what we do have, is definitely summer wear. And March? It's not very summer-like. So I'm hoping that you can squeeze that tummy into your old clothes for just a little while longer while I figure out how to make a weeks worth of outfits out of 2 outfits. I think it might take some cash and going to the baby section in ShopKo (they have the cutest stuff!)

With the approaching warm weather comes "doing things outside" and so I've been trying to take you outside more whenever I'm home. You love it. There is nothing funnier that you running down the sidewalk. Although it gets less cute when you are headed for the street, which is where you always head. Which is weird. i know the yard is not green and lush, but it's got to be better than blacktop, right? So keeping you in the backyard is a must, behind the fence. Your fascination with rocks and the sprinkler heads is good watching. I think you'll definitely be a rock collector when you've out grown trying to put them into your mouth.

It's been a hard and interesting month, but you're weathering the storm quite well!

Love ya!

Mama

Sweet 17 Months

Oh my little pretty princess. You are just the worlds fastest learner this month. You're starting to say all kinds of words. just this morning you surprised me when I pulled out your day socks and you said "ock!" I just about fell over! And just yesterday you learned how to climb up on big people chairs and sit just like a grown up, of course that also means you can now climb onto the table. I'm excited!

This month has been a lot of attitude and stubbornness from you. You refuse to do anything if you don't want to and you don't want to do anything unless it's your way. This can be frustrating as I want you eat and you don't want to. You can be really good about it, as long as you can feed yourself, but you're a little ticked off if I try to feed you. So anything that is not finger food does not make it passed your lips unless i can trick you into eating it and that only lasts about 1 maybe 2 bites. But you did awesome with Thai food! You really liked it! That and you flirted with the waitress all night long! I hope that reduced our bill a little.

Your crazy eating habits are driving me nuts. You won't eat hardly anything, except yogurt, you'll eat tons of yogurt, but no fruit, no bread, no veggies, no pizza, no mac'n'cheese. I tricked you into eating tiny little bites by asking you you what something tasted like and you do try it, but that was about as good as it would get. You want soup of something, but your hand/eye coordination isn't really that advanced. You are doing okay with your oatmeal, but some days are better than others and some days you don't really want to eat it, you want to paint with it or toss spoonfuls onto the floor.

You are such a daddy's little girl. You are even saying Daah-ee now, which is cute, but come on! I'm the one you slaves over your every need (from the hours of 5 pm to 7 am) but you love to show me that you want to hang out with daddy instead. You'll eat for him where you'll spit the food out if I give it to you. You'll cry if I pick you up but cry if he won't pick you up. It makes him feel very loved, but me a little less loved, but I guess it's your finicky child nature and of course you're starting your terrible twos way early.

You love to babble and our morning and evening drives are accented with you talking Chinese all the way to our destination (unless you are tired, then you just stare blankly until someone gets you out of your chair and you're full of life all of the sudden) and it's so cute, You talk to your toys and on pretend phones. I swear I'm not on the phone that much, so I don't know where you learned all this.

It's been a silly month full of love and it's been a hard month full of new teeth and being sick, but at least every day with you is an adventure.

Love,
Mama

Sixteen Glorious Months

Little girl, every day you get bigger and also get new personality quirks. Your newest thing is tilting your little head onto your shoulder when you’re either concentrating or trying to show me how cute you are. It can’t be comfortable, but it sure is adorable.
You’re getting much better at feeding yourself with your spoon and you’re being somewhat less picky about what you eat…sometimes. Some days you’ll eat whatever but some days it’s like we’re trying to give you arsenic and I swear we’re not! Take this last Sunday, you ate potatoes. Po Ta Toes! You hate potatoes! but these were instant and you seemed to like them fine, until I gave you a second helping with slightly more gravy and then it was splitsville or spitsville would be more appropriate.
You are giving kisses and loves on demand, high fives and now “nuks” or when you bump fists, you like that one and everyone else thinks it’s pretty funny too.
Naps are becoming very difficult because you get tired in the morning but you don’t want to sleep, so you fight and fight and now I’m seeing if just one nap a day will be enough or if I’ll have to duct tape you to your crib.
As your parents we are finding out that while other people may want us to hang out at their house, we like our friends to come here so you can get to bed on time and don’t start reeling around like a little drunk after 8 pm comes and goes, but we’re socializing you pretty well I think. You have almost as many sitters as there are days of the week. You like most strangers, although the teenage boy cashiers at the store who try to talk to you are on your list of people to despise, which I hope last another 18 years.
This last week you cried after I dropped you off at the sitters for the first time ever and while I don’t want you to be sad I do want you to miss me, so while I was all “oh don’t cry” while I was leaving you, once I got to the car I gave myself mental high five because you do like me a little sometimes! But this sitter situation has become difficult because while your grandparents loved you as a baby, the most trouble you got into was rolling away, but now you’re a little bundle of energy and so you make those old people tired, so they don’t want to watch you as often which means I need to find other people to take up the slack and while you have one sitter that is good most of the time, she lives on the moon. I’m really tired of at the end of every week not knowing where you’re going to be at the next week. I’m really hoping to at least find a night-time part time job that will let me be home during the day and leave you with your dad during the evenings, because it doesn’t matter how much trouble you are, he can’t refuse to watch you, so I’ll be covered. We’ll see how this next month pans out and hopefully there can be real progress soon.
You’re a toddler now and I swear you’re starting the terrible twos early. You scream for no reason, you scratch and kick and pull hair until I’m at my wits end, because it’s like most of the time your wearing your nice face and then you get a little tired or hungry and then your mean face comes out. I don’t want to spank you, but man sometimes I really do want to. I’m going to need to figure out some kind of discipline soon or else you’re going to be in charge of me and that’s not the way I roll.
You’re learning how to brush your teeth which is something we’ve been a little lacking on until I got to the point where I could smell your terrible breath, so now it’s part of your bed-time routine and you love it. I tell you that it’s time to brush your teeth and you zoom up the stairs even though that also means it’s bedtime. It’s funny because you fight the naps, but bedtime is bedtime and that’s set in stone so you don’t fight it, you just slip peacefully off to dreamland, and without a binky too! We’re complete transitioned to no binkies at bedtime and you’re cool with it and I’m very grateful for that.
I can definitely tell you want to be independent but you also want and need our constant attention and praise. I think this is the beginning of the Hard Times with toddler-dom, but you’re just so darn cute that I can’t resist you. I just want to eat you all up.

Lova Ya,

Mama

Merry 15 Months Baby

It's certainly been a long month for me! Getting all ready for Christmas and making sure that you were taken care of as it's Daddy's first month back at work has been stressful to say the least. You've been mostly at Mandy's house although Niki and Grandma did take you for a day each. I spent 3 days during that last 2 weeks before my Christmas holiday just being home and finishing up the shopping and whatnot and it was lots of fun. You seem to be in the middle of a nap transition. For me you'll still take 2 naps a day, but anywhere else it's pulling teeth to get you down for a nap and then it's only 1. I'll be sad if I can't keep you with your two naps, but it is a sign that you're getting bigger and your little body needs fewer rests during the day. This month has also brought the emergence of the meltdowns. Your first was lovely and at Archibald's restaurant. I think your napping situation is taking it's toll on you as well and so now you're being nap deprived and so meltdowns are occurring regularly.
I found out I was suppose to let you start spoon feeding yourself at 12 months, so sorry, it's a bit late, but we're working on it. This morning you were able to get most of your oatmeal in your mouth all on your own. It will be a lovely day when I can eat and you can feed yourself and I don't have to wait until your finished. You mostly stab at things with your spoon and that does make it harder to eat, but today you were able to figure out the whole turn the spoon and it will hold foodstuffs until it get to your mouth. I was very proud. You're getting more open about foods but you still hate potatoes and even sweet potatoes that you will eat out of a baby food jar, but in real life, you can't stand them.
You have a brand new cousin who is very small. I remember those days but I was always so excited to see who you would be. Looking at your little face and wondering how you would act. I'm very happy with where you're at right now and while I'm excited for you to start saying real words, this is all passing away very quickly. Soon it'll be time to start again with a new baby so you can be the big sister, but for now I'm glad it's just you and me (and maybe Daddy a little).

The doctor told us we should work on teaching you your body parts, but apparently you already know them without our help. I asked and all of the sudden you knew where your ears, mouth and nose were. You're still working on your eyes, but 3 out of 4 isn't bad at all!
Christmas was a lot of fun this year. Last year you fell asleep but this year you really got the hang of opening the presents and discovering what was inside. You didn't get tons as I expected, but you did get some big things. A rocking horse that neighs and wags it's tail from one set of grandparents and a baby guitar and maracas from the other. I got you a few little things and then some clothes. You will be such a styling little thing. It's pretty obvious that everyone loves you.
You want so much, so want to take the stairs facing forwards as you go down them, but you're too little unless there is something or someone for you to hang on to. You want to help sweep the floor and help with the laundry. Whenever something is getting washed you must be allowed to put at least 1 item into the washer and then you wave bye-bye to the clothes. You want to get all your clothes out of the basket and carry them around the house, so your room is a disaster area. Oh well, some day soon I'll get to be home all day and maybe then I can find the energy to put the clothes away before you get to them.
I guess we'll still keep you.

Heart You,
Mama

(It really was the pictures! I couldn't get them upload, so here's few extra because you're so cute)