(no subject)
Hello LJ world. This is one of those "It's been awhile and I feel compelled to post something" entries as there is lots going on, and there's some Gabe stuff I'd like to remember in the future.
Potty training has been going well. There's no real consistency, but Gabe seems to be getting the idea that you go to the bathroom in the potty. He's alerted me a couple of times "Mommy, tee-tee in frog potty" and I will get his pants off and let him go, but usually he just sits on it, diaper and all, and pees before I can get to him and get his clothes off. The best is after the shower when he will go sit on it. We also had a funny incident where he pooped in the potty and while I was cleaning out the bowl, he sat back down on the frame and went pee on the carpet. I wasn't even upset, just excited that he's getting the concept.
He has a new best friend. My sister brought home a dog (we suspect some sort of boxer/pit mix) who has become Gabe's new best friend. The dog's name is "Chops" and Gabe is constantly asking "Where's Chops?" and trying to play with him when he's around. The only problem is that Chops is pretty big and obviously doesn't know his size, so he has laid Gabe out a couple of times, so I have to be super vigilant when they play together, which for Gabe is always when they are in the same room. So much for Gabe being older and my not having to watch him like a hawk all the time.
His vocabulary is blowing me away. The other day Gabe put a pillow on Chops' head and said "Chops is hiding! Underneath the pillow!" I'm so excited to actually be able to communicate with him soon, or I should say for him to be able to communicate with me. It's exciting to see him not just repeating things but making observations on his own (It's dark in here, It's windy, It's cold, It's hot, that's big). He's doing really well with colors, shapes, and counting, thanks in part to a video by that name that Shannon gave us. He has counted up to fourteen, knows all the basic colors, and can identify several shapes including a trapezoid and an octagon.
We went to our first story hour at Barnes & Noble yesterday. I got there a little early and let him play with the train table with the other kids. One mom who showed up after us had a son around 3-4 who had his own Thomas trains that she was trying to get him to play with on the track. I chuckled a little and she said "Yeah, this thing gets crazy. Sometimes it's BYOT around here." Oh puns. Story hour started and we read this book where a family goes around town and says hello to everyone in different languages first. Miss Cyndi, the reader, was reading the cover and struggling with the Arabic "As salamu alaykum" and we were all having a chuckle about how the last word sounds like "I like 'em" and Gabe blurts out loudly, "I like fish!" I quietly said "Shhh, listen to the story," and Miss Cyndi promptly informed me that there is no shushing in story hour. I don't think she's a fan of me. But sorry, I am not one of those parents who just lets their kids do whatever the eff he wants to. And I dont believe in special treatment just because you're a kid. Before I had Gabe, I went to the GA Aquarium with a couple of friends when it was newer and very crowded all the time. There were lines to see into the tanks. One mom started pushing her child through to the front to see and when she got to us I said "Excuse me, we've been waiting here to see the tank. There is a line." She didn't push further but loudly explained to her whining child that "some people just don't believe that children are special." That irked the hell out of me. Childhood is not a magical time where you get to break all social rules. It's only going to confuse them when one day that do have to wait in line or stop interrupting people or sit still in their chair. So I will continue to ask Gabe to not interrupt people when they are talking. I'll just have to shush more discreetly around Miss Cyndi. After she read the books we did a craft where the kids colored mittens, put a sticker on them, and cut them out and glued them on a piece of paper. Of course I did the cutting and I feigned letting Gabe help me glue, but still- my first piece of art to hang on the refrigerator! That was exciting!
Christmas is so exciting this year. Gabe is way into it. He likes to shake a bell and sing jingle bells (mostly just interjecting "hey!" when appropriate, he loves Santa (except in person. Our Santa pictures this year I call the "Wat up, Santa?" picture because he was so worried about sitting on Santa's lap he didn't want to touch him more than necessary. Santa had his arm around Gabe's waist so his hands are hovering over Santa's arm in what looks like some strange attempt at a gang sign), and he is OBSESSED with Christmas lights. He's already ripped into one package (we just let him have it) so I know this will be a fun year to watch him open gifts. I think we are getting him a play kitchen for his big present, which will hopefully keep him occupied for more than 5 minutes at a time so I can get things done.
Anyway, I restored this draft from earlier today and have no idea where I was going next with this so posting it is. Hope all of you are doing well!
Potty training has been going well. There's no real consistency, but Gabe seems to be getting the idea that you go to the bathroom in the potty. He's alerted me a couple of times "Mommy, tee-tee in frog potty" and I will get his pants off and let him go, but usually he just sits on it, diaper and all, and pees before I can get to him and get his clothes off. The best is after the shower when he will go sit on it. We also had a funny incident where he pooped in the potty and while I was cleaning out the bowl, he sat back down on the frame and went pee on the carpet. I wasn't even upset, just excited that he's getting the concept.
He has a new best friend. My sister brought home a dog (we suspect some sort of boxer/pit mix) who has become Gabe's new best friend. The dog's name is "Chops" and Gabe is constantly asking "Where's Chops?" and trying to play with him when he's around. The only problem is that Chops is pretty big and obviously doesn't know his size, so he has laid Gabe out a couple of times, so I have to be super vigilant when they play together, which for Gabe is always when they are in the same room. So much for Gabe being older and my not having to watch him like a hawk all the time.
His vocabulary is blowing me away. The other day Gabe put a pillow on Chops' head and said "Chops is hiding! Underneath the pillow!" I'm so excited to actually be able to communicate with him soon, or I should say for him to be able to communicate with me. It's exciting to see him not just repeating things but making observations on his own (It's dark in here, It's windy, It's cold, It's hot, that's big). He's doing really well with colors, shapes, and counting, thanks in part to a video by that name that Shannon gave us. He has counted up to fourteen, knows all the basic colors, and can identify several shapes including a trapezoid and an octagon.
We went to our first story hour at Barnes & Noble yesterday. I got there a little early and let him play with the train table with the other kids. One mom who showed up after us had a son around 3-4 who had his own Thomas trains that she was trying to get him to play with on the track. I chuckled a little and she said "Yeah, this thing gets crazy. Sometimes it's BYOT around here." Oh puns. Story hour started and we read this book where a family goes around town and says hello to everyone in different languages first. Miss Cyndi, the reader, was reading the cover and struggling with the Arabic "As salamu alaykum" and we were all having a chuckle about how the last word sounds like "I like 'em" and Gabe blurts out loudly, "I like fish!" I quietly said "Shhh, listen to the story," and Miss Cyndi promptly informed me that there is no shushing in story hour. I don't think she's a fan of me. But sorry, I am not one of those parents who just lets their kids do whatever the eff he wants to. And I dont believe in special treatment just because you're a kid. Before I had Gabe, I went to the GA Aquarium with a couple of friends when it was newer and very crowded all the time. There were lines to see into the tanks. One mom started pushing her child through to the front to see and when she got to us I said "Excuse me, we've been waiting here to see the tank. There is a line." She didn't push further but loudly explained to her whining child that "some people just don't believe that children are special." That irked the hell out of me. Childhood is not a magical time where you get to break all social rules. It's only going to confuse them when one day that do have to wait in line or stop interrupting people or sit still in their chair. So I will continue to ask Gabe to not interrupt people when they are talking. I'll just have to shush more discreetly around Miss Cyndi. After she read the books we did a craft where the kids colored mittens, put a sticker on them, and cut them out and glued them on a piece of paper. Of course I did the cutting and I feigned letting Gabe help me glue, but still- my first piece of art to hang on the refrigerator! That was exciting!
Christmas is so exciting this year. Gabe is way into it. He likes to shake a bell and sing jingle bells (mostly just interjecting "hey!" when appropriate, he loves Santa (except in person. Our Santa pictures this year I call the "Wat up, Santa?" picture because he was so worried about sitting on Santa's lap he didn't want to touch him more than necessary. Santa had his arm around Gabe's waist so his hands are hovering over Santa's arm in what looks like some strange attempt at a gang sign), and he is OBSESSED with Christmas lights. He's already ripped into one package (we just let him have it) so I know this will be a fun year to watch him open gifts. I think we are getting him a play kitchen for his big present, which will hopefully keep him occupied for more than 5 minutes at a time so I can get things done.
Anyway, I restored this draft from earlier today and have no idea where I was going next with this so posting it is. Hope all of you are doing well!