Little man doesn't like to play dress up... he doesn't seem to care about whether or not he's dressed to play the part in his pretend world. Actually, Halloween is a nightmare. The past 2 years, he had zero interest in dressing up. I don't really care. I never really liked Halloween either to be honest...
For the most part, he still has to be prompted to play pretend. But more and more I see and hear about the times he initiates it on his own. He prompted a picnic in the basement at the sitters. Complete with silverware and pizza and tea.
Last night, he initiated 'movie night' where we sat on a 'couch' and watched a blank wall where not 1 but TWO movies were playing...one for him and one for me... I guess we could pick whatever we wanted. We had invisible remote controls, even. He narrated what was happening in the movie... and when he was thirsty, he 'paused' the movie, jumping up and saying "we need movie snacks". I asked him what he wanted and he exclaimed "I want orange juice, and you get tea." (note: I do drink a lot of tea these days...) So we went down into the kitchen and gathered up our drinks and went back upstairs. He plopped down on the 'couch' (which was just his crib mattress that was on the floor) picked up the 'remote' and clicked the movie back on. Once in a while he'd pause it again, saying he's thirsty and he'd pick up his cup of OJ and tell me to drink my tea... He even said "we're having a tea party mommy...cheers"...I love when he toasts. He'll do "cheers!" followed by "prost!" and "salud!" and sometimes, when he's with his Ayi..."gan bei!"and "kampai!" taking a small sip each time. (a little bit of East and West this one..) The movie night went on for a short bit, until I was finished with my tea.
Last night he slept in a fort/tent at the end of my bed. His imagination is growing. I love it.
Tuesday, February 17, 2015
Monday, January 12, 2015
Happy New Year!
I'm a bit late...12 days late. But I'm always late. What can I say? Bad habits. I'm working on those though. Blogging just isn't as high up on the priority list. ;)
Favorite color: Orange
I can't remember if I said it last post or not but little man is potty trained! We still put him in a diaper at bedtime and naptime for those "just in case" moments, but during the day it's Thomas and Lightning McQueen undies! (and Star Wars...cuz his dad's a nerd like that. I am too but I'm definitely on the boat of letting him determine his own kind of nerdiness)
I want to do that cute thing where you take pictures with the favorite things for the year. But he's never interested in taking pictures. Most of my pictures of him are candid, action shots.
I want to do that cute thing where you take pictures with the favorite things for the year. But he's never interested in taking pictures. Most of my pictures of him are candid, action shots.
Here's where we're at today:
Favorite color: Orange
Favorite food: Mac and Cheese
Favorite place: The Beach
Favorite activity: Painting
Favorite book: How to Train a Train
We celebrated his 3rd birthday at Chuck E Cheese, which he now loves and expects to go there sometimes when I pick him up from the sitters. Maybe I'll take him again soon...it certainly wipes him out.
Now that he's 3..he's come into his independence stage. He would love to do everything himself, like...all the time. Irritatingly, all the time. Inconveniently, all the time. For the most part, he's well behaved and isn't a beast. But when he gets in the mood...he's very headstrong. Great quality for adulthood, not so fun for me right now. I pray to get through it without losing patience. I'm learning. Every day I'm learning.
I have to go. Mediation with the lawyer to discuss custody agreements. Wish me luck.
Some time soon I'll update on little man's first cruise!!! That was soo fun.
Friday, December 5, 2014
You win some, you lose some.
I tend to overuse the phrase, "you win some, you lose some". But it applies to all things. Life is a balance. For every bad situation there's always a bright side. If you know where to look.
My little boy refuses to sleep by himself now. I created a monster by creating the habit and expectation that I would continue sleeping in his room. Slight difference now, however, because I never slept the whole night with him previously. I would fall asleep while getting him to fall asleep, and some short time after, I'd wake up and go to my room. Then, it started.... he'd wake up and come to my room. It wasn't every night, just once in a while. So I'd let him climb in bed with me and sleep. But then it increased in frequency. I eventually tried to start taking him back to his room. He'd fight me, and I (being too tired to argue and stand my ground...) allowed him to continue sleeping in my bed with me. But I wasn't getting any sleep!! So one night I tried to force him to stay in his bed. That obviously didn't work. He cried until he threw up. By then I was just plain exhausted. Now he sleeps in my room. On the floor. I don't know what to do to sleep train him back to his room, back to his bed, on his own!
On the other hand, he seems to be getting this potty thing down pretty well. He'll even go on his own, unprompted, to the potty and take care of business. It just kind of happened. I had been letting him run around bottomless and he'd go to the potty...I tried to get him to read potty books and even tried rewarding him with an m&m when he'd tell me he had to go. It didn't make a difference. If he was naked on the bottom he'd go no problem, but if he had on underwear he'd forget. Then, one day a couple weeks ago...while wearing his diapers mind you, he decided he would go potty. Since then, he's almost always asked to go or just gone on his own. He's still in a diaper or pull up when he's sleeping, but for the most part, we've switched to undies. I am hesitant to take him out without a pull up still. I'm scared of the accident we all know is coming.... we'll see how we do when we go on vacation. I really hope I don't set him back too much over the holidays away. Still... I'm totally happy that he's getting it down. No more diapers!!
My little boy refuses to sleep by himself now. I created a monster by creating the habit and expectation that I would continue sleeping in his room. Slight difference now, however, because I never slept the whole night with him previously. I would fall asleep while getting him to fall asleep, and some short time after, I'd wake up and go to my room. Then, it started.... he'd wake up and come to my room. It wasn't every night, just once in a while. So I'd let him climb in bed with me and sleep. But then it increased in frequency. I eventually tried to start taking him back to his room. He'd fight me, and I (being too tired to argue and stand my ground...) allowed him to continue sleeping in my bed with me. But I wasn't getting any sleep!! So one night I tried to force him to stay in his bed. That obviously didn't work. He cried until he threw up. By then I was just plain exhausted. Now he sleeps in my room. On the floor. I don't know what to do to sleep train him back to his room, back to his bed, on his own!
On the other hand, he seems to be getting this potty thing down pretty well. He'll even go on his own, unprompted, to the potty and take care of business. It just kind of happened. I had been letting him run around bottomless and he'd go to the potty...I tried to get him to read potty books and even tried rewarding him with an m&m when he'd tell me he had to go. It didn't make a difference. If he was naked on the bottom he'd go no problem, but if he had on underwear he'd forget. Then, one day a couple weeks ago...while wearing his diapers mind you, he decided he would go potty. Since then, he's almost always asked to go or just gone on his own. He's still in a diaper or pull up when he's sleeping, but for the most part, we've switched to undies. I am hesitant to take him out without a pull up still. I'm scared of the accident we all know is coming.... we'll see how we do when we go on vacation. I really hope I don't set him back too much over the holidays away. Still... I'm totally happy that he's getting it down. No more diapers!!
Little man is a strong willed little person. Which is a great trait for him to have in the future...not so great now. I've learned to adjust though. Let him choose, and try to remember to reward good behavior. We're working on politeness but he's not even 3 yet, so I'll give him some wiggle room. They all need some wiggle room. With that however, I'm hoping...that the need to sleep with me will be a passing phase. That he'll get tired of sleeping on the floor and one day...DECIDE he'd rather sleep in his bed. Hopefully that's sooner than later. At least, he's fine with being on the floor in my room and not in my tiny twin bed with me and I can get some sleep too. That's the bright side. There's always a bright side.
Tuesday, November 11, 2014
Am I sabotaging good habits?
I cuddle my child to sleep. I keep telling myself, it'll just be for now...he'll eventually grow out of it and not want me anymore. But sometimes, like last night for instance - when he got out of his bed 3 times, I wonder if I'm just creating a bad habit. Like, now he needs me to be there when he falls asleep, or he can't fall asleep? He can sleep in his own bed, sure. But am I sabotaging good habits by letting him in my bed in the middle of the night?
Tuesday, October 7, 2014
Potty Adventures, wins and fails.
Little man is still in diapers. I'm overwhelmed with the idea of potty training him because of how many people we have to coordinate in his life to be dutifully consistent with his training.
The adventures began a few months ago, and have been on and off since then. There's days when I'm all about trying to get him to go on the toilet. Then, there's days where I just don't want to think about it. Truth is, changing his diaper is routine. I can handle routine. Change is where I get all twisted up. Don't get me wrong. I'd LOVE to not have to buy diapers anymore. I'd LOVE if I didn't have to worry about bringing enough fresh diapers everywhere I go. I'd LOVE to not have to worry about those times I'm fighting with him to sit still so I can wipe his poopy butt... trust me.
However...slowly but surely, we are progressing. There are times I know he will at least TRY to go potty on the toilet. After waking up, before bathtime...basically anytime a routine starts. But his life is far from routine - having to go between me, my mom, the sitter, and his dad... there's a normal routine but it's not normal every day. I've been thankful that he's not been so rigid in his need for routine so far. Though, it's getting harder and harder because he really does need a routine and when it gets thrown off, I can tell. He's always crabbier and more prone to having separation anxiety. I have major mom guilt about that...
He's a doll about saying "I have to potty" when he feels like it. He's actually quite good about it...when he's naked. Most of the time he even makes it to the toilet himself. We've had a few accidents on the way. But that's it. Put big boy undies on him and that goes out the window. No more "I have to potty"... more "uh oh I peeps". Put him in a pull up and it's basically like a diaper where he doesn't say a word about being wet. He doesn't seem to mind one iota that his diaper is full. The only difference with a pull up is he'll go running around pointing at his crotch and exclaiming "look lightning mcqueen on my diaper!"
So we are moving along, but how do I know when he's ready to be pushed over the line? How do I coordinate everyone's efforts to get him to use the toilet when everyone has their own personal agendas?
Every once in a while, there's a major win. Once, he yelled "I have to potty!", ran to the bathroom, and waited until I came to take his diaper off and help him up on the toilet. The other day he told the sitter "I want go poopoo on the potty" and he did!!! Ah, proud moments. I shall cling to those moments every time he has an accident because he is learning... but sometimes..."i peeps on your bed mommy" is not what I want to hear...
How long is this suppose to last??
The adventures began a few months ago, and have been on and off since then. There's days when I'm all about trying to get him to go on the toilet. Then, there's days where I just don't want to think about it. Truth is, changing his diaper is routine. I can handle routine. Change is where I get all twisted up. Don't get me wrong. I'd LOVE to not have to buy diapers anymore. I'd LOVE if I didn't have to worry about bringing enough fresh diapers everywhere I go. I'd LOVE to not have to worry about those times I'm fighting with him to sit still so I can wipe his poopy butt... trust me.
However...slowly but surely, we are progressing. There are times I know he will at least TRY to go potty on the toilet. After waking up, before bathtime...basically anytime a routine starts. But his life is far from routine - having to go between me, my mom, the sitter, and his dad... there's a normal routine but it's not normal every day. I've been thankful that he's not been so rigid in his need for routine so far. Though, it's getting harder and harder because he really does need a routine and when it gets thrown off, I can tell. He's always crabbier and more prone to having separation anxiety. I have major mom guilt about that...
He's a doll about saying "I have to potty" when he feels like it. He's actually quite good about it...when he's naked. Most of the time he even makes it to the toilet himself. We've had a few accidents on the way. But that's it. Put big boy undies on him and that goes out the window. No more "I have to potty"... more "uh oh I peeps". Put him in a pull up and it's basically like a diaper where he doesn't say a word about being wet. He doesn't seem to mind one iota that his diaper is full. The only difference with a pull up is he'll go running around pointing at his crotch and exclaiming "look lightning mcqueen on my diaper!"
So we are moving along, but how do I know when he's ready to be pushed over the line? How do I coordinate everyone's efforts to get him to use the toilet when everyone has their own personal agendas?
Every once in a while, there's a major win. Once, he yelled "I have to potty!", ran to the bathroom, and waited until I came to take his diaper off and help him up on the toilet. The other day he told the sitter "I want go poopoo on the potty" and he did!!! Ah, proud moments. I shall cling to those moments every time he has an accident because he is learning... but sometimes..."i peeps on your bed mommy" is not what I want to hear...
How long is this suppose to last??
Friday, September 5, 2014
Conversations with a 2 year old
I realize that conversing with a toddler can be a bit difficult at times. Their speech is awkward, not always pronouncing things quite right yet, missing some parts of speech and such. It's so interesting though as their vocabulary expands and their sentences become more structured. Little man doesn't talk a lot, like my nieces do, but he can certainly talk if he feels like it. The mother of another 2 year old just a few months younger than my little man exclaimed her surprise and jealousy at how well he speaks already. Her son has been saying basic one word sentences and not much else. I was like, aw it's alright...its just the different timeline for that development. I mean...what else do you say to another mom who is worried about their child's development rate?
I guess I do kind of take for granted that I am able to converse somewhat with little man... It's a good thing these days when I've been so stressed out I haven't been so in tune to what is happening with other people. I'm glad he's smarter than your average bear and can tell me "I want eat" when he's hungry or "I want juice/chocolate milk" when he's thirsty. (we're working on please and thank you) Now, if only he'd say "I gotta go potty" more than that one time he said it and ran to the bathroom unprompted.
These are a couple of the most recent conversations:
Me: (after picking him up from his dad's) So what'd you do today?
LLM: I go daddys.
Me: Yeah?
LLM: Uh huh..go park and play. I run really fast. Really really fast. And I fall down. I got booboo. See?
Me: Oh I see, you went to the park and ran around really fast. That must have been fun. But you got a boo boo??
LLM: I got 2 boo boos
Me: Aw you have 2 boo boos? I only see one, where's the other one?
LLM: I got boo boo here my knee. 'Nother boo boo here (points to foot)
Me: Oh I see the boo boo on your knee. What happened to your foot? Is there another boo boo?
LLM: Yeah, it hurts. ::pokes it:: owwie.
Me: Well don't poke it!
LLM: I poke it, it hurts.
Then last night when I picked him up from the sitters. She gave me the run down of his being naughty yesterday. Apparently he bit and hit one of the other kids (Connor) and swiped toys away from the other boy (Giovanni). So he had a couple time outs. Which is rare if you know this kid.
LLM: I do myself! (trying to get in the car into his carseat...he's been really independent about that lately) Here mommy hold dis (he pulled the straps open so he can sit in between) I buckle...click!
Me: Click! Good job buckling in. I'll get the rest.
LLM: I need my sungasses pease
Me: Ok, lets finish strapping you in with your buckle and I'll get your sunglasses. So what'd you do today?
LLM; I went Miss Jill's
Me: Yeah, what did you do at Ms Jill's?
LLM: I play Connor
Me: So you played with Connor? What about Giovanni?
LLM: I play Jobanni too
Me: That's good, what else happened?
LLM: (gets really quiet and whispers) I got time out.
Me: Yeah, I heard you got a time out, what happened?
LLM: (still whispering) I push Connor
Me: I heard that you hit Connor. You know that's not how we play right?
LLM: (still whispering) uh huh...
Me: Ok, well I expect you to play nicely with both Connor and Giovanni from now on ok? Or Ms Jill will give you more time outs, got it?
LLM: yeah. (finds his left over cereal box in his seat) mommy pease i eat cereal?
It really amazes me how he can interact in this way...but with all this comes the attitude as well.
"Leave me alone!" (yes, already. this has already started happening)
"Don't touch dat!"
"Das mine!"
Usually the tantrums begin with "I wan do myself!" (I want to do it myself!) and if it's not something he's able to do he gets so extremely frustrated. Unfortunately, I can't help him understand that he's not big enough to do it yet (either he's too young or he's just not physically developed enough yet). He's like a 4 year old trapped in a 2 year old's body sometimes...
I guess I do kind of take for granted that I am able to converse somewhat with little man... It's a good thing these days when I've been so stressed out I haven't been so in tune to what is happening with other people. I'm glad he's smarter than your average bear and can tell me "I want eat" when he's hungry or "I want juice/chocolate milk" when he's thirsty. (we're working on please and thank you) Now, if only he'd say "I gotta go potty" more than that one time he said it and ran to the bathroom unprompted.
These are a couple of the most recent conversations:
Me: (after picking him up from his dad's) So what'd you do today?
LLM: I go daddys.
Me: Yeah?
LLM: Uh huh..go park and play. I run really fast. Really really fast. And I fall down. I got booboo. See?
Me: Oh I see, you went to the park and ran around really fast. That must have been fun. But you got a boo boo??
LLM: I got 2 boo boos
Me: Aw you have 2 boo boos? I only see one, where's the other one?
LLM: I got boo boo here my knee. 'Nother boo boo here (points to foot)
Me: Oh I see the boo boo on your knee. What happened to your foot? Is there another boo boo?
LLM: Yeah, it hurts. ::pokes it:: owwie.
Me: Well don't poke it!
LLM: I poke it, it hurts.
Then last night when I picked him up from the sitters. She gave me the run down of his being naughty yesterday. Apparently he bit and hit one of the other kids (Connor) and swiped toys away from the other boy (Giovanni). So he had a couple time outs. Which is rare if you know this kid.
LLM: I do myself! (trying to get in the car into his carseat...he's been really independent about that lately) Here mommy hold dis (he pulled the straps open so he can sit in between) I buckle...click!
Me: Click! Good job buckling in. I'll get the rest.
LLM: I need my sungasses pease
Me: Ok, lets finish strapping you in with your buckle and I'll get your sunglasses. So what'd you do today?
LLM; I went Miss Jill's
Me: Yeah, what did you do at Ms Jill's?
LLM: I play Connor
Me: So you played with Connor? What about Giovanni?
LLM: I play Jobanni too
Me: That's good, what else happened?
LLM: (gets really quiet and whispers) I got time out.
Me: Yeah, I heard you got a time out, what happened?
LLM: (still whispering) I push Connor
Me: I heard that you hit Connor. You know that's not how we play right?
LLM: (still whispering) uh huh...
Me: Ok, well I expect you to play nicely with both Connor and Giovanni from now on ok? Or Ms Jill will give you more time outs, got it?
LLM: yeah. (finds his left over cereal box in his seat) mommy pease i eat cereal?
It really amazes me how he can interact in this way...but with all this comes the attitude as well.
"Leave me alone!" (yes, already. this has already started happening)
"Don't touch dat!"
"Das mine!"
Usually the tantrums begin with "I wan do myself!" (I want to do it myself!) and if it's not something he's able to do he gets so extremely frustrated. Unfortunately, I can't help him understand that he's not big enough to do it yet (either he's too young or he's just not physically developed enough yet). He's like a 4 year old trapped in a 2 year old's body sometimes...
Thursday, September 4, 2014
Techie kids amaze me
I'm pretty sure I wrote about this before, but as I'm reading an article about the best math apps for pre-schoolers...I have some more thoughts on it now that little man will be 3 in a few months. (ugh. did I just say that? almost 3?!)
In this day and age, we can't get away from technology and electronics. We use it every day, we're surrounded by it; heck, for some of us it's part of our bodies. I remember a few years ago there was this uproar about how we "should" be raising our kids - how they need to put the iPad down and go play outside like the old days. Well. News Flash! These aren't those times anymore.
Don't get me wrong, I totally limit iPad time. Plus I know for a fact when he's at the sitters during the work week, he's playing and learning the old fashioned way (mostly). I told her he only should get a short time with the Leap Pad. Plus, she doesn't like it because he only watches Team Umi Zoomi and doesn't actually play any of the learning games. I agree. Thankful for her and her family EVERY DAY. Little man is in a good place.
That said, I actually am a big advocate of iPad learning. I sit and interact with him if I can while he's using it. I point out things and call them out, I ask him to tell me where things are, and he tells me what they are too. He gets excited when something fun happens on the screen. He gets frustrated when something doesn't work the way he expects it to. Downtime is movie time. He loves short films. Actually, he watches far too many movies/tv shows in my opinion. But I do give him a lot of downtime and that's what he wants to do. Thankfully, they're all age appropriate.
The other day I watched him expertly navigate through pages of apps until he found the one he wanted. Toca Train.
In this day and age, we can't get away from technology and electronics. We use it every day, we're surrounded by it; heck, for some of us it's part of our bodies. I remember a few years ago there was this uproar about how we "should" be raising our kids - how they need to put the iPad down and go play outside like the old days. Well. News Flash! These aren't those times anymore.
Don't get me wrong, I totally limit iPad time. Plus I know for a fact when he's at the sitters during the work week, he's playing and learning the old fashioned way (mostly). I told her he only should get a short time with the Leap Pad. Plus, she doesn't like it because he only watches Team Umi Zoomi and doesn't actually play any of the learning games. I agree. Thankful for her and her family EVERY DAY. Little man is in a good place.
That said, I actually am a big advocate of iPad learning. I sit and interact with him if I can while he's using it. I point out things and call them out, I ask him to tell me where things are, and he tells me what they are too. He gets excited when something fun happens on the screen. He gets frustrated when something doesn't work the way he expects it to. Downtime is movie time. He loves short films. Actually, he watches far too many movies/tv shows in my opinion. But I do give him a lot of downtime and that's what he wants to do. Thankfully, they're all age appropriate.
The other day I watched him expertly navigate through pages of apps until he found the one he wanted. Toca Train.
I watched him as he started the train, stopped the train to pick up a person, select their seat, start the train, pull the train whistle, speed the train up, change the screen view, slow the train down, stop the train to pick up cargo, sort through the cargo, select which cargo he wanted (it was a pumpkin), put the cargo on the train, start the train again, pull the train whistle, change the screen view, stop the train, dropped off someone, picked someone else up, selected their seat, start the train, pull the whistle...and do it all over again. I sat there in silent amazement as I watched him. It seemed extraordinarily simple to me, the tasks he was doing with the train. But I slowly realized he was doing a more complex order of tasks. Something that is simple, but something that isn't necessarily innate and must be learned. He was processing this quietly, planning out a course of action.
It's not just this one game I realized. He's been doing that with several other games. I noticed he's less frustrated now because he understands the different concepts with the different games and can apply them. He amazes me every day.
This is just one observation I've made with the iPad use. And maybe it's just because he knows how to use the game now, but I marvel at the complexity of our brains and how we learn. I marvel at the beauty of what God and nature have given us. I marvel at our very being.
Seriously though, I'm totally going to be my mom when he gets older and I do not know how to operate some new fancy technology asking him for help ALL THE TIME. Man, I hope not.
It's not just this one game I realized. He's been doing that with several other games. I noticed he's less frustrated now because he understands the different concepts with the different games and can apply them. He amazes me every day.
This is just one observation I've made with the iPad use. And maybe it's just because he knows how to use the game now, but I marvel at the complexity of our brains and how we learn. I marvel at the beauty of what God and nature have given us. I marvel at our very being.
Seriously though, I'm totally going to be my mom when he gets older and I do not know how to operate some new fancy technology asking him for help ALL THE TIME. Man, I hope not.
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