Tri-State Roadtrip 2009

Momma, Daddy and I went on a roadtrip this past week to visit some friends and family.  First we headed to Milwaukee to visit Auntie Mandy, Uncle John, Ryan, Jack and my new cousin Lincoln. I was really excited to see my cousins and we had a good time playing together and fighting over toys and such.  They gave me a stroller for my baby doll and that was nice!  Lincoln was very small, but they let me pet his head.  Jack was nice and showed me how to do some things with toys.  Ryan and I dressed up like cowboys.  And I got to see Bobby-O.

The next day we drove north a bit to Fond du Lac to visit friends Andy and Liz and thier baby Leander.  Leander is six and a half months and sits real nice and doesn’t try to steal my toys.  He doesn’t even complain when I steal his.  This baby and I got along real well.

Next we headed towards the Twin Cities.  We passed alot of farms and I saw some live cows and horses. We sang “Old McDonald” and I’m getting real good at saying, “E-I-E-I-O”.  I now work it into everyday conversation.

Singing Old McDonald in the car

We stopped near Eau Claire to see my great aunt Sherrie and Wayne and have dinner.  They gave me a bunny and let me play with their very fascinating coasters.

Late that night we arrived at Grandma and Grandpa G’s in Minnesota.  I immediately went and said Hi to Big Bird, as noone else was up.  We stayed there for almost a week.  I played with the kitchen set and the bristle blocks alot.  Momma and Daddy took me to the Children’s Museum.  It was great.  Very different from our children’s museum.  There were lots of things to climb on and run around in.  There were animal costumes I could wear, water I could stick my hands in, and even a grocery store where I could go shopping!  I got to drive a bus too!  We’ll have to go back there again.  Momma also took me to the zoo.  It was cold out so we stayed inside, but we did get to see some monkeys and turtles and birds and lots and lots of fish.  My favorite was the shark!  I yelled at him through the glass and got mad when he swam away.  There were lots of other fish to see when he wasn’t around, but really, he’s the best.  Momma recorded me talking to him.

Shark!

The rest of the week I hung out with Grandma and Grandpa and sometimes Auntie Heidi.  It was her birthday around that time, so we had a bit of a party.  We also went over to Uncle Greg and Aunt Lindsey’s and saw cousin Keith.  I stayed up late a lot, once even past 10!  Other than that, not much.  Just hanging with Momma and Daddy.

Reflections on Binkylessness

It’s been almost two months now since I’ve been without Binky.  Momma made me go cold turkey as of Jan 1st.  In the end, I think it was the right thing to do.

The first week was the hardest, and Momma and Daddy almost caved.  The first night I screamed (hard core) for almost an hour before going to sleep.  The second night was slightly better and it just kept improving bit by bit.  After about a week and a half it wasn’t such a big deal anymore.  I napped at school without one too.

One really good thing about it is that my bedtime routine has improved.  Momma or Daddy used to just put me in bed, give me the bink and a kiss and say goodnight before leaving.  But now they spend more time with me and sing me songs.  I request my favorites every night: Baa Baa, Doo Doo, Itsy, Twinkle, and ABC.  All this past week I have gone to sleep without making any fuss.

I still remember Binky very fondly.  Occasionally, I see it in photos and in other babies mouths and I yell “Binky”.  But I know that it is gone and that those binkys belong to other babies and not to me.

Talking up a Storm

I keep amazing Momma and Daddy with my growing vocabulary.  I learn lots of words at home and at school.  Even some phrases- my favorite being “I got it!”  Here are some words I’ve been throwing around the past couple of months:

waffle                 puppy            water              monkey
tofu                     turtle             beans              boots
cereal                 flowers          pizza                knock knock
apple juice        bath               boots               blankie
cracker               shower         shirt                 stuck
cookie                 towel            jeans                snow
coat                    mess              feet                  cold
toes                    owl                mouth              car
eyes                   colors            off                     outside
ear                     blocks           back                  book
couch                gate               goat                  shovel
chair                 frog                shark                dark
picture             yummy          stroller             bottle

And I’ve been starting to combine some of my words to make short sentences.  This helps me communicate to others what is mine and what I will allow them to have.  And also, to order Momma around.  For instance,

“Momma all done.” When she’s laying in bed but it’s time to get up, or when she’s been doing something besides paying attention to me.  Momma does not like this phrase.
“Momma cook.” When I’m hungry- also not a favorite.
“Daddy shovel” after the snow.
“Daddy’s shoes, Momma’s shoes, Liza’s shoes” so they understand not to wear my pink shoes.
“I got it!” and “I did it!” are useful for bringing attention to my toddler skills.
“Momma sit.” to get her to sit at my table and play blocks with me.
“Thank you Momma/Daddy” which earns me big time points.

Transitions

First they took away my binky.  Now they’ve taken away the side of my crib with more comments about being a “big girl”.

I like this change though.  I can now get in and out of bed on my own.  I still stay in it when I’m supposed to be sleeping, just like I did my crib- but it’s nice to know the option is there.

Tease

I was just teasing Momma.  I really have no interest in peeing on the potty on a regular basis yet.  But boy did she get excited over that one time!

Pee on the Potty

I went pee pee on the potty today! (The big potty too, not my little potty.)

My first attempt at potty usage, a few months ago, resulted in a little pile of poop very near the potty and a big puddle of pee nowhere near the potty.  So we decided it wasn’t quite time yet.  But I still maintained my interest in all things potty-realted: books, toilet paper and flushing, watching Momma, and occassionally sitting on a potty myself (without results).

Today at Grandma and Grandpas I told Momma it was potty time, so she went with me and undressed and held me.  I pushed a bit, but nothing.  I asked for some toilet paper to wipe myself anyway and while I was wiping… a small trickle came!  Just a little, but Momma was very happy.  Daddy came and was very happy too.  He was hooting and hollering like nobody’s business.  They gave me a whole cookie to eat by myself.

When I asked for another cookie I was told I would need to pee in the potty again.  And so I said I would, and I sat again and shortly there was more pee pee.  A lot more pee pee!  Momma was just as pleased as could be.  But she said I would have to settle for two measly chocolate chips instead of a whole ‘nother cookie.  Which is bunk.  Now I’m told I must make poo poo in the potty to get another cookie.  Bait and switch.  I’ll have to think about this potty thing and whether I want to keep it up with such a messed up reward system.