What is it about some songs that cause them to lodge in your brain for hours, days, weeks at a time? You know the ones..."Can't Touch This"..."Ice, Ice, Baby"...that Six Flags commercial with the dancing old guy. It's almost cruel of me to mention them, sorry.
Let me just say that toddler TV is just FULL of those songs. I go to bed every single night with one of E's little ditties in my head. I wish I could sing them to you, and share the misery, but a list of a few choice lyrics will have to suffice...as you read them, be assured, I'm not making this up. These are actual songs...
From the Backyardigans...
"Almost everything is Boinga here,
We Boinga all Boinga long.
Almost everything is Boinga here,
So we Boinga this Boinga song!"
...and...
"We gotta go go go go go
We gotta go go go
You can't go fast if you go too slow,
So go go go go go!"
The next one is from the notorious screamer, Diego...
"River dolphin.
I can't hear you.
River dolphin!
Say it louder!
River dolphin!!
Everybody scream!!
River dolphin, yaaaaaay!!!!"
Dora's friend Boots, REALLY loves his ball...
"I love my ball,
My bouncy ball.
I love my ball ball ball ball ball.
My bally bounce,
My bouncy ball.
I love my ball ball ball ball ball."
And my favorite, from a Wonder Pets episode, goes like this...
"She turns into a pupa.
A pupa?
Supa dupa!
She turns into a pupa,
Tra-la-la-hey!"
Supa dupa. Good luck getting to sleep with that one bouncing around in your head!
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Two Kids...
...are much harder than one. I think somebody told me that once, like somebody with two kids. But it is also a joy to watch E interact with Baby M.
Today she ran to me in the kitchen saying, "Help, Mommy! I need help!" She is an alarmist, anyway, often crying and screaming in pain when she can't get a sticker unstuck from her sock. So I wasn't too worried as I followed her into the living room to give assistance. Turns out, she needed help fixing Baby M's bouncy seat. He was wiggling and fussing, and she was trying to attach the toy bar...presumably to calm him down. She could only get one side fastened, and wanted me to attach the other side. I was so touched that she even registered that M needed calming, especially during another riveting episode of "Max and Ruby" (the Seinfeld of cartoons...a show about nothing, with bunnies).
This shouldn't come as a surprise to me, as she announced last week, "When I grow up, I can save people in a balance." That's "ambulance" in E-speak. Am I raising an altruistic child? A parent can only hope.
Today she ran to me in the kitchen saying, "Help, Mommy! I need help!" She is an alarmist, anyway, often crying and screaming in pain when she can't get a sticker unstuck from her sock. So I wasn't too worried as I followed her into the living room to give assistance. Turns out, she needed help fixing Baby M's bouncy seat. He was wiggling and fussing, and she was trying to attach the toy bar...presumably to calm him down. She could only get one side fastened, and wanted me to attach the other side. I was so touched that she even registered that M needed calming, especially during another riveting episode of "Max and Ruby" (the Seinfeld of cartoons...a show about nothing, with bunnies).
This shouldn't come as a surprise to me, as she announced last week, "When I grow up, I can save people in a balance." That's "ambulance" in E-speak. Am I raising an altruistic child? A parent can only hope.
Friday, February 22, 2008
Who's Holly, Anyway?
(Warning: There's poop in this blog.)
Among other things, I consider myself an environmentally conscious person. I try to do the right thing, most of the time. I recycle, I reuse, I try to reduce. I use Freecycle and Craig's List regularly. But I have a little issue with low flow toilets. Admit it, it's a widespread problem (so to speak). Sometimes, you gotta double flush. A gallon and a half just doesn't do the job.
I have a little phrase I use for the double flush...Awhile back, on an episode of Home Improvement, Tim accused his wife of not paying attention, and asked her what kind of carburetor was on his hotrod. She replied, "A Holly Double Pumper." It made me laugh...I know nothing about cars. Well, the Holly Double Pumper is what comes to mind when pushing the lever for the second time. This usually happens at my place of employment, where the toilets hold merely a trickle of water...it's a challenge to get more than a few squares of toilet paper down, never mind something, um, substantial.
Somehow this phrase has crept into home life, specifically into the process of diaper changes. When E had a really nasty ucky diaper that needed two wet wipes, I would say, "Wow, that's a Holly Double Pumper!" Well, our little Baby M has set a new standard for nasty poo...I've had to change several Holly Triple Pumpers, and one or two Quadruples! Now that we have TWO children in diapers, we have a Double or Triple about once a day. We have got to work on potty training with E. Holly needs to take a hike.
Among other things, I consider myself an environmentally conscious person. I try to do the right thing, most of the time. I recycle, I reuse, I try to reduce. I use Freecycle and Craig's List regularly. But I have a little issue with low flow toilets. Admit it, it's a widespread problem (so to speak). Sometimes, you gotta double flush. A gallon and a half just doesn't do the job.
I have a little phrase I use for the double flush...Awhile back, on an episode of Home Improvement, Tim accused his wife of not paying attention, and asked her what kind of carburetor was on his hotrod. She replied, "A Holly Double Pumper." It made me laugh...I know nothing about cars. Well, the Holly Double Pumper is what comes to mind when pushing the lever for the second time. This usually happens at my place of employment, where the toilets hold merely a trickle of water...it's a challenge to get more than a few squares of toilet paper down, never mind something, um, substantial.
Somehow this phrase has crept into home life, specifically into the process of diaper changes. When E had a really nasty ucky diaper that needed two wet wipes, I would say, "Wow, that's a Holly Double Pumper!" Well, our little Baby M has set a new standard for nasty poo...I've had to change several Holly Triple Pumpers, and one or two Quadruples! Now that we have TWO children in diapers, we have a Double or Triple about once a day. We have got to work on potty training with E. Holly needs to take a hike.
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
What Ever Happened to Sonia Rapley?
(Warning...there's puke in this posting)
Although I didn't know the final score until today, I would say that our Super Bowl "party" was a success. The food was yummy, the babies were entertaining, and I won 3 out of the 4 quarters in our random squares pool. I went to sleep happy, content, and Baby M was actually sleeping IN HIS CRIB. Well, midnight rolled around and I woke up from a deep sleep with a tummy rumble. Having had many, many fights with "morning" sickness, I could feel that this one was a losing battle. I had caught the bug that E had last week...by 2 in the morning, it was going full blast (so to speak) and M was starting to feel the same way. Uh. I had forgotten how bad this flu could get.
I was reminded of two such sicknesses that left lasting impressions. When I was in high school, a family trip to the beach turned sour when a virus went through the beach house, flattening a dozen adults and several children. I didn't get it until after the drive home, which was unfortunately the day after a BIG crab dinner. I loved crab. Past tense. 'Nuf said.
The other experience was in middle school, maybe 7th grade, when my favorite class was ceramics. I felt the first twinge of ick before lunch, but ceramics class was in the afternoon and I didn't want to miss it. We were taking vases out of their molds, and I was very excited. So I didn't go to the nurse...I just did my best to stare straight ahead and breathe deeply...it worked until shortly after class started. In a moment of middle school misery, I took one look at my vase and puked on Sonia Rapley's leg. She was wearing a skirt, no jeans or other such fabric to protect her. And do you know what she said to me? She said "Oh, my gosh! Are you okay?"
Maybe someday Sonia Rapley will google herself, and come up with this blog...so if you're reading, Sonia, thanks for the compassion. The world needs more 7th graders like you.
Although I didn't know the final score until today, I would say that our Super Bowl "party" was a success. The food was yummy, the babies were entertaining, and I won 3 out of the 4 quarters in our random squares pool. I went to sleep happy, content, and Baby M was actually sleeping IN HIS CRIB. Well, midnight rolled around and I woke up from a deep sleep with a tummy rumble. Having had many, many fights with "morning" sickness, I could feel that this one was a losing battle. I had caught the bug that E had last week...by 2 in the morning, it was going full blast (so to speak) and M was starting to feel the same way. Uh. I had forgotten how bad this flu could get.
I was reminded of two such sicknesses that left lasting impressions. When I was in high school, a family trip to the beach turned sour when a virus went through the beach house, flattening a dozen adults and several children. I didn't get it until after the drive home, which was unfortunately the day after a BIG crab dinner. I loved crab. Past tense. 'Nuf said.
The other experience was in middle school, maybe 7th grade, when my favorite class was ceramics. I felt the first twinge of ick before lunch, but ceramics class was in the afternoon and I didn't want to miss it. We were taking vases out of their molds, and I was very excited. So I didn't go to the nurse...I just did my best to stare straight ahead and breathe deeply...it worked until shortly after class started. In a moment of middle school misery, I took one look at my vase and puked on Sonia Rapley's leg. She was wearing a skirt, no jeans or other such fabric to protect her. And do you know what she said to me? She said "Oh, my gosh! Are you okay?"
Maybe someday Sonia Rapley will google herself, and come up with this blog...so if you're reading, Sonia, thanks for the compassion. The world needs more 7th graders like you.
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Toddler Empathy
E definitely has a little selfish streak...she constantly lets you know that she has "owies" that need kissing, she steals toys from other children, and she is never shy in expressing her wants and desires. She often refers to herself as "self", giving us a clue that she is really finding her place in the universe. But she also cares very much about what's happening to the people and creatures around her. Before you get a hello, you're likely to be greeted with the question, "You okay?" The concern in her voice escalates if she senses that something is amiss, like if you seem upset in any way. She will keep questioning you until you give the right answer.
Last week, when Baby M was crying and I was trying to eat dinner with E, she asked, "Mommy, you okay?" I answered, "Well, no. I'm not okay right now. Mommy's a little frustrated." Her eyes widened and she asked again....and again I answered no. The third time, she was on the verge of tears, so I answered, "Yes, E. Mommy's okay." She immediately relaxed and went back to pushing food around her plate.
Then a few days ago, while watching a new episode of The Wonder Pets, E got a little scared by an animated crocodile. The little duck-heroine, Ming-Ming, was talking to the croc about dentistry (his teeth were dirty), and E was getting visibly upset. I was about to reassure her when she ran up to the screen and yelled, "No, crocodile! No eat Ming-Ming!" Oh, my...she amazes me every single day. Seeing this side of her is touching, really...and it gives me hope that we might be okay at this parenting thing after all.
Last week, when Baby M was crying and I was trying to eat dinner with E, she asked, "Mommy, you okay?" I answered, "Well, no. I'm not okay right now. Mommy's a little frustrated." Her eyes widened and she asked again....and again I answered no. The third time, she was on the verge of tears, so I answered, "Yes, E. Mommy's okay." She immediately relaxed and went back to pushing food around her plate.
Then a few days ago, while watching a new episode of The Wonder Pets, E got a little scared by an animated crocodile. The little duck-heroine, Ming-Ming, was talking to the croc about dentistry (his teeth were dirty), and E was getting visibly upset. I was about to reassure her when she ran up to the screen and yelled, "No, crocodile! No eat Ming-Ming!" Oh, my...she amazes me every single day. Seeing this side of her is touching, really...and it gives me hope that we might be okay at this parenting thing after all.
Sunday, January 27, 2008
I Do
Tip-up-Town is always a sort of surreal experience for me. But this year, I need a new word to describe this ice-fishing/snowmobiling festival in Northern Michigan. First, I don't ice-fish or ride a snowmobile. So when we drive up to "go to" the festival, it really means to just be in town, and maybe visit the carnival. My favorite part last year was a big garage sale over at the youth center.
I was pretty excited to bring E this year, thinking that we would have some fun watching her play some games or run around in the snow. It was about 20 degrees, so we layered the heck out of her, and stuffed Baby M into a heavy snow suit, and headed down to the lake with cousins and grandma. Walking with E is slow, and her snow boots slow her down even more...so I tried to carry her just to the gate, but she would have none of that. She wanted to walk, trip, slide, and crawl her way to the "party". As we expected, the first thing to really catch her eye was the ice slide. She took her daddy's hand and said, "Come on. E's turn." (She refers to herself in the third person.)
After a few slides down the too-fast-for-mommy slide, M brought her into the Fun House, which it turns out was not so fun. Slippery floors and tight corners made it quite a workout! Then I coaxed her into the Glass House, which turned out to be the worst decision of the day. I had forgotten what it was like...barely enough room to maneuver one adult body, nevermind an adult holding a squirming toddler. The walls are mirrored, and as you turn each corner you cannot tell which way is open and which way is just your reflection. I hyperventilated at least once, and almost cried when I bumped into someone and realized that we were walking in circles. Close to the exit, there was a ramp that was glazed with ice, and the people in front of me were having a hard time navigating it. I stood at the top, wondering how to get down without dropping E or slamming into the wall at the bottom. M was yelling from the outside, "Just keep your feet together and slide down!" So I took a deep breath and did just that...we made it safely outside, where I breathed deeply made a note to never, ever, do that again. Thankfully, E didn't seem any worse for wear, but I wouldn't be surprised if that Glass House showed up in a nightmare some year down the road.
The tiny motorcycle ride was more successful. M and his brother B took E and her cousin on the slow moving baby ride, and I just loved how they looked perched on those itsy-bitsy bikes. They attracted a fair bit of attention, along with some "Awww"s from the crowd. But my hands-down favorite part of Tip-up-Town took place in a little tent labeled "Wedding Chapel". In that tent, M and I renewed our wedding vows...it was an informal, 3 minute ceremony at a makeshift altar, but it really was touching. We both teared up a little as the minister talked about life's changes and growth in our relationship. M was holding E, and she listened intently and drank from her sippy cup. We said "I do" and kissed, and got a certificate to remember the event. I love you, M, and I think that sort-of-silly experience was a nice reminder of what we mean to eachother, and what our children mean to us.
I was pretty excited to bring E this year, thinking that we would have some fun watching her play some games or run around in the snow. It was about 20 degrees, so we layered the heck out of her, and stuffed Baby M into a heavy snow suit, and headed down to the lake with cousins and grandma. Walking with E is slow, and her snow boots slow her down even more...so I tried to carry her just to the gate, but she would have none of that. She wanted to walk, trip, slide, and crawl her way to the "party". As we expected, the first thing to really catch her eye was the ice slide. She took her daddy's hand and said, "Come on. E's turn." (She refers to herself in the third person.)
After a few slides down the too-fast-for-mommy slide, M brought her into the Fun House, which it turns out was not so fun. Slippery floors and tight corners made it quite a workout! Then I coaxed her into the Glass House, which turned out to be the worst decision of the day. I had forgotten what it was like...barely enough room to maneuver one adult body, nevermind an adult holding a squirming toddler. The walls are mirrored, and as you turn each corner you cannot tell which way is open and which way is just your reflection. I hyperventilated at least once, and almost cried when I bumped into someone and realized that we were walking in circles. Close to the exit, there was a ramp that was glazed with ice, and the people in front of me were having a hard time navigating it. I stood at the top, wondering how to get down without dropping E or slamming into the wall at the bottom. M was yelling from the outside, "Just keep your feet together and slide down!" So I took a deep breath and did just that...we made it safely outside, where I breathed deeply made a note to never, ever, do that again. Thankfully, E didn't seem any worse for wear, but I wouldn't be surprised if that Glass House showed up in a nightmare some year down the road.
The tiny motorcycle ride was more successful. M and his brother B took E and her cousin on the slow moving baby ride, and I just loved how they looked perched on those itsy-bitsy bikes. They attracted a fair bit of attention, along with some "Awww"s from the crowd. But my hands-down favorite part of Tip-up-Town took place in a little tent labeled "Wedding Chapel". In that tent, M and I renewed our wedding vows...it was an informal, 3 minute ceremony at a makeshift altar, but it really was touching. We both teared up a little as the minister talked about life's changes and growth in our relationship. M was holding E, and she listened intently and drank from her sippy cup. We said "I do" and kissed, and got a certificate to remember the event. I love you, M, and I think that sort-of-silly experience was a nice reminder of what we mean to eachother, and what our children mean to us.
Friday, January 25, 2008
Baby Got Heart
It is always a mystery as to what will make a toddler happy. When E's older cousin S came to visit, the single most popular activity was jumping on the air mattress we had set up for S to sleep on. We have a house FULL of toys and books...you know, the typical toddler paradise. But running in circles and jumping head first into the comforter and pillow was apparently the best of the best. It was just wonderful to have S in the house for a few days. Another person, especially one as easygoing and baby-loving as my niece, helps change up the energy and improve the atmosphere. And S didn't seem to mind having her bed used as a trampoline...in fact I think she liked it.
One afternoon, S and I took E to the local children's museum. I figured E was old enough to enjoy at least some of the displays, and we might get lucky and drain some of that boundless energy she possesses. Well, we did drain some energy...but not E's. We spent a good hour and a half chasing her around from room to room, where she would climb on, poke, or grab at some gadget and then run away screaming with happiness. She did show some momentary interest in digging for dinosaur bones, and she spent about 5 minutes splashing in the water table. At a craft station, she patiently handed about 10 colored beads to S, who strung them into a dinosaur tooth necklace. Besides that, running was the activity of choice. The only place she stopped voluntarily was inside the model of a human heart. She went in through the swinging doors of a heart valve, and sat herself down happily in the left ventricle. Two or three times, in our running laps around the other exhibits, she would enter the heart and sit down in the same place. Why did that spot make her happy? Your guess is as good as mine. But I can say that the toy industry is off their mark...in E's life, a cardboard box, some magic markers, and a tennis ball are all the toys we really need. That and a left ventricle.
One afternoon, S and I took E to the local children's museum. I figured E was old enough to enjoy at least some of the displays, and we might get lucky and drain some of that boundless energy she possesses. Well, we did drain some energy...but not E's. We spent a good hour and a half chasing her around from room to room, where she would climb on, poke, or grab at some gadget and then run away screaming with happiness. She did show some momentary interest in digging for dinosaur bones, and she spent about 5 minutes splashing in the water table. At a craft station, she patiently handed about 10 colored beads to S, who strung them into a dinosaur tooth necklace. Besides that, running was the activity of choice. The only place she stopped voluntarily was inside the model of a human heart. She went in through the swinging doors of a heart valve, and sat herself down happily in the left ventricle. Two or three times, in our running laps around the other exhibits, she would enter the heart and sit down in the same place. Why did that spot make her happy? Your guess is as good as mine. But I can say that the toy industry is off their mark...in E's life, a cardboard box, some magic markers, and a tennis ball are all the toys we really need. That and a left ventricle.
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