August 2015

This month you started telling me when you need to go potty!!!  This is HUGE!  It's taken us 9 months to get here, but it sure feels good to be where we are.  We still use pull-ups at night (though you frequently wake up dry), but other than that we are 100% undies with very few accidents.

On August 3 you were doodling on a piece of paper and told me you were drawing circles.  Other than painting a heart in the bathroom a couple of months ago, this was the first time I've seen you try to draw something specific.

Your play has become much more imaginative lately.  You now tell me things like there is an elephant in your bed or lions on the couch.  One day there were 2 yellow chickens, a blue duck named Karen, a pink horse, and a pink cow in our kitchen.

You continue to try climbing everything.  Now when you climb on the back or arms of the couch you often go ahead and tell us, "climber," to make sure we see you if we're not looking.

You have started taking your clothes off at random.  So far it's only happened at home.  Though a few days ago I had to explain to you that pants are usually good when we have company.

Anything that has happened prior to today was "Westerday."

We have been doing a 3 week Parent & Me music class at your preschool while we wait on the school year to start.  You love it and sing the songs all the time.  One afternoon after class we were walking at Temescal Canyon Park.  You picked up two acorns and started tapping them together like a musical instrument.  Then we sang the chorus of "Make Believe Town" all the way back to the car while you played your acorns.  "Go no more a hunting, a hunting, a hunting.  Go no more a hunting.  But that's in animal make believe town."

You have claimed my cherry pitter as your very own paper hole punch.

You are constantly asking "which."  Here are a couple of sample conversations:

Do you want to go to the library today?
Which library?
The Malibu library.
Which Malibu library?
The only library in Malibu.
Which library?
The library we always go to.
Which library?

Can you go get me your lunchbox?  I think it's on the coffee table.

Which table?

The coffee table.  In the living room.

The black coffee table?

Yes, in the living room.

Which coffee table?

Okay, I'll go get the lunchbox.

In the grocery store, while buying black beans:  "chocolate beans is good."

I started trying to talk to you about dressing up for Halloween so we could figure out what you might want to be.  I told you that you could be anything, like an animal, or a person, or whatever you wanted.  You decided you want to be a Mommy person.  I'm flattered, but not exactly sure where to go with that.  We have since talked about it more and you have decided on another idea that I think I can work with.

You have started admitting when you are tired and some days even tell me you are ready to go to bed.  AMAZING!

You often dig out these headphones and start looking for things to plug them into.  Here you got my phone and I turned on a song for you.

The day you wanted to build a snowman.

I did my best.  You had fun, so I think it was a success.  Her name is Karen (one of many Karens at our house).

Every snowman needs a hat.

Swim cap definitely required for the baby pool.

Changing Dadoo's diaper.  Daddy and I have also spent a lot of time putting Dadoo and Bunny's jammies on over and over and over.  As soon as we get them on, you tell us you have to "fix their jammies," which means, take them off.  Then they immediately need them back on again.

You were using this book as a camera to take pictures of me.

I have started running again (WHAT?!? I know....).  I try to go early in the morning before you are up and it's been really great for me.  I have bad knees so for prevention, I've been wearing knee braces on both legs.  You often put on the braces and my tennis shoes and tell me you are going for a run.  Some days you ask me to open the door for you.  I guess you think you really are going to go outside and run on your own.  Don't think so kid.

Finger paints!

No more napping means you (usually) go to bed earlier, which means I get a tiny bit of free time in the evenings (yay!).  I managed to crochet you a new hat, which was a big hit (for a few days anyway).

Also, the giant plate of broccoli....you've developed a habit of not eating dinner then claiming to be hungry right at bedtime.  I don't want to put you to bed hungry, so my rule is, if you're eating after dinner it has to be veggies.

Finally, one day (not this picture) you asked for steamed broccoli for breakfast.  We were a little baffled but I generally don't say no if you're asking for vegetables so we made you some.  It was a pretty huge bowl and you ate THE ENTIRE THING.  For breakfast!  I wouldn't mind if you did that every day.

Your hair is long enough for braids again!

We repurposed your pack 'n' play into a tent!  You were really excited and sometimes sleep in there.

People watching at the Santa Monica Pier.

Cheese!

At the pier aquarium.  You discovered this little station and declared it "your work" since the handles resemble computer mice.  You stood there for a long time and didn't like it much when I made you share with other kids who came along.  You also sent me to the other side of the room so you could do your work.

And we took a ride on the carousel.  You've had mixed reactions to carousels but this time you really liked it.  During the ride you told me it was your favorite.

"Doing your work" at home now.  I guess the pantry is your office.

We got you all set up with your own mouse, mouse pad (potholder), and computer (tablet, though the battery was dead).

 Planting flowers.  Thanks to Aunt Brandee for the fun craft project!

Going for another run.

First French braids.  I seriously love them.

So exhausted.  You fell asleep in the car and I got you out of your seat, into the apartment, and in your bed without causing you to stir AT ALL.  This has NEVER happened before.

"Fixing Dadoo's jammies."

More French braids.

Kids concert at the Getty Museum.

Our friend Jens Daehner is a curator at the Getty Villa.  The day we were at the concert, was the same week that a new exhibit opened.  He has been working (with one other curator) on putting this exhibit together for 7 YEARS.  It includes rare bronze statues from the Hellenistic age on loan from museums all over the world.  I'm not exactly an art expert, but I was just so excited for him that all this hard work was finally coming to fruition.  He took us on a personal tour of the exhibit after the concert and we were so grateful.  There were literally art critics trying to pull him away and he kept (gently) shooing them away so that he could go on talking us through the exhibit.  Not something all that exciting to a 2-year old, but just one of those really great experiences that won't happen all that often.

Also a great example of how having you in our lives has allowed us to meet and make friendships with a diverse group of people that we never would have otherwise met (he is a Dad from your YMCA class).

Beach day!

Zimmer Museum.

You have started going to sleep on your own, some of the time.  Not every day, but I'll take whatever I can get.  When you do go to sleep without either of us in the room, you earn a star to put on our door the following morning.  Here is the current condition of our door.  It's a start.

You have been dairy-free for over a month and we've definitely noticed a huge improvement with your tummy troubles.  I was excited to find a fun place at the Malibu Country Mart where we can get you dairy-free cookies and smoothies.  We've gone a couple of times, walking over after a trip to the library.  I feel like these sorts of things are a real treat now that it can be difficult finding things that you can eat when we are out and about.  I don't think you have felt deprived at all on the dairy-free diet, but I don't think you know how much effort goes into it either.

I do think you are starting to understand to some extent though.  In the snack room at the museum the other day a boy tried to offer you a Goldfish cracker.  I thanked him and explained that it would hurt your tummy.  Later that day I heard you sitting at your table saying, "I can't have dairy, it will hurt my tummy."  And a couple of times you've told me that Daddy puts dairy in his coffee.