The boy understands the importance of timing. Three years ago Simon gave me his first real kick in utero on Mother’s Day. Two and a half years ago, he held his head up for the first time on Thanksgiving. Last year he took his first steps on Father’s Day. He called Evie “Grandma” for the […]
Category Archive for 'Toddler!'
When I was pregnant and my head filled with dreams of overly simplified Mendelian genetics, I assumed a child of mine would look like me or, if he were a boy, my brother Steve. After all, my skin and hair color are dominant, and Matt’s are recessive. The universe had other plans: Seeing that my […]
Today was our slightly delayed 2 1/2 year check-up at the pediatrician’s office. The vital stats are: Height: 37 1/2 inches. 75th percentile. Weight: 29 1/2 pounds (in heavy diaper). 40th percentile. No head measurement! (but struggling to get a size 3T polo over his head is telling) All parts present and accounted for. Speech […]
When I was about six months pregnant with Simon, I started thinking about what his nursery would look like. I had, as no one who knows me will be surprised to learn, some ideas on the matter. The nursery had to be gender neutral. I wanted real, solid furniture the baby could grow up with. […]
Recitation
Posted in Jessica, Simon says..., Toddler! on May 5th, 2009
Sunday was a tough, tough day over here. (And Monday started off pretty rough, too.) Simon was in whiny mood, and by dinner-time I was ready to throttle him. Nothing grates on my nerves as much as when Simon looks at me, screws up his face, and whines and cries for no good reason. This […]
Onomastica
Posted in Jessica, Simon says..., Toddler! on May 3rd, 2009
Simon is learning names. His names, our names, the names of his friends and teachers, all of them. First came our names, Mommy and Daddy. They’ve been around since he was under one. Then came his own name, Si-moan. That’s newer. Next up came extended family, friends, and teachers and pets: Bubbie, Grandma, Lola, Greta, […]
Isms
Posted in Jessica, Simon says..., Toddler! on Apr 28th, 2009
Simon-isms, that is. We’ve had some amusing ones crop up in the last few days. Scene 1: It’s the evening wind-down, and Simon is supposed to be getting ready for his bath. He’s been summoned to the bedroom to disrobe, but instead turns towards the stairs and begins the head down them. Matt: Where are […]
Spring has sprung here in Louisville. A week or so ago, I had hosta tips and unfurled fern fronds in my front yard, and I knew my shade garden was about to wake up and take on its summer form. Then we got sleet on Wednesday, I watched and worried as the tree workers’ hands […]
Oh boy. I’ve been hitting the books again, this time Positive Discipline, and the experience is forcing me to give a serious re-think to much of my day-to-day parenting. Most of the books I’ve read to date have given me solid advice about a range of practical matters (What to Expect the Toddler Years), have […]
Simon Goes to Eleven(teen)
Posted in Jessica, Simon says..., Toddler! on Apr 20th, 2009
I’ve mentioned before that Simon can be incredibly loud and used these exact words while doing so. But this isn’t about yelling; it’s about counting.* Some time this winter, I noticed that Simon had begun to count to 10. At first, he’d count like this: Un, Too, Fee, Foe…[pause]…Eight, Nine, Ten. Then, he began going […]