Sometimes we are all bad parents (if you're a parent and you read this blog, it's okay, you can admit it). This post will prove both that I'm a bad parent and that I was parented poorly ... or quite well, depending on your opinion of useless cultural trivia.
As we've mentioned at various times, Nicholas has become obsessed with any form of mass transit, including planes. Fortunately, one of the initial approaches to the Baltimore airport from the north runs almost directly over our house. It's nice actually—the planes are low enough to really see them, but high enough that they don't make a whole lot of noise. And Nicholas loves it. In fact, we frequently get him out of the car when we arrive home and he'll immediately start yelling, "airplane! airplane!" and pointing to the sky.
Which brings me to the bad parent portion of the post. He was doing it last week while standing on the sidewalk, and I couldn't help but think of this video clip:
Yes, thanks to Nicholas's grandparents (okay, Grandpa Richard, so that I can let Grandma Alice off the hook on this one), I look at my son and see Hervé Villechaize. And now that I think about it, does that make me Ricardo Montalban? Oh dear. The questions could go on forever; this blog post, however, must end.
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
High Chairs are for Babies
I'm pretty certain that at dinner tonight Nicholas told me that high chairs are for babies and he wants to sit in a booster seat instead.
Here is the conversation, transcribed to the best of my memory:
N (sitting in his high chair eating dinner): high chair Nicholas
S: Yes, Nicholas is sitting in a high chair.
N: No high chair.
S: Yes, you sit in a high chair to eat.
N: No high chair Nicholas. Baby.
S: Babies sit in high chairs?
N: No high chair. Alice chair. (Points to the chair next to him, which yesterday had a booster seat on it for Alice to sit in.)
Translating these broken English conversations seriously taxes my mental strength, but I'm pretty certain he was saying he is ready to give up the high chair. I've never ever heard him say anything was for babies before. I wonder if someone at school said something. They are transitioning him from Toddler 1 (where they eat in high chairs) to Toddler 2 (where they eat at a table in little kid chairs).
Joe and I had already discussed ditching the high chair soon, but planned to wait until after the Christmas and early January extended trips to NY, since being in the high chair while there will greatly simplify life. We'll see if he lets us wait another month.
Here is the conversation, transcribed to the best of my memory:
N (sitting in his high chair eating dinner): high chair Nicholas
S: Yes, Nicholas is sitting in a high chair.
N: No high chair.
S: Yes, you sit in a high chair to eat.
N: No high chair Nicholas. Baby.
S: Babies sit in high chairs?
N: No high chair. Alice chair. (Points to the chair next to him, which yesterday had a booster seat on it for Alice to sit in.)
Translating these broken English conversations seriously taxes my mental strength, but I'm pretty certain he was saying he is ready to give up the high chair. I've never ever heard him say anything was for babies before. I wonder if someone at school said something. They are transitioning him from Toddler 1 (where they eat in high chairs) to Toddler 2 (where they eat at a table in little kid chairs).
Joe and I had already discussed ditching the high chair soon, but planned to wait until after the Christmas and early January extended trips to NY, since being in the high chair while there will greatly simplify life. We'll see if he lets us wait another month.
St. Nick's Day and Hanukkah
Nicholas has had an exciting couple days. Monday morning he woke up to find that St. Nick had left him some presents.
Ever since this discovery Nicholas has been going over to his stocking multiple times a day looking inside to see if anything has appeared.
And St. Nick managed to find the wooden peg toy that I've been looking for. However does he do it?
Since Joe and Nicholas had to miss Katie, Wes, and Alice's Hanukkah party this weekend due to the stomach bug, Katie and Alice brought Hanukkah over last night. (Well, brought presents and a menorah. I guess you can't actually bring a holiday.)
The kids had a blast riding horsies. Yes, our little boy is now the proud owner of two ponies thanks to the generous gift of Joe's officemate. But it comes in handy when a friend comes over.
Here is a video of the kids riding the horsies:
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| From 2010 December |
Ever since this discovery Nicholas has been going over to his stocking multiple times a day looking inside to see if anything has appeared.
And St. Nick managed to find the wooden peg toy that I've been looking for. However does he do it?
 |
| From 2010 December |
Since Joe and Nicholas had to miss Katie, Wes, and Alice's Hanukkah party this weekend due to the stomach bug, Katie and Alice brought Hanukkah over last night. (Well, brought presents and a menorah. I guess you can't actually bring a holiday.)
 |
| From 2010 December |
The kids had a blast riding horsies. Yes, our little boy is now the proud owner of two ponies thanks to the generous gift of Joe's officemate. But it comes in handy when a friend comes over.
 |
| From 2010 December |
Here is a video of the kids riding the horsies:
 |
| From 2010 December |
(Nicholas has been watching me put these pictures and videos up this morning and keeps asking for "more more weeeee" incessantly, making me continually replay the videos. He also came out this morning and went right over to the horsies and labelled which one was for Nicholas and which was for Alice (even though they both rode each last night).)
There are more pictures in the Gallery, as well as a video of the kids giving each other high fives (Joe was very proud of himself for teaching them that).
The kids had a great time together. It is fun watching them play together now that they are older. And it was great to see Katie. Even worth giving up the late evening at the office grading that I had planned. And that's saying something. Speaking of which, it is now 6:30 and Joe is up so I should go get to work on real work instead of blogging.
Friday, December 3, 2010
NO MORE SHOTS!!!
How's that for a banner headline! Nicholas had his eighteen-month check-up this morning, and the doctor let us know (just before piercing Nicholas's leg with the needle) that he was getting his last baby immunizations. After today, no more shots until he's four (except for the flu shot). Nicholas was less than impressed with the news, however, since he was mostly concerned with this mean man who keeps sticking him with needles.
In addition to the vaccination news, he also doesn't have to go back for his next well visit for six months (age 2!), which means we're off the once-a-quarter treadmill. In other words, a nice way to finish out what has turned into "I'm not a baby anymore" week here at the Peanut Chronicle.
In total, he got a clean bill of health, and the doctor is very happy with his language development, so there's not much to report. And at this age, so says the doctor, we mostly need to pay attention to safety (no walkers at the top of the stairs, for example) and discipline. Apparently he has this strange idea that toddlers are belligerent about their independence and throw tantrums when you try to hold the line. In other words, if the discipline tactics we come up with work on Nicholas, Sarah may use them on me.
Oh, and finally, the vital stats: he's now 33 inches tall (almost three feet!), and weighs 26 pounds. That puts him in the 50-75 percentile range for height and right at 50 for weight. Makes me wonder if the milk gut is just a mirage . . .
In addition to the vaccination news, he also doesn't have to go back for his next well visit for six months (age 2!), which means we're off the once-a-quarter treadmill. In other words, a nice way to finish out what has turned into "I'm not a baby anymore" week here at the Peanut Chronicle.
In total, he got a clean bill of health, and the doctor is very happy with his language development, so there's not much to report. And at this age, so says the doctor, we mostly need to pay attention to safety (no walkers at the top of the stairs, for example) and discipline. Apparently he has this strange idea that toddlers are belligerent about their independence and throw tantrums when you try to hold the line. In other words, if the discipline tactics we come up with work on Nicholas, Sarah may use them on me.
Oh, and finally, the vital stats: he's now 33 inches tall (almost three feet!), and weighs 26 pounds. That puts him in the 50-75 percentile range for height and right at 50 for weight. Makes me wonder if the milk gut is just a mirage . . .
Thursday, December 2, 2010
I can do it myself!
He doesn't actually say that yet, but boy can he convey its meaning. Continuing our adventures this week in asserting independence, Nicholas now insists on brushing his own teeth.
Sarah was helping him this morning and mentioned that he'd taken the toothbrush, and this evening as we were getting ready for bed, I put the toothpaste on the brush and he reached out to take it. Okay, I figured, this will last a few seconds and then I can take over. But no, he did the whole thing himself.
Now he doesn't quite have it all down, but he's actually pretty good. He's been paying attention. He carefully moved the brush around his mouth, carefully ensuring that he got everywhere. He chewed on the bristles rather than really "brushing" per se, but I let that go because it got the bristles to go over his teeth nearly as well as when I hold the brush. And during all of this he managed not to gag himself, stab the roof of his mouth, or otherwise injure himself in any way.
Not a baby anymore, indeed.
Sarah was helping him this morning and mentioned that he'd taken the toothbrush, and this evening as we were getting ready for bed, I put the toothpaste on the brush and he reached out to take it. Okay, I figured, this will last a few seconds and then I can take over. But no, he did the whole thing himself.
Now he doesn't quite have it all down, but he's actually pretty good. He's been paying attention. He carefully moved the brush around his mouth, carefully ensuring that he got everywhere. He chewed on the bristles rather than really "brushing" per se, but I let that go because it got the bristles to go over his teeth nearly as well as when I hold the brush. And during all of this he managed not to gag himself, stab the roof of his mouth, or otherwise injure himself in any way.
Not a baby anymore, indeed.
Independent Decorator
We are doing a slow roll-out of our Christmas decorations this year because our Thanksgiving weekend was so busy, and on weekdays we really only have from about 5:30 to 7pm (and some of that time has to include making dinner and bedtime). The tree has been up a few days, but only this past evening did we have the chance to start decorating it.
Nicholas enjoyed every second of it. Well almost—he wasn't too keen on our attempts to supervise and control the process. But in a sense that was okay, because he picked up on what to do really quickly. By the third or fourth ornament, he could do it himself, at least for ornaments with string loops. We're kind of avoiding ornament hooks this year.
Anyway, here is a photo of Nicholas working very hard to get an ornament put up:
His joy at succeeding:
And of course, the end result. Guess how tall he is!
Nicholas enjoyed every second of it. Well almost—he wasn't too keen on our attempts to supervise and control the process. But in a sense that was okay, because he picked up on what to do really quickly. By the third or fourth ornament, he could do it himself, at least for ornaments with string loops. We're kind of avoiding ornament hooks this year.
Anyway, here is a photo of Nicholas working very hard to get an ornament put up:
 |
| From 2010 December |
His joy at succeeding:
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| From 2010 December |
And of course, the end result. Guess how tall he is!
 |
| From 2010 December |
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
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