This seems to be Spacedaddy's week of playing catch up on time he may have spent away from Anna while working some weekends over the last 18 months of her life.
He had her all day yesterday, took her again today, and even though Thurs are my afternoons with her, he gets her this Thurs too because I have to be present for a review at work that afternoon. Additionally, tonight I have plans till around 7:30 so he even gets dinner and bedtime. Even more, I am out of town Friday, returning Monday so even more time with Anna.
The biggest challenge to me hanging with Anna so much is just being creative enough to keep her happy. That is my challenge, but it seems like keeping her entertained and involved comes easy to Paul. Plus it seems her cranky attitude phases don't bother him as much as it bothers me. He is less uptight about it, but I guess that's what dads do?
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Spacedaddy saves bath time
As part of her new-found attempts to defy mommy and daddy, bath time (her favorite activity) is no exception. So she immediately started fussing at me when I placed her butt in the tub last night.
Paul had taught her a few nights ago how to wash her own hair. He happened to be present at this bath last night, and when the fussing started he asked her if she could wash her own hair. So she did and bath time was fun again. Followed by "Up Yours" when I tried to get her out of the now-cold water 30 min later.
Months and months of mommy bathtime made fun turned not-fun and then revived again with a brief, new tactic by Spacedaddy that involved Anna's participation instead of just playing with her usual bath toys. I think that the fresh, new approach to stuff is going to be required around here over the next few years. I am going to have to learn to get creative, I guess.
Paul had taught her a few nights ago how to wash her own hair. He happened to be present at this bath last night, and when the fussing started he asked her if she could wash her own hair. So she did and bath time was fun again. Followed by "Up Yours" when I tried to get her out of the now-cold water 30 min later.
Months and months of mommy bathtime made fun turned not-fun and then revived again with a brief, new tactic by Spacedaddy that involved Anna's participation instead of just playing with her usual bath toys. I think that the fresh, new approach to stuff is going to be required around here over the next few years. I am going to have to learn to get creative, I guess.
Up yours
If she could tell me, "Up Yours", I think she would.
Still, on the way out the door this morning she told me, "I Love You!" and "Happy Birthday!"
What a little Thug Muffin.
She is home with Paul today because Tues afternoons she is with him. Thurs afternoons she is with me. But this morning Paul had an open schedule this morning and so wanted to keep her with him again all day. I wanted her to go to school this morning because she has music and story time today, but then the weather turned crappy so I figured fine. Although this will do nothing to help her routine/schedule, which is now only a scaffolding of what it used to be.
She sat captivated last night through about 20 DVR play-backs of a brief Sleeping Beauty music video ("If I know You") that popped up on the Disney channel (again, thank you DVR). I was amazed that she was amazed. She's never seen a Disney movie cartoon. Here is this Sleeping Beauty chick singing to a bunch of forest animals about her dreamy prince that she's met in a dream, and my daughter, who knows NOTHING about princesses and fairy tales and all that stuff, is mesmorized. The voice of the woman is obviously that of a 40's-50's era sound, but it's timelsss to Anna's ears. Disney knows it can make Baby crack- an addiction for even 19 month-olds. It blows my mind and defies my theory that little girls only like girlie things, like Princesses, because they're taught to. Hopefully the draw to these movies for such little ones is that they're embedded with subliminal messages that say, "Don't tell your mommy and daddy 'Up Yours'". Maybe that's really what she's attracted to?
After the first 10 runs of the video, she got up and asked me to dance. That was fun and sweet!! Then: "Up Yours" when I told her it was bath time.
Still, on the way out the door this morning she told me, "I Love You!" and "Happy Birthday!"
What a little Thug Muffin.
She is home with Paul today because Tues afternoons she is with him. Thurs afternoons she is with me. But this morning Paul had an open schedule this morning and so wanted to keep her with him again all day. I wanted her to go to school this morning because she has music and story time today, but then the weather turned crappy so I figured fine. Although this will do nothing to help her routine/schedule, which is now only a scaffolding of what it used to be.
She sat captivated last night through about 20 DVR play-backs of a brief Sleeping Beauty music video ("If I know You") that popped up on the Disney channel (again, thank you DVR). I was amazed that she was amazed. She's never seen a Disney movie cartoon. Here is this Sleeping Beauty chick singing to a bunch of forest animals about her dreamy prince that she's met in a dream, and my daughter, who knows NOTHING about princesses and fairy tales and all that stuff, is mesmorized. The voice of the woman is obviously that of a 40's-50's era sound, but it's timelsss to Anna's ears. Disney knows it can make Baby crack- an addiction for even 19 month-olds. It blows my mind and defies my theory that little girls only like girlie things, like Princesses, because they're taught to. Hopefully the draw to these movies for such little ones is that they're embedded with subliminal messages that say, "Don't tell your mommy and daddy 'Up Yours'". Maybe that's really what she's attracted to?
After the first 10 runs of the video, she got up and asked me to dance. That was fun and sweet!! Then: "Up Yours" when I told her it was bath time.
Monday, October 6, 2008
Anna's home today
As I was taking Anna down the hall to her classroom today, I overheard one of the Infant teachers saying she was going home because she felt sick. Hmmm, bummer, I thought. Then I heard her co-worker telling her that Ms K (Anna's teacher) and Ms J (sometimes Anna's teacher, in the Toddler room next to Anna's) were home sick today.
Stop right there! Didn't JK text me this weekend that her toddler, BK had a stomach bug, and wanted to know if Anna caught it yet? Could this be going around her classrooms?
I poked my head in, apologized for interrupting, and asked for elaboration on the symptoms. Yep: all stomach illness. I backed up, phoned Paul and asked him if we'd be able to keep Anna home today with him. He agreed that nobody likes toddler vomit, so in an effort to avoid our share, Paul agreed to take Anna with him to the clinic today.
I told the administrator, thanks but no thanks, we'll wait for this to pass, and maybe see you tomorrow or Wed. She agreed that was probably best.
I am out of town this weekend, Fri through Monday. On top of vomiting toddler, we don't want vomiting Spacedaddy, or even putting Spacedaddy in a position of feeling like crap over the weekend such that it's tough to take care of Anna. Last year when I went on this same trip, Paul had an appendicitis attack but held out till I got home before going to the ER for surgery! ;) It was not a fun feeling being far away when Paul was home sick with the baby. This year he'd have a toddler to chase around as well (and potentially vomit to clean).
The risky side of this delay in sending her back to school tomorrow or Wed is that this virus could still very well get her when she goes back, thus pushing the sickness into the weekend when, if she caught it now, she'd be over it by the time the weekend came, leaving then only me and Spacedaddy to take it on, likely over the weekend ourselves.
I am not sure there's a way to win this one, but we will try.
Thanks to TJ for toting Anna around this morning with MM. I hope she didn't give you too much grief. She loves you and we thank you :)
Stop right there! Didn't JK text me this weekend that her toddler, BK had a stomach bug, and wanted to know if Anna caught it yet? Could this be going around her classrooms?
I poked my head in, apologized for interrupting, and asked for elaboration on the symptoms. Yep: all stomach illness. I backed up, phoned Paul and asked him if we'd be able to keep Anna home today with him. He agreed that nobody likes toddler vomit, so in an effort to avoid our share, Paul agreed to take Anna with him to the clinic today.
I told the administrator, thanks but no thanks, we'll wait for this to pass, and maybe see you tomorrow or Wed. She agreed that was probably best.
I am out of town this weekend, Fri through Monday. On top of vomiting toddler, we don't want vomiting Spacedaddy, or even putting Spacedaddy in a position of feeling like crap over the weekend such that it's tough to take care of Anna. Last year when I went on this same trip, Paul had an appendicitis attack but held out till I got home before going to the ER for surgery! ;) It was not a fun feeling being far away when Paul was home sick with the baby. This year he'd have a toddler to chase around as well (and potentially vomit to clean).
The risky side of this delay in sending her back to school tomorrow or Wed is that this virus could still very well get her when she goes back, thus pushing the sickness into the weekend when, if she caught it now, she'd be over it by the time the weekend came, leaving then only me and Spacedaddy to take it on, likely over the weekend ourselves.
I am not sure there's a way to win this one, but we will try.
Thanks to TJ for toting Anna around this morning with MM. I hope she didn't give you too much grief. She loves you and we thank you :)
Terrible Two's or Teething?
Anyone know why our usually happy toddler has become extra clingy, outright defiant, and actually cries more these past few days? Hitting, swinging, "NO!", throwing, running away from putting shoes on and diaper changes (God forbid me to try and put her hair up in one of those cutsie pony-tails, or clip her nails, or ask her to brush her teeth). She even cried at bath time, which she usually loves! She has been waking from her naps with cries, complete with tears, that continues on for a good 30 min even after she's sitting in my lap and I've caved in to giving her the paci. Usually she wakes from naps all happy and singing in her bed. Her morning wake ups have remained happy. Just the naps suck. She even fought naps and bedtime last week, though no issues the past 3-4 days. Hey all you experienced moms, will Motrin cure this or are we in for the Terrible Two's?
She would totally act this way when she was teething as a baby. But now she's a toddler and I think the last round of teeth were probably 4-5 months ago (the molars) so I'm not quite sure what to expect from her at this age. She is, afterall, more of a little person who may express her pain and misery differently now. So is this it, or have the terrible two's hit us at 2 days shy of 19 months old? I have always heard it all starts at 18 months, so I have been bracing myself. We're not seeing any irritation around her canine teeth that are supposed to come it at this time. She has always been right on schedule with her teething. In between the bouts of frustrated tantrums and clinginess, I can see glimpses of happy Anna.
I am so confused! If this is the Terrible Two's, fine! Bring it on! If this is Teething, fine, bring that too! I would just like to know what we're up against, one way or another.
She would totally act this way when she was teething as a baby. But now she's a toddler and I think the last round of teeth were probably 4-5 months ago (the molars) so I'm not quite sure what to expect from her at this age. She is, afterall, more of a little person who may express her pain and misery differently now. So is this it, or have the terrible two's hit us at 2 days shy of 19 months old? I have always heard it all starts at 18 months, so I have been bracing myself. We're not seeing any irritation around her canine teeth that are supposed to come it at this time. She has always been right on schedule with her teething. In between the bouts of frustrated tantrums and clinginess, I can see glimpses of happy Anna.
I am so confused! If this is the Terrible Two's, fine! Bring it on! If this is Teething, fine, bring that too! I would just like to know what we're up against, one way or another.
Friday, October 3, 2008
Another walk home
On the stroller ride home from the high school football game this evening (week 2 of the ones Paul's been working), it was cool out, breezy and clear and happy. Anna leaned back sideways in her stroller to get a good look at the sky and sing to her Toddler Action Songs that were playing on the MP3 player. She looked all around the sky as it was darkening and repeatedly pointed out, "MOON!" "STAR!" "AIRPLANE!" Ahhh....she is her mommy and daddy's daughter for sure.
So sweet. Super smart. I love her.
Now, she's sleeping...to bed with zero issues. Now I've gotta sneak in and trim her nails. Did I mention that this week she's decided she will not have her nails clipped? Silly girl, now you must roll around in your own trimmings!
Please oh please don't wake up...
So sweet. Super smart. I love her.
Now, she's sleeping...to bed with zero issues. Now I've gotta sneak in and trim her nails. Did I mention that this week she's decided she will not have her nails clipped? Silly girl, now you must roll around in your own trimmings!
Please oh please don't wake up...
This week's highlights
Peaceful stroller rides
Paci-free car rides
Nap fighting, bedtime fighting
Uninitiated hugs
More new words
Outright defiance
Helpful sweetie
The bumblebee counting song has become her new favorite...and she's pretty good too.
She shouts "NO!" to a song she doesn't want to hear!
Routine seems to be fading. On to a new one of some sort. Again.
She likes to body slam Paul like a little wrestler and then give him kisses.
Paci-free car rides
Nap fighting, bedtime fighting
Uninitiated hugs
More new words
Outright defiance
Helpful sweetie
The bumblebee counting song has become her new favorite...and she's pretty good too.
She shouts "NO!" to a song she doesn't want to hear!
Routine seems to be fading. On to a new one of some sort. Again.
She likes to body slam Paul like a little wrestler and then give him kisses.
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Silly shakes
Maybe this is why she can't sleep...
Listen closely for "clavicle". Remember, her daddy is a Physical Therapist and her mommy has a minor in Anatomy. For those of you at work, think volume...
Listen closely for "clavicle". Remember, her daddy is a Physical Therapist and her mommy has a minor in Anatomy. For those of you at work, think volume...
Go to sleep, little baby
Anna's been hit or miss this week on going to sleep. She used to love night night, but the past week has been rough. Some nights it's her normal sleeping routine and she plays/sings while falling asleep in her crib, other nights she stands and screams while we feel bad and watch her on the video monitor. We need her to get to bed no later than 8pm. She just needs her sleep. We know she is sleepy. She just doesn't want us to leave the room. It's been the same for naps, too. We hate it when we let her cry herself to sleep. It's sad. Doesn't last longer than 15 min, and we do go in once to let her know we hear her but it's bedtime. But still, she's such a happy girl, we hate that such a supposedly a peaceful time can be hard. It's obvious to us it's just separation anxiety. She just wants to be with us. I'm not blaming anything but the age I guess. I have read that 18 months hits a pretty big sleep regression due to huge cognitive leaps. I guess she's right on schedule! Sorry, baby...hopefully it's just a phase. These kind of things usually are. But it would be wonderful if it was a sign of teething. She's been early/on schedule for all of them but it's about time for the canines now. I'm not seeing anything funky in there, though.
Interesting she naps well at school, and now thinking about it, the two days she's been home with us this week as been the tougher nights getting to sleep....hmmmm....
Good God, what if she starts waking up for us in the middle of the night? Nooo, it can't happen, can it???
Interesting she naps well at school, and now thinking about it, the two days she's been home with us this week as been the tougher nights getting to sleep....hmmmm....
Good God, what if she starts waking up for us in the middle of the night? Nooo, it can't happen, can it???
2 miles solo
This morning I ran 2 miles solo. But I have to put more miles under my belt at a time or the Disney Half Marathon in Jan is going to be really painful. Double that for Paul, who hasn't run much at all in the past 18 months. I guess I'm still ahead of where I was for my first half marathon at this time.
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Another 2 mile ride
This weather is deceptively fall like. We couldn't stay inside...another 2 mile run with Anna happy in the stroller. Oh how I love the fact that she goes to bed between 7:30-8pm. I've been dreaming of evenings like this since she was born. Ahhh.....
Eat donuts while riding your bike
http://www.tourdedonut.com/
This is a bike ride I might actually do my best time in ;)
We're signing up! Anyone wanna join us?
This is a bike ride I might actually do my best time in ;)
We're signing up! Anyone wanna join us?
More about Skinny Bitch
I'm realizing that this book is like a horrible mix between the fear-based drama that is Fox News and the extreme conspiracy approach from Michael Moore movies. It's scary that the American Public falls for this kind of stuff. Can people really not take unbiased information and THINK FOR THEMSELVES (and this goes for politics, too, people)? Needless to say I have skipped tons of pages, which brings me closer to the end. I hope it gets better?
Sweet
This morning she gave me a kiss bye-bye and this time she actually turned around, came back and asked me for a hug: "hug?" and reached out to hug me. Ahhhh...this was a first. She gives hugs, yes, but usually you have to ask (unless you're a dog or a little buddy). She doesn't even know how cute she is.
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