Toddler Talk

I've been working on teaching X-man to use his words. His preferred method of communication is pointing and grunting. For a while he'd point, grunt and then when he realized I wasn't falling for it he'd blink his eyes all pretty and say, "Puh-leez, Mama." 

Now I'm having to work up a resistance to the "Puh-leez" and ask, "Please is good, but what is it that you want?" 

Today I got out of him, "Go backyard, puh-leez" and "More milk, puh-leez" and "Play ball, Mama, puh-leez." Other favorite words/phrases at this point include "Open door," "Orange juice, puh-leez," "Daddy, where are you?", "Go downstairs," "Mama, Dada, Breakfast, puh-leez," and everyone' favorite, "See Poopy, puh-leez." (Yes, he's starting to get curious about what smells so bad in his diaper.)

The next challenge is teaching him that some places aren't safe to jump off of even if a Mama is below him. Case in point, the window wells for the basement, which should be covered up in the next few weeks (it's on the list for this summer after staining the fence and putting the sandbox together but before adding a storm door). I went into the well after some debris had blown down there to clean it out and to cut the mouse eaten screen out of the window finally (I left the mouse skins and bones where they were). And X-man walked up and said, "Jump!" and put his arms out like he was jumping at me from the side of the pool or in the ball pit at Ants in Their Pants. I managed to prevent it with a big "No!" and then divert him out into the driveway so we could play with his plastic car (which holy cow has he gotten good at steering/pushing). But the last thing I need him to do is to jump down there whether I'm in there or not and break his head open.

MacTroll also introduced X-man to a new machine -- the lawn mower. X-man assisted with a couple of laps in the front yard on the lower bar. But he mostly laid down on the grass rolling around shouting "Whoa! Whoa!" at his father using machinery. Not nearly as exciting was the "natural, organic, safe for kids and pets" (i.e. way too expensive) fertilizer spreading that I have to finish tomorrow. Lesson that I learned today: Two parents can't do yardwork at the same time with a toddler without him getting bored and thinking it's okay to walk into the middle of the street to turn around in circles for no apparent reason. Never mind the zillions of chalk, cars, balls, sand and dirt he has to entertain himself with. Maybe when he's at Papa's next weekend, he'll get a spin on the riding lawnmower. (Papa owns a couple of acres, mostly wooded, but there are some larger areas that a push mower just won't help with.) 

We also introduced X-man to sushi tonight. He wasn't hip to the texture. But he did enjoy the veggie tempura, and of course, the edamame, which has always been one of his favorite veggie treats. 

We struck out this week in the neighborhood garage sales/One Week Boutique areas. I was looking for summer pjs for X-man. I've been to the sale two or three times, and I always go on Fridays to avoid the fee to get in and the 2+ hours standing in line to check out at OWB. I thought this year's sale wasn't as impressive as last year's. Maybe I have higher standards, but the toys that were left over wouldn't have passed my crappy garage sale standards, let alone what they advertise as being high quality. I really hope they don't donate that crap... then the non-profit has to pay to trash the stuff. Maybe someone should start a business recycling the plastic in toys...

So, defeated I ended up at Target, where it is impossible for me to leave without spending like $100. Of which $70, this trip, was on a side table for the guest bedroom. Since MacTroll has been having such severe snoring issues, I figured I might want to keep a light, a book and an alarm clock in there for when it's a problem or, uh, you know, to make it more friendly for guests. (Kate, Kate, Kate, Kate!)

Speaking of books, the CARE bookclub is reading "Good in Bed" by Jennifer Weiner for May. I have to get a move on... if it counts for anything, I've started rereading the August book, "The Awakening" by Kate Chopin. I guess with all the crazy school whatnot happening, it was nice to get out the old Norton Anthology from days gone past and feel scholarly. I'm not sure why I didn't remember that she was from New Orleans. All the French made me think of Quebec (are you guys out of the snow yet?)

A big thank you today to the woman who bravely cut 2.5 inches of magical blonde hair from X-man's head in a relatively neat fashion despite his protesting. I'm hoping MacTroll gave you a tip that was worth the 20 minutes of unhappy 2 year old. 

I wasn't supposed to be there for this haircut, but through strangeness and a back up at the walk-in hair salon at the place we normally go, it worked out that I got to be the parent-on-point for the haircut.  And of course, the minute it was over with, X-man washed his hands, and was a sweet as could be to the woman. Sigh. 

Tomorrow I head to Decatur for my last Dec weekend. I'm wondering if it will be a strange sorrow like it was exactly 10 years ago when I graduated. A big congrats to Galen on his Journalism Award... and to Chris and Carol who will be graduating in May and moving on with their lives. It's also Carol's 22nd birthday, so I'm taking her the chocolate cupcakes I promised.