Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Baby's got a new pair of shoes
The last 3 pairs of sneakers I've bought for Xander were Thomas the Tank Engine sneakers. That's all he wanted to wear. "Want Thomas shoes." I noticed he's starting to outgrow his current pair, so I went to Walmart, the only place that sells the ones he likes, to look for a new pair. While I was there, I saw the Cars shoes.
Cars is his newer obsession. I wasn't sure what to do. I decided to hold off on a purchase till I could take him with me and let him choose.
We went yesterday. I told him he could choose between Cars and Thomas shoes. It was no contest. Cars by a landslide. However, the particular Walmart we were in didn't have the right size. I swore up and down to him that the next time I was in a different Walmart, I would try to get the right size.
That wasn't good enough for him. He proceeded to whine for the rest of time in the store, in the check-out line and in the car. I foresaw a future where all he did was beg and whine for these shoes. I decided to divert slightly and go to a different nearby Walmart.
Fortunately they had the shoes. He insisted I put them on him even before we left the store. I did. He wore them all day, even though we don't usually wear shoes in the house. He took them off for his bath, and then wanted them back on.
He slept in them. Really. I thought for sure he'd get uncomfortable during the night and kick them off, but no, he wore them all night.
He's wearing them now.
Cars is his newer obsession. I wasn't sure what to do. I decided to hold off on a purchase till I could take him with me and let him choose.
We went yesterday. I told him he could choose between Cars and Thomas shoes. It was no contest. Cars by a landslide. However, the particular Walmart we were in didn't have the right size. I swore up and down to him that the next time I was in a different Walmart, I would try to get the right size.
That wasn't good enough for him. He proceeded to whine for the rest of time in the store, in the check-out line and in the car. I foresaw a future where all he did was beg and whine for these shoes. I decided to divert slightly and go to a different nearby Walmart.
Fortunately they had the shoes. He insisted I put them on him even before we left the store. I did. He wore them all day, even though we don't usually wear shoes in the house. He took them off for his bath, and then wanted them back on.
He slept in them. Really. I thought for sure he'd get uncomfortable during the night and kick them off, but no, he wore them all night.
He's wearing them now.
Friday, January 8, 2010
But is he smarter than a cat?
(another potty post)
Xander prefers to use the little potty. For reasons that I probably don't need to get into, I prefer him to use the big potty. Now, the little potty is conveniently located in the living room, where he can stop playing, walk a few feet and use it. The bathroom, on the other hand, is at least 15 feet away.
I thought about moving the little potty into the bathroom next to the big potty. But then I thought about what I did when I moved the cats' litterbox in our condo. I was afraid they (and by "they" I meant "Chelsea") wouldn't be able find it if I moved it and would just do their business in the space where the litterbox used to be. So I moved it a few feet each day until I got it to the new location.
I'm wondering if I would need to use this tactic with my child.
Xander prefers to use the little potty. For reasons that I probably don't need to get into, I prefer him to use the big potty. Now, the little potty is conveniently located in the living room, where he can stop playing, walk a few feet and use it. The bathroom, on the other hand, is at least 15 feet away.
I thought about moving the little potty into the bathroom next to the big potty. But then I thought about what I did when I moved the cats' litterbox in our condo. I was afraid they (and by "they" I meant "Chelsea") wouldn't be able find it if I moved it and would just do their business in the space where the litterbox used to be. So I moved it a few feet each day until I got it to the new location.
I'm wondering if I would need to use this tactic with my child.
Monday, December 21, 2009
Boomerang Baby
Today's was Xander's preschool Christmas show. Not much, just someone playing piano and the kids singing along (or just standing there, or wandering away, etc). I knew there was a significant chance that if Xander saw me in the audience he wouldn't want to stay on the stage.
What I didn't expect was when the kids walked into the room, from the back, that when he spotted me, he would immediately detour out of line and come sit with me without ever making it to the stage.
But that's what happened. Then he insisted that I hold him the entire time and begged to go home, instead of staying in school for the rest of the day, as planned. Then I listened to him cry pitifully after handing him off to one of his teachers.
....why did I go again? Oh, yeah, to see my little boy in the show. Good intentions, I guess.
What I didn't expect was when the kids walked into the room, from the back, that when he spotted me, he would immediately detour out of line and come sit with me without ever making it to the stage.
But that's what happened. Then he insisted that I hold him the entire time and begged to go home, instead of staying in school for the rest of the day, as planned. Then I listened to him cry pitifully after handing him off to one of his teachers.
....why did I go again? Oh, yeah, to see my little boy in the show. Good intentions, I guess.
Saturday, December 12, 2009
House-training
Warning: if you object to any of the following 3 P-words (pee, poop and potty) do not go any further.
Xander's been potty training in earnest over the last week or so.
Day 1
He did great! It wasn't a full day, as we were out for a few hours in the morning and he was fully diapered. About lunchtime I put him in pants (no diaper, no underwear) and he had only one accident and went in the potty a bunch of times. More encouraging was that at least 3 or 4 times he said, "I'm peeing" but it turned out he wasn't actually peeing but was about to pee and then went successfully on the potty.
Day 2:
A few accidents so far (pee only, thank goodness). Plus he's gotten greedy with the M&M's, demanding a fistful (or two) every time he pees and pitching a fit when I say no. Need to think about whether to continue with candy bribes. Have not given in to diapers yet.
I put my foot down about the M&MS and now he pretty quietly accepts what I give him, after I threatened to withhold them completely. He continued to have a couple of accidents, but did much better in the afternoon.
Day 3:
He woke up, still wearing a diaper for overnight. It was 5:30 and I didn't feel like pressing the issue and seeing if he was dry. But after about an hour he asked to take off his diaper and a little while after that he went and peed on the potty.
Daddy is taking them out to church and for a magic show, and didn't want to risk having him sans diapers. I put him in a pull-up and explained it could be pulled up and down like underwear. Just before they left, he said he had to pee, and went to the potty. I helped him pull them down and sure enough, he used the potty. I'm feeling optimistic right now. I think I'll send him to preschool tomorrow in underwear and cross my fingers.
Day 4:
He out and out refused to wear underwear to preschool, so I put him in pull-ups. Daddy picked him up and forgot to ask if he'd used the potty. He used it when he came home, so that was good.
Day 5:
He used it again this morning. I'm going to consider him house-trained. Literally. He will reliably use the potty in the house. So far, attempts to get him to use the big potty and any potties outside of the house have been unsuccessful. And I'd really like him to use the big potty because that little potty is really grossing me out.
Still...baby steps and forward progress. I'm not complaining.
Day 6:
Got him to pee on the big potty with the potty insert.
Day 7:
Got him to pee on the big potty without the potty insert.
Day 9:
Took off his diaper despite his protests: "I want my diaper." Yeah, kid, and I want a million dollars. Turns out his diaper is the only thing holding up his pants. 15 minutes later he peed and pooped (or, as I said earlier "pooed and peeped") on the little potty. I think my work here is done.
Xander's been potty training in earnest over the last week or so.
Day 1
He did great! It wasn't a full day, as we were out for a few hours in the morning and he was fully diapered. About lunchtime I put him in pants (no diaper, no underwear) and he had only one accident and went in the potty a bunch of times. More encouraging was that at least 3 or 4 times he said, "I'm peeing" but it turned out he wasn't actually peeing but was about to pee and then went successfully on the potty.
Day 2:
A few accidents so far (pee only, thank goodness). Plus he's gotten greedy with the M&M's, demanding a fistful (or two) every time he pees and pitching a fit when I say no. Need to think about whether to continue with candy bribes. Have not given in to diapers yet.
I put my foot down about the M&MS and now he pretty quietly accepts what I give him, after I threatened to withhold them completely. He continued to have a couple of accidents, but did much better in the afternoon.
Day 3:
He woke up, still wearing a diaper for overnight. It was 5:30 and I didn't feel like pressing the issue and seeing if he was dry. But after about an hour he asked to take off his diaper and a little while after that he went and peed on the potty.
Daddy is taking them out to church and for a magic show, and didn't want to risk having him sans diapers. I put him in a pull-up and explained it could be pulled up and down like underwear. Just before they left, he said he had to pee, and went to the potty. I helped him pull them down and sure enough, he used the potty. I'm feeling optimistic right now. I think I'll send him to preschool tomorrow in underwear and cross my fingers.
Day 4:
He out and out refused to wear underwear to preschool, so I put him in pull-ups. Daddy picked him up and forgot to ask if he'd used the potty. He used it when he came home, so that was good.
Day 5:
He used it again this morning. I'm going to consider him house-trained. Literally. He will reliably use the potty in the house. So far, attempts to get him to use the big potty and any potties outside of the house have been unsuccessful. And I'd really like him to use the big potty because that little potty is really grossing me out.
Still...baby steps and forward progress. I'm not complaining.
Day 6:
Got him to pee on the big potty with the potty insert.
Day 7:
Got him to pee on the big potty without the potty insert.
Day 9:
Took off his diaper despite his protests: "I want my diaper." Yeah, kid, and I want a million dollars. Turns out his diaper is the only thing holding up his pants. 15 minutes later he peed and pooped (or, as I said earlier "pooed and peeped") on the little potty. I think my work here is done.
Thursday, December 10, 2009
The apple doesn't fall far from the tree
Hari often accuses me of being the garbage police. It's true. Nothing enrages me more than seeing a glass container (glass is so easily recycled into more glass) in the garbage. Not to mention all the compostable stuff he throws out.
Well, yesterday while cleaning the kids' room I stumbled on a mini pumpkin from Halloween. It's decomposable, it was starting to mold and I decided to throw it out. I was a bit concerned one of the kids might see it, so I thought I sort of covered it with something else.
Later in the day, "Mommy, why is pumpkin in the garbage?"
Apparently the apple is close to the other apples as well
Jessica has the very cute habit of saying, "I have good news" or "I have good news and I have bad news" and then she shares whatever news it is. The other night, Xander said "I have good news."
"What's your good news?' I asked
"I have bad news," he replied.
Okay. "What's your bad news?"
We went through several iterations. It turned out he didn't really have any news at all but just wanted to copy his sister.
Well, yesterday while cleaning the kids' room I stumbled on a mini pumpkin from Halloween. It's decomposable, it was starting to mold and I decided to throw it out. I was a bit concerned one of the kids might see it, so I thought I sort of covered it with something else.
Later in the day, "Mommy, why is pumpkin in the garbage?"
* * *
This morning, I was vacuuming the living room and I turned around to see my little man vacuuming right next to me with his little toy vacuum (matching Hoovers, even).Apparently the apple is close to the other apples as well
Jessica has the very cute habit of saying, "I have good news" or "I have good news and I have bad news" and then she shares whatever news it is. The other night, Xander said "I have good news."
"What's your good news?' I asked
"I have bad news," he replied.
Okay. "What's your bad news?"
We went through several iterations. It turned out he didn't really have any news at all but just wanted to copy his sister.
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Needs to work on his poker face
Xander just told me, "I want my stuff back."
He was standing in the kitchen, so I asked if he meant his kitchen stuff, and he said yes.
See, the other day, he took the big bin full of plastic food that sits next to his little play kitchen and dumped everything out. Then he refused to clean it up. I told him if I had to clean it up, it was going into the basement for a couple of days. He still refused. I started to clean up, then, predictably, got distracted. While I was distracted, he dumped the things I had already picked up back on the floor.
I put it in the basement.
So now he wanted his "stuff" back.
"If you dump it on the floor again and I ask you to clean it up, will you?"
"No!" he immediately replied.
I mean, come on, at least lie and pretend you're going to.
"Then I'm not going to bring it up."
"I clean up, I clean up!" he said. Then, as a good faith effort, he picked a few toys that had migrated into the kitchen and took them into his bedroom.
I gave him back his stuff.
He was standing in the kitchen, so I asked if he meant his kitchen stuff, and he said yes.
See, the other day, he took the big bin full of plastic food that sits next to his little play kitchen and dumped everything out. Then he refused to clean it up. I told him if I had to clean it up, it was going into the basement for a couple of days. He still refused. I started to clean up, then, predictably, got distracted. While I was distracted, he dumped the things I had already picked up back on the floor.
I put it in the basement.
So now he wanted his "stuff" back.
"If you dump it on the floor again and I ask you to clean it up, will you?"
"No!" he immediately replied.
I mean, come on, at least lie and pretend you're going to.
"Then I'm not going to bring it up."
"I clean up, I clean up!" he said. Then, as a good faith effort, he picked a few toys that had migrated into the kitchen and took them into his bedroom.
I gave him back his stuff.
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