Stall Tactics and Social Skills

Dear Pea,
At almost 17 months old, you have developed quite the arsenal of bedtime stalling techniques. Your schedule is pretty much sleep from 8pm-7am and nap from 12-2 (all with a HUGE *ISH* around it) and you are fully aware that when you're sleeping, you're missing things. I've started to try to get you to nap in your bed and in the stroller in addition to the Ergo and I'm having moderate success. You fall asleep easy in the Ergo with me and Daddy, but the stroller is sometimes a fight and the toddler bed is all me, nursing you to sleep. It's the same as bedtime-we put on the sleep tunes, lay down to snuggle and you nurse until you fall asleep. Before you fall asleep, you will tell me about your morning: "Books! Book!" Mama, book, book!" Okay, here you're not telling me that we read (past tense) a book but that you currently want to read one. But I pretend that you're telling me that we read some books already. "I know, baby, we read some books!" "Mama, books!"  "I know, they were great, weren't they?"  Sensing you're not getting anywhere, you'll go in a different direction. "Bubbles! Balls! Hock-o!"  "No, baby, we're not going to blow bubbles or play with the balls right now. Maybe after your nap when Daddy gets home you can watch hockey..." "Daddy!!" "Daddy's at work, baby" "Daddy! Dadadadadadadadada!!" This is spoken in an intense almost scream, like you are desperate for Daddy to come and get you out of bed, like I am torturing you by trying to help you sleep.  Sometimes you throw your hands in the air, signing and saying "all done!" like that's the magic key to get you out of having to sleep. "All done!" trying to sleep, mama, it's not working, so I'm all done. It's usually about 5 minutes after an "all done" that you are totally and completely asleep, but it's hard for both of us getting there.

But your waking hours are mostly joyful. We have a regualr weekly childcare swap with Harper and her mama, which is The Best Thing Ever. You *love* Harper, talking about her throughout every day. And when you see her and her mama, you get super excited. You love being with them when I'm not around and you and I both love having Harper when her mama isn't around. It's a super win-win-win and I've been working a lot more.  We've also been swapping with some other friends here and there; most days of the week you are around at least two other kids your age, sometimes many more. You know most of their names and get excited to see them. You also love their mamas.

 checking out chickens on the other side of the fence at a playground

 sharing snacks with H

 BALLS!

you and Harper's mama

clearly ready to babysit yourselves

You are obsessed with bubbly water water bottles. Somehow you know that Perrier is different than Poland Spring and will become fixated on a bottle of bubbly water. If I have seltzer, I am sharing it or facing a full blown tantrum. It's sort of become a problem and it's such a strange obsession and the more you want it, the more I crave it, so we have it in the house. We can spend 20 minutes sharing a bottle of seltzer, as long as you get to hold the cap.

You are also obsessed with shoes. Your shoes, my shoes, anyone's shoes. You love to put them on, take them off, walk around the apartment in them...we just bought you a new pair of summer shoes: ridiculous pink Croc sandals. You slept with them the first two days and carry them around every moment they're not on your feet. I haven't been able to get a picture of you sleeping with them snuggled up to you because I'm afraid the flash will wake you up and after the work of getting you to sleep, it's just not worth it.  Just trust me, it's adorable

 joyous amid the shoe pile

Oh, and this....

Dear Pea,
Today as I was getting ready to leave for an appointment, I mentioned to Daddy that you had a bowl of chicken and vegetable soup in the fridge and he could feed it to you if you wanted it. You heard me, yelled "vegetables!!" and ran to your high chair, making the sign for "eat."

Pretty much my work here is done

16 months

Dear Pea,
Beltane has come and gone again. It was this time of year two years ago that Daddy and I found out you were coming to us. My first symptom of pregnancy was that everything got incredibly beautiful. The flowers were so vibrant. Songs I had previously heard and enjoyed were so amazing. Blame it on Beltane, so much  headiness!  I was drunk on hormones, on cherry blossoms, on springtime. (Of course, shortly thereafter, the real symptoms of pregnancy began and the dizziness was far less pleasant).

you and some buddies on May 1st

Though we have not sat in an official circle recently, we have celebrated. We sang songs and drank hibiscus  tea with other mamas and babies. We picked cherry blossoms and rubbed them on our cheeks,  physically tickling you and spiritually tickling me with your laughter. We've sung numerous horse songs in honor of Rhiannon and you are fully versed in "neighing" like a champ. Tonight we're having a party complete with pomegranate cocktails and our mama posse.

At the music party, you started twirling. You newest trick!

Speaking of our mama posse party, you have started saying some of your buddies names. It is the cutest cutest thing ever!  You know a few of them:  

 Haha (Harper)

 El nanna (Eliana),

 Jonah

You have also discovered crayons! So exciting!  You have been happily drawing on our coat closet and the toilet seat. Tonight at our party, a few mamas mentioned how awesome the closet looks and suggested that we cover the whole closet in your artwork.  We'll have to get you a ladder, right now everything is about this height:

We also recently had a wonderful visit with some more of our very special friends. Oh, as we're calling you them, your God brothers (you are the God sister). You had a ball with them and they are incredibly gentle, sweet and loving with you. Daddy and I can't wait to have you all grow up together.We're going to be spending a LOT more time with them this summer and beyond. You are all smitten

So many words!

Dear Pea, 

It seems that every day you have at least one new word, if not more. Yesterday was "bubbles." You started saying it to Daddy while he was giving you a bath and today at the playground someone brought a bubble machine and you kept pointing to them and saying "Bubbles!!" and clapping your hands. And speaking of clapping, your new favorite song is If You're Happy and You Know It-you clap as soon as we start singing it (this is often a way to keep you in stroller without a meltdown until we get home) and then shake your feet or stomp them for the next verse.  

Some other things you say:

Bawls!

Nigh nigh! (yup, that's your big girl bed!)

Nummmmmy!

BOX!

You also say "Mups" for Muppets when you watch it with Daddy, request chocolate and animal crackers (though sometimes it's difficult for me to tell chock-la and cack-a apart, it's usually a safe bet that you're asking for chocolate), say "up" and "down" when you're going up and down stairs or the ramp at the playgound, call me Mama (finally! YAY!) and requests baths at every opportunity. You love taking baths!  Walking up and down the stairs is really cute, you hold onto the railing with one hand and my hand with your other one. You walk up and down the stairs to our apartment every time we go out and you climb up the stairs to the slide *by yourself* at the playground. You then sit yourself down and slide by yourself. Often while yelling "GO!" and/or clapping.

up the stairs

down the slide!

You're signing a ton, too. The sign for "eat" is a rounded hand tapping at the mouth; your interpretation of that is to bang your hand against your cheeks. The sign for "thank you" is a flat palm extending away from the chin. Your interpretation of that is to bang your hand against your cheeks. So, basically you ask for food and express your gratitude in receiving said food at the same time. It's pretty hilarious. The distinction is that you say "yummy nummy nummy" while banging your cheek when you want to eat. 

The weather has turned a corner and we are playing outside every day. You have so many friends in our neighborhood and see a lot of them often. Last week at toddler yoga, one of them was a few minutes late and when you saw her and her mama come in, you shrieked with delight.  This morning we met up with some others for a jog and breakfast and you couldn't control your excitement in seeing them.  It's delicious to watch how much you love your buddies and my buddies. 

15 months old!

Dear Pea,
As I was thinking about what I was going to write for this post, it occurred to me that we/you have several "special friends."  SO many! I keep writing about your special friends, and they are all different people, but they are all very special.  These are the people who aren't family by blood, but family by choice. And we were very lucky to have spent the past month surrounded by them. First in Puerto Rico, then at home for a week and then again for a few days in Seattle. Here's the re-cap:

We arrived home from Puerto Rico to a semi-unpacked new apartment. We spent a few days unpacking, building furniture, getting our old apartment cleaned out, getting our new place baby proofed, etc etc and then it was family time!  We had the mamas over to check out our new digs and we hosted your first ever Seder!

Ah, Seder!  Sweet Pea, Passover is my *favorite* holiday, by far. I have such fond memories of Passover Seders and my Uncle David and Aunt Kathy's house-playing with all of the younger cousins, hunting for the afikomen, Uncle David sitting on a big pillow.  And from later years at our FamilyFriends houses, preparing a special vegetarian dish for me to bring (I wouldn't eat meat for a long time), angling to sit at the grown ups table, drinking wine once I got there...So, it is very important to me that you get to have Seder, too.  Last year we were still trying to get in the swing of you, so we didn't make one.  But this year, Daddy got me two haggadahs as an anniversary gift (we've been married TWO years now!) and we had special friends over to the celebrate. It was kind of a shit show Seder, as I'm not used to leading, we forgot poor Elijah and I don't know how to make matzoh balls, but it was just absolutely perfect. You loved the charoset and parsley and tried to shove a fistful of horseradish in your mouth before we stopped you (I had grated fresh beet into it and it was an alluring magenta color-silly mama). You had a ball playing with your guests. I was so happy to have you participate in the rituals and next year I'll be more organized.  Everyone has already been invited back!

And then, we went to Seattle! Daddy had some work there, so we tagged along.  You were such a trooper on the very full flight, happily playing or sleeping for the entire time. As soon as we arrived, we had lunch with Bobob. Technology is really really amazing. You have not spent a whole lot of time with Bobob in person, but because we FaceTime with him so frequently, you totally know him.  As soon as you saw him, you lept into his arms, just like you do with your NY grandparents, who you love to play with all the time! Then Daddy took a nap and you and I went to visit special friend #1: Winnie the pooch!  (Okay, and Winnie's mama)

We played on the playgrounds in Seattle and Bellevue, we visited so many friends and family, we even had another super special friend drive 100 miles just to see you!!

after a LONG car ride for him,  you and BBB check out the playground

And then there were your aunties (and one uncle)!  Oh, my, you have very special aunties!! None of them have grandchildren yet, but they think you are quite the delight and very much enjoy spending time with you. As a result, you are the lucky recipient of much adoration, toys and treats. You take it all in stride, happy to be surrounded by people who love you. 

you are obsessed with stairs and want to climb up and down every chance you get

on the move in a spectacular toy store!

clowning around

You have expanded your vocabulary considerably in the past few weeks. You now say "GO!", "nose" (when pointing to someone's nose), "chocolate" (pronounced chalk-at), "head," "hat," "night-night!"and, my favorite of all, "mama!"  Finally! I'm not gonna lie, you said chocolate before you said mama.  But now you refer to me as mama and it's very very sweet.  You say bye whenever we leave a location or when you're finished with something-no more sign for "all done", now you simply wave your hand and say bye! You nod and say yes when you're approving of something and shake your head and say no when you're not so agreeable. It's really lovely.  I mean, there are some times when you say NO when we really need to you do something, but it is so cool to witness your autonomy.  And to know how much you understand.  Now I'm working on the signs for emotions: happy, sad, angry. 

Okay, here's just some more cute shots of you! You are quite the monkey and love to get yourself into small spaces and on top of toys and equipment.

totally unbothered by the fact that you're sitting on this guy backwards

Puerto Rico

Dear Pea,
We just returned home from our first vacation as a family. We crashed our very special friend's babymoon and played in the sun and surf for 6 perfect days.  You loved the pool; splashing, kicking and flirting in the water every morning and afternoon. You hated the beach, refusing to put your feet on the sand, even if there was a towel or blanket spread out for you. We managed to keep you sunburn free. You ate chicken soup and apples every day, refusing everything else, even the virgin frozen drinks we kept sipping. We all slept in a king sized bed and are having readjustment issues.

Puerto Ricans love children. You were treated like a little goddess, like someone to be celebrated. It really highlighted how much children are simply tolerated here in the states. There, you roamed every restaurant barefoot while all the waitstaff fussed over you. They brought you special treats of shaved ice, rice and beans and fresh mango. They stopped us all the time to tell us how beautiful you are.

This was as close to the sand as you would get. You are firmly in Daddy's lap

close up of the wetsuit

staring it down. Your hair was so curly there!

SPECIAL FRIENDS!

You are standing on the table at a restaurant and everyone there thinks it's charming

strutting

Story time lap sitting

Dear Pea,
You love to be read to these days. And you always want to be in the reader's lap-that is your book listening  place.  Last night as I was trying to get you to sleep, you wanted to be read your good night book (I'll See You in the Morning) again. For like the seventh time. Just an aside-you like to flip through the pages of whatever we're reading during the day and often get a new book a few pages into the one we're currently reading. It's unusual to have less than three books in a rotation, usually reading your favorite parts over and over again. But that good night book-you know that's the only one in bed so you listen to it in its entirety over and over and over. I was tired and was lying down, trying to nurse you to sleep. I consented to one more read, but was still laying down. You tried and tried to find my lap, not able to get comfortable for the book until I sat up and made a lap for you. So cute.  I hadn't realized you only listened to book in laps before then.

Our special friends came over to play with you while I packed for our move. The fact that her lap was already occupied mattered little