'Tis the Season

As the end of the year looms large (shockingly only 11 days to go according to the lights in Time Square this morning), it's natural for some introspection and a mixture of the opposing urges to motivate and hibernate to take hold.  It's just regular old time, but these ends and beginnings become so full - (I was going to add "of meaning" but it's that and more).  A welcome attraction/distraction has been M's rapt obsession with Christmas.  It's pretty awesome to follow her lead in the holiday cheer department.  As I think I've covered here in the past, a strong vein of skepticism ran through me as a child so I sort of feel like I've got Santa-mania for the first time.  I like it.  And the reindeers!!!  and Frosty!!! We are still ironing out some details, for example - "Happy Birthday, Santa!" - gets thrown around, especially when there is a party to attend.  In fairness, I can see how baby Jesus would come across as a minor player as he's not depicted in blow-up form on every street corner, a work in progress...

A current favorite book is, "Llama, Llama, Holiday Drama".  And some recent randomness...

7:33 pm - Goodnight

20 fellow two year olds (and some cousins) takes it out of a girl.  He is such an opportunist.  

Walking to Her 2nd Day of School

Happy Birthday!

Our chicken is 2 years old today.  To celebrate, I took her to Coney Island to see the sights!  She loved the subway ride, the aquarium and the boardwalk.  A perfect day.  She's become quite the present unwrapper, exclaiming, "oh my goodness" as she pulls the paper off.  Some pictures from the day...

headdress is for her obsession with white peacocks

picking up imaginary froggies

coffee run

Elmo came with us

yeah, subway!

once she spotted the sand it was impossible to keep dress and shoes on

awesome

unicorn love in the kitschy boardwalk store

she has never had a lollipop but this one was speaking to her, clearly

kitschy store inspection

why didn't I buy this?

two!

may all your wishes come true, my sweet and sassy girl!

Oh, S#*t!

the accessory is NOT an everyday item

Anyone who has talked with me lately might it find hard to believe, but I do have some awareness that discussing poop isn't nearly as interesting to most people as it is to M and me (exceptions would be other parents of toddlers and toddlers themselves).  So I will have to come up with another topic for this post.  Meaning.  Meaning?

On Monday, my wallet was stollen from our stroller bag while M and I were playing with friends by the Central Park Lake.  Total freaking bummer.  After canceling my credit/debit cards I spent Tuesday at the DMV getting a new driver's license and later at the Central Park Precinct filing a police report (notably, not a short process).

Earlier today, I got a call from a woman who had found my wallet under a tree while geo-caching in the park!  A quick trip up to 84th Street and wallet and I were reunited.  Aside from having been freed of cash (imagine that) and a little damp, it was otherwise exactly as I had last seen it. Knowing that geo-caching lady had had to sort through the expressive disorder that is the contents of my wallet to find my phone number on a camera repair slip was a little embarrassing, but hey, what are you going to do.

Intermission - just got an email from Barack Obama, subject line: "Frustrated".  I hear you, Mr. President.

When the wallet was stollen, I found myself wondering was there some lesson to be learned (deeper than don't leave your stuff waving in the breeze, stupid).  Wondering if things happen randomly or for a reason... is every step of our life predetermined or wide open?  Boomerang-y thoughts aside, by the time geo-caching lady called me, I had basically moved on.  Gratitude notwithstanding, the return of the wallet and its now inert contents is somehow just as existentially flummoxing as having had it taken in the first place.

P.S. I am still trying to find meaning in the loss of my iPhone.  Maybe when the new one is released the universe will reveal itself.

P.P.S. As I am rereading, I find it amusing to think that I have a greater audience in mind for this blog.  Maybe I should have just done the poop post...

Life, These Days

Update

Lots of pictures today.  For some reason not all are loading so there will be another random batch shortly...  

Happy potty-ing has turned into a full fledged anti-diaper movement (and beyond).  Last night before bed she stated, "no diaper, underwear".  I obliged, in the name of honoring her little self.  To my great surprise (haha), wet baby came crying around 1am.  At that point she accepted a diaper and peace was restored.  While I've got a whole quick change system for her bed (make it twice with waterproof pads beneath each layer) it's kind of ridiculous to deal with this given she is only 23 months old and very possibly physiologically unable to "hold it" all night.  In anticipation of diaper hate part II, I was brainstorming about some kind of special "nighttime underwear" I could buy or make which would appear to be underwear but would offer similar protection as a diaper (the accompanying sales pitch would make this a home run).  I wasn't going to give up so easily though.  So tonight I blabbed on and on about how great she's doing with her no diapers during the day and eventually we'd do no diapers at night too, but this would come later, etc. etc. Imagine my delight when she easily accepted a diaper....  only to have it demanded off within 10 minutes.  Again, in the name of honoring her little self I accepted this and went for the underwear...  turns out, kid doesn't want that either.  Yes, we've got an extremist on our hands.  Seasonally speaking, this couldn't have come at a better time.  But from an adult perceptive it's one of those moments when I feel like I am taking care of a drunk person 24/7 - totally irrational and unpredictable but so goofy and fun to be around (luckily without the depressing bits).

Stay tuned for pictures of the new hair (hers).  I don't know this guy personally but his post about his kid's haircut is hilarious.  Let's just say, hair bows will be optional going forward (it's great, don't worry).

Cape May Zoo

possibly one of the last self portraits... something "happened" to the camera lens, not sure if we can afford to support our little Cindy's habit going forward

best swing ever

froggies

this reminds me of a picture of my grandfather that had been inscribed with the caption, "mesmerizer"

weird weather induced fog on lens effect

origami bird soup

first night with new pair of shoes

Yeh, Uh Huh

1 year ago, learning how to walk

M is potty trained!  Approaching day 7 of underwear only days.  A few weeks ago we started to loosely follow some tips for getting the job done (and there was a well timed observation of her cousin taking care of business) but she pretty much did it on her own...  mid diaper change started asking for "fresh underwear"... started to say, "yeh, uh huh" when we asked did she want to use the potty... really digs the ritual of flushing, hand washing, etc.  On Friday I decided to quit daytime diapers unless she asked for one and she hasn't.  A friend recommended a great portable potty that fits in the stroller basket and she does her thing there or in public restrooms when we are out.


There are misses, of course, so it helps to have plenty of fresh underwear on hand.  I'm scrambling to find ones small enough to stay on her tush but 6-12 month diaper covers (like the one in this picture from a year ago) work just fine.


I'm embracing this effortless victory as the universe's way of giving a little back for the months (year +?) of sleep trials we endured.  Girl makes me so proud!

Getting Through

I'm a blog neglecter.  Coming back to it gives me a little stage fright actually.  I'll try not to talk about this too much and just hop back in.

Days with M continue to barrel along.  Being able to communicate verbally more and more every day is awesome.  Learning more about the best ways to understand each other - even better.

A few weeks ago I was looking after my sister's boys and beforehand we were talking about what to give them for a snack - I was going to make some cake and she said this would be a fine snack as long as I told them that it is "customarily eaten with cheese" (or with peanut butter, I forget - just something to up the nutritional content).  This idea of explaining what is 'customary' has opened up a new world of smooth sailing for M and me.  Not always in a bad way, but a toddler can sometimes seem a lot like a wild animal.  This rift between animal-toddler and adult desired behavior shouldn't be surprising, considering the gazillion 'customs' we adults abide by without a second thought.  For one, I was starting to get really frazzled by M's behavior in restaurants.  Energetic puppy dog on a good day, rabid raccoon on a bad one - a broken glass here - many an untouched meal there (mine and hers) my 'cool' was becoming hard to find.  Last week when we were on vacation - in a state of despair - we brought the iPod touch all jacked up with toddler games with us when we went out to eat.  It was magic.  Like a big tranquilizer shot for the rambunctious tiger cub.  However, the thought of sitting down to eat with our kid (not even 2 yet!) glued to an iPod touch "out of necessity" made me sick to my stomach.  In a last ditch effort, the next time we went out to eat I carried her around the restaurant before we sat down and explained "the customs" of eating out.  "See, everyone is sitting, we ask for food, it gets cooked, we wait, we continue to sit, then the cooked food is brought to us, we eat it.  See, everyone is sitting.  This is what is customarily done in a restaurant".  It worked!!  The kid sat, waited and ate.  We've gone out to eat a few more times since then and while she's no Emily Post, she is following the customs much more closely.  I would consider it miraculous except that it makes complete sense.

Our other communication breakthrough involves speaking on behalf of inanimate objects.  Sounds completely insane, no?  It is - but anything with the power to transform a door banging, top of lungs screaming meltdown into a hopping into bed and falling asleep little sweetie in less than 3 minutes is insanity I'll embrace.  Goes something like this:

M: OUT DOOR OPEN (screaming and banging against door - on repeat)

Me: (after trying "everything else") Oh, here let me try to open the door (gets her attention).  Oh, man, I can't seem to open it.  Wait, shh... the door is talking... what did you say door? M should go to sleep? Oh, in her bed? Oh, ok.

M: sniff, sniff, (sweet quiet voice) door, sleepy

Me: yes, the door wants to know if you want to get in your bed.

M: yeh, uh huh.

Me: ok

M: yeh (gets in bed)

This has also worked with squirrels in the park, dolls, etc.  I'll take it!