The most magical items in Daniel's world these days are the TV and the potty. I've noticed that he frequently brings offerings to each - especially in the morning. Before Pappy Craig brought the new TV with power button on top, Daniel would bring a toy, toothpaste tube, card, or other easy to carry item to the TV before turning it on.
The toilet receives a slightly more intricate ritual. Before approaching the toilet, Daniel will make the toilet "sign" (waving his hand up and down). Usually, the toilet "sign" is accompanied by a raspberry noise that sounds sort of like flushing. Then, he'll lay the book or remote or whatever he's brought on the lid. Once the offering is presented, he's free to try flushing.
Friday, March 25, 2011
Sorting out the Cupboards
We went to the Children's Museum today, for a second visit, the culmination of our Spring Break Stay-cation.
It was packed. Many kids. And for every kid, at least one and probably two hovering parents. "Do you need help with the ball, li'l buddy?" "Do you need help with the teddy bear, sweet pea?"
Daniel spent an hour back on the "meadow" bridge, crawling. And then he spent another hour with his Mom in a bungalow. He was fully engrossed in moving wooden-toy food, plates and cups around between different cupboards.
In related news, Daniel is now saying his name all the time, in different tones, with different meanings in different contexts. "Nan-noh!" "Nan-noh?" "Nan-noh."
It was packed. Many kids. And for every kid, at least one and probably two hovering parents. "Do you need help with the ball, li'l buddy?" "Do you need help with the teddy bear, sweet pea?"
Daniel spent an hour back on the "meadow" bridge, crawling. And then he spent another hour with his Mom in a bungalow. He was fully engrossed in moving wooden-toy food, plates and cups around between different cupboards.
In related news, Daniel is now saying his name all the time, in different tones, with different meanings in different contexts. "Nan-noh!" "Nan-noh?" "Nan-noh."
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Pirates & Chefs
There is a new ad on Sprout for the upcoming April Fool's Day line-up. At one point in the ad, There is a wiggle dressed in blue, next to a chef. The wiggle asks (ominously?), "Do you like your eggs... scrambled?"
Daniel is terrified of this. He runs from the TV in a panic. He's done it three times now.
Follow-up: the next day, Daniel would watch the ad, nervously, with his mom, but his fear level had diminished.
Daniel is terrified of this. He runs from the TV in a panic. He's done it three times now.
Follow-up: the next day, Daniel would watch the ad, nervously, with his mom, but his fear level had diminished.
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Stacking
Daniel is stacking... coke cans.
He isn't interested in his toys at all right now. He *is* interested in pens, iPhones, Daddy's tube of toothpaste, the potty, toilet paper, the wireless mouse, Daddy's laptop... anything Mommy and Daddy are using. No kid's stuff.
He isn't interested in his toys at all right now. He *is* interested in pens, iPhones, Daddy's tube of toothpaste, the potty, toilet paper, the wireless mouse, Daddy's laptop... anything Mommy and Daddy are using. No kid's stuff.
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Groundhog Walk
Daniel has decided to approach walking like a groundhog: the first day he walked, he saw his shadow, so he isn't going to walk anymore for a least another six weeks.
If I try to get him to stand up & walk by himself, he goes all spaghetti on me, except when he is walking very short distances, and always in the direction of his Mom.
If I try to get him to stand up & walk by himself, he goes all spaghetti on me, except when he is walking very short distances, and always in the direction of his Mom.
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Zebra!
Daniel's fever came down over the weekend. His overall health and demeanor is much improved which is a huge relief to his Mom and Dad.
Daniel and I were sitting in his room reading his "Colors" book on Saturday. The last page is black & white with a picture of a zebra. I always say the color then the item - "red...strawberry! blue...ocean!" and so on. When I said "black & white...zebra!", Daniel looked at me then pointed to a wooden cutout zebra that's hanging over his changing pad! It was exciting to see he'd made the connection between the two zebras. He repeated the feat on Monday, and we talked a bit about zebras, reviewed the sign for zebra, and found two more zebras on a poster.
Daniel and I were sitting in his room reading his "Colors" book on Saturday. The last page is black & white with a picture of a zebra. I always say the color then the item - "red...strawberry! blue...ocean!" and so on. When I said "black & white...zebra!", Daniel looked at me then pointed to a wooden cutout zebra that's hanging over his changing pad! It was exciting to see he'd made the connection between the two zebras. He repeated the feat on Monday, and we talked a bit about zebras, reviewed the sign for zebra, and found two more zebras on a poster.
Friday, March 11, 2011
Fever
Daniel had a very high fever, and it was very scary for his Mom & Dad.
He started warming up in the very early hours of Friday morning, and he had a fever of 100 by 9am. We gave him Tylenol and waited, but by noon, his fever was close to 103, so Daddy took him in to see the pediatrician.
Daniel was OK at the Doctor's office until he saw the nurse. She was the same nurse who has given him shots several times before. When he saw her, he had a complete panic attack and started wailing. When we he saw the examination pad (with it's tell-tale roll of paper), he completely freaked out, and howled throughout the visit with the Doctor. The Doctor suspected that he had an infection in his right ear, and she prescribed liquid Amoxycillin, so it was a good thing we took him in when we did.
We gave him his fist dose of Amoxycillin around 5pm, and Mommy kept him close throughout the evening. However, by bed time, his temperature had continued to rise, up to about 104.5. Daddy was worried, and called the on-call nurse at the pediatrics center, but she reassured him that Daniel was going to be all right. Daniel slept in bed with Mommy & Daddy all night, and he was hot as a brick oven (his feet were like little branding irons).
However, by this morning, his fever has started to go down. He is at 100.8 now. Relief!
He started warming up in the very early hours of Friday morning, and he had a fever of 100 by 9am. We gave him Tylenol and waited, but by noon, his fever was close to 103, so Daddy took him in to see the pediatrician.
Daniel was OK at the Doctor's office until he saw the nurse. She was the same nurse who has given him shots several times before. When he saw her, he had a complete panic attack and started wailing. When we he saw the examination pad (with it's tell-tale roll of paper), he completely freaked out, and howled throughout the visit with the Doctor. The Doctor suspected that he had an infection in his right ear, and she prescribed liquid Amoxycillin, so it was a good thing we took him in when we did.
We gave him his fist dose of Amoxycillin around 5pm, and Mommy kept him close throughout the evening. However, by bed time, his temperature had continued to rise, up to about 104.5. Daddy was worried, and called the on-call nurse at the pediatrics center, but she reassured him that Daniel was going to be all right. Daniel slept in bed with Mommy & Daddy all night, and he was hot as a brick oven (his feet were like little branding irons).
However, by this morning, his fever has started to go down. He is at 100.8 now. Relief!
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Chase me!
When we started going to classes, Daniel would stick close to me through the whole class. He would venture far enough to grab a toy and then came back. Now he loves to crawl away and look back to see what I'll do. Last night, one of the parents left to use the restroom and didn't close the door to the entry area completely. Daniel shimmied over, opened the door and was heading out. The instructor told me he was leaving (the door was behind me). I looked over and he was looking over his shoulder at me, grinning. I swear I could read his thoughts - "Chase me!" So I gave chase. He crawled away, giggling madly.
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Open...Close...
We bought Daniel new shoes over the weekend. I was suckered into buying black Converse Chuck Taylors for $30! Everything else at Babies R Us was on sale; not these. Anyhoo, along with the shoes, Daniel also got his first shoe box. I thought it would be a cool place to stash all sorts of little treasures so filled it with a tiny stuffed dragon, a wooden toy made by my grandpa, a deck of cards, and a postcard showing a two-headed turtle.
Daniel thought it was cool too - especially the lid. He opened and closed it at least a hundred times. The fascination with open and close isn't a new one, but he's added the word "close" to the action. Daniel only says "open" occasionally, but "close" is important. He says it urgently and often.
Daniel thought it was cool too - especially the lid. He opened and closed it at least a hundred times. The fascination with open and close isn't a new one, but he's added the word "close" to the action. Daniel only says "open" occasionally, but "close" is important. He says it urgently and often.
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Giant (Baby) Steps
Daniel walks! His Grandpa "Pappy" Craig visited in the morning, bearing gifts from Ecuador, and remarked that Daniel seemed like he was going to walk (independently) at any moment. I scoffed, "well, people have been saying that for about two months now, but he still isn't doing it."
Right after Pappy left, Daniel grabbed Christy's greeting card holder (it looks kinda like peacock feathers sculpted in metal wire). I was "walking" him with the pinkie on my hand, and I thought, "since he's engrossed in the sculpture, let's see if he'll notice if I just slip my pinkie away."
He didn't notice. He kept on walking, by himself, independently (with no assistance), about a dozen steps from the dining room into the kitchen, before he figured out what was going on.
I didn't think anybody would believe me that he had gone this far, but we repeated the feat about five times. I was ecstatic, praising his fine work. I was laughing, and it took me a minute to realize that I was crying at the same time.
He walked later in the day for his Grandma Denise, and he even showed off a few steps for his Mom when she got home from the gym later that evening.
Right after Pappy left, Daniel grabbed Christy's greeting card holder (it looks kinda like peacock feathers sculpted in metal wire). I was "walking" him with the pinkie on my hand, and I thought, "since he's engrossed in the sculpture, let's see if he'll notice if I just slip my pinkie away."
He didn't notice. He kept on walking, by himself, independently (with no assistance), about a dozen steps from the dining room into the kitchen, before he figured out what was going on.
I didn't think anybody would believe me that he had gone this far, but we repeated the feat about five times. I was ecstatic, praising his fine work. I was laughing, and it took me a minute to realize that I was crying at the same time.
He walked later in the day for his Grandma Denise, and he even showed off a few steps for his Mom when she got home from the gym later that evening.
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