"This little piggie went to market,
This little piggie had money,
This little piggie had rollerskates,
and this little piggie had money,
and this little piggie went weeee weeeee weeeee......."
Close, kiddo. Close.
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Buttons
Cooper was cheerfully singing a little song to himself quietly at the breakfast table, while eating a bowl of cereal. I smiled and said, "Cooper, you are just cute as a button."
Cooper said, angrily, "I AM NOT A BUTTON."
Cooper said, angrily, "I AM NOT A BUTTON."
Saturday, March 26, 2011
The starling misses his daddy
Cooper loves Matt dearly. Very dearly. And having Matt gone for (gasp!) five days is hard on Cooper. Cooper's ability to tell us what is going on in his head is a huge asset here, even when sometimes it is underneath a layer of toddler brain.
Like yesterday, when Cooper heard a starling squeaking up on a telephone line.
Cooper: Do you hear that?
Me: Yup. It is the starling on the wire (points).
Cooper: I SEE IT! That's a birdy. He's squeaking.
Me: That is called a starling. They are pretty squeaky.
Cooper: The starling is squeaking because he misses his daddy. He's a sad starling. He needs to find his daddy and get a hug.
Me: Oh... (thinking extra hard) OK... Hmm... maybe the starling could get a hug from his mommy later to help him feel better?
Cooper: He misses his daddy. But mommy helps him feel better.
Me: That sounds good.
Or today, at a little friend's party.
Cooper: I WANT ANOTHER CUPCAKE
Me: Each kid gets one cupcake.
Cooper: I WANT ANOTHER ONE. I WANT ANOTHER OOOOOOONE.
Me: Just one. You already ate one. No more for Cooper. All done.
Cooper: NOOOOO I WANT ANOTHER CUPCAKE. I WANT ANOTHER ONE. I WANT MY DADDY TO MAKE ME FEEL BETTER.
Me: Let's go get some strawberries instead. That will help.
Cooper: I miss my daddy and that makes me sad. Momma I need a hug. I miss daddy.
On the bright side, strawberries did make it a little bit better, and Matt will be home on Monday.
Like yesterday, when Cooper heard a starling squeaking up on a telephone line.
Cooper: Do you hear that?
Me: Yup. It is the starling on the wire (points).
Cooper: I SEE IT! That's a birdy. He's squeaking.
Me: That is called a starling. They are pretty squeaky.
Cooper: The starling is squeaking because he misses his daddy. He's a sad starling. He needs to find his daddy and get a hug.
Me: Oh... (thinking extra hard) OK... Hmm... maybe the starling could get a hug from his mommy later to help him feel better?
Cooper: He misses his daddy. But mommy helps him feel better.
Me: That sounds good.
Or today, at a little friend's party.
Cooper: I WANT ANOTHER CUPCAKE
Me: Each kid gets one cupcake.
Cooper: I WANT ANOTHER ONE. I WANT ANOTHER OOOOOOONE.
Me: Just one. You already ate one. No more for Cooper. All done.
Cooper: NOOOOO I WANT ANOTHER CUPCAKE. I WANT ANOTHER ONE. I WANT MY DADDY TO MAKE ME FEEL BETTER.
Me: Let's go get some strawberries instead. That will help.
Cooper: I miss my daddy and that makes me sad. Momma I need a hug. I miss daddy.
On the bright side, strawberries did make it a little bit better, and Matt will be home on Monday.
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Preschool thoughts
After some hand wringing and consideration, Cooper is attending a preschool this coming fall. He was eligible last fall for some programs because of his delightfully early potty training and mid-winter birthday, but given the convenience of having both the kids in the same daycare, we decided it wasn't in all of our best interest.
I picked the preschool because of several wrong reasons but also several right ones. We have a lot of friends that have kids (slightly older than ours, clearly) that go there, so that's one reason that is kinda ridiculous. I mean, c'mon, if every kid is different, and every set of parents is different, why would I pick a school because my friends sent their kids there? But hey, here we are.
Secondly, I picked this one because they have very little curriculum or formal learning in evidence. The day we visited the little kid classroom was building a fort with boxes, and the big kids were at an ice skating "gym" field trip. Their was a big vat of harvested (soggy) snow with all sorts of odd containers and food dyes next to it- clearly a fascinating science/art experiment. It looked a lot like a daycare without any diapers. And that appealed to me. Cooper is so particular, so careful, and so willing to follow directions and draw shapes and learn words that I feel like putting him in a preschool with a lot of formal instruction on writing, shapes, words, etc will be counterproductive. Do I really WANT him to be more inside his own head? No. No I do not. He's plenty good at that already.
And when we visited several of the other preschools, they were busily teaching things to the kids. How to write letters. The names of the planets. The words for different shapes. And the school administrators were EXCITED about things that I was sort of mildly horrified by. "We're teaching them the REAL names of shapes- like that this one isn't an egg, its an oval." Umm, lady, yes, it is an oval. But who cares? That's mindless vocab lessons- for energetic 3 year olds. Further, Cooper already knows its an oval, so it is worrisome to me that he'd be taught things that might bore him. He also knows squares, circles, rectangles, and triangles- and likes to find them in the landscape or painstakingly nibble them into his food for fun. "I bit this cheese into a triangle and a square, momma! Look at my cheese square!"
In the end, the schedule isn't the greatest at the preschool we chose, and it isn't cheap by any stretch of the imagination. But I think Cooper will benefit from it socially, and probably learn quite a bit around the edges.
I picked the preschool because of several wrong reasons but also several right ones. We have a lot of friends that have kids (slightly older than ours, clearly) that go there, so that's one reason that is kinda ridiculous. I mean, c'mon, if every kid is different, and every set of parents is different, why would I pick a school because my friends sent their kids there? But hey, here we are.
Secondly, I picked this one because they have very little curriculum or formal learning in evidence. The day we visited the little kid classroom was building a fort with boxes, and the big kids were at an ice skating "gym" field trip. Their was a big vat of harvested (soggy) snow with all sorts of odd containers and food dyes next to it- clearly a fascinating science/art experiment. It looked a lot like a daycare without any diapers. And that appealed to me. Cooper is so particular, so careful, and so willing to follow directions and draw shapes and learn words that I feel like putting him in a preschool with a lot of formal instruction on writing, shapes, words, etc will be counterproductive. Do I really WANT him to be more inside his own head? No. No I do not. He's plenty good at that already.
And when we visited several of the other preschools, they were busily teaching things to the kids. How to write letters. The names of the planets. The words for different shapes. And the school administrators were EXCITED about things that I was sort of mildly horrified by. "We're teaching them the REAL names of shapes- like that this one isn't an egg, its an oval." Umm, lady, yes, it is an oval. But who cares? That's mindless vocab lessons- for energetic 3 year olds. Further, Cooper already knows its an oval, so it is worrisome to me that he'd be taught things that might bore him. He also knows squares, circles, rectangles, and triangles- and likes to find them in the landscape or painstakingly nibble them into his food for fun. "I bit this cheese into a triangle and a square, momma! Look at my cheese square!"
In the end, the schedule isn't the greatest at the preschool we chose, and it isn't cheap by any stretch of the imagination. But I think Cooper will benefit from it socially, and probably learn quite a bit around the edges.
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Not like his mom
Cooper decided last night that he wanted to sleep without his PJs. Or his clothes. Or anything on, at all. Matt and I were fairly sure that he'd just get too cold in an hour or two, and so we tried not to make a big deal of it. And there was our buck naked child in a 60 degree room, sleeping without any blankets or sheets, asleep on the bed. Time ticked on. After an hour, I went into his room and tried to ease some soft pants onto him. He got mad at me and ripped them off. Another hour later, I tried the same- again, he took them off while half asleep and murmuring "No momma no pants I don' wanna wear em." So I gave up and we all went to bed.
He slept like that, all night, in our cold house, naked as can be. Unbelievable. He was very uncharacteristically cranky at daycare today, so I suspect he slept really poorly because he was kinda cold. But man, that kid is stubborn, and apparently functionally warm under pretty cold conditions. Unlike me. I sleep in full flannel pj's, under two blankets and a flannel sheet, all night.
Tonight he's wearing his usual get-up of fleece pants, lightweight wool socks, a teeshirt and a soft sweater. Thank goodness.
He slept like that, all night, in our cold house, naked as can be. Unbelievable. He was very uncharacteristically cranky at daycare today, so I suspect he slept really poorly because he was kinda cold. But man, that kid is stubborn, and apparently functionally warm under pretty cold conditions. Unlike me. I sleep in full flannel pj's, under two blankets and a flannel sheet, all night.
Tonight he's wearing his usual get-up of fleece pants, lightweight wool socks, a teeshirt and a soft sweater. Thank goodness.
Saturday, March 12, 2011
The Big Three
Cooper is three now! His birthday party is tomorrow, and we are excited about that. He's excited too, which is refreshing. He's requested all sorts of very good things- chocolate cake, balloons, and his friends were at the top of the list. He also asked for a red truck, which we gave to him on his actual birthday Thursday. The cake is currently in the oven, the little fellows are both asleep, and Matt and I are running down the to-do list.
Grant is picking up speed these days, trying out new words and figuring out funny things. He's got the High-5, Low-5, and his goodbye wave down pat. He can nod 'Yes' and says sort of a half "yeah" when he does that. He says Doggie, Kitty, and Daddy pretty clearly, as well as a kinda swallowed Mama at times. He also, unbelievably, says "You're Welcome" when you say "Thanks" to him. I know, you don't believe me, but it is true. Cooper is very, very religious about saying his pleases, thank yous, and you're welcomes... and when he plays with Grant, and Grant gives him a toy, Cooper always says "Thanks Grant." It probably goes without saying that when Grant started saying a remarkably understandable "You're Welcome!" to him, I was really, really surprised. I guess we are pretty consistent with that around here (and the people at daycare must be, too.)
I should go stick a toothpick in a certain chocolate cake...
Grant is picking up speed these days, trying out new words and figuring out funny things. He's got the High-5, Low-5, and his goodbye wave down pat. He can nod 'Yes' and says sort of a half "yeah" when he does that. He says Doggie, Kitty, and Daddy pretty clearly, as well as a kinda swallowed Mama at times. He also, unbelievably, says "You're Welcome" when you say "Thanks" to him. I know, you don't believe me, but it is true. Cooper is very, very religious about saying his pleases, thank yous, and you're welcomes... and when he plays with Grant, and Grant gives him a toy, Cooper always says "Thanks Grant." It probably goes without saying that when Grant started saying a remarkably understandable "You're Welcome!" to him, I was really, really surprised. I guess we are pretty consistent with that around here (and the people at daycare must be, too.)
I should go stick a toothpick in a certain chocolate cake...
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Nightmares and Pouts
Both the boys have developed something new this week, although I must say that I'm far more fond of what's been up with Grant than what's up with Cooper.
Grant has figured out how to make an unbelievably dramatic and funny pout-face. His lower lip sticks out a mile, and his whole face elongates until he looks completely preposterous. Of course, it is heartbreaking to see the pouty face come out when Cooper takes something Grant wants, but at the same time the theatrical element is just too cute and amusing for words. If it is really bad, he does the pouty face, followed by a lip quiver that could stop traffic, and then a big intake of air and finally a dramatic wail and collapse. Totally spectacular. And I just can't help but laugh at him most of the time.
Cooper, on the other hand, has tragically (and I say that without being facetious) started having nightmares. I suppose it was only inevitable, given his combination of very active imagination and high background levels of anxiety. But still, somehow, I was hoping this wouldn't happen. Twice now he's woken up screaming loud and scary enough to wake the dead, been all shaky and sweaty, and then upon our rescue and inquiry ("what's going on, buddy?") with loud nonsensical statements of bizarrely fearful non-problems. So far, what he's been able to say makes zero sense in terms of a nightmare, but it is clear from his manner and the way that he says it that he's completely terrified.
It is hard to see him all worked up like that- and especially hard because it is the middle of the night so Matt and I are not always at our most functional or sympathetic. I can only hope that either this will pass quickly, or Matt and I will get better at recognizing the problem and calming Cooper back down (and getting him back into bed) quickly.
Grant has figured out how to make an unbelievably dramatic and funny pout-face. His lower lip sticks out a mile, and his whole face elongates until he looks completely preposterous. Of course, it is heartbreaking to see the pouty face come out when Cooper takes something Grant wants, but at the same time the theatrical element is just too cute and amusing for words. If it is really bad, he does the pouty face, followed by a lip quiver that could stop traffic, and then a big intake of air and finally a dramatic wail and collapse. Totally spectacular. And I just can't help but laugh at him most of the time.
Cooper, on the other hand, has tragically (and I say that without being facetious) started having nightmares. I suppose it was only inevitable, given his combination of very active imagination and high background levels of anxiety. But still, somehow, I was hoping this wouldn't happen. Twice now he's woken up screaming loud and scary enough to wake the dead, been all shaky and sweaty, and then upon our rescue and inquiry ("what's going on, buddy?") with loud nonsensical statements of bizarrely fearful non-problems. So far, what he's been able to say makes zero sense in terms of a nightmare, but it is clear from his manner and the way that he says it that he's completely terrified.
It is hard to see him all worked up like that- and especially hard because it is the middle of the night so Matt and I are not always at our most functional or sympathetic. I can only hope that either this will pass quickly, or Matt and I will get better at recognizing the problem and calming Cooper back down (and getting him back into bed) quickly.
Saturday, March 5, 2011
We havin' a tea party
We've had busy past three days, with a few particularly funny moments.
This morning as I was folding some clean laundry, Cooper said, "Wow! This is great! You cleaned my shirt. I LOVE my shirt cleaned. Thanks for doing laundry, Momma!"
Later this morning, Cooper's adorably precocious 2 year old friend Hannah visited us for the morning so her mother could get some work done. Hannah is unbelievably advanced for her age with her vocabulary and grammar, and she idolizes Cooper, so the two of them together are a total trip. They got into the stash of kid cups, bowl, etc and sat down next to each other in a big upholstered chair.
Hannah: I have a tea cup. I heat up tea in microwave.
Cooper: I have coffee like Daddy.
Hannah: Tea is hot. We havin' a tea party. I drinking my tea.
Cooper: I eatin' a pear for lunch with my coffee. HEY MOMMA LOOK we havin' a tea party!
It was so awesome with the two of them sitting there drinking imaginary tea and coffee from old measuring cups and dented steel mixing bowls. And all of a sudden it hit me that next year, Grant will be the age that Hannah is now, and he'll be SO much more ready and able to play games like this with Cooper. I can't even imagine it. Right now Grant really only can play in a very few specific ways with Cooper- but once he can (sort of) talk, and certainly once his imagination starts brewing, it is going to be a whole different ballgame.
This morning as I was folding some clean laundry, Cooper said, "Wow! This is great! You cleaned my shirt. I LOVE my shirt cleaned. Thanks for doing laundry, Momma!"
Later this morning, Cooper's adorably precocious 2 year old friend Hannah visited us for the morning so her mother could get some work done. Hannah is unbelievably advanced for her age with her vocabulary and grammar, and she idolizes Cooper, so the two of them together are a total trip. They got into the stash of kid cups, bowl, etc and sat down next to each other in a big upholstered chair.
Hannah: I have a tea cup. I heat up tea in microwave.
Cooper: I have coffee like Daddy.
Hannah: Tea is hot. We havin' a tea party. I drinking my tea.
Cooper: I eatin' a pear for lunch with my coffee. HEY MOMMA LOOK we havin' a tea party!
It was so awesome with the two of them sitting there drinking imaginary tea and coffee from old measuring cups and dented steel mixing bowls. And all of a sudden it hit me that next year, Grant will be the age that Hannah is now, and he'll be SO much more ready and able to play games like this with Cooper. I can't even imagine it. Right now Grant really only can play in a very few specific ways with Cooper- but once he can (sort of) talk, and certainly once his imagination starts brewing, it is going to be a whole different ballgame.
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