Wednesday, May 30, 2007
tantrummy
Sigh. Leo is learning how to throw lovely tantrums. Yesterday I took him to the pediatrician because we thought he might have another ear infection (no, but does have a sore throat--no strep though). On the way out he discovered one of the toy trucks and started playing with it. When I told him he had to leave it because we were going home he started crying and when we got to the car he put up a royal fight when I tried to strap him into the car seat. He did the same thing this morning on the way to school. Let me tell you, it's really hard to strap in a child who does. not. want. to. get. strapped. in! But, once we started driving and he could point out all of the busses and gucks, he was happy.
Saturday, May 26, 2007
19 months
Dear Leo,
Today you are 19 months old, and your mama and I have just finished cleaning up after a party. It's only the second one we've hosted since you were born, so it's kind of a landmark. The other one, incidentally, was a year ago, and you napped through most of it.
You oscillate between fiercely independent and extremely clingy. You haven't yet learned the word "myself" from anybody (us or folks at daycare), but I won't be surprised if it's one of the next words to appear. This streak is more problematic at some times than others, and is most vexing when it comes to the issues of brushing teeth and bedtime. it's rare for us to successfully brush your teeth completely, and you tend to sit there and suck the (baby, non-fluoridated) toothpaste off the toothbrush and wiggle your entire head, rather than moving the toothbruch back and forth. You're also beginning to fight an appropriate bedtime more often -- for example, not going to bed earlier than normal even if you either didn't sleep well the night before or took a shorter-than-usual nap.
Your vocabulary is also growing by leaps and bounds. You're well past 50 words, and although I'm not counting them right now, I wouldn't be surprised if you're closer to 75. The occasional two-word phrase is starting to appear, too -- earlier today, you said "feet book" after Mama finished reading you The Foot Book. Your ASL vocabulary is growing, too, although much more slowly -- it's limited in large measure by Mama's and mine, and neither of us uses the ones that we know as consistently as we ought to.
You've reached toddlerhood full-blown with some of your first public meltdowns and tantrums. You had one on Friday when Mama went to pick you up from school, as you were having a grand old time and didn't want to leave yet. The same thing happened in the park last weekend. I more or less know that it will get worse before it gets better, and I'm not looking forward to it. Tantrums also get triggered by by somebody trying to take something away before you're ready to give it up. When you're done, you'll hand it over quite nicely, though.
Today, the weather was hot enough for us to justify filling your pool, and you loved it. When it was time to come in so that you and Mama could get ready for the party, you pitched another fit. You had a terrific time in the pool, splashing and playing with your bucket. (We got the bucket and a little spade for when we were doing yardwork, but this is the first we've been out together since.) We went out to dinner and to a free concert last night, and you were the friendliest of the thirty bajillion toddlers there, offering almost everybody in sight your hat or your crackers or a hug.
You seem to be figuring out the cause-and-effect thing, especially as it comes to rules or trying to get your own way. If we tell you something like "one more cracker and then it's time to go to bed," you'll take as long as you possibly can to eat said cracker. The same thing applied at the park the other night, since we said "One more time down the slide and then we're going home." You absolutely refused to go anywhere near the slide, even through you'd been at the top of it and sitting down not five seconds earlier!
The next month will be really busy for the grown-ups, as we'll be taking a trip to see your cousins (my cousins, too) in High Point, your Mama has another trip out of town (to school C), Mama and I have a wedding to go to, and we'll probably go to your first baseball game.
We love you,
Mama & Papa
Today you are 19 months old, and your mama and I have just finished cleaning up after a party. It's only the second one we've hosted since you were born, so it's kind of a landmark. The other one, incidentally, was a year ago, and you napped through most of it.
You oscillate between fiercely independent and extremely clingy. You haven't yet learned the word "myself" from anybody (us or folks at daycare), but I won't be surprised if it's one of the next words to appear. This streak is more problematic at some times than others, and is most vexing when it comes to the issues of brushing teeth and bedtime. it's rare for us to successfully brush your teeth completely, and you tend to sit there and suck the (baby, non-fluoridated) toothpaste off the toothbrush and wiggle your entire head, rather than moving the toothbruch back and forth. You're also beginning to fight an appropriate bedtime more often -- for example, not going to bed earlier than normal even if you either didn't sleep well the night before or took a shorter-than-usual nap.Your vocabulary is also growing by leaps and bounds. You're well past 50 words, and although I'm not counting them right now, I wouldn't be surprised if you're closer to 75. The occasional two-word phrase is starting to appear, too -- earlier today, you said "feet book" after Mama finished reading you The Foot Book. Your ASL vocabulary is growing, too, although much more slowly -- it's limited in large measure by Mama's and mine, and neither of us uses the ones that we know as consistently as we ought to.
You've reached toddlerhood full-blown with some of your first public meltdowns and tantrums. You had one on Friday when Mama went to pick you up from school, as you were having a grand old time and didn't want to leave yet. The same thing happened in the park last weekend. I more or less know that it will get worse before it gets better, and I'm not looking forward to it. Tantrums also get triggered by by somebody trying to take something away before you're ready to give it up. When you're done, you'll hand it over quite nicely, though.
Today, the weather was hot enough for us to justify filling your pool, and you loved it. When it was time to come in so that you and Mama could get ready for the party, you pitched another fit. You had a terrific time in the pool, splashing and playing with your bucket. (We got the bucket and a little spade for when we were doing yardwork, but this is the first we've been out together since.) We went out to dinner and to a free concert last night, and you were the friendliest of the thirty bajillion toddlers there, offering almost everybody in sight your hat or your crackers or a hug.You seem to be figuring out the cause-and-effect thing, especially as it comes to rules or trying to get your own way. If we tell you something like "one more cracker and then it's time to go to bed," you'll take as long as you possibly can to eat said cracker. The same thing applied at the park the other night, since we said "One more time down the slide and then we're going home." You absolutely refused to go anywhere near the slide, even through you'd been at the top of it and sitting down not five seconds earlier!
The next month will be really busy for the grown-ups, as we'll be taking a trip to see your cousins (my cousins, too) in High Point, your Mama has another trip out of town (to school C), Mama and I have a wedding to go to, and we'll probably go to your first baseball game.We love you,
Mama & Papa
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
Some pics
Time and technology have not been my friends lately--so it's taken longer than I wanted to get these up here...
The new chair.
The new bedroom carpet and wall color--the walls are in reality a bit darker. Still haven't finished putting in shoe moulding and painting the closet doors...
New specs--party favor from Sam's party this last weekend.
Watching Bob the Builder on Saturday morning.
Sweet thing.
The new chair.
The new bedroom carpet and wall color--the walls are in reality a bit darker. Still haven't finished putting in shoe moulding and painting the closet doors...
New specs--party favor from Sam's party this last weekend.
Watching Bob the Builder on Saturday morning.
Sweet thing.
Saturday, May 19, 2007
ramblings
In no particular order....
Kirstin & I have both been fighting some kind of sinus thing since before she left for her interview at School B. I think we're both over them, though she sounds better than I do at the moment. It's punctuated many of our nights with alternate batches of wakefulness, so we've both been running on emptier-than-usual.
While she was gone, she also got a call from School C asking her to come on-site for an interview. No date set yet, but they were talking about the last week of May or the first week of June.
Yesterday, she helped me out with an introduction to ballroom dance for the annual Arts Day event at Kestrel Heights. Two sessions of about an hour each; each had about 15 or so kids. I think most of the people involved had a good time, although it gave me a chance to realize both how out of practice we are as a couple and how long it's been since I've had to help teach somebody how to dance. It was also my first time in the driver's chair for something like that. (For those who don't know, my first three semesters at the University of Delaware were spent as part of the ballroom dance team... which happened by accident while I was trying to be a journalist for the honors program newsletter. It's a long story, which I'll privately tell anybody who wants to know.) Still, I didn't look like too much of an idiot.
Leo's been scratched twice by some other part-time kid at day care in the last two weeks. They haven't told us who it was, and we haven't asked... although if it happens again next week, I might start asking what, if anything, they plan to do with the part-time kid or its parents.
My time on-call for federal jury duty starts on Monday. It had originally been scheduled to begin last week, while Kirstin was at School B, but they were kind enough to bump it. So far, it doesn't look like I have to report to Greensboro this week -- which is good, because the middle school is having its annual End of Grade Tests this week.
An update on Leo's recognizable vocabulary:
Kirstin & I have both been fighting some kind of sinus thing since before she left for her interview at School B. I think we're both over them, though she sounds better than I do at the moment. It's punctuated many of our nights with alternate batches of wakefulness, so we've both been running on emptier-than-usual.
While she was gone, she also got a call from School C asking her to come on-site for an interview. No date set yet, but they were talking about the last week of May or the first week of June.
Yesterday, she helped me out with an introduction to ballroom dance for the annual Arts Day event at Kestrel Heights. Two sessions of about an hour each; each had about 15 or so kids. I think most of the people involved had a good time, although it gave me a chance to realize both how out of practice we are as a couple and how long it's been since I've had to help teach somebody how to dance. It was also my first time in the driver's chair for something like that. (For those who don't know, my first three semesters at the University of Delaware were spent as part of the ballroom dance team... which happened by accident while I was trying to be a journalist for the honors program newsletter. It's a long story, which I'll privately tell anybody who wants to know.) Still, I didn't look like too much of an idiot.
Leo's been scratched twice by some other part-time kid at day care in the last two weeks. They haven't told us who it was, and we haven't asked... although if it happens again next week, I might start asking what, if anything, they plan to do with the part-time kid or its parents.
My time on-call for federal jury duty starts on Monday. It had originally been scheduled to begin last week, while Kirstin was at School B, but they were kind enough to bump it. So far, it doesn't look like I have to report to Greensboro this week -- which is good, because the middle school is having its annual End of Grade Tests this week.
An update on Leo's recognizable vocabulary:
- cake (we learned that he knew this one at a birthday party this afternoon)
- bubbles
- glasses
- Ernie
- Elmo
- knee
- head
- bear (and he knows the sign for it, too)
- mouse
- outside
- moose (and he can spot the Elusive Moose every time)
- and, maybe, Oscar -- I thought he said it this morning, but when he and I were looking at Oscar's Book this evening, I didn't hear it.
Friday, May 11, 2007
checkup
Leo had his 18 month checkup yesterday. He's 55% for head circumference, 55% for weight (27 lbs 5 ozs), and 75% for height (I can't remember how many inches. That height is all in the torso--most of his 12 mos pants still fit, but even some of his 18 mos shirts are getting too short. He screamed mightily during the shots, but calmed down after. Those are the last shots he needs until he's 5--whew!
Last night after dinner we loaded Leo up in the stroller and hiked the 20 min trek down to the mall to get ice cream (totally negating the benefits of the walk!) No surprise that Leo liked both the birthday cake flavor and the peppermint flavor.
In other news, yesterday I got a job offer from school A. As I have an interview with school B on Monday and just had a phone interview with school C on Tuesday, I told school A that I couldn't answer until I knew more about what was going on with schools B and C. I have to call school C and nudge them to make a decision about whether to bring me in for an on-site interview. It's a relief to know that I will be escaping the craziness that is my current job and the politics therein (for anyone who'd like to know what the heck I'm talking about email me and I'll fill you in).
More pictures coming this weekend, hopefully.
Last night after dinner we loaded Leo up in the stroller and hiked the 20 min trek down to the mall to get ice cream (totally negating the benefits of the walk!) No surprise that Leo liked both the birthday cake flavor and the peppermint flavor.
In other news, yesterday I got a job offer from school A. As I have an interview with school B on Monday and just had a phone interview with school C on Tuesday, I told school A that I couldn't answer until I knew more about what was going on with schools B and C. I have to call school C and nudge them to make a decision about whether to bring me in for an on-site interview. It's a relief to know that I will be escaping the craziness that is my current job and the politics therein (for anyone who'd like to know what the heck I'm talking about email me and I'll fill you in).
More pictures coming this weekend, hopefully.
Monday, May 07, 2007
Chillin' with el-fans!
Busy weekend--as usual. Saturday we went and visited my friend Amy and her husband Grant, and their soon-to-be-born daughter Stella. I haven't seen them for ages and it was good to catch up, and Leo had fun being scared of the puppies. I'm not sure why Leo wouldn't pet the friendlier puppy (Lemmy)--but he just didn't want to do it. He was however really well-behaved, and did not wreck havoc on anything or anyone.
That afternoon since it was raining we decided to save ourselves from cabin fever by joining the NC Museum of Life and Science--which has room for Leo to run around and things for him to explore. We even got to take a mini train ride. Since he's not (yet?) a Thomas fanatic like some little boys, he just kind of hung out with us and didn't seem too impressed by it.
Sunday was groceries, etc. at Target, where we found a cool chair for Leo. We'd been going back and forth about getting one--but finally decided that maybe he never sits still because there is nowhere kid-sized for him to sit. When we got home he took his time going down for a nap--and not without a few tears. While he napped I made a trip to the urgent care center because of some pain/numbness in my neck, shoulder, and arm, and it turns out I have a pinched nerve. All I can do is wait for it to go away, and take meds. If it doesn't clear up I have to go see an orthopedist.
One of Leo's favorite activities lately has been playing in our down comforter, which is on the floor in our room since we traded it for the lighter one. He loves to jump onto it and squoosh it around and play peek-a-boo with it.
And, as alluded to in the title of the post--another word has joined the vocabulary--"el-fan" for elephant. One of his current favorite books is "I Love My Mama" and it features elephants. Of course now he's pointing at the mother elephant and saying "Mama." Sigh. He also also taking to saying "yion--roar!" every so often, which is pretty cute.
That afternoon since it was raining we decided to save ourselves from cabin fever by joining the NC Museum of Life and Science--which has room for Leo to run around and things for him to explore. We even got to take a mini train ride. Since he's not (yet?) a Thomas fanatic like some little boys, he just kind of hung out with us and didn't seem too impressed by it.
Sunday was groceries, etc. at Target, where we found a cool chair for Leo. We'd been going back and forth about getting one--but finally decided that maybe he never sits still because there is nowhere kid-sized for him to sit. When we got home he took his time going down for a nap--and not without a few tears. While he napped I made a trip to the urgent care center because of some pain/numbness in my neck, shoulder, and arm, and it turns out I have a pinched nerve. All I can do is wait for it to go away, and take meds. If it doesn't clear up I have to go see an orthopedist.
One of Leo's favorite activities lately has been playing in our down comforter, which is on the floor in our room since we traded it for the lighter one. He loves to jump onto it and squoosh it around and play peek-a-boo with it.
And, as alluded to in the title of the post--another word has joined the vocabulary--"el-fan" for elephant. One of his current favorite books is "I Love My Mama" and it features elephants. Of course now he's pointing at the mother elephant and saying "Mama." Sigh. He also also taking to saying "yion--roar!" every so often, which is pretty cute.
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