Sing, sing a song

Aidan has really started singing in the last few weeks. She knows the tunes to several songs, most of the hand motions, and key phrases. It is really cute! Today, on the way home we sang our standards:

• The Wheels on the Bus
• Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
• If You're Happy and You Know It
• The Itsy Bitsy Spider
• The Farmer in the Dell

Now, the farmer only had cows and ducks on the farm, since Aidan got to choose the animals, but it was fun. After making it through all 5 songs, I started over and Aidan declared singing time over by saying, "Noooo..." after I started each song. She was on to anticipating seeing Mama when we got home and nothing would distract her from that. So, sing, sing a song!

A short summary of our weekend

For those who are interested, here is a quick summary of a weekend in the life of a 20 month old.

Mommy? I love you! You are the best! Mommy move! No! (Pushes mommy away or locks mommy in her bedroom after exiting herself - mommy goes away.) Waaaa!!! Mommy!!!! (Grabs mommy's hand to let her out of the room and then lets go and ignores mommy.) Mommy! Play with me! Can I watch "Sprout"? No? Mommy, I hate you! Mommy? Here's a hug for you!

Mommy? What are limits? Is hitting a limit? It is? How about pinching? That too? What about biting? I know it is at school, but what about at home? Here too? OK, what about screaming "MINE!!!!!!!" and trying to grab things off your plate? Really? That doesn't seem like it should be a limit too... OK, what about running away from you? OK inside when we are playing chase, but not OK outside? Hum...what about if I'm trying to keep something that you want me to give to you? Is it OK to run away from you then - even if we are outside? No? Well, that doesn't seem to be very fair. How else am I going to keep the things I want to keep? Can I run away when I get tired of being in time out? Is that a limit? What? I have to wait in one spot the entire 90 seconds? That doesn't seem fair! If I don't sit, you'll sit with me in your lap? Wow. That makes me mad! I guess biting is still a limit - AND I get ANOTHER time out for it? A kid could end up in time out for 4 and a 1/2 minutes between running away twice and attempted biting. OK...what about throwing things on the floor while we are eating? Even at a restaurant? They have people to clean up after us after all. What about taking the straw out of my drink and pouring the milk on the table? You don't want me to do that either? All I get to do is color while waiting for my food - and you don't like it when I eat my crayons. You are no fun! Mommy? I hate you! Mommy? Don't leave me! I love you! Now, when you say it is time to get ready for bed...does that really mean putting away my clothes and shoes and putting on my PJ's? Are you sure it doesn't mean running around my room like a maniac? Because I think that is more fun. Oh, and Mommy? Why can't I eat 3 bananas in one afternoon - and have juice too? Oh, and Mommy? About bath time...is it a limit when I splash so hard that the water goes across half the bathroom and your shirt and pants get all dark colored and wet? Would that be a limit? How about standing up in the bathtub and practicing my jumping? Can I do that? I know I bumped my head, but I think it is worth it. Mommy? NO!!!!! Mommy? Hug me!

Oh, I forgot. What about pulling the cat's tail? That's a limit too? But it was just there, twitching. What's a kid to do? How about jumping on the dogs? No? Well...Oh, I know, is it OK to hit my plate with my fork so hard the corn goes flying across the table? No, not that either?

Mommy? How come last night when Mama was reading me stories, you said, "Mommy is going out. I'll be back later. Mommy needs some personal time"? Mommy? What's personal time and why do you need it? You'll be happy to know I used my time with Mama is see what kind of limits she has. Strange. They are a lot of the same ones you have.

Mommy? I love you. Thanks for letting me paint today. It was fun.

Oh, and Mommy? Remember you'll have to distract me with TV in the morning in order to get my PJ's off and real clothes on. I didn't want you to forget.

Aidan.



I wouldn't trade this sweet girl for anything in the world, and I am grateful for these struggles because I know some moms wish for nothing more than to feel tested by their child in every way and their children aren't capable of testing things like Aidan. And it is good to know she is developmentally on track, but, wow, what a weekend! And she's only 20 months. I hope consistency now will lead to an easier time during the heart of rapproachment. I can hope, right? Loving limits. Loving limits. Avoid power struggles (like wresting the pacifier out of her mouth the other morning - not a proud mommy moment [I apologized for that power-over parenting approach later]). Loving limits and lots of love.

I'm going to go eat some chocolate frozen custard.

Ta ta.

Presiding Bishop's visit

As promised, here are some pictures from the Presiding Bishop's visit.

Cute pictures of Aidan:



Pictures from the blessing of the community garden:

Do you need a time out?

We've been implementing time outs since Aidan was about 18 months. These are usually reserved for significant things like hitting or biting. But I've also been using them when Aidan runs away from me when we are outside and doesn't respond to my request to "Wait!" I think this deserves a time out because she is often running toward traffic or the parking lot. And I try to be really consistent with it.

So, this morning, we were headed to the car to go to school and Aidan decided she was going to run off through the backyard. Here's our conversation:

Mommy: "Oh-oh! Are you not listening to Mommy?"

Aidan: Stops to consider the question.

Mommy: "What happens when you don't listen to Mommy?"

Aidan: Appears to ponder this question.

Mommy: "Do you need a time out?"

Aidan: "Yeah." And walks over to sit on the back stairs, gathering her blankets and stuffed animal around her.

Mommy: "Okay. I'll tell you when time out is over."

She sat there almost the entire 90 seconds with only one reminder that she was in time out and a few tears. We then reviewed that she was in time out for not listening to mommy and running away from mommy while we are outside. Then off to the car we went.

It is amazing when it works. :-)

Hopefully we are on a learning roll.

Pictures soon, I promise.

What color are you wearing?

We have been working on colors with Aidan. Here's a recap of this morning's lesson:

Aidan (as heard over the baby monitor): "Yellow, yellow, yellow, yellow..."

Christianne (as heard over the baby monitor): "Aidan, go show mommy and tell her what color you are wearing."

Little feet pitter-pattering down the hall.

Aidan enters wearing a yellow shirt and pants with lots of yellow in them.

Mommy: "Aidan, what color is your shirt?"

Aidan: "Green."

We've also been working on numbers. Aidan knows that after 1 comes 2, and after 2 comes 3. Now, we are working on 4. This morning, I said, "Aidan, what comes after 3?" Aidan replied very confidently, "Six."

I don't know where she got six from, but there we have it. :-)

Yesterday, Aidan got to meet the Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, The Most Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori. What a wonderful woman! I'll post pictures of the event later. I still can't believe she came to our little church on the corner of Inwood and Mockingbird. What a day it was for all of us!

Fight Malaria!

Friday is World Malaria Day, designed to bring awareness to this preventable disease that kills so many children world-wide each year. "Bite Back" is a project by Compassion International that will provide a mosquito net for a child (or whole family, depending on where everyone sleeps) that can protect that child from being exposed to malaria. It requires a one-time donation of $10. The netting last about 3 years - what a lot of good less than a penny a day can do. Click below to help:



If you decide to donate, leave a comment (if you'd like) so we can see how many children have been helped.

Pictures galore!

Aidan's been busy being cute. Here are some of the highlights.

First, there is pantry pea-pie (peek a boo in other households):



Taking an early interest in yoga and going to the gym:



Mommy has high expectations for Aidan's future:


(When I get older I'll save the universe!)

Her eating skills have greatly improved (except for soup):



Her new favorite coat:



Picture illustrating how fast she moves:



Posing for the paparazzi:



Telling the paparazzi to go away:



Backyard fun:



Indoor sillyness:



Working on a new skill:



Our new cat, Dusty: