Toddler Talk

Watching a child develop from an infant to a toddler is a wonderfully interesting experience.  One of the most fascinating aspects of this journey, for me, is language development.  Over the years, I have seen many toddlers go from not being able to say any real words to speaking in sentences as well as asking and answering questions.  And it never ceases to amaze me how quickly they can learn and develop these skills.

Now, it is even more exciting as I get to experience it with my own son.  It has been a while since I posted about his language skills and we were still very much in the Baby Talk phase at that point, but Liam has recently leap into speaking like a toddler.  His vocabulary is growing every day and it is just incredible!  Of course at 22 months, there is still a lot of incomprehensible babble but the real words just keep coming and coming.  

Here are some of his favorite, well pronounced words: cat, dog, cow, meow, daddy, turtle, toes, nose, shoe, eye, car, ball, frog, cup, bear, no, mine, hi, hello, bye, night-night, stat, yep, up, down, help, stuck.  The list could go on, but those are the ones we hear the most often.

And then there are my favorites, the words that don't quite sound like they are supposed to, but we know what he is saying, these are the ones that I really want to remember because they are so cute and so unique.

beeair - bunny, not sure why because we have bunnies, and it doesn't seem like it would be a difficult word, but whatever!

Nonny - Mommy, I believe that he has combined Nicki with Mommy to get this, I am just glad that he's not calling me Nicki anymore.

warewane - airplane, he is completely obsessed with airplanes!

pea - please

tak u - thank you

Kikle- Tickles (one of the cats)

Ayaya - Nala (the other cat)

taktar -tractor

ire uck - fire truck

peea - pizza

lrd - lizzard

key - cookies

Ashee - Ashley, his favorite daycare teacher

Nini - Wini, another of his daycare teachers

Anana - Hannah, a girlfriend at daycare

SeeSee - Sidney, another daycare girlfriend

catca - butterfly, no idea how he came up with this, but he's been consistently saying it for months!

Melmo - Elmo

cheechees - cheesies

Everyday, I wait and listen for now words and love how smart my little boy is becoming, even though he is growing far too fast!

Halloween According to Liam

So, I'm not really sure what this Halloween stuff is all about, but parts of it were fun.  And parts of it were HORRIBLE!!!  

First, I got to wear my Tigger suit to daycare on Friday.  My friends wore costumes too and we had cake with icing for snack!!  I like cake!

Sunday, I had a hot dog for supper and then got my Tigger suit on again.  Mom gave me a tiger nose and whiskers.  And she let me play with my puppup.  (pumpkin)  There are puppup everywhere at Halloween!  I love them, but nobody will let me play with them!

Waiting for mom and dad to take me Trick or Treating . . . at this point, I had no idea what Trick or Treating was, so I was happy and excited.  And they said we were going to Grandma's house.  I love going to Grandma's house!

Trick or Treating started out OK, I followed Dad down the path to the house and up the steps to the door.  And then I was done.  I wanted to go.  But they wouldn't let me.  They all, mom, dad and grandma, made me stay while the door opened.  I yelled and cried and said please, but they made me stay.  They said it was OK, it was Dawn's house and that I know Dawn, but I still didn't like it.  Even when she put goodies in my bag I didn't like it.

Phew, back outside.  Everything was good once we got back to the driveway.  Trick or Treating isn't much fun, but there was a warewane (airplane) in the sky and then birds!  We got back in the truck and I thought we were going to Grandma's house.

But we didn't.  We went to another house.  Mom and Dad thought I would be OK at this house because I have been here before.  But I still didn't like Trick or Treating.  This is Dad's Uncle Richard and Aunt Diane's house, so we went inside for a few minutes.  I did not want to go in.  But they made me.  Eventually when their dog came upstairs, I settled down a bit.

Finally we went back to Grandma's house!!  And I found chips in my bag!  I like chips.  I just don't like going to people's houses to get them.  Why can't we just get them at the grocery store?  But Grandma's house is fun!

Seriously, don't you all think I am the cutest Tigger ever??

"RAR!  RAR!  RAR!"

Mom and Dad keep saying that by next year I will understand this whole Halloween thing better and it will be more fun for me!

I should be . . .

Supper's finished, the dishes are done, the toddler is in bed.  <>  Time to sit down and relax.  Time to check in on Facebook and Twitter.  Time to catch up on reading my favorite blogs.

But not really.  All the time I spend on the computer should really be spent doing something much more productive.  Yet, night after night, I find myself parked at the computer because it is easier.  It doesn't take any physical effort.  It is definitely more entertaining.  And for the most part, it doesn't even take much thought.  Occasionally I write a blog post or have a conversation that exercises my brain cells slightly but for the most part, the only thing getting any kind of exercise are my typing fingers.  Although I have never seen any type of study or proof, I am pretty much convinced that typing isn't going to help me lost any weight.

I need to find a way to motivate myself to do the things that need to be done FIRST and then enjoy some computer time.  And to remember the things that I want and need to do each day.  I spend waste too much time doing nothing on the computer - playing silly games, refreshing Facebook and Twitter every 30 seconds, registering for yet another message board or group that I may will never visit again.

This is all time that could should be spent:

cleaning my house

tidying the drawers of my desk

organizing my craft supplies

organizing and scrubbing out my kitchen cupboards

cleaning out my closet and dresser

planning Brownie meetings

working on my scrapbooks

baking or cooking (to freeze)

exercising to lose weight and get healthier

The list could go on and on and on but I am sure that you get the point.

It is time for things to change.  It is time for me to start accomplishing something.  It is time to start spending at least an hour each evening (after Liam is in bed) doing something away from the computer.  Do you think I can do it?  I'm not even sure I can do it.  But I have to try.  I can't keep ignoring everything except my computer.  Can I?

Potty Training Tuesday # 2

Consistency

The key to ANY method of potty training is to be consistent.  It doesn't matter if you are using diapers or  disposable training pants (pull ups) or underwear you need to keep everything as consistent as possible.  Constantly switching back and forth between diapers and underwear is confusing for a toddler who is probably already confused about what is suddenly expected of them.

If you child is in any type of childcare situation, be it daycare, home care, a baby sit or even grandma, it is imperative that you are all on the same page about potty training.  You need to work together to follow the same methods in both settings.  Make sure that all caregivers, even the teenager down the street who babysits on Saturday morning while you go to yoga, know that your child is potty training,  Make them aware of the method and schedule of the child's potty needs.  Consistency in the choice of words used to describe body parts and functions is also important.  

Now, there are obviously going to be exceptions to the consistency rule.  When you are just starting out and even when you are getting close to your potty training goal, there will be times when having your child in underwear just isn't realistic.  Don't be afraid to put your child in a diaper for naps, at night or when you are going in the car.  But switching back and forth from diapers to underwear when you are at home and for no apparent reason will confuse your child and ultimately delay the process.

Consistency isn't a magic trick that will ensure quick, easy potty training but it will make things much easier for your child and for you!!

Stay tuned for more tips, tricks and advice every Tuesday!  And please do share your own experiences!  I am always looking for ways to make potty training easier for myself, not only at work, but also at home as I will soon be jumping in head first to potty train Liam!

Potty Training Tuesday # 1

Getting Started

Before you jump into the fun and excitement of potty training, there are a few things you should do.

Buy a potty - there are lots to choose from - everything from simple and 100% functional to funky and fancy with lights and music - you don't need fancy, but if you think it will appeal to your child AND it fits your budget, go for it!  If you would rather have your child learn to use the toilet from the beginning, there are lots of options in toilet seats so that your little one doesn't fall into the big toilet!  Again, what every works for you and your child.  Remember, that your child may be a little scared to sit on the toilet at first because it is big and full of water!  If you are going the toilet route, you will need a good sturdy stool to assist your child getting onto the toilet.

Get LOTS of underwear and extra pants and laundry detergent.  There will probably be lots of extra laundry in your near future!  Children's underwear come in a wide array of styles.  Thicker fabric is good for starting out as it will absorb some of the mess but Dora, Diego etc. underwear might be more of an incentive for your child to stay dry.  Again, go with whatever appeals to your child and fits your budget.  Boxer style underwear is not a good idea of boy as it doesn't keep all messes contained!  (Believe me, it will roll right out and get tracked all over the carpet before you even know that it's happened!  And yes, I know this from experience!)  Pull-ups are also an option, stay tuned for a future post about my views on pull-ups!

Ditch the onesies!  I know they are great for keeping the munchkins warm but you do not want to be fumbling with those snaps while your little darling is doing the peepee dance - unless of course you like to get peed on!

Take a break from overalls - again, fumbling with buttons and straps while your child is peeing on your shoes is not cool!  And even if you do get them down in time, overall straps always seem to have a knack for ending up in the potty!  Check out your local Value Village or thrift shop for lots of elastic waist pants for potty training!

Be prepared for anything!  You could be one of the lucky ones and your child could be potty trained in a matter of days.  But it could take a month or more.  And you may have to admit that your child just isn't ready and take a break for a little while.

Every child is different.  What works for one may not work for the next.  You need to be ready to follow your child's lead and do what it takes to help him or her succeed!  

Stay tuned for more tips, tricks and advice every Tuesday!  And please do share your own experiences!  I am always looking for ways to make potty training easier for myself, not only at work, but also at home as I will soon be jumping in head first to potty train Liam!

Potty Training Tuesdays

Over recent weeks, I've had several discussions with friends, blog readers, twitter followers and others about potty training.  Although I don't for a second consider myself an expert, I know that I have had a hand in potty training countless toddlers since starting my first daycare job in 1998.

The experience, combined with recent requests for help and advice have encouraged me to start "Potty Training Tuesdays."  I will try to make this a weekly post sharing some of the tips, tricks and information that I have gained through the years.  Maybe even a few horror stories!

Please comment with your own thoughts, experiences and advice.  If you have any questions, post them in the comments and I will do my best to answer them in a future post.

Potty training is probably my least favorite part of my job (Potty Training Hell, Part 2, Part 3) but I have learned a lot over the years and hope that this will help some of the many people who struggle to potty train their children with little or no experience!  And maybe it will generate some interesting conversation!

Brain Fart

We all have them from time to time - you know, when you run into your new neighbor at the grocery store and can't remember her name and then you go into the store to pick up milk, eggs and . . . oh shit, you can't remember the and . . .  It happens even to those of us you with the best of memories.

For me lately, my brain seems to be almost constantly in fart mode, especially when it comes to writing.  Throughout the day when I don't have time to write, I've got a million thoughts and ideas bouncing around my brain.  But once I get home, make dinner, get Liam to bed, sit down at the computer and finally find my way to bloggy land, there's nothing, nada, nil, in my head expect for the odd tumbleweed.

So, I head off to read the blogs on my blog roll, searching desperately for inspiration.  Every time, I read lots of posts that make me laugh, many that are thought provoking but none of them wake up my creativity or give me any new ideas that i can write about.

By this point I am ready to bash my seemingly empty skull against a cement wall to try and shake some of the ideas from earlier out of hiding.  But alas, I know that is a bad idea, because I do still have enough functioning brain cells to know that hitting my head against the wall will hurt!  

Then it hits me, I have a BRILLIANT idea, Twitter, I will find inspiration on Twitter.  I follow some really cool people who often give me thoughts and ideas!  But again, I come up with NOTHING!  Sure, there are lots of comments to read and other distractions but not a single tweet that inspires me to write.

Why are the ideas and inspirations only around when there's no time for me to use them?  The harder I try to come up with something, the lamer, more boring and downright pathetic my ideas are.  

Then I start to wonder if this is my brain's way of telling me to give up because I can't write worth shit.  Or maybe it is just my conscience telling me that I should be cleaning my house or exercising instead of blogging.

And that just makes me mad.  What right does my brain or conscience have to tell me that I can't or shouldn't write?  I want to write.  I want to blog, so damn it, I am going to blog.

Then I look back at the blank Blogger new post screen and remember that I don't have a single damn thing to write about.

"Screw you brain," I decide as I log out of Blogger and head over to Facebook.  "I don't need you to play Farmville."

And that's it until the next day when I do it all over again . . .