15 posts tagged “29 months”
Today I am stuck at work while T and B enjoy a day together. I called for the umpteenth time and got to talk with T. "We're wrapping your gift mommy," my little angel said very sweetly. :-)
Left and right, the guy as cowboy T. Last Thursday and Friday T had to be changed into the extra clothing he had at school. Friday he came home in this shirt that arrived from Oregon last year. All of a sudden it fits (is almost too small) and looks really cute on him! This wasn't the case the last time he wore it at home.
Health update... T is back on ear drops. Friday he slept horribly - one of those nights where we alternated rocking with sleeping in our bed and each of us taking turns. He was OK during the day on Saturday but didn't want to leave the house and tired out quickly. Saturday night he had a meltdown where we spent a lot of time in the cool down chair and finally had lights out at 6:45 with him wearing the clothes he'd worn for half the day (elastic waist pants and big t-shirt, which sounds worse than it was, but was comfortable.) He kept popping up wondering who was going to drain the bathtub of the huge pile of bubbles of we'd made but not gotten in. Just before lights out B took T's temperature which came out normal.
We ended up taking turns rocking T and then giving up, letting him cry then one of us going in again. At 9 while B was with him, we got him to change into real PJs. At 10:30 it was my turn again. T told me for the second time that his ear hurt, did something that caused an odd squeak, then screamed, and cried almost hysterically. I finally got him to tell me he'd stuck his finger in his ear and that it stung. I felt his ear and it was wet. I flipped on the light and T has fluid coming out. Clear fluid, not pussy, or bloody, but fluid. I forced some Motrin down him (he'd been denying wanting it when this started) called for B to bring the flashlight. We finally decided on giving T some of the ear drops we had from the Ped and after the crying these created, the Motrin finally kicked in and T finally slept - at roughly 11pm or four hours after we started bed time. Thank God we'd eaten dinner together at 5:45!
Today T was fine - he woke up perky and was lots of fun all day. He went down for nap late and didn't want to wake up, but was otherwise a great kid. We talked to the Ped on call and got her to call in a refill for the drops. She said that T should come in this week if he didn't impove. 'Cause you see Saturday he finished 6 days of Azythromyacin, that followed two weeks of no meds but a continuation of the cough he has had since The Begining of November! The one that he had already been on 10 days of Amoxacillan and 10 days of Augmenton for. The one where we got the first dose of these ear drops for (11/18 was when we filled it). Poor kid - it's perhpas since October that he has been sick...
As I was working on a Christmas gift the other night I had on the History Channel. They had a show on the origins of Christmas. I missed much of the show, but did hear (as I had heard before) that The Church incorporated many pagan customs of a winter carnival into the idea of Christmas. Up until relatively recently Christmas really was a secular holiday. At the time of the Puritans, celebrating Christmas was outlawed – it was too rowdy, raucous and filled with debauchery for the austere Puritans. People needed something at the darkest, dreariest part of the year however, and it wasn’t long before the need for some light brought back the celebration.
Much of what we celebrate now came about in the 1800’s in Victorian times. With the transition of children from being beaten into adulthood to being coddled in childhood, it was decided that Christmas was a perfect time to have a holiday for children where they could be the center of attention and celebrated. It was in the 1850’s in America that Santa Clause came to be, developed out of an idea of Saint Nicholas. At about the same time the Protestant churches looked to the Catholic and Episcopal churches to see how they could de-secularize Christmas and get people into church. The Christmas tree came about from Germany and was brought to England and America be German ancestors. It quickly became a part of the celebration as it was very fashionable.
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“I’m gunna hit Santa,” T said the other night while in the bath. “Oh, no, Santa is a very nice man! We don’t hit Santa; why would you say that?” I asked. “Cause I’m naughty,” T replied rather matter of factly. Seems our talk of being good for Santa and that T was having some trouble not getting in trouble (mostly for throwing stuff), was having an opposite effect than we wanted.
When we went to our neighbors caroling party B asked the older boy if Santa was going to bring him some nice toys. “I don’t know,” he replied, “It’s been hard being good when my younger brother gets me in trouble.”
"T has been cracking us up," Miss Michelle told me this morning. T has been repeating bits and pieces of songs from our Nicky's Jazz for Kids CD. "He said jeepers creepers the other day, then piped up out of the blue with all that meat and no potatoes!" We laughed, All That Meat and No Potatoes is a Fats Waller song that is a current favorite of T's.
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Last week some time I came home and B and T were in the kitchen having just finished a little snack. "We went to Target!" T told me as he rushed into my arms with a huge grin. "We got you a present!" "It's a surprise T, don't tell Mommy." "We got you a present mommy." T was so happy. He has been really happy lately when I get home or pick him. It's been quite fun. "MOMMY!" he yells as he runs to me. :-)
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Here's something kind of funny...
I made gingerbread on Sunday for the caroling party we went to in the afternoon. I used a recipe I hadn't made before (Fanny Farmer though so it had stood test of time) and baked it in different pans then called for, and in the convection oven. I guessed at the bake time based on pans and convection and this guessing lead to burned mini muffins and not at all perfect square pan. I left most of the inner pieces from the square pan at the party and brought the outer pieces in to T's school for the teacher break room this morning.
The mini muffins hadn't fared as well as the square pan and were crispy on the outside... well I brought them in to work, labeled them 'dark' gingerbread, and disowned them in the break room. They quickly disappeared and someone wrote "mmmmm" on the post-it label!
Remember when our big boy was 12 pounds? He's now 33 1/2 pounds and 36 1/2 inches - or almost half as tall as his dad! We measured him today because we got the new wallet Child Finder cards and I wanted to fill them out with accurate information - scary.
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"It's gunna be my Elmo birthday!" T has been saying. I think one of the kids in class recently had a birthday and started this, but they have all been excited now to have Elmo birthdays. T's eyes light up and he looks so happy and hopeful. "But what if it's your fire fighter birthday?" I ask thinking about the fun sounding party a friend did for their child at a local fire station. "It's gunna be my Elmo birthday" T replies. I try a new tactic hoping we won't be inundated with fuzzy red creatures, "What happens at your Elmo birthday?" T looks at me with a slight bit of concern - don't I know? Do I know something he doesn't or am I just being silly? "I blow out the candles, me and Easton," he says. "You want Easton to come to your party?" "Yeah, and Jason, and Cody, and Keegan!" I name other kids in the class and he says no to everyone else. A click is formed...
"It will be Easton's dumptruck birthday," T continues. "It will have a soldier on it..on his birthday cake. He brought cupcakes and cake and..." T trails off thinking about some birthday party I am unaware of. Easton hasn't been in T's class for five or more months now but his birthday is in February - could T remember last year?
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"What do you want to ask Santa for?" B and I have been asking T. Mostly he doesn't answer us, or at least tonight he was a bit reticent, but then T wasn't the best of boys tonight. The asking about what he might get, right after telling him he better shape up and be nice could be a little confusing. "A dinasaur." T finally replied,"a big dragon one!" I inwardly groan - this is the giant one he and B have been playing at since we saw it Toys R Us a month or more ago, and that they have seen at Target. It is mechanical and will stop and roar when a button is pushed. T didn't reply when we tried asking him about the soccer ball or play dishes.
Once again the weekend went far too quickly! We had a nice time, but I am Tired. T woke up wet at 4 or 4:30 am this morning: "MOMMY! Mommy, I'm wet! Mommy I'm wet and Cloud's wet! Mommy! I want change my PJ's!" We rocked in the chair after he was changed, the bed was changed (thanks to B), and T had some honey for his sore throat. I eventually fell asleep with the little bugger in the chair, but did not sleep soundly and woke at 6:30 am. Oh for some more time in my bed!
Any way... the weekend was full and fun, though getting T out the door is a chore. I am not above the threat that I will leave him at the house (with Daddy of course) if he does not get his bum in gear. Saturday I had wanted to make it to the post office before Kindermusik (beat some rush), but no dice. When we finally got to go we were late for Kindermusik and T had the 'gall' to say, "We have time. We can go to Kindermusik, the post office, and the special treat I will like!"
Special treat was a trip to the zoo where they were having a brunch with Santa and friends. Most of the zoo animals were not out 'cause of the cold, but the santa deal was very nice with Rudolph and Frosty characters, carolers, a very nice Santa Clause with a lovely Southern drawl, and lots of (free) food that included esspresso drinks.
We met with T’s lead teacher the other day for a conference. T is doing well at school and is right on track with normal development.
Physically – gross and small motor skills – T is doing well.
While he still won’t peddle the tricycle, he is really good at steering it. Mr.
Nathan said T has no interest in peddling, so not to push it, it will come with
time.
Mr. Nathan showed us several examples of T’s scribbling with crayon, magic markers, chalk, and a pen. He explained how scribbling is the precursor to writing and how in their class writing is integrated into art. When T gets to Pre-K they will have a separate writing area. (Separately I learned this week that in Kindergarten some ‘writing’ is done on the computer and that most kids don’t need direction on using a computer.)
T did an ‘impressive’ art project recently. Mr. Nathan got some materials from the Preschool class and the kids made animal faces. T was one of the first kids to work on it and right off the bat he put eyes, nose, and mouth right where they are supposed to be! He was the only child who made a recognizable face. [picture to come]T is well socialized and plays cooperatively. He can enter a group of children and play, or gather children to play. He is starting to show remorse when he hurts someone. Whether it is real or done out of learned behavior Mr. Nathan isn’t sure, but T seems to understand when he has hurt someone. He is good about trying to comfort children who are upset, whether or not he had anything to do with it. Mr. Nathan. Told of a time when two children were fighting. One was supposed to say sorry and they said it with some attitude. T piped up with a, “no you’re not!”
Areas to work on continue to be gentle hands, and Mr. Nathan has started talking about gentle hands in sports after an incident where another child and T scratched each other while playing then said they were just playing football. T was not the one with football knowledge… Mr. Nathan explained a cool-down basket they use when children get upset and need to step away. It is not a time out as it is not forced and the child can get out or stay in as they please. He said it is working really well and some kids will go in on their own. It is a large laundry basket - actually two in the event they are dealing with issues with a couple kids at once.Mr. Nathan demonstrated some breathing techniques they do
with the kids that help blow off steram – the drain, pretzel, balloon, and STAR
(Stop Take A breath and Relax). I did a couple with T at bedtime when he was really wound up.
They helped a little. These (and below) are from Loving Guidance.
“I want to see Santa Claus,” said T several times yesterday. “Santa lives in the North Pole and is very busy this time of year. I don’t think you will be able to see him,” I have responded. “Santa Nash could have taken a message to him.”
We did pictures with Santa Nash at Miss Debbie’s yesterday, and similarly to last year, T wanted nothing to do with this very nice man who is a perfect Santa in looks. His voice isn’t a very hearty and deep ho, ho, ho, but that is OK. We had talked about T seeing Santa and getting his picture taken, how this would be the third year he’d met him. T was unsure when looking at his pictures from the last two years. “You giggled and pulled his beard when you were a baby. You were uncertain last year, but you can giggle with him this year,” I said as we looked at the photos from when he was six months and 17 months. I debated not showing T the photo with him in full wail throwing his arms up and trying to escape form Santa Nash’s lap, but I did. “He is a very nice man, and Mommy will be right there. You can tell him what you want for Christmas and ask where he lives.”
Despite the prep, this year the photos will show T saying, “Mommy! I want my Mommy!” He could not be cajoled to get close. He didn't much care about the cool pop-up book, holding on the Santa Teddy, or us trying to interest him in telling Santa anything. Watching other kids deal just fine didn't do the trick either. However, when Santa ate lunch we got some happy pictures by the tree, and a few in Santa's chair. Only a very few though as T said he was too small for the chair and he didn't care that we suggested he help Santa out by warming up the chair. As we drove home T asked, "Where does Santa live? I didn't pull his beard. Why?"
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We have another box in our living room. T got more diapers and bubble bath this weekend, which meant he got to alternately sit in a digger, a boat, and/or a train. To the left he is working on a construction site Saturday morning and sitting in the digger with the Christmas Moose and Cloud. In a short while (below) T was sailing the high seas with many of his animal friends.
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Saturday afternoon we went to our favorite tree selling church where 100% of the proceeds go to local charities. We got a very pretty eight or nine foot Frasier fir from North Carolina and put it in the corner opposite the door. I started stringing lights late Saturday only to find that two and half strands are no longer working. Two trips to get lights later, on Sunday night I got the lights up and the tree a third decorated.
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Sunday evening we had friends Melanie and Billy over for beef stew. This is the first entertaining outside of family we have done in almost a year - how sad is that?! While it felt like we were planning all week and weekend for the couple hours they were here, it went well. Now some of the beef was really poor quality, but that's another matter... Tommy did well, though he tried to dominate conversation a few times, and had to be entertained a few others.
Hopefully we'll be doing more entertaining in the months to come.
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We missed going to the free weekend at the Botanical Gardens, but did manage Kindermusik, going to a craft fair where I got two gifts, going to church, and getting some grocery shopping done. All in all a full weekend!
We pulled out the Christmas music this morning. T was very
interested in this. Last year he received a t-shirt with a reindeer on it. It
was a 2T so I put it away. When I pulled it out this year, for some reason he
has not wanted to wear it (the reindeer and his ‘fear’ of them? Remember his
oft said comment of, “there’s reindeer coming.” Or is it the color which is
gray?) This morning I snuck it on him and when he complained I pushed him over
the mirror to look and I said, “Look it’s Rudolph the red nosed reindeer,” and
I pushed the nose a couple of times. B and I sang the Rudolph song which got
him intrigued and he no longer complained.
So we pulled out the music and put on the CD that is a collection of songs from many of the Christmas shows I watched on TV when I was growing up – Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, Frosty the Snow Man, etc. T enjoyed it – and much better than the first CD he first wanted to hear (the one he saw and grabbed first) that was all classical music. Last night when going through songs on a Kindermusik CD he said several times, “I want it to talk.” He likes “talking” songs so the TV specials songs went over better than the classical.
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"Look! T for [T's name]!" says T. T is getting really good at picking out the T in signs and books. This of course makes us excited and he thus is even more interested in finding T's all over the place. When we play with the bathtub letters he can pick out the R as well, and sometimes a B or J, but he is as likely to call a P an E or an H. "Look-it, a E for elephant," he'll say as he is holding a D.
Driving home from the party last night T said, "A T for [T's name], ... and Tatertot!" Tatertot is one of his class friends, along with Campbell Soup. Since T is a muffin/sweet potato biscuit, they have a little meal there in the classroom!
