Recently we erected a table over the radiator in daughter F.’s room so that she can climb it more easily. This sounds a bit like giving her matches so that she can start a fire more easily. Allow me to explain.
One thing I’ve learned as a parent is that there is a certain subset of behaviors over which I have no control. These include – but are not limited to – what my kids will eat, when they go to sleep (as opposed to when they go to bed, over which I do have some control), and what they do in their rooms when the door is closed.
For daughter F., the latter does not (unfortunately) include napping, but does include tearing pages from library books, emptying dresser drawers, and climbing onto the radiator in front of her bedroom window so that she can say “Hi!” to the neighbor’s dog. In our house, this constitutes quiet time.
Lately she’s been getting her legs stuck between the fins of her radiator – the hot fins of her radiator. This posed two problems: (1) falling, and (2) burns.
Now, F. is quite the agile little thing. She’s fallen a few times but has never been injured. The burns, however, seemed more serious. After mulling it over, we decided that it would be easier to prevent burns than falling; thus the table, which allows her to climb with more ease but less scorching. F. did manage to pull off the rubber corner guards we glued (and screwed) onto the table edges. But overall, this has been a success.
Not so with our other recent attempt at child-proofing. I bought what I thought was the perfect lamp for F.’s room. Entirely plastic, the shade clicks onto the base and entirely covers the bulb (a low-heat, low-watt job). Then one day we opened F.’s door after quiet time to find that she’d killed her new lamp. (Read more…)
There are points in time where I feel too old. Watching ABC Family, for instance, and thinking “Greek” is not a family show. Too old. After seeing the movie trailer for “Toy Story 3”, and hearing the phrase, “Andy’s going to college!” Too old. And, after multiple failed attempts at incorporating text messaging into my life, I have officially been proven to be too old to text.
The most recent event happened this past weekend – Valentine’s Day weekend. I was meeting up with some friends to attend a “Love Bites” themed cabaret show where some other friends were performing. It was a night out for me— the hubby was off with Spicy Girl, so mommy could have some fun and a cocktail. Since I am in the habit of bringing my digital SLR with me whenever I attend an event where moments in time need to be recorded, I usually pack it along. However, I wasn’t sure if this would be the appropriate venue, and if the flash would be too distracting for my vocalizing friends.
So, what’s a modern mommy to do? Text! That’s what! So here it is, verbatim (editorial comments included):
Me: “So excited to see you tonight! Can’t wait! Would it be too distracting to bring my camera?” (I know; text messaging in complete sentences is so un-cool.)
Them: “Whose this?” (I’m not going to get nitpicky on the spelling.)
(Read more…)
Well, it took two whole years, but my son finally is able to say “Yes.” This was a serious upgrade from his first signs of agreement which was basically staring back at you blankly without saying “No.” I found this a bit confusing since I never knew whether he really meant Yes or whether he was just in his usual confused state. You know, that state where you can actually hear birds chirping and can imagine the neurons almost reaching each other, but not quite.
Now, the boy is all about saying “Yes,” and it’s music to my ears.
Do you love your Mama?
Yesh!
Do you want a snack?
Yesh!
Meanwhile, his vocabulary has been blossoming and I’ve been loving being able to carry on a pseudo-conversation with him.
Last night, I asked him, “Do you want to go swimming with Mama tomorrow?”
“Yesh.”
It was so sweet, I gave him a big hug. That’s my boy. He always wants to do things with me.
When the Husband walked by, I proudly told him that he said he wanted to go swimming with me.
“Did you ask any control questions?” he asked, just trying to rain on my parade.
I laughed. “No, but I know he does want to go swimming with me!”
“Luke, do you want Mommy to cut your hair tomorrow?”
Yesh.
What? He LOVED when I cut his hair with the electric clippers at home last weekend! I gave him a lollipop!
“Luke, do you want to sleep in the closet tonight?” (Read more…)
