Toddler/Preschooler/Big Kid Check-in (9/21)

[oldbaylover1024]

Thanks for the check-in, @enchanted. Glad his speech is continuing to improve!

Age: 3.5 (basically)

Milestones: Does a lack of injury this week count? LOL

Challenges: Typical three stuff. But she's been really great lately, so no real complaints.

Funny/cute stories:

She told me a knock-knock joke this week:

J: Knock-knock
Me: Who's there?
J: Boo
Me: Boo who?
J: Orange you glad I didn't say 'banana?'

We're still working on knock-knock jokes

How are you? Sick. Trying to keep a sinus infection at bay, but I definitely caught a DC cold. Typical for this time of year. But still, no fun.

Anything else to share? Our master bedroom remodel is DONE! I FINALLY slept in my room last night for the first time in about 6 weeks.

QOTW: I really enjoyed photography. I took a lot of black-and-white photography classes in high school and did my own developing. I was able to take one in college and received honors, even though it was outside my major. I loved it. I wish my major (accounting) allowed for more art courses. I miss the darkroom.

[shandorfml2]

Age: almost 18 mo

Milestones: nothing new this week

Challenges: standing/walking

Funny/cute stories: when dropping off LO this morning at daycare, it was just him and a little girl. I said "say hi to your friend!" and he gave her the flirtiest smile! Adorable

How are you? good, tired

Anything else to share? nope.

[shandorfml2]

oh, QOTW I liked english and history

[shandorfml2]

oldbaylover1024, yay for being in your room! I loved photography too. I went to a camp that offered it as a class and took it each year. Back before digital cameras took over!
@enchanted, I'm interested in the holocaust as well. Like, the psychology behind it. How we can get to a place like that as a society. Have you been to the museum in DC?

[oldbaylover1024]

@enchanted - I took a Religions of the World course in college, and we met a holocaust survivor. To this day his speech rings in my memory. MH also works in a very Jewish community and meets some survivors who receive restitutions. The DC museum, while extremely heartbreaking, is amazing.

shandorfml2 - Yeah, I never had much interest in digital either. I mean, it's really neat and I'm sure I'd enjoy it, but the manipulation and effect you can achieve through hard processing is a lost art.

[2redtulips]

Age: 2

Milestones: His language skills are growing by leaps and bounds, and he's starting to sing songs! He can't sing any complete songs yet, but he makes up his own.

Challenges: It's been a pretty good week.

Funny/cute stories: He's been making up fake injuries and holding out his arm for kisses.

How are you? Eh. I've been better. I have been feeling a little down, so I am working on figuring out why.

Anything else to share? I need to figure out his costume for Halloween. I found a cute dinosaur one, but he freaked out when I tried to put the headpiece on him, so that stayed at the store.

QOTW: What was your favorite subject in school/class in college? I have a few: English, photography and peace studies.

[peggels24]

Age: 20 months in 4 days! Agh - stop growing baby!

Milestones: She's starting to put some small phrases together and her vocabulary is expanding every day.

Challenges: The kitchen - we can't do anything in the kitchen without her trying to get all of our attention. We've tried everything - her high chair, the counter, a chair, helping, not helping, playing with pots and pans, singing, counting, dancing - the only thing that makes her happy is being held or us going into the other room with her. Which is not really useful when I'm trying to get dinner together. It doesn't help that DH will stop and pick her up and hold her while he cooks one handed. My arm is not strong enough for that for any extended period of time. So I've decided instead of trying to fix DD as much, I'm going to concentrate on training DH not to pick her up every single time.

Funny/cute stories: We couldn't find her water cup the other day - we looked everywhere - we found it in the fridge in her play kitchen

How are you? I'm good. We have been eating pretty healthy but I kind of fell off of the wagon for about a week and a half - really trying to get back on track this week but we have the state fair on Saturday - but I'm hoping all the walking will balance out some not so healthy eating.

Anything else to share? I'm going to make a turkey dinner on Sunday because it's finally cool enough and I've had a turkey in my freezer forever!

QOTW: What was your favorite subject in school/class in college? Statistics - math combined with logical problem solving - I'm in!

[peggels24]

@enchanted I love that the guest room is grandma and grandpa’s room!

oldbaylover1024 Woohoo for bedroom completion!

shandorfml2 Oh my goodness – I love toddler flirting- it’s adorable. Of course, I have the little girl who would then go up to your DS and push him – she’s kind of a brute sometimes.

2redtulips DD loves booboo kisses! Good luck with the Halloween costume.

[shandorfml2]

peggels24, hehe thats cute she put it in her play kitchen. My son is similar with always wanting to be held, especially in the morning. If I have to pee, he will follow me and cry until I pick him up and hold him on my lap. It's kind of ridiculous. but...on the other hand, he won't always want me to hold him.

[gratefulgirl]

peggels24 - can you babywear on your back? I had to wear DD2 until nearly 2 on occasion. After 2 they get so much better at coloring, play dough, stickers, and Pinteresty stuff, plus they watch TV longer and it is much easier. One of my friends said at that age there is no independent play, just immanent danger or immanent destruction of stuff.

[peggels24]

Sept 22, 2016 11:06:03 GMT -5 gratefulgirl said:

peggels24 - can you babywear on your back? I had to wear DD2 until nearly 2 on occasion. After 2 they get so much better at coloring, play dough, stickers, and Pinteresty stuff, plus they watch TV longer and it is much easier. One of my friends said at that age there is no independent play, just immanent danger or immanent destruction of stuff.

gratefulgirl, No unfortunately DD does not like to be worn at all - never has.  Freaks her out.  She can definitely entertain herself - and if I "sneak" out of the living room into the kitchen, she will continue with whatever she is doing - until she realizes I'm gone (but sneaking out makes it so much worse so I don't do that anymore).  I think it's more a nosy / testing boundaries thing.  Hopefully she will get over it soon so that I can at least throw something in the crockpot in the morning.

[2redtulips]

peggels24, We had the kitchen struggle for awhile as well. He is so curious about what we're doing and he wants to "help."
Right now, what works is letting him watch a show while we cook. We also sometimes let him use a step stool to "cook" something on the counter next to us.
It's rough, though. I feel your pain!

[eliz77]

Age: Almost 22 months

Milestones: Follow directions and identifying animals/sounds

Challenges: Suddenly we don't nap or just nap 45 minutes. I guess some sort of transitional period may be happening?

Funny/cute stories: I moved him up to next age group in play gym-he's the youngest but one of the tallest-and there is this little boy with SO much energy D gravitates towards. The other day while running like little crazies, they ran smack into each other and D fell. He had a huge pout and was looking around for me. Other little boy said,"Sorry!" and D hugged him, then came running to me with this huge smile and hugged me.

How are you? Doing good!

Anything else to share? Need to get back on track with exercising...

QOTW: What was your favorite subject in school/class in college? College-Equine Preventive Medicine and also Abnormal Psychology

[taberbtb]

peggels24 again, we are dealing with the same issue as you are. I saw someone post this rice sensory bin on fb. I am going to try it out and if it works, be our "in the kitchen, during dinner prep only" activity. I hope it works

busytoddler.com/2015/11/rice-bin/

[taberbtb]

Age 19.75 months

Milestones: All the words! Stringing words together to make sentences, and mostly telling us what she's doing 100% of the time, "I eat that" or "I throw that".

Challenges: The dreaded toddler "holding" poop. She's always struggled with constipation issues off and on, so going #2 has been an issue for most of her life but now it's a mental issue instead of a physical issue we are really struggling.

Funny/cute stories: I taught her awhile ago where the garbage is so she could "help" me when DD2 was born. We have cabinet locks on it though since it's under the counter so she can't get it open all the way by herself but it does open up about an inch. I keep finding all kinds of things stuffed in that crack that B deems to be "garbage". Good thing she can't get it open because I find $5 bills and all kinds of interesting things…

How are you? I'm ok, struggling with wanting to exercise more (or at all) and lose the baby weight from DD2, but for now I just have to be content with finding the balance with working, raising 2u2, meals, and everything else before I try to pile anything else on. Mental health first, physical health next.

Anything else to share? Fall is officially here where I live and as much as I love it the end of summer always feels like year end to me more than New Years does. I'm feeling a little sad to see another year gone.

QOTW: History! I love learning about the past.

[peggels24]

Sept 23, 2016 10:09:46 GMT -5 taberbtb said:

peggels24 again, we are dealing with the same issue as you are. I saw someone post this rice sensory bin on fb. I am going to try it out and if it works, be our "in the kitchen, during dinner prep only" activity. I hope it works

busytoddler.com/2015/11/rice-bin/

That is cool! I totally want to try it but I'm concerned she will dump the rice out....but I might try anyway and see!