Tantrums

Oh me oh my. So we had our first major tantrum ever. Luckily it was here in the house rather then out at a store. But my god, there must have been crying for 25 minutes. It all started because he didn't want to wear pajamas but wanted to stay in his clothes. In hind sight I should have just left him in his clothes. But once I said no, he had to wear pajamas, I couldn't go back on it. I didn't want him to think if he cried and went on I would change my mind. At one point I thought he was going to throw up. But he didn't. Although I wasn't really sure what to do, what do you do during a tantrum. Try to calm them? Ignore them? Leave the room? I did try all of the above and eventually it seemed to subside. By the end of the night he was out like a light, exhausted from all that crying, and wearing his pajamas. =)

Till Tomorrow

Jenn

Media

Oh I'm so happy Thursday night TV is back. What did you all think of it? The Office made me laugh and scream with delight. Yeah for Pam and Jim. Man Steve Carrell is so funny. I was also cheering out loud for Izzie and saving the deer's life. So glad she won the Emmy. Plus the speech the new intern gave George. I hope Grey's Anatomy is back to being good. =)

Also thought I'd include a copy of my Fall Playlist, it took me a while but here are a bunch of new songs for this fall.

• How Far We've Come Matchbox Twenty
• Flathead The Fratellis
• 1234 Feist
• Money honey State of Shock
• Hold On KT Tunstall
• Dreaming With A Broken Heart John Mayer
• We're Going to be Friends White Stripes
• Paralyzer Finger Eleven
• In the Sun (Gulf Coast Relief) [Featuring Chris Martin] Michael Stipe & Chris Martin
• Catch My Disease Ben Lee
• Wake Up Call Maroon 5
• Get Your Freak On KT Tunstall
• Mad About You Chantal Kreviazuk
• Relax (Take It Easy) Mika
• Ordinary Miracle Sarah McLachlan
• Snow ((Hey Oh)) Red Hot Chili Peppers
• Were All in This Together Ben Lee
  

Till Tomorrow

Jenn

A Lesson for NYC

This weekend we bought Lucas a Dora book, to continue to obsession. We have been reading Dora's camping adventure every nap time and bed time. If you are not familiar with Dora it follows the same pattern every show. Dora and her monkey pet, Boots has to go somewhere and needs to consult the "map" There are 3 parts to each journey. They always need to use something from the bottomless backpack. At some point during the show, there is a fox, Swiper, who tries to steal something for Dora and to get him to stop all you have to do it chant, Swiper no swiping. I only wish all the problems of the world could be solved that way....

I figure if someone tries to steal something from us in NYC next week I'll try this and see if it works. =)

Till Tomorrow

Jenn

Zoo Story

Recently Lucas and I headed for our monthly trip to the zoo. We almost always go in the morning because his schedule best suits that. It's also advantagous becuase the zoo is not as busy, but the animals seem to be quite active after there night of sleep. As we walked into the zoo we saw the tiger and it's new baby lounging and eating grass. It's amazed me at how much a baby tiger can be so similar to a kitten, a fraction of it's size.

Then we headed off to the elephants and saw one dancing. He'd take his his front paw and kick it over his other front paw and then switch. I was happy at how content he seemed to be dancing to the music in his head. Unfortunatly we did not get to see the baby elephant which is almost a month old now. It is still bonding with it's mother.

Next over to the rest of the African animals to see the hippo and girafees (my favorite), lions(who as usually were not very active) and zebra, who seemed to be racing each other back and forth over the plain/cage.

The funniest part of the zoo was in the gorilla building where two female gorillas were playing really close to the window. There must have been 10 kids watching them from their strollers, wagons and others (like Lucas) standing close to the window. All the sudden the one gorilla comes up and bangs both hands on the glass ( I take it she didn't like us all staring). All the kids start to scream and cry. Even I jumped. Poor Lucas did not want to see any more animals up close after that, he was happy to stand back an watch them, but there was no way he was going up to the glass after that. It is amazing how in the last couple of months he fears have really started.

Till Tomorrow

Jenn

Singing

I love singing. When I am working I sing and sing. This weekend I spent a good chunk of time finding new music for my fall season CD. When someone says a phrase I love to try and find a song that has that phrase in it. Even if it's a kids song. So I'm proud to say Lucas has started to sing as well. We'll I don't know how much of it is singing or just reciting the words. Even tonight we much have sang Twinkle, Twinkle ten times in the park.



Till Tomorrow

Jenn

Dora??

Lucas has become crazy about Dora the Explorer. We can watch other TV shows and he gets tired of them and plays or talks to me during them, or whines (which is he new favorite thing to do). But with Dora I don't even know he's in the house. I just don't get it. What is it about Dora?? Is it the yelling? Swiper? Is it becuase she "talks" to the her audience?

I think I'm going to have to invest is some Dora movies becuase my life in now revolving around when Dora is on TV. Oh, can't have my shower till 8:30, then Dora's on. Or oh we're having a showing I can do some cleaning at 3:30 when Dora's on. Oh gotta go, Dora's over. Are your kids crazy over Dora or is it so other show?

Till Tomorrow

Jenn

Married Well

One of the things that I find endearing about people is when they have a good marriage. It's not that I won't be friends with people who are not married or who are not happy in their marriage, but for me to really connect with someone new I find they have to like being married. I say this because yesterday I was at the park with Lucas and there were two mothers there swinging there kids complaining about their husbands.

"It's like having another child"
"I'd never do it again"
"If I did do it again he'd have to be rich, so I could stay home and do nothing"
"I have to nag him and tell him what to do all the time"

I was amazed. I would never imply that my marriage is perfect. But it's something that both Darryl and I work hard to maintain. But I would marry him 100 times over if I could. He is not like another child but my partner in life. I think I would have lots of trouble being good friends with someone who felt that way about their significant other. I was even over reading a blog today, and find that I read blogs about people that have a good marriages. I think even subconsciously when I had Lesley watch Lucas one of the things I liked was that Lucas would see another example of a good relationship and Lucas often talks about Lesley's husband.

Till Tomorrow

Jenn

New Best Friends

It has been really cute the last couple of days to see Lucas be so considerate of his animals. It's amazing when they start to make others "equal" to them. For example yesterday when Lucas gets up from his nap I ask him if he'd like a snack, he has insisted on bringing his Winnie downstairs with him as well.

Lucas: Ice Cream Cone?
Me: Sure
Lucas: Winnie wants one too.
Me: Okay, what flavor of ice cream would you like, rainbow or chocolate
Lucas: Rainbow, but Winnie wants chocolate
Me: Could you share yours with Winnie
Lucas: No, I want rainbow, but Winnie wants chocolate

In the end this is what the afternoon snack looked like.


Not that I really mind. It's good that he realizes the world doesn't revolve around him. ALthough now Winnie wants to see all the pictures in the book and Lucas like to wrap his arm around Winnie and let him feel the "touchy feely" books we read.

Till Tomorrow

Jenn

Monthly Newsletter - Month Twenty Five

Dear Lucas,

Well I definitely am noticing a difference in your growing up. I think I have said every couple of days, it's hard being two. You are much more mellow dramatic then you were two months ago. You went through a bought of really terrible crying when I would drop you off at Lesley's. Now you don't cry when I drop you off but when I pick you up. There's no winning. Luckily the crying when I pick you up is more of a whine then a heart wrenching cry. But you can be that way with everything. " Don't wanna go home", "Don't wanna go to the park"

Luckily the good things still totally out weigh your mellow dramatic. You continue to be so smart. You are counting and starting to sing your abc's, although you do like to start with LMNOP.

The other thing that we have had alot of experience with this past month is birthdays. It started with your birthday and you talked about that for weeks, and still talk about it now. Then we had cake and candles for 3 other people's birthday's and you are very into it. You know the birthday song, you know there should be a candle you can blow out and most important you know we get to eat cake.



Another thing that is developing is your love of stuffed animals. You just use to sleep on them and use them as pillows, but now Winnie the Pooh has feelings and likes to feel the parts of the touch and feel book. Hugzie is now your friend who likes to eat toast with us while having dinner. And who you squeeze so tight.


You have definitly been a trooper this month. Living in the uber clean house where no one would know a toddler resides, becuase all the toys are hidden in cupboards somewhere. Plus with all the stress your Dad and I have been under sometimes we can't give you the attention you normally get. I am so happy you have no idea about everything going on. It makes everything seem less life changing. In the end no matter what happens you'll still want to play with playdoh and take walks to the park. You are a healthy and happy kid and have healthy happy parents, and that's is the most important thing of all.

I love you

mommy