Andrei is helping me build a sandbox in the backyard. Stef and I had talked about it for the past couple of weeks since he seems to like the ones at the park. Then last week while I was putting away laundry I heard some silence for a few minutes (almost always a bad sign) and sure enough Andrei was playing in the cat box.
We took this as his endorsement of the outside sandbox idea.
So yesterday we bought the wood and during his nap I made the cuts. Today he and I will work on the area where the sandbox will go. I want to till the soil and lay down some weed block. We'll take care of that this afternoon since we have our Gymboree class this morning.
There are tons of free plans for sandboxes on the web from super simple to pretty elaborate. One of the key things most say is to just use regular wood and not treated (sometimes called "pressure treated") wood. The chemicals used leaches out of the wood and most often it is based on arsenic. Great for killing rot and insects, but equally great at killing kids. Actually it's in very low amounts and I don't believe any child could die from it, but avoiding it makes sense.
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
My First Swimming Lesson
Last weekend was the best! But, it didn't start out so great. On Saturday morning, Mom said we were going swimming so when we got in the car I threw a fit - We DO NOT go swimming in the car, we go swimming in the back yard. Eventually I got settled down and decided to wait and see where she was going with this "swimming in the car" idea.
So we drive and drive for like FOREVER (Mom's edit: it was actually only 10 min) and finally get there and park the car. At first, I don't see any chance for swimming, there are a bunch of people playing in a huge sandbox and even more big kids playing with long sticks and a ball. We walk through a gate and mom talks to some people. I still have yet to see any water and even I know you need that stuff for swimming.
We then head through another gate and I finally see it - the biggest bestest swimming pool I've ever seen!! Mom's not doing too well in my eyes cause we sit there for a minute then she tries to get me to go back through the gate. NO WAY LADY, not after I've gone this far. Finally she DRAGS me to the gate and then back to sit and just look at the water. Hello, I'm supposed to be swimming not just looking at the opportunity of a lifetime.
There are a few other kids, but most look really scared. Some of the kids and their mom or dad go up and are just standing around this guy with a clipboard. We go up and join them. I'm really not liking this standing around and looking at water. Swimming means you go in the water. Who cares if it's cold and windy just jump in!
Then we get into the water. It's nice and warm so I just dive on in. This pool is way better since I can stand up and walk anywhere I want, so I just take off, I could tell the clipboard guy was impressed. We keep playing games in the water with rubber duckies, kicking and just having fun. - this is great!!- Some of the other kids aren't enjoying this, crying and getting out of the pool. I mean really, they are missing the opportunity of a lifetime.
Mom counted the other kids since I can't count yet and she's really into that kind of stuff. At the beginning of class there were a total of five other kids and now at the end we're down to me and some girl. My boys let me down, they've all left the pool and I'm left with a girl who can already talk and says I'm a little baby. I'm gonna prove her wrong, I walk on over to the ladder and climb on out of the pool.
It is really cold outside since the wind is blowing, but mom changes my clothes and we're off again back to the car. Mom tells me that I'm really lucky and get to go again next week. Yippee!! The bad part is we need to practice our bubble blowing.
So we drive and drive for like FOREVER (Mom's edit: it was actually only 10 min) and finally get there and park the car. At first, I don't see any chance for swimming, there are a bunch of people playing in a huge sandbox and even more big kids playing with long sticks and a ball. We walk through a gate and mom talks to some people. I still have yet to see any water and even I know you need that stuff for swimming.
We then head through another gate and I finally see it - the biggest bestest swimming pool I've ever seen!! Mom's not doing too well in my eyes cause we sit there for a minute then she tries to get me to go back through the gate. NO WAY LADY, not after I've gone this far. Finally she DRAGS me to the gate and then back to sit and just look at the water. Hello, I'm supposed to be swimming not just looking at the opportunity of a lifetime.
There are a few other kids, but most look really scared. Some of the kids and their mom or dad go up and are just standing around this guy with a clipboard. We go up and join them. I'm really not liking this standing around and looking at water. Swimming means you go in the water. Who cares if it's cold and windy just jump in!
Then we get into the water. It's nice and warm so I just dive on in. This pool is way better since I can stand up and walk anywhere I want, so I just take off, I could tell the clipboard guy was impressed. We keep playing games in the water with rubber duckies, kicking and just having fun. - this is great!!- Some of the other kids aren't enjoying this, crying and getting out of the pool. I mean really, they are missing the opportunity of a lifetime.
Mom counted the other kids since I can't count yet and she's really into that kind of stuff. At the beginning of class there were a total of five other kids and now at the end we're down to me and some girl. My boys let me down, they've all left the pool and I'm left with a girl who can already talk and says I'm a little baby. I'm gonna prove her wrong, I walk on over to the ladder and climb on out of the pool.
It is really cold outside since the wind is blowing, but mom changes my clothes and we're off again back to the car. Mom tells me that I'm really lucky and get to go again next week. Yippee!! The bad part is we need to practice our bubble blowing.
Monday, April 7, 2008
"Lovie" or Satan? You decide.
When we traveled to Russia to pick up Andrei we brought with us Playskool's GloWorm which plays these little lullabyes and has a soft glow. Andrei liked it and became very attached to, however it wasn't a full blown "lovie". I say this because he didn't really want it except at nap or bedtime. So he didn't really treat it as a real "lovie" (i.e., carrying it around constantly, etc.). So we were on the lookout for something he would really take to.
Andrei doesn't watch very much TV, he's actually not too interested in it (which is perfectly fine with us). But we did find out pretty quickly that he really likes Elmo of Sesame Street. Well, we looked long and hard for a little Elmo that he could carry around and found one that (unfortunately) makes sound. It's this talking Elmo that laughs and says a few words when you shake him up and down.
From the minute he got Elmo it became clearly his "lovie". But the thing gets just a little annoying. Okay, incredibly annoying! But it is his "lovie" and for some odd reason the satanic "Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha" it produces does seem to comfort him. So we're resigned to the fact that we're going to be hearing Elmo for months or maybe even years (Crikey!).
But being good parents we're going to suck it up. In fact, we bought a second one just in case the first one breaks. We are hoping though that he won't mind if it stops making noise when the batteries run out. At first, we're not going to put new ones in and tell him that, "Elmo wants to be quiet". We're praying this goes over well. And it might...but I doubt it.
Here's a little video in which Andrei clearly demonstrates the demonic power of Elmo (and why the sound of Elmo makes an adult cringe).
Andrei doesn't watch very much TV, he's actually not too interested in it (which is perfectly fine with us). But we did find out pretty quickly that he really likes Elmo of Sesame Street. Well, we looked long and hard for a little Elmo that he could carry around and found one that (unfortunately) makes sound. It's this talking Elmo that laughs and says a few words when you shake him up and down.
From the minute he got Elmo it became clearly his "lovie". But the thing gets just a little annoying. Okay, incredibly annoying! But it is his "lovie" and for some odd reason the satanic "Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha" it produces does seem to comfort him. So we're resigned to the fact that we're going to be hearing Elmo for months or maybe even years (Crikey!).
But being good parents we're going to suck it up. In fact, we bought a second one just in case the first one breaks. We are hoping though that he won't mind if it stops making noise when the batteries run out. At first, we're not going to put new ones in and tell him that, "Elmo wants to be quiet". We're praying this goes over well. And it might...but I doubt it.
Here's a little video in which Andrei clearly demonstrates the demonic power of Elmo (and why the sound of Elmo makes an adult cringe).
Thursday, April 3, 2008
Another Milestone Reached
One of two things happened yesterday during nap time either:
a - The boy successfully undressed himself except for his diaper, or
b - The dog learned how to climb into the crib and undress the child except for his diaper.
Since we didn't actually see it happen we're both inclined to believe option "a" since the dog isn't that ambitious and loves fully participating in nap time.
Yesterday at the beginning of nap time he was wearing the romper in the picture below and socks for his nap. At the end of nap time he was wearing a diaper. Now, I had witnessed his running around in the romper with the zipper undone, but he'd never made it to taking the romper all the way off. And then he'd also removed his socks. At night we have him take off his socks, but have to help him get them started.
So we can check another milestone off the list and hope we don't get to the point we need to duct tape the diaper during naps.
a - The boy successfully undressed himself except for his diaper, or
b - The dog learned how to climb into the crib and undress the child except for his diaper.
Since we didn't actually see it happen we're both inclined to believe option "a" since the dog isn't that ambitious and loves fully participating in nap time.
Yesterday at the beginning of nap time he was wearing the romper in the picture below and socks for his nap. At the end of nap time he was wearing a diaper. Now, I had witnessed his running around in the romper with the zipper undone, but he'd never made it to taking the romper all the way off. And then he'd also removed his socks. At night we have him take off his socks, but have to help him get them started.
So we can check another milestone off the list and hope we don't get to the point we need to duct tape the diaper during naps.
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
Life's Tough When You're (Almost) Two
Wow, it's been a week since I've posted and what a rough week it was.
First, he's hitting the terrible twos with full force and asserting his independence at every opportunity. Apparently no one has told him that he won't be turning two for another six weeks.
The testing, oh the testing. He's really testing both of us. One of Andrei's favorite activities is to throw balls, stuffed animals, shoes and other objects over the second floor hallway railing down to the floor below. As soon as he's done this we "discuss" how he shouldn't be throwing things downstairs and he's lost the toy. We know we're getting through to him because he'll tell us in his own toddler pantomime that none of us should throw items over the railing. Just in case we've changed our minds, he likes to reinforce this concept daily.
Second, his canines (teeth) are finally coming in. Those sharp little teeth are finally poking through and our superhero has been DroolBoy. We have drool everywhere - and no one warned us that toddler teeth are sharp!
Lastly, he's had a cold for the last couple of days. He woke up crying on Saturday night and it took Tylenol and rocking in my arms for about 30 minutes to relax enough to get back to sleep. The next day he started sneezing and had a runny nose. Today he appears to be feeling much better and hopefully will sleep through the night.
Generally he's a happy kid and gives us a little slack when we're trying to figure out this parenting thing. However, with the combo of these three we've been challenged this week. But who couldn't love this face!
First, he's hitting the terrible twos with full force and asserting his independence at every opportunity. Apparently no one has told him that he won't be turning two for another six weeks.
The testing, oh the testing. He's really testing both of us. One of Andrei's favorite activities is to throw balls, stuffed animals, shoes and other objects over the second floor hallway railing down to the floor below. As soon as he's done this we "discuss" how he shouldn't be throwing things downstairs and he's lost the toy. We know we're getting through to him because he'll tell us in his own toddler pantomime that none of us should throw items over the railing. Just in case we've changed our minds, he likes to reinforce this concept daily.
Second, his canines (teeth) are finally coming in. Those sharp little teeth are finally poking through and our superhero has been DroolBoy. We have drool everywhere - and no one warned us that toddler teeth are sharp!
Lastly, he's had a cold for the last couple of days. He woke up crying on Saturday night and it took Tylenol and rocking in my arms for about 30 minutes to relax enough to get back to sleep. The next day he started sneezing and had a runny nose. Today he appears to be feeling much better and hopefully will sleep through the night.
Generally he's a happy kid and gives us a little slack when we're trying to figure out this parenting thing. However, with the combo of these three we've been challenged this week. But who couldn't love this face!
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