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August 24th, 2008
09:28 am - Little Miss and Mr. Men
When I was little, I have fond memories of these Roger Hargreaves characters. I think Arby's gave away little toy figurines of them in their kids meals. In 2001, when I was doing my study abroad in England, I found some of the books in a used bookstore. I snapped them up and held onto them for the future. (They were also good for stress relief, a little bit of silliness never hurts!)
Elena discovered the books while Matt was home on R&R. He thought they were a bit over her head (they depend on irony a good bit) but she LOVES them. "Where's Little Miss Wise?" she'll ask me periodically. I wish we had the complete set but I don't see it offered on Amazon. We'll just have to fill in the holes in our collection. This morning we discovered that there is a "mr. men" show on one of the british channels we get now. Oh and to top it off, last week I saw shirts featuring the characters at H&M.
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August 20th, 2008
01:58 pm - the cute never stops
"I got hurt, mommy!" Elena is fascinated with places on her body where she has gotten hurt, weeks before.
"I got hurt, mommy, need a bandaid," she said to me last night, pointing at her elbow. (According to my memory, she's only had bandaids when she's had shots, yet she's forever pointing to some long ago spot where she'd gotten bruised and asking for a bandaid.)
"Elena, that's not where you got hurt, that's a freckle."
"Oh. Got hurt, mommy."
"No, baby, it's a freckle. See, you have one here on your wrist." She still looked a little puzzled but we spent the rest of the day showing our freckles to each other and all the neighbors.
"And I have one in my hair," she told Mrs. Katie. "Get it out, mommy!"
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August 18th, 2008
08:12 pm - music
I know that bedtime can be a highly stressful time for many families, so I feel a little mean sharing how easy it is with Elena. Occasionally she'll be so overtired and late for bed that she cries miserably, but overall we've established a very peaceful routine. Daddy's already laid claim to bedtime though, so I'll have to give over this special time with Elena to him when he comes home.
Tonight after dinner, Elena had finished her movie choice (Toy Story 2, "the cowboy mommy!") so I decided I deserved a little remote control time. Together we snuggled on the couch and watched the Olympic diving competition, men's springboard. "Ooh, look Elena he's about to flip!" "Clap, mommy!" "Elena, we have to wait and watch him, then clap." "Clap, mommy!" louder & more insistently this time. She was funny and loved to shout "Hooray!" For the record, she also cheers "Hooray!" for herself when she puts her dishes in the sink. I suppose we could call that the home olympic dish diving competition?
So after some diving admiration, we went upstairs for bedtime. Each night, she gets to pick "one book, one time" off the shelf. One week her favorite was "There was an old woman who swallowed a shell" (SPOILER ALERT) a beach themed book about a woman who swallows so many beach items she burps a sand castle! (I took the opportunity that week to encourage "excuse me" after burping!)
This week her favorite is "Jesus Loves the Little Children." This book/cd combination was a gift at a baby shower, and I distinctly remember looking at it, being thankful, but wondering when or how I'd use it. I've always been more a fan of white noise than music for bedtime, but I found I did use the cd for several colicky nights or for keeping myself awake during midnight nursings early on. This year, though, it's been so much encouragement for me when she's pulled the book off the bookshelf and I've sung through the hymns inside. Just as much as I love knowing I'm teaching her about God's goodness (and it warms my heart to hear her sing "God is so good to me"), I love the reminder that "This is my Father's world."
For work next week, we're presenting a Early Explorations Music Literacy workshop for the first time, so I'm trying to tease out ideas. Feel free to share!
Elena in her dirndl is after the cut.
( Read more... )
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August 13th, 2008
08:44 am
"The bees cooked it, mommy!"
- E in reference to Honey Nut Cheerios
I love this age!
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August 12th, 2008
10:12 am - a first
Elena sang her way all the way through the ABCs!
I credit the LeapFrog magnet but the many ABC books we have didn't hurt either.
Now she probably won't do it again for a month or two; that's the way learning goes I think.
And she probably won't let me catch it on camera either.
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07:32 am
I want to raise a child full of gratitude for the many blessings we have and the many people who love us. Karen has sent us lovely gently worn clothes from her daughter Grace, the grandparents and Aunt Julie send so many cute finds & cuddly animals, Daddy sends toys for his baby daughter... whenever Elena wears something or plays with something from someone I tell her who picked it for her.
Now she's started randomly assigning people to things. This morning, I lit a candle. "Granddaddy bought that," she says. Um, no, Elena, mommy did. Sometimes mommy picks things out!
She's learned to wiggle her hips. I wish I could catch her doing it on video. She does a little toddler twist dance. Sadly, she's more camera conscious and while she's willing to sometimes ham it up for a picture she's less willing to ham it up for videos.
This morning she was playing with her leap frog alphabet magnets, singing her ABC's so well. The instant I pointed the camera at her she clammed up! We're so far from family (and daddy) that I try to catch as much as possible to share.
The potty training has been put on hold. She LOVES wearing big girl panties but HATES sitting on her potty. Our conversations the past 2 mornings have gone like this:
"Big girl panties, mommy, I want to wear big girl panties."
"Elena, are you going to peepee on the potty?"
"Noo!"
"Then you have to wear a diaper."
"No, big girl panties mommy!"
"Elena, where does peepee go?"
"In the potty"
"Where do we peepee?"
"In the potty"
"Are you going to peepee in the potty?"
"Noooo"
"Ok, Elena, then you will wear a diaper."
"Big girl panties!"
"Elena, when you will peepee on the potty, then you can wear big girl panties."
"Ok, mommy."
Ahh, the fun of trying to reason with a toddler. Maybe when she's no longer running a fever we'll try again. I don't mind washing dozens of panties b/c she's learning to feel wet and uncomfortable.
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August 11th, 2008
09:50 am - double digit days
Yesterday the backyard hosted the Double Digit Days of Deployment.
So the party atmosphere combined with the teething fever meant that for a few hours I gave up & put E in pullups.
She'll be in pullups a little while today b/c I have to work and she can't go to school with a fever.
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August 9th, 2008
09:31 pm - today's score
(this is mostly for myself now, btw, unless you're playing along at home or running a betting pool)
1 accident outside, 1 bathtub pee (despite sitting for 5 min on potty before)
1 accident-free trip to the commissary (morning)
1 accident-free trip to the food court (evening)
1 dry diaper during naptime (i think this was lucky happenstance, she didn't eat/drink much in the morning b/c of teething fever, and she used potty just before naptime)
? successful potties
We spent 2 30 min chunks of time sitting on the potty where absolutely nothing potty related happened. We did count the buttons & buttonholes on her sweater & practice putting it on and taking it off, so it wasn't time entirely wasted.
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09:32 am - bible school
Another video favorite of Elena's - "the marching song" she calls it. She BEGS for it and my tolerance is about 2x a day. But I finally caught her on camera marching along with it. You might know it as "I'm in the Lord's Army." As she does the motions along with the video, I flash back to youth choir days & Mitch's kids learning the motions better than we did! When Briana comes over I try to keep them occupied so they don't fight over "special" toys. With this video on, it looked like I was hosting a toddler vacation bible school.
Last night I had a dinner meeting, so Elena stayed with Erin & Briana. Nicole & Austin came over to hang out, making it a regular party. Elena had lots of fun but also had 3 accidents, so our total score for yesterday wasn't great. Since it was away accidents, I consider that a different level of learning to potty that's probably beyond her after only 4-5 days. She's learned to "hold it" at home with no distractions, she's learned to "hold it" at school when she doesn't like the potty (she holds out for naptime diaper) so I consider that progress.
Everyone says it's tough and a LONG process (1 year to nightime dry I hear is normal) and I'm probably starting early. It is easier to do in summer (bare legs, skirts, nekkid if needed) so this was my shot to try before all changes start & we move. If she keeps learning things, we'll keep going, if not, we'll put a hold on it.
She had a little fever this morning & has been chewing on her fingers quite a bit, so I think she's working on some back teeth.
Cute pictures from last weekend's fest are on their way.
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August 8th, 2008
12:31 pm
3 for 3 this morning (home but includes a good 45 min walk in the stroller)
only 1 temper tantrum so far...
"That be Giants, mommy!" Elena said this the other day in reference to her They Might Be Giants' Here Come the 1,2,3s video. Yes, dear, they might be.
Matt was on when we came home from our walk. His situation has changed & he isn't able to call so we depend on catching each other online whenever he's able to get to computer stations. Sometimes only facebook chat works but this am the yahoo worked for him so he was able to watch Elena playing via webcam. I told her that daddy was watching her and she said, "I build a tower for my dad." So she delighted in building tall towers & knocking them down. She's great with the webcam, having really grown up on it! She seems to understand how to show something to the camera. Matt said her hair seemed longer (and blonder I told him) and always wants to know who she looks more like. You, silly! :) I hope watching her play was fun & stress relieving for him. He can't wait to get on the floor with her & give mommy a break! :)
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August 7th, 2008
08:27 pm - The score
today's score then at baby bedtime:
3 wins 1 loss (home)
1 loss (away)
Erin said she liked totaling the wet clothes at the end of the day. :)
E was very excited about the stuffed animals Aunt Julie sent. With no consulting the toddler (a trend for me in cat naming) I christened the white stuffed cat Whiskers in memory of the best cat ever. The stuffed animal of choice these days though is Blue puppy from Blues Clues. There was brief panic tonight when he couldn't be located. Fortunately, he was only hiding under the chair.
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04:05 pm - potty training
In Elena's world it's called a "peepee towel" in your world it's probably called toilet paper.
Elena spent Sunday afternoon and all day Monday in panties, though not very successfully. It was still progress from the day a month or two ago when we tried. A few months ago she never told me she was wet. This time she would tell me that she had "peepee'd" so I figured we'd keep going. This even though we went through EVERY pair of panties we bought. (She went just about every 30 min, or 25 min if I put a timer on to schedule a potty sitting for 30 min.)
On Tuesday I packed her off to school with every pair and every skirt I could find in her closet that didn't have sewn in panties. Oh and waterproof shoes, no socks. (Summer is great for potty time and accidents!) She doesn't like the potty at school. It's her height but not her width - she's afraid she'll fall in. Tuesday she had lots of accidents & went through every outfit. Wednesday was better. She pottied at home before school and at home after school and before bedtime. (3 for 3 at home that day!) Today she only went through 1 outfit. They told me she just held it all morning until her naptime diaper (sounds like when I was weaning, she would hold out for sleeptime mama's milk). She had one accident right after naptime then held it all afternoon. But she came home & pottied, so what with pottying at home before school, we're 2 for 2 at home today. She still hasn't pooped on the potty but I figure we'll work up to that.
Her reward for pottying - me dancing & singing the peepee song ("Elena went peepee on the potty, wooo!" and repeat) and lotion.
Tonight I have a workshop so my friend Marina is coming to play with her. We'll see how that goes. Tomorrow is another test - no school for her. We'll just have to potty on schedule. (crosses fingers)
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August 1st, 2008
01:27 pm - Family photo book
When Matt was home on R&R, we got some pictures made. I was really trying to focus on him & Elena together, but then I realized we didn't have any since our wedding. When they came back, I had the hardest time choosing, so I asked my friend to make a photobook for us. Let me just say, that I TOTALLY understand now how folks end up with a "walk of fame" wall in their house. (If you're my FB friend, you've already seen these.)
( Read more... )
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July 22nd, 2008
09:57 am
Picture heavy - we've been taking lots for Daddy. The older she gets, the funnier. :) Indulge an amused & proud mama.
Behind the cut - "seeing" birds, playing cowboy & jedi...
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She's recently gotten very specific about who goes to bed with her. It used to be PJ, a little soft puppy, and Sanders, a "Guess How Much I love you" rabbit, were the only ones and that was my doing. Now, Daddy doll and Catalina (Ty stuffed cat who looks like Sass) are the top favorites, though last night she demanded all 4!
( Read more... )
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July 19th, 2008
09:46 am
"Dang it, mommy!" Elena now says. My fault completely. I keep waiting for her to pick up "Good Gravy" or "Shazaam" too. I'm nearly sure she understands the context of how to use such things, as I've often demonstrated. (Shazaam, some will well remember, is a particular favorite of mine from teaching days. I was forever stubbing my toe, dancing around and tripping as I taught. It always got chuckles when I drew it out in my painful moments... "sssshhhhhi-zam! that hurt!")
Yesterday, riding to pick up a friend's mom from the N'berg airport, we were watching trucks and naming colors. "I see a blue one, Elena, do you see it?" "Behind us mommy!" "No, baby, it's in front of us." "Behind us! It's behind us, mommy." So clearly we'll be working on that! :) I think mostly she enjoyed insisting on her own perspective. Well I just told her a toy was behind her & she looked in the proper direction, so yes, it was just stubborn fun. She was laughing when she did it yesterday.
"Pop-ickle" is her word for yes, popsicle. She asked for it for breakfast.
We've watched lots of one particular Signing Time video. Too much for me, but it was the only one that didn't talk about food & make her beg for treats. I've since ordered 2 more for my sanity. But this story is about the song on that video. "I'm a boy, I'm a boy, I'm proud to be me, yeah," sings Alex. "I'm a girl, I'm a girl, I'm proud to be me, yeah," sings Leah. "I'm a girl, mommy!" says Elena. "Yes dear, you're a girl. And Briana is a girl." "I'm a boy too mommy!" says Elena. "Um, no, dear. You're a girl. Zachary & Taylor are boys," I reply. Mostly I'm not worried about this. It's part of sorting out language. But I did think to myself perhaps I should warn the daycare teachers that this is from a video not any early gender confusion on her part. :)
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July 17th, 2008
09:58 am - Success!
Welcome to Razzbabies! It only took about 3 years for me to rename the journal but now it's done. (Any implication of future razzbabies other than Elena is purely hypothetical. I did not enter the "R&R lottery" as folks have fondly termed it here.)
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09:45 am - Joe Dirt takes a bath
Bathtime Mullet!
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09:37 am - Temporary Language
It may be prohibitively expensive, but I love the idea.
http://www.lilsugar.com/1787907
Parents choose an image from a gallery of 100 plus pictures, enter their child's version of the word along with the legitimate translation. For $30, your babe will be a walking talking self–identifying dictionary for those surrounding him. And, you'll have a tangible memento of his "faborit whuurd."
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July 13th, 2008
10:28 pm
Can you tell i've been starved for internet?
More pictures. Hammer time! :)
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Zachary & Taylor are so good to the girls, sometimes it's like they've each claimed a toddler. Erin said it was like a game of Pokemon cards. "My toddler comes with peepee power." (Briana had one rough evening at their house with 3 accidents.) "Well, my toddler comes with boom boom diaper power!" (Somehow, playing outside always causes Elena to have a BAD diaper.)
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July 12th, 2008
10:10 am - a couple more favorites
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