PS Mommy thread with toddlers 12-36 months

[lliang_chi]

Pancake, Hm, I didn't know they said boys take longer to talk than girls. Well, Ethan definitely is taking his sweet time. I can tell he understands a lot because he can follow instructions like cleaning up after himself and putting things in the sink for washing (well, technically he can't reach the sink). But, sigh, I really wish he would talk so he wouldn't get so frustrated. I think I'm going to go back to signing to him. I stopped because his pedi said signs weren't the same as talking and he should be talking. Is it just me or do sometimes pediatricians do more harm than good in terms of amplifying the Mommy Worry?

Oh I forgot to add, ETHAN HAS A NEW COUSIN!!!!! SIL had her baby boy May 30th. We haven't seen him yet (they live in California, we're in Chicago), but I told J that we should plan on visiting for Labor Day.

Last but not least, for folks who have family spread out across the country/earth, I decided to make a little board book of pictures of all family members and their names. Hopefully it'll make Ethan more familiar with them since he doesn't see them everyday. I found http://www.pintsizeproductions.com/ that will print photo board books for your LO to "read". I'm currently putting one together for our immediate family to see how it is. Will report back.

 

[NewEnglandLady]

LC, what a great idea (the family book)! My entire family is from the Midwest, but there are just so many of them that I think it would be a very big book. It could be fun to put together, though.

Interesting that your pedi was not keen on the signing. K is still signing and is starting to use words in conjunction with the signs. And such a cute pic of E!

Pancake, I have no idea where the curls came from. But they are suddenly out of control. I think I'm going to make her first hair appt. within the next month. And I also am a huge fan of rompers, so the last minute wardrobe malfunction ended up being fine. It's interesting you say that about retrospectively realizing some of S's babbles were attempts at a word. I feel like K does use the same "babble" for certain objects and sometimes I feel like she just can't form the word yet.

 

[lliang_chi]

NEL, I'm doing an immediate family book. Then I might make a extended family/BFF book, depending on how well this one goes. Aw, sweet K gets her first haircut! So fantastic Ethan says "d-thu, d-thu" when the train goes by. There's a commuter train that runs by our condo, and an elevated subway train that runs by his daycare. So he gets a lot of practice with "train".

 

[Puppmom]

Hello again! I'm just going to jump right in! It's so good to "see" everyone and I'm loving all of the new toddlers from the newborn thread!

NEL, K is seriously one of the most beautiful children I've ever seen. She's just a doll!

LC, OMG, you trying to kill me with cuteness? E with the sunnies? I love your book idea. E will love it! One of N1's favorite things to do is flip through the photos on my phone.

Monarch, I'm glad A is eating well for you. N1 is such a terrible eater that I feel compelled to do things different with N2. I'm thinking about BLW but have LOTS more research to do first. The biggest challenge with that will probably be MIL. She watches N2 and the whole food thing is already overwhelming to her. The idea of giving a 6 month old a piece of food off of your plate will probably blow her mind! Oh, and last but certainly not least - those pictures are GORGEOUS. That beauty of yours has the most amazing lips. I mean that mouth must make you want to smooch her all day!

Freke, A is a cutie! I'm glad OT is over. It's hard enough to work your life around a toddler's schedule without having to worry about frequent appointment. Was it just the torticollis (SP?)? At N2's two month appointment, they suspected that because the back right side of his head was a little flat and he preferred to look right always when on his back. He randomly stopped doing it though and his head pretty much rounded out and no favoring of one side.

AFU, N is really an absolute joy. We have a high maintenance teenaged girl who sometimes drives us bonkers and a 4 month old who also sometimes drives us bonkers. Having N to cuddle on each day is what gets me through sometimes! He's such a great big brother. I don't know where it came from but he calls N2 his "little bumble bee". He'll come up and give N2 a squeeze and say, "My little bumble bee!"

This kid is going to be THREE YEARS OLD in a month and I just cannot believe it. He talks like a full on adult and it's hilarious and adorable. He loves school now and talks about his friends all the time.

He's still a very picky eater but we're making progress. I think we may have a budding vegetarian. Last week, MIL said she was going to eat fish for dinner and he said, "Grandmom! Don't eat fish! They're supposed to swim in the water. You should just eat pancakes!"

I could go on for hours about how much I love this kid and what a joy he is to us but I gotta work!

 

[lliang_chi]

Pupp, LOL N1's suggestion for pancakes. He sounds so verbal and so much fun! Wow, I can't believe he's THREE! How is he with N2 now that N2 is getting bigger and more interactive? How totally sweet he calls him Bumble Bee! GAH! That's totally throwing fuel on the Baby Fever Fire.

AFU: I got to go on a Girls' Weekend overnight trip on Saturday. Left Ethan with DH for Saturday night. Woo hoo, felt great. Ethan TOTALLY was all about Daddy when I got back though, and have to admit I was a little bit jealous. But he was right back to sweet on Mommy when I went to get him this morning.

We still haven't made it to Home Depot/Ikea to get black out shades, but I do think blocking the light will help him sleep a little longer. So that's on my To Do list for this weekend.

My ILs are flying back down to FL this weekend, and DH is going with them for 2-3 nights. I'm a little sad that they're going, but also really happy to have our life back again. I know it sounds terribly selfish, and I feel bad saying it. But I guess it's just VERY DIFFICULT to convince them that moving back up to Chicago is the best solution for them. They're agreeing (begrudgingly) to but they're not making it an easy process.

 

[Kunzite]

I hate to post and run, but I need to share our awesome new find!! We just got these blocks for O and I can't recommend them enough. I was initially going to get the M&D blocks but decided on these because they're a uniform size. My only complaint is that they aren't really rainbow because blue and yellow are missing, so obviously not a very valid complaint Once the twins are able to build too we'll likely get a second set, right now all they do is knock down the towers.

http://www.amazon.com/ImagiBricks-24-Giant-Rainbow-Blocks/dp/B000FA6KP4/ref=sr_1_1?s=toys-and-games&ie=UTF8&qid=1372449394&sr=1-1&keywords=imagibricks+24+giant+rainbow+blocks

 

[lliang_chi]

Wow, Kunzite those blocks look like so much fun! Will have to bookmark them for when we're in a house/space big enough for it Looks like O would have a ton of fun with it.

 

[monarch64]

Kunzite, I've seen those blocks somewhere recently but can't remember where, maybe a dr's office or some other public setting. I do remember several toddlers/kids playing with them and they seemed like lots of fun!

LC, glad you got to have a fun evening on your own! I hope to get together with a friend who's here from FL this week. She flew her 3 kids (10, 8, 2) up to visit for a couple weeks. I bet it was kind of tough having Ethan stick to daddy for a bit when you got home. I empathize...Alex is a total daddy's girl some days already, and it hurts a little. Today, though, I took her to her grandparents' house and, after visiting for about 20 minutes, left to run an errand. She was so sad! She stood at their glass storm door and watched me leave and cried! I did not let it get to me. I needed some time and she needs a Brel from me as we are now always together. I got back 45 minutes later and she was totally oblivious that I'd even been gone.

A turned 13 months on the 26th, and we've been working on consonants, vowels, and animal sounds. She can do the duck noise, dog bark, and kitty cat so far. The latter is the funniest, I have to coach her and say "meyow, meyow" and since she can't say "m" she just makes her voice really high pitched and tries to follow the syllables and tones. It is absolutely hysterical. Woof woof is easier, and quack quack quack is "ga ga ga ga gaaaah!!" I'm sure every kid does this, but I think she's a stitch!

She's doing great with table foods! Today she ate an entire grilled sweet potato and about a cup of roasted beets FOR A SNACK. She eats a whole banana with Cheerios for breakfast, and in between will eat basically any veggie or fruit plus pasta or whatever grain I give her. Last night we went to a dinner party and she ate all sorts of things off people's plates. I think she would eat and eat and eat if we kept giving her food. She's kind of like a goat at this point. When does the picky stage kick in???

 

[parrot tulips]

Monarch - I am so envious of your good little eater! Ava has been very, very picky from the start (even refusing the bottle after trying a dozen different types, and refusing most purees. I remember her eating white peach purees, but refusing nectarines or the yellow peaches, she was that picky). We always offer healthy options, but more often than not, her mouth clamps shut and the food ends up on the floor. We just keep trying in hopes she'll become a better eater, and hide veggies in her food for now (mincing spinach into her Mac and Cheese, making low fat muffins with kale, carrots, and zucchini, that's primarily sweetened with apple sauce and banana, etc.).

 

[monarch64]

PT, we have two extreme cases, I think! The only thing I'm really having a problem with is weaning A off the bottle. I've tried every sippy cup that exists, and unless there is at least a TEASPOON of formula in it, she won't have anything to do with it. Our pedi said not to give her juice, and I am adamantly against any type of animal milk. I'm going to pick up almond, rice, and soy milk today and try those. PT, does Ava seem interested in eating what you are eating/off your plate?

 

[NewEnglandLady]

Kunzite, I love those blocks. Pardon the stupid question, but where do you store them? I have a dedicated play room for Katie, but it's not on the main level, so she doesn't really use it yet. All of her toys are in the living room or family room and I'm quickly running out of space!

Monnie, hilarious that you call A a goat. I refer to K as a goat, but mostly because she tries to eat objects that are inedible. It's so great that A loves a wide variety of foods. K loves fruits, veggies and grains, but just isn't keen on meat. I end up giving her a lot of eggs, beans and peanut butter so she's getting some protein and fat. I feel your pain with the formula, though. K loves formula, but wants nothing to do with milk.

LC, how long are your IL's staying in FL? When are they making the official move to IL? And I can totally understand feeling bummed over E clinging to J. On one hand, it's great that he obviously adores J, but there's no better feeling than having your kid run up to you for a hug.

AFU, K is getting both of her lower SECOND MOLARS! Yes, the molars that usually come in after the age of 2. This kid has literally not stopped teething for a year. I'm sure as soon as these come in, the upper second molars will come in. But you know what? THEN SHE'LL FINALLY BE DONE TEETHING!

Oh, and K finally had her 15 month appointment (yes, at 16.5 months). She's 34 inches tall and 24 lbs. She's SOOO TALL! She's seriously taller than most 2 year olds. With all of her teeth, her full head of hair and that height, everyone assumes she's just a really dumb 2-year-old.

 

[lliang_chi]

Monnie, so fantastic that A loves to eat so many different things Ethan is also constantly eating but WAY prefers fruit. Especially yellow fruit like peaches, mangos and the like. Next is berries, with blackberries as his fav. Ethan also preferred formula to milk, but I stepped him down gradually from full formula and kept cutting it with milk until eventually I switched him completely. He drinks cow milk, which you said you weren't going to do. Just be careful with too much soymilk. There's something with estrogen from soymilk, but I really can't remember the details. But almond milk is delicious.

PT, Ava is very mature in knowing what she wants and doesn't want. When she starts fully talking then she could at least explain things to you (as well as a 2+ yr old can). But I remember you were telling us about the white fleshed peaches vs yellow and I thought it was so funny. But she's a beautiful girl, and even with her opinionated palate, she still has those ADORABLE cheeks!

NEL, my goodness you've got yourself a TALL girl! She's going to be a super model with her height and Mommy's good looks. Poor K and getting all her teeth at once. Ethan's on a slight teething break for now, the ones that have popped up are just filling in, and so far (touch wood) no new teeth coming in. My ILs will be moving permanently next Spring (2014), so they'll be down in FL for 9+ months. It's worrisome that they'll be down for so long on their own but we're just going to have to let go. And K is totally one of those beauty and brains girls, she was walking way before Ethan and probably talking circles around him too.

AFU: Ethan had a CRANK-FEST of a night tonight. OMG. And of course J is down in FL with his folks so he didn't have to deal with it. Sis was here and actually helped SO MUCH. She's the best sister EVER! But other than that he's FINALLY TALKING! He can say some version of: choo-choo, blue, ball, duck, dog, neeeeh (the noise a horse makes), and book.

 

[monarch64]

LC, thanks, I had heard that about soy milk. I just grabbed sugar free almond milk to try. She really likes it, so we'll do that at night now as a sub for her formula bottle. I did a lot of research on the topic earlier but if anyone else has input/advice I'm all ears. I'm so sorry your boy had a crazy night! Thank goodness your sister was there and was so helpful, good timing! Yay for words--that's awesome!

NEL, I can't believe how tall K is already!!! I just measured A again after reading your post and she's 31.5" tall at 13.25 months. She also has lots of hair and I think people mistake her for an older kid who is developmentally challenged as well. I got a good laugh out of your post!

Bought my first tube of Mederma last night, probably won't be the last...a few weeks ago, A was sitting on the floor playing with a pack of wipes in front of a protruding corner. I was 10 feet away in the kitchen (open floor plan) and suddenly she was crying. Her hair was over her forehead, so I saw nothing immediately worrisome, but picked her up and carried her over to the couch where I sat down with her in my lap to examine. Apparently she leaned forward abruptly enough to bump her brow on the corner where, when the builders put the two pieces of drywall together to form the convex corner, they didn't sand the edges to smooth it and left it rough before painting over it. The swelling and subsequent bruise, plus abrasion in the form of a 1" thin line appeared as soon as I brushed her hair away. Of course she would not tolerate an ice pack (even an adorable Hello Kitty one). I was oddly not even freaked out, but I'm a weirdo who doesn't panic in situations like that, only in situations where there's really no need for panic. Anyway, she cried for maybe 20 seconds and was totally over it. Poor daddy was visibly upset when he came home and saw her. I didn't take her out for the next 3 days just so I didn't have to explain a million times. So now she has a very thin little vertical red mark (it BARELY bled, wth!) which I say lends character but hubby says must go. Anyone have good experience with Mederma, or did I just throw away $15?

 

[lliang_chi]

Monnie, so funny your DH was beside himself about A's bump. That's OK. I'm sure the scar will fade away. It probably looks bad only because she's so little now. I had some serious scars as an older toddler from scrapes and falls, and now I can't even find them. But I'd save the Mederma as you'll probably need eventually.

And today I taught Ethan "Door" so he said that a few times. J is back from FL and was SOOOO happy to see Ethan He gave Ethan a bath and put him down for bed. It's sweet seeing them together.

 

[Loves Vintage]

Monarch, If there is still a scratch (I mean not just a red mark, but a visible scratch, really hard to articulate what I mean, hope that makes sense), then you could do neosporin, and then when it becomes just a mark, follow with mederma, thought it probably isn't necessary. My daughter had some facial scratches around the same age as your daughter. I used neosporin, and the difference in just half a day was amazing! I am happy to say, no scarring whatsoever. I am sure your daughter will heal up just fine as well, so no worries for your DH! Though he should probably brace himself - at 2.5, my daughter now has scrapes on both of her knees, and some bruising here and there. I keep reminding myself about the book I read (well, read parts of, who has time!?) -- the Blessings of a Skinned Knee. I keep telling myself the scrapes are signs of a happy childhood!!!

 

[monarch64]

LV, thanks for the advice and encouragement. It's not a scratch anymore, it's smooth but has the appearance of a scratch. We did Neosporin the whole time it was healing so I think it's served its purpose. I'll have to read that book and make sure my husband reads it as well. I know this is the first of many bumps and bruises...heck, I'm still a klutz...it never ends!

 

[taovandel]

Hi ladies!

Kunzite--Skippy recommended that I see if you can help me with this situation (If any other ladies have advice, please feel free to chime in!). I have two kids (3, 2) with another one on the way in September. I drive a small car (Mazda3) and wanted to know if three car seats would fit in it (2 Diono's Forward Facing and a Safety 1st infant car seat Rear Facing). She thinks she remembers you mentioning you had a configuration similar. Thanks for any help you can provide!

 

[noelwr]

Hi Mommies! Wow, such beautiful photos on the previous page of your little ones. Sorry I've been MIA, but I guess that's a good sign: keeping busy with work and enjoying life. Last Friday marked our first year in Singapore, and we're still loving it.

Skye is now a little over 2.5 yrs, and still the active, happy little girl she's always been. We had a parent-teacher conference at her school and the teachers say she understands Chinese but always answers back in English. So now we have her watching an episode of Ni Hao Kai Lan every day and I'm trying to learn really basic Chinese so she can practice it at home and feel confident enough to speak it at school.

She's become an even better swimmer and now can swim completely unassisted, coming up for breaths and all that. She even swims underwater with her mouth open. I don't know how she keeps from swallowing the water. We shall take her snorkeling (without the breathing tube) in Malaysia in August and see how that goes. My guess is that she might be afraid of the fish. She's still a really good eater, seems to be always hungry and her favorite food is broccoli. She's also very generous with her kisses and saying "I love you." She loves to sing, and learned Big Bang Theory's "Soft Kitty, Warm Kitty" in one day. Last Sunday we started the next term of dance class, and this time she actually participated more than usual, though she did have moments where she was crawling around on the floor, pretending she was a cat. "Meow meow." She loves to pretend.

Her naughty smile...


Some fun with the underwater camera


Joining Daddy to the bottom of the pool

 

[noelwr]

Oh, I also joined her class for a morning at the zoo...


Friends make the world a better place

 

[Kunzite]

Grrrrrrr! My post just got eaten!! So unfair The short version...

NEL, they fit in our Ikea Expedit shelves.

tao, we have 3 across all RFing in a Honda Pilot. When we were looking for a second car we tried installing them in a CX-5 but the middle seat was so small it wouldn't even fit a narrow LBB! Hopefully your M3 has a bigger middle seat. I think your best bet would be to uninstall your current seats and try the S1 in the middle to see if it fits. If not you might want to look into a Combi Coccoro since it's 2 inches narrower than the S1, takes up less room front to back, and would likely puzzle well with the Radians since it sits up on a base. I know I wrote more the first time around so let me know if you need more info!!

 

[lliang_chi]

Just a fly by to post a pic of Ethan. I love how you can see the Chicago skyline. He's actually pointing to a boat on the River but it sure looks like he's pointing to the Sears (now known as Willis) Tower.

 

[mayerling]

Hi ladies,

I know I've been a bad PSer by not posting much, but I thought I'd make the move to the toddler thread anyway now that N is 1 year old.

He's a sweet little boy and things are getting better all the time. He's still not walking even though he took some steps at 11.5 months, but I think it might be soon. His babbles are getting more complex but he's not saying words - I'm not concerned since he's being raised bilingual. He loves to play 'peek-a-boo', and to touch his touchy-feely books. He's still not STTN consistently (maybe half the time, and the other half he'll wake up for a soother), and is still rocked to nap - I haven't tried to have him nap unassisted. He's still on two naps and think he might be for a while longer. We're still struggling with solids. He's a fussy eater and just because he eats something today doesn't mean he'll eat it tomorrow. He's on whole milk now, and transitioned with no problems and I want to try to phase out the bottles soon.

Anyway, that's it for now. Please keep posting your lovely pics. I love to see all the cute little ones and I read along every day.

 

[lliang_chi]

Noel, Wow, Miss S looks like quite the swimmer! That's amazing! We're trying to get Ethan started with swimming this summer. I can't remember, but did you guys do lessons? I can't believe she can hold her breath and go underwater. That's fantastic that she's learning Chinese (and now you will be too!). What an amazing skill to have.

Mayer, hello! Glad N's doing well and getting bigger. I'm sure he'll be walking soon. It took Ethan a few weeks after he took his first few steps. Awesome that he's babbling so much. Sounds like he'll be an early talker too. Ethan only started babbling in earnest at 15 months or so. I think he's a quiet boy.

AFU: Hope everyone had great weekend. Ethan had lots of adventures with the holiday also. We took him to the lakeshore (they call it a beach here, ha!) so he got to play in the sand and splash in Lake Michigan too. Then on Saturday he got to run around in our friends yard and play with their Basenji (little dog compared to our 32 lb one at home). Then yesterday he had a big ZOO adventure and had dinner with his "cousins." A few close friends of ours have kids 10 months older, one family has a boy and one family has a girl. His sleep was kinda out of sorts this whole weekend, so here's to hoping we can get him back on track.

 

[monarch64]

LC, I LOVE that pic of Ethan! His romper is so cute! I thought I recognized a building or two...I have a pic from 2006 from a breast cancer walk I did with a really similar background, I'll add it!

Mayerling, welcome! Happy 1st bday to your son. Don't get too freaked out by the fussy eating. Alex was eating anything and everything, but is slowly getting pickier. Last week she quit eating Cheerios, this week she stopped eating peas and broccoli, and all 3 of those had been favorites.

 

[lliang_chi]

Monnie! Great picture. That looks like Marina Towers in the background (it was the cover of Wilco's first album). You must've been on the Clark Street or Dearborn Street bridge. Sorry A is boycotting Cheerios, peas and broccoli. Ethan goes through phases where he'll boycott certain foods too, but then goes right back to eating it after a week or two. Before he was on a egg strike (and he used to eat eggs EVERY DAY for breakfast). Now he's on a yogurt strike. Silly boy.

 

[NewEnglandLady]

Monnie, K also goes through strikes. Now she's on a grilled cheese strike. And LC, K was on an egg strike for about 3 weeks, but is now back to loving them. I feel like I don't give K enough variety in her meals, so she might just get tired of me giving her the same things. Oh, and poor A's bump! It sounds like it's healing really well, at least. Even though your husband was upset, it still sounds like he's pretty reasonable. My husband is a hypochondriac and is especially freaked out about K hitting her head. Even when she barely bumps her head (not enough to leave a bump or mark), he debates taking her to the hospital for fear of a concussion. Drives. me. nuts.

Mayerling, it sounds like N is doing great! He sounds similar to K in that she'll learn a new skill, but regress and not use the new skill for weeks at a time. My pediatrician tells me it's really common. Right now she's stopped using words that she used to use often. So glad your transition to milk went smoothly! We still give K formula in the mornings...in a bottle. We really need to work on that, but I hate rocking the boat.

LC, love that photo. It's hilarious that he's pointing to the large buildings like "hey, check it out, did you know those giant buildings were there?" Sounds like you had a great weekend! Did he love the beach? We finally made it to the beach on Sunday and after getting K in her suit, squeezing into my own suit, packing the beach bag, etc., it clouded up quickly and started raining, so we didn't even get out of the car. We'll have to try again soon.

Noel, I love those pics! It looks like S LOVES the water! We took a swimming class with K when she was 6 months, but they didn't have the kids go under water. I'd love to try a different class now that she's almost a year and a half. We go to the pool pretty often, but I'm still scared of her going under. Oh, and last night "Singapore" was the answer on Final Jeopardy. I think it's the smallest country with the highest number of official languages (4). I really wish I had the ability to teach K other languages.

AFU,
1. I think I have a moody kid. Part of me wonders if she's just naturally moody or if she just gets grumpy for reasons she can't articulate yet. I do think those second molars are bothering her because she's constantly chewing on things (including her hands if she has nothing else to chew on), plus she's had a stomach bug for the past week. But she'll be pretty happy, then suddenly just start crying for seemingly no reason.

2. We start art class this week. She's recently become interested in coloring, so I think the timing is good.

3. We're sort of at a developmental plateau right now. She repeats a lot of words, but doesn't really make an effort to incorporate them into her vocabulary. Plus, she sort of cycles through words. She'll use one word a ton, then stop using it and start using a different word. Even though her vocabulary is growing, she isn't using more words.

4. Katie no longer walks, she runs. Everywhere. Mostly in the direction of anything potentially dangerous.

5. A new baby started at daycare this week. K adores her. When we walk in the door, K runs over to the swing and bouncy seat to see if the baby is in there. If I weren't already pregnant, this behavior would definitely make my ovaries throb.

 

[FrekeChild]

Someone took an abbreviated nap, so my post will be short.

We went back to NM for the 4th, and were hanging out with family while we were there. We were hanging out, A was next to me on the bottom (very large) step at my dad's house and she leaned forward, lost her balance and went head first into the tile floor. Cue screaming, tears and an instantly huge lump on her head. Rushed her to the emergency room, and luckily all was fine, but we had to keep a very close eye on her for the rest of the trip, which is really hard when you're in a series of strange places and NONE of them are childproofed. The bruise is fading now, and there is still a little bit of swelling, but it's mostly going down now too. I'm never going to forget the sound of her head hitting the floor, it was absolutely the worst feeling in the world. I am so so so so glad we were "home" though. She was already in the computer system since we were at a hospital within the system that she was born in, and there was NO ONE in front of us there because it was late morning.

Uh oh. She's up and out. And Daddy just brought her to me. "Hi Mama!"

More later.

 

[parrot tulips]

5. A new baby started at daycare this week. K adores her. When we walk in the door, K runs over to the swing and bouncy seat to see if the baby is in there. If I weren't already pregnant, this behavior would definitely make my ovaries throb.

Lol. Ava does something similar. My sister visits our parents every Tuesday and Thursday with her new baby, who naps in the master bedroom. We'll often go over to visit as well. Now, every time we visit the grandparents, Ava runs to the master bedroom saying, "Bebe! Bebe!" The last visit she kept going over to her cousin to give her hugs.

 

[parrot tulips]

Freke - How scary! I'm so glad to hear that A only had minor injuries. I remember setting Ava on the couch once before I realized she could roll over. I turned my back, and thunk! Worst sound in the world, next to her screaming. Although I think I may have been crying even harder than she was...

 

[noelwr]

lc - no we don't take S to swimming lessons. she's just been going to the pool every day (except when it rains or she's sick) since she was 1.5 yrs. DH spoke to a swim instructor who said she doesn't need lessons now because all they do is try to make lil kids comfortable in the water which she already clearly is.

NEL - I think kids' reaction to water often mirrors their parents. so if they see us act startled every time their head goes under water, they're going to thing it's something scary. we are pretty consistent in the pool, and don't make a big deal out of any of it. of course, there were some weeks when she didn't feel like swimming at all and just hung out at the steps, and we didn't force her. when she was finally swimming again, I wouldn't do that horrible thing our parents did which is keep stepping back every time you are swimming towards them. I don't want to discourage S, and I want her to know that if I stand here and ask her to swim to me, I'll be right here. basically, I try to create an environment of trust in the pool so that she feels safe. DH does all the fun activities, like being thrown up in the air or diving to fetch a toy from the bottom. so far, it has all paid off! haha, that's cool that Singapore was an answer on Jeopardy. congrats on expecting #2!

- - -

S is now sometimes changing her "I want..." to "I NEED..." haha, I wonder where she picks up these things.

do you ever look at the baby pictures and think WOW, how s/he's changed! just this last year from 1.5 to 2.5 yrs old has been an incredible transformation. lost all the baby fat, but that's no surprise considering how hyper she is.