Category Archives: Toddler Age

A Little Chef

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I prepare breakfast granola one or two mornings a week, and Paul loves to help! He often gets up from breakfast and runs to his stool saying “cook! cook!” I found a pre-schooler cookbook and I’ve been taking it’s advice to heart: it’s not the end product that matters to a young cook, it’s the action things that they like.

Paul loves to help. From cracking eggs, to stirring, to eating the coconut flakes off the counter, he loves to cook with Mommy.

Here he is helping me cook a little pizza two weeks ago.

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And then videos are the most fun!

P.S. I think Paul is smiling a cheesy smile and sitting still in the second video because he thought I was taking a regular picture, not a video.

Time Out for the Reids

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We certainly had a Sorenson-filled summer, with my family visiting for the Fourth, my brother getting married, and my sister being in town for so many weeks. Lots of play time for those little cousins, and plenty of visiting with family.

So it’s certainly time for some one-on-one with the Reids! Just three days and we’ll be on our way for some Grandma Peggy and Papa Paul time out in Utah.

I have some house updates to post but I am just so excited for our upcoming weekend. Before all the fun, of course, I have to manage a 23-month-old on my lap for three hours. I admit I’m not looking forward to that all that much.

An In-Between Stage

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Paul is caught in between ages this month.

One day he wants to sit on the toilet every hour. (He’s usually successful.) The next day, he won’t go near the toilet without crying.

One day he wants to sit at the table in a regular chair. The next day he cries unless I open up his high chair for him.

One day he wants to go down the stairs ALL BY HIMSELF walking on two feet like a big person. The next day he cries for someone to come take his hand or he slithers down on his hands and knees.

One day he wants to sit and cuddle for ten minutes after his nap. The next day he won’t come near me and cries if I try to hold him.

And then there are the signs that he’s figured out the system. He slipped on the floor and sat down and fake cried for a few seconds. I was taking something to a different room and as soon as I was out of his sight, he stopped crying. As soon as I walked back in, he started up again. He wouldn’t stop until I’d picked him up and given him a “feel better; I love you” hug.

I love the baby stage, but it is exciting to see the “I’m getting older” stage too!

Red Day

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I met another mother who has a child Paul’s age and I was shocked to hear him recognizing colors. So I decided to start emphasizing colors. We had a red day the other day. Paul wore a red shirt, he ate on his red plate, we went to the barn (which is red), and he played on the red slide.

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See full set on flickr.

And here’s the life-action shot:

I’m not sure our “Red Day” made a difference in my son knowing the color red, but it was fun.

Paul’s Unusual Words

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If Paul’s toys aren’t working he turns them over and brings them to me, saying “battery.” Do most one-year-olds understand that concept and know that word?

I shouldn’t be surprised that Paul says “laundry” when he sees clothes. After all, I collect, wash, dry, fold and put away five loads a week. And yet, it’s always so cute to see him go after a random shirt and put in in the laundry, saying “laundry” over and over again.

Do most one-year-olds know how to say “salt” and “pepper“? I don’t think Paul realizes what they really taste like, but he certainly likes to put both salt and pepper on his food and asks for it by name. It doesn’t matter which foods. I blame this on Ryan, who is never satisfied with my seasonings. I admit: dinner usually tastes better after Ryan adds more salt and pepper. I can’t say the same for Paul’s seasoning.

Paul doesn’t say “Kangaroo” but he recognizes one. And yet, he doesn’t know a zebra or an Elephant. Why is this? Does he have an innate sense that he was born where kangaroos are native? Or have we just read and watched enough Winnie-the-Pooh that Kanga is familiar now?

And then there are the cute words he says. The diphthong for “mail” is so cute in a one-year-old’s mouth, and he loves to go to the mailbox with me most days. And then there is the most challenge fruit ever: “banana.” It normally comes out as bi-ya-a or bi-yi-a. The strange sound is impossible to capture in print. It’s just plain cute. And “cook“? It’s adorable to me that he loves to cook already. It’s become a favorite word. I plan on nurturing that.

What Paul Loves

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I don’t have wedding pictures yet, and I don’t have time to find some from my camera (most of mine didn’t turn out anyway), but here are some quick Paul “favorites” updates.

Paul loves:

  • Trains, Planes, and Automobiles. Yes, he’s a boy.
  • New things, including people, places, and events. He (normally) loves new situations and just watches fascinated as new things happen. Case in point: the haircut last week. He didn’t even squirm, just sat there with a big smile on his face. There are always exceptions, but normally, new things are fun.
  • Nursery. I’m not sure why he loves nursery, because whenever I go in for singing time (I’m the song leader), he’s knocking over kids trying to give them hugs and kisses.
  • Hugs and kisses. He finds these fun to give. I love the moments he lets me cuddle, even for the briefest second. I hope this isn’t top on his list when he’s 15.
  • Schedules. Paul has had a few non-scheduled days lately because of family events, and he’s been a whiny puss. Even when his nap is shorter than normal, he becomes a basket case when something isn’t just as he wants it. I certainly encourage schedules, but I try to follow what he needs too (i.e., unlike some moms, I don’t wake him from his nap at the same time each day. That’s nuts!). It always takes a least a day to recover from an “off-nap” day or a “stay up too late” night. I like to stick with the normally planned schedule just so I can ignore those whines!
  • Daddy. Oh, he loves his daddy when he’s home! He’s a fun daddy.
  • The toilet. What fun to sit on the Winnie-the-Pooh chair and clap when something comes out!
  • Winnie-the-Pooh. Still a favorite friend. We’re rereading the books right now, and Paul definitely likes me to read it to him.
  • Puzzles. Paul is very good at puzzles, and normally has the patience to put all the pieces in the right spot, even the 26 piece alphabet puzzle!
  • Dancing. We watched Mary Poppins this week, and he was dancing, and trying to do somersaults, when we got to the Stepping Time “rooftops of London” scene. Very cute.
  • Outside. Paul loves his hat, he helps me put his sunblock on, and then he runs to the swing and slide. When I’m weeding, he “helps” by digging in the dirt.
  • Mail. Paul likes to help me get the mail. For some reason.

Okay, that’s a start for a bunch of stuff he loves. Hopefully I’ll post some cute wedding pictures or cousin pictures in the coming days!

Bye Bye Curls!

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It was time. The curls, while adorable, were beginning to look like a mullet. Or a girl’s long curly locks. Since Paul will be two in just two months, it was definitely time for him to get his first haircut.

The Before Pictures

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I’d say Paul doesn’t care how long his hair is, except he does definitely care. It gets so snarly that he cries out when I try to comb it. There is no reason for a little boy to have to yell “Chopsticks!” while getting his hair combed. It was definitely time.

The Haircut

100_3815-3< 100_3817-3Paul was very interested in what the guy was doing. In fact, he thought this whole thing was a lot of fun! Paul held one of the very large combs as his hair was cut.

My son’s baby-hood came to an end with all those lovely, whispy baby-locks on the floor!

Now he looks like a little boy.

I’ll post some “After” pictures later, maybe tonight or tomorrow.

Random Picture of a Happy Boy

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If that picture (just a random snapshot) doesn’t capture the essence of this little boy, I don’t know what will.

Paul loves to say “Happy.” I know it’s going to be a good morning when I go in to get him and he says “Happy! Happy!” He also learned the sign for “awake” via Signing Time and he likes to say that too in the morning or just after a nap. As if his happy noises weren’t enough of a clue.

He also has taken to saying “Yes” whenever I ask a question. It’s always a very deliberate answer, and now the “s” is very distinct.

“Do you want to wear shorts today?”

“Yes.”

“Do you want raisins in your oatmeal?”

“Yes.”

“Do you want me to wash your hands?”

“Yes.”

I’m glad it’s the positive word instead of the negative word. I’m not looking forward to that day…

Daddy has begun traveling again, after working from home for almost two months. Monday Paul spent a lot of time looking for Daddy: in his office, in the bedroom, in the closets. By today, he’s figured out that Daddy went to work by taking an airplane. When he mentions Daddy, I say he’s at work, and Paul acts like an airplane. It’s so sad to see how much he misses Daddy! But we’re glad Daddy will be home Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays.

Paul likes airplanes. Probably not as much as he still loves trains, but airplanes we see outside everyday. We also pass the train station on our way to church every week, which always gets him happy as well.

Paul sits on the toilet about five times a day. It is a new fun game that I don’t mind encouraging. Sometimes he’s successful. Success always startles him.

Anyway, I have been horrible about pictures this month. My sister and her kids came this week and I didn’t even take a single picture. Here’s my official commitment to be better in August!

P.S. I am debating cutting off the curls in August….Stay tuned!

Simple Pleasures

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It lasted about 20 seconds.

It had been a typical Monday. He was whiny from his sleep-deprived weekend. He was frustrated, bursting in to tears over the smallest things. But now, newly awakened from a refreshing nap, he was running in the back yard, chasing a ball, swinging, and otherwise being happy.

It was a beautiful afternoon, with the puffy cumulus clouds dotting the uncharacteristically blue sky. A light breeze kept the temperature around 70 degrees, which was perfect for an afternoon in the yard.

My son looked and pointed at the sky, maybe seeing another airplane or a bird. I told him about cloud shapes, and called him over to look with me. I lay down in the grass, and he toddled over and lay down beside me, his one-year-old head resting against my arm and shoulder. As I pointed up at the sky, he giggled and burbled along, pointing upward towards the clouds.

And that is why I stay home with him every day: to lie down in the grass and look at the clouds with him for 20 seconds every now and then. It’s all worth it.

Let’s Talk About Poop

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I really don’t want to talk about poop. This is my blog, supposed to be about my life. My non-kid life. Poop should go to Paul’s Page. That’s the page about the kid’s life.

But as I consider possible blog entries I could write, blog posts that might have some relevance to my current, everyday life, this is the post that keeps coming to mind.

What does that tell you about my life?

It started with Signing Time. Volume 2 has a sequence dedicated to “Potty.” (Can I tell you how much I hate that word? If I hear the segment, I reinforce that the word is “toilet.”) So Paul now has the sign as a part of his every day vocabulary. Maybe I should say “every hour” vocabulary.

Then a few months ago, I saw a “potty training flyer” at the doctor’s office when I was last there. It suggests saying things like “The pee/poop needs to come out!” at appropriate times. So I have been. Like those times when his face turns all red and he gets that look of concentration? Good time to mention it.

Paul loves the toilet. He gets very excited if someone says “I need to go to the bathroom” and he likes to follow the person in, hand over some toilet paper, and help get the hand towel for drying the hands after washing. The entire time, he blabs about something that he thinks is important.

I think he’s telling the person to make sure and get the pee out.

At 21 months, I really didn’t think Paul would comprehend the machinations of his body. I figured I had another year (at least) of such talk before it sank in.

For the last few days, he’s been saying “toilet” and we go and sit. But he doesn’t even wait. He just grabs the toilet paper and flushes the toilet. So I figured it was just a game for him: take off diaper, sit down, wipe, flush, put on diaper.

Today he came running to me, signing “toilet” as usual, with the same non-success/quick sit. Then about ten minutes later, he came running in even more eagerly, again signing “toilet.” I realized that he had come because the poop was coming out. It was kind of exciting to realize that he really did notice the happenings of his body. This is a very good sign! Maybe he’s always running in because something is coming out: he just hasn’t figured out the “it’s about to happen” moment yet.

And yet, this means I’m entering a new phase of poop. No longer will it be contained in a tidy little diaper. Don’t get me wrong; I’m very excited. I’m going to go get a kid-sized toilet seat and a box of Pull-Ups.

But then again, is this just a teasing stage? Is he going to regress very soon again? I’m suspecting that this is a “this is new” phenomenon and he’s going to be very tired of it in a week. Maybe starting now will just prolong the cost and bother.

What do the other mothers think? Is 21 months way too young to even consider beginning this process?