Johnny moved up to the toddler classroom this week, having spent last week settling in. Being in the toddler class reunites him with his True Love, Elizabeth. He fell hard and fast for Elizabeth back in November when she joined his class, and once she started walking on her birthday, they were a veritable Bonny & Clyde making mischief together all day long. She went to New York for two weeks over Christmas (her parents are academics from Russia on H1-B visas so when her dad's boss moved to Brooklyn he had to go too) and when she got back, Johnny ran up to her and gave her a big hug and didn't let go until she started to cry.
Like his daddy, Johnny has a penchant for older women, so we were all very sad when Elizabeth moved up to the toddler classroom in January. We had a few weekend play dates over winter and went to visit in her classroom at the end of the day quite regularly. When Elizabeth wouldn't stop crying on photo day, they went and got Johnny who cried with her. When spring brought warmer weather we've had a half hour play date in the playground after school every day. It was no surprise, then, that Johnny's settling in in the toddler classroom was a doddle.
Since the move, reports are that Elizabeth has really started to shine and talk a lot more; we all knew that she could, but she just didn't have her bessie mate to talk to. Johnny is learning words from her thick and fast and spent the weekend saying "hi" and "bye" and "thank you" (which he says when he gives something to you because that's what Elizabeth says to him). Today at lunch time Elizabeth kept calling him "Johnny! Johnny!" because we were reading a book and he was off playing with the teacher.
Watching this friendship unfold between Johnny and Elizabeth makes me glad I'm not a stay at home mom. There are many days that working full-time sucks, but there's so much he has learned and experienced that never would've occurred to me that he could.
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
First Words
Kurt read somewhere that first words are supposedly things that they have an emotional attachment to. Johnny's first word used in context was "Uh-oh." The next one was "shoe" and "toothpaste" wasn't far behind. "Toothpaste" (or "tissue" as it sounds) is as a result of us having morning pee and toothbrush time together on the toilet, so it could be that one has an emotional attachment.
"Dada" now means Dad, Inja, all dogs in fact, and just about everybody else, including Mom, unless I really press him to call me Mama, in which case he usually only relents if he Realy Truly wants me to pick him up. "Da" is of course a cover-all for "What's this?" and "Gimme that" and "Oh hey look over there."
His most commonly used word is "Nana" - banana - which he primarily uses when he wants to nurse, but which he now uses for all food. He shouted it at me yesterday when I deigned to drink off the juice from his tub of pineapples.
He uses other words, too, like "mmmmm" and "ooooh" (which his Granny taught him), but for the most part he is quite content with "da," "shoe," "uh-oh," "toothpaste" and "nana." It's amazing how far you can get with 5 words and a little latitude with their meaning. He knows and understands several dozen words, but shows no inclination to mimic them even though he's capable of making those sounds. I mean, why bother saying "nose" when "da" and pointing will do?
"Dada" now means Dad, Inja, all dogs in fact, and just about everybody else, including Mom, unless I really press him to call me Mama, in which case he usually only relents if he Realy Truly wants me to pick him up. "Da" is of course a cover-all for "What's this?" and "Gimme that" and "Oh hey look over there."
His most commonly used word is "Nana" - banana - which he primarily uses when he wants to nurse, but which he now uses for all food. He shouted it at me yesterday when I deigned to drink off the juice from his tub of pineapples.
He uses other words, too, like "mmmmm" and "ooooh" (which his Granny taught him), but for the most part he is quite content with "da," "shoe," "uh-oh," "toothpaste" and "nana." It's amazing how far you can get with 5 words and a little latitude with their meaning. He knows and understands several dozen words, but shows no inclination to mimic them even though he's capable of making those sounds. I mean, why bother saying "nose" when "da" and pointing will do?
Sunday, June 1, 2008
Cheap potty training britches
I picked up some tightie whities for Johnny last week, which came with a little pocket up front formed by the overlaping material. It's the perfect size for a diaper doubler or some microfiber shoved inside for when we don't get to the toilet in time. It's not water tight, of course, so not appropriate for naps or night and it won't last all day, but it's great at keeping his clothes dry while he learns that peeing in your pants is not so comfy.
I have to say, I just love seeing his bum through the undies. It really puts into perspective how uncomfortable a paper-and-plastic nappy must be. It has put me off all the fancy cloth nappies with their PUL or the gDiapers' plastic liner, etc. Bring on breathable, I say!
I have to say, I just love seeing his bum through the undies. It really puts into perspective how uncomfortable a paper-and-plastic nappy must be. It has put me off all the fancy cloth nappies with their PUL or the gDiapers' plastic liner, etc. Bring on breathable, I say!
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