Elly loves to pretend to be a kitty. Often she gets a little too into it, and actually starts to lick her hand. We're working on the concept of pretend.
Tonight she wanted me to be the mama kitty and for her to be the baby kitty. So I pinned her down and pretended to lick her, explaining that's how mama kitties give their babies a bath. She giggled and giggled, then sat up, gave me a serious look, and said, "Mama kitty, are you hungry for some milk?" and lifted up her shirt. I wasn't going to get technical and explain that mama kitties give their babies the milk rather than the other way around - especially since I want to encourage any self-image of a nursing mama in my little girl - so I said, "Oh yes, thank you" and pretended to nurse. She was so proud of herself. She then said, "Mama kitty are you firsty now?" and held out her hand, saying "Here's some water."
Later on she reversed the role play - she said "Mama kitty, I'm hungry, I need some milk. Please I can nurse from you?" So I lifted my shirt and left my bra up - hoping she wouldn't want to imitate Kes and really try to nurse - and she pretended to nurse from my ribcage, then she said "There. My belly is full. Now I'm firsty. Are you please have some water for me?" So I held out my hand as she'd done for me earlier.
I love playing pretend with her. Watching her use her imagination while learning about the real world at the same time is so enthralling.
Thursday, April 20, 2006
Tuesday, April 18, 2006
The Zoo
I have such mixed feelings about the zoo. On the one hand, zoos are so important for preservation and for educating kids and adults about animals so that their emotions might get in the mix and make them care about the environment. On the other hand, seeing the animals in zoos makes me sad. Well, I do OK til we get to the great apes. The anthropologist in me loves to watch the lower primates - when the enclosure is an adequate size with appropriate apparati, they seem to be having fun, and I think they're probably happy overall. Even the gibbons seem to be OK. But get to the chimpanzees and the gorillas and they all look at you like, "Up yours. Stop looking at me. You think you'd like it if you were on display all day? I'd like to stick you in a cage with a broken car and a fuzzy black and white VHF TV with no remote. Leave me alone." I imagine they must be as miserable as we would be in their place.
I took the girls to the Oakland Zoo earlier today. They had a great time. Kes talked to everything and everyone, except for when she fell asleep cuddled up to my back. Elly seemed to be more interested in walking around than in the animals, but apparently was taking it all in anyway, since when I asked her what her favorite animals at the zoo were, she listed off a few that I thought she hadn't paid any attention to. After the zoo, we went to the rides area. She threw a fit after we got off the merry-go-round... exactly like she did after her first merry-go-round ride ever at the age of fifteen months. It was uncanny. We had to wait through three cycles to get on the train, but she waited very patiently and insisted it was worth waiting there instead of spending the tokens on more quickly accessible rides. And she enjoyed it, so I think it was worth it for her.
We went home, I kept Elly awake in the car by talking to her and then she couldn't fall asleep at home. Kes took a short nap in the car and couldn't get back to sleep at home either. So we went to the park, which now has the water play area open! Eliana had a blast! Kes was cranky, so I cut it short and came home. Tomorrow we have a morning playdate but if it's this gorgeous maybe we'll go back to the waterpark in the afternoon. Ahhhh, spring. Finally!
I took the girls to the Oakland Zoo earlier today. They had a great time. Kes talked to everything and everyone, except for when she fell asleep cuddled up to my back. Elly seemed to be more interested in walking around than in the animals, but apparently was taking it all in anyway, since when I asked her what her favorite animals at the zoo were, she listed off a few that I thought she hadn't paid any attention to. After the zoo, we went to the rides area. She threw a fit after we got off the merry-go-round... exactly like she did after her first merry-go-round ride ever at the age of fifteen months. It was uncanny. We had to wait through three cycles to get on the train, but she waited very patiently and insisted it was worth waiting there instead of spending the tokens on more quickly accessible rides. And she enjoyed it, so I think it was worth it for her.
We went home, I kept Elly awake in the car by talking to her and then she couldn't fall asleep at home. Kes took a short nap in the car and couldn't get back to sleep at home either. So we went to the park, which now has the water play area open! Eliana had a blast! Kes was cranky, so I cut it short and came home. Tomorrow we have a morning playdate but if it's this gorgeous maybe we'll go back to the waterpark in the afternoon. Ahhhh, spring. Finally!
Sunday, April 9, 2006
Elly quotes
Elly: "Daddy, you're a good girl."
Scott: "I'm a boy."
Elly: "You're a good boy Daddy."
Elly: "Kes is getting big!"
Me: "Yep, she's a big baby now."
Elly: "Soon she'll be a baby Elinana."
Scott started singing the four questions, and sang the second verse. Elly interrupted him: "Daddy, that's not how it goes! It goes, "Ma nishtana, halailah hazeh mikol halailot, mikol halailot."
"Mama, be very patient. I'm getting ready to play plano and sing the abc's for you. I'm putting all my animals in a row so I can sing for them too."
Scott: "I'm a boy."
Elly: "You're a good boy Daddy."
Elly: "Kes is getting big!"
Me: "Yep, she's a big baby now."
Elly: "Soon she'll be a baby Elinana."
Scott started singing the four questions, and sang the second verse. Elly interrupted him: "Daddy, that's not how it goes! It goes, "Ma nishtana, halailah hazeh mikol halailot, mikol halailot."
"Mama, be very patient. I'm getting ready to play plano and sing the abc's for you. I'm putting all my animals in a row so I can sing for them too."
Friday, April 7, 2006
I take it back.
After a month of dry nights, Elly peed overnight two nights in a row, so we're back in dipes. I almost wonder if the insecurity of undies is making her bladder touchier. Well, we'll see what happens tonight in her diaper.
Wednesday, April 5, 2006
Bye-bye, night dipes
Since Elly wakes up dry the vast majority of the time, we let her sleep in padded undies last night, and the first thing I heard out of her this morning was, "I need help!" at which point I went in her room and found her with her pants around her ankles having used her blue potty upon waking. *sniff* My big girl. The night before that she woke us up at 4am to get her diaper back on after pottying in the middle of the night.
Amazing.
On that note, Kes now refuses to use the baby bjorn little potty and only pees using a potty insert on the toilet. I can put her on the little potty with no luck, take her straight to the toilet and she lets it all out. (And is pottying like a champ on it - yesterday we had no wet dipes while at home, and so far today too.) But oh my, for an eight month old, she sure has discerning taste about where she does her business.
Amazing.
On that note, Kes now refuses to use the baby bjorn little potty and only pees using a potty insert on the toilet. I can put her on the little potty with no luck, take her straight to the toilet and she lets it all out. (And is pottying like a champ on it - yesterday we had no wet dipes while at home, and so far today too.) But oh my, for an eight month old, she sure has discerning taste about where she does her business.
Tuesday, April 4, 2006
Daddy's work
"Is Daddy at work?" Yep.
"Is Daddy's work far away?" Yep, it's a long drive.
"Is Daddy's work this way, or this way, or this way?" (pointing) It's that way (pointing).
"Is Daddy come home now?" Nope, Daddy will be here tomorrow in the morning when the sun comes up.
"Is the sun up?"
That Nonna loves her Dad.
"Is Daddy's work far away?" Yep, it's a long drive.
"Is Daddy's work this way, or this way, or this way?" (pointing) It's that way (pointing).
"Is Daddy come home now?" Nope, Daddy will be here tomorrow in the morning when the sun comes up.
"Is the sun up?"
That Nonna loves her Dad.
Friday, March 31, 2006
Eliana update
I don't even know what to say about this girl. We spend every day full of fantastic and challenging moments that sadly never stick around in my brain long enough to be written down on paper. She is fully and gloriously two and a half, that's for sure. And a lawyer already... sometimes she makes so much sense, it's scary. (Thankfully, I would make a good lawyer myself, so she doesn't get away with much.) She is in the push-me-pull-me phase - to such a degree that it's not that she wants one thing one minute and another the next... she wants two opposite things at the exact same time. Especially if it involves the dichotomy of dependence and independence.
She copies well - I have come to realize that what sounds like rudeness or backtalk is only the two year old's imitation of the way adults (myself included unfortunately) sometimes talk to her. I've taken it as a learning opportunity to change my speech to better reflect the respect I have for her as a human being, to cultivate her self esteem even when discipline is involved. The fact that a demand from her is easily reshaped into a polite request by the simple statement, "please try again," thankfully provides some assurance that my interactions with her and my guidance are generally (if not always) respectful and patient.
She has taken it upon herself to learn a few new skills recently - putting shoes, undies, and shorts on by herself, and pottying "wif pwivacy", meaning that she can now get to the real toilet by herself. She can also get undressed by herself, if motivated by a bath, and can get into the bath by herself as well, though she is too cold to want to get out by herself. All new skills are taken upon at her own will - should I suggest she try something new by herself, she may try, but after a few seconds she collapses in a heap of "I can't do it! Help help help!!!"
Definitely two years old.
She copies well - I have come to realize that what sounds like rudeness or backtalk is only the two year old's imitation of the way adults (myself included unfortunately) sometimes talk to her. I've taken it as a learning opportunity to change my speech to better reflect the respect I have for her as a human being, to cultivate her self esteem even when discipline is involved. The fact that a demand from her is easily reshaped into a polite request by the simple statement, "please try again," thankfully provides some assurance that my interactions with her and my guidance are generally (if not always) respectful and patient.
She has taken it upon herself to learn a few new skills recently - putting shoes, undies, and shorts on by herself, and pottying "wif pwivacy", meaning that she can now get to the real toilet by herself. She can also get undressed by herself, if motivated by a bath, and can get into the bath by herself as well, though she is too cold to want to get out by herself. All new skills are taken upon at her own will - should I suggest she try something new by herself, she may try, but after a few seconds she collapses in a heap of "I can't do it! Help help help!!!"
Definitely two years old.
Kessa update
Everyone tells you it goes so fast... well, they mean it.
Kes will be 8 months in less than a week. While physically robust, she's easy-going and happy in temperment, and loves her family. Giggles abound, especially when Eliana blesses her with interaction. Daddy is a sedative, and can induce sleep even when lacking in breastmilk or at inappropriate times. Mommy has the breasts, and as such, I retain an advantage over the others... though I would like to believe she favors me in a few other departments as well.
She is motivated to crawl and is trying to figure out exactly what needs to be done. Toys and Elly are her primary motivations, while cats - which prompted Elly's first adventures in crawling - are objects of fear and fascination: she cries when she sees one up close, but cries harder if I remove it from her view.
Teething is in full force. She has 3 teeth now - 2 middle lower and one upper, just left of center. I think her top four teeth are going to erupt in a row. Kes emphatically asserts that teething and sleep do not mix, except with the help of Hyland's and perhaps a touch of Tylenol. Mommy's presence helps, and nursing continuously would help more, but since I can't abide a ceaseless latch, the teething tablets will have to do. Still, it's fun to snuggle her as she falls asleep with a belly of 99% milk and 1% homeopathy, eyes slowly blinking as she drifts off, assured of my presence by her hand on my cheek or chest, and my drawn-up knees pressed to her feet.
She clearly understands many words, though the most important is, naturally, "milk". I say "Kessa want milk?" and if the answer is yes, she responds vigorously with any or all - smiles, giggles, flapping arms, kicking legs, a smacking tongue, or a sideways dive into position. Other important, obviously understood words are "Mama" "nigh-night" "sleepy" "sister" "clap" "blink" "more" and, thanks to EC'ing, "peepee". Once when I opened the door to get her out of the carseat, she looked right at me, giggled, and said, "Mama!" - which I'm counting as real, despite no repeat performance (yet).
It's flying by... but the part of me that swears I was just meeting her in that tub is being slowly overtaken by the part of me that swears there could never have been a time in my life that I didn't know this loving, determined, giggly babe.
Kes will be 8 months in less than a week. While physically robust, she's easy-going and happy in temperment, and loves her family. Giggles abound, especially when Eliana blesses her with interaction. Daddy is a sedative, and can induce sleep even when lacking in breastmilk or at inappropriate times. Mommy has the breasts, and as such, I retain an advantage over the others... though I would like to believe she favors me in a few other departments as well.
She is motivated to crawl and is trying to figure out exactly what needs to be done. Toys and Elly are her primary motivations, while cats - which prompted Elly's first adventures in crawling - are objects of fear and fascination: she cries when she sees one up close, but cries harder if I remove it from her view.
Teething is in full force. She has 3 teeth now - 2 middle lower and one upper, just left of center. I think her top four teeth are going to erupt in a row. Kes emphatically asserts that teething and sleep do not mix, except with the help of Hyland's and perhaps a touch of Tylenol. Mommy's presence helps, and nursing continuously would help more, but since I can't abide a ceaseless latch, the teething tablets will have to do. Still, it's fun to snuggle her as she falls asleep with a belly of 99% milk and 1% homeopathy, eyes slowly blinking as she drifts off, assured of my presence by her hand on my cheek or chest, and my drawn-up knees pressed to her feet.
She clearly understands many words, though the most important is, naturally, "milk". I say "Kessa want milk?" and if the answer is yes, she responds vigorously with any or all - smiles, giggles, flapping arms, kicking legs, a smacking tongue, or a sideways dive into position. Other important, obviously understood words are "Mama" "nigh-night" "sleepy" "sister" "clap" "blink" "more" and, thanks to EC'ing, "peepee". Once when I opened the door to get her out of the carseat, she looked right at me, giggled, and said, "Mama!" - which I'm counting as real, despite no repeat performance (yet).
It's flying by... but the part of me that swears I was just meeting her in that tub is being slowly overtaken by the part of me that swears there could never have been a time in my life that I didn't know this loving, determined, giggly babe.
Wednesday, March 29, 2006
Growing Pains
Literally.
Elly woke up crying hysterically last night, telling me her leg hurt. I carried her into the living room and looked at it - no bumps, bruises, rashes. She was so happy to get back to her bed, and fell asleep relatively quickly with cuddles. I looked around the net and found nothing besides growing pains that would explain it, thankfully. But, to hopefully prevent a repeat, as the web said this often happens for a few nights in a row, I gave her some tylenol before bed. I hope it keeps her pains at bay.
Man, being a kid is tough.
Elly woke up crying hysterically last night, telling me her leg hurt. I carried her into the living room and looked at it - no bumps, bruises, rashes. She was so happy to get back to her bed, and fell asleep relatively quickly with cuddles. I looked around the net and found nothing besides growing pains that would explain it, thankfully. But, to hopefully prevent a repeat, as the web said this often happens for a few nights in a row, I gave her some tylenol before bed. I hope it keeps her pains at bay.
Man, being a kid is tough.
Tuesday, March 28, 2006
playing catch-up
Wow... time truly flies. Here's a bit of what's been going on in the past month and a half.
We went to Tahoe with our Minnesota friends - our kids' first time in snow! Eliana loved it, though she got tired of it as soon as she got cold. Her favorite part was playing "splat" (snowball fight) with Daddy. Kes rode around on my front or back in my new baby trekker. Eliana adored our friends, and even glommed on to Teri in particular, always asking "Where's Miss Ter?"
Purim was shortly after that and we went to the Purim carnival at our synagogue. Elly really enjoyed it, especially one station that had a bunch of rubber ducks in a tub of water that she had to use a fish net to capture one. It was a hard concept that the next time we went to synagogue the carnival was gone. She had no trouble leaving it that day, but expected it would still be there the next time we went.
Then this past week was the Lamaze seminar - finally! It seems like I've been signed up to go to it for such a long time. It was a wonderful experience, really made me excited to get certified and start teaching. I agree wholeheartedly with the Lamaze philosophy and hope to be able to make a difference for some women, so they can avoid the disappointment and guilt that I and some of my friends have felt. I think even if they don't end up with the birth they imagine, the philosophy will help them cope better with it. On top of that, the other 7 women in the class are vibrant, amazing, wonderful people whom I feel lucky to have met and gotten to know, and the instructors are two incredible women as well.
The only downside was that it did affect Elly a bit. At first she was just mad at me - doing lots of push-me-pull-me when I was home in the evenings. Now she is clingy. I cuddled her for the entire hour it took her to go to sleep tonight, rather than just checking on her every 10 minutes as usual. Poor babe. I missed her too.
We went to Tahoe with our Minnesota friends - our kids' first time in snow! Eliana loved it, though she got tired of it as soon as she got cold. Her favorite part was playing "splat" (snowball fight) with Daddy. Kes rode around on my front or back in my new baby trekker. Eliana adored our friends, and even glommed on to Teri in particular, always asking "Where's Miss Ter?"
Purim was shortly after that and we went to the Purim carnival at our synagogue. Elly really enjoyed it, especially one station that had a bunch of rubber ducks in a tub of water that she had to use a fish net to capture one. It was a hard concept that the next time we went to synagogue the carnival was gone. She had no trouble leaving it that day, but expected it would still be there the next time we went.
Then this past week was the Lamaze seminar - finally! It seems like I've been signed up to go to it for such a long time. It was a wonderful experience, really made me excited to get certified and start teaching. I agree wholeheartedly with the Lamaze philosophy and hope to be able to make a difference for some women, so they can avoid the disappointment and guilt that I and some of my friends have felt. I think even if they don't end up with the birth they imagine, the philosophy will help them cope better with it. On top of that, the other 7 women in the class are vibrant, amazing, wonderful people whom I feel lucky to have met and gotten to know, and the instructors are two incredible women as well.
The only downside was that it did affect Elly a bit. At first she was just mad at me - doing lots of push-me-pull-me when I was home in the evenings. Now she is clingy. I cuddled her for the entire hour it took her to go to sleep tonight, rather than just checking on her every 10 minutes as usual. Poor babe. I missed her too.
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