Saturday, July 11, 2009
Friday, July 10, 2009
Some New Things
It is 5am and I haven't slept yet. To be honest, my heart is going out to Michael Jackson right now because all I want to do is SLEEP and I just can't. I have 5 meds to help me sleep and I still don't sleep. I don't get it.
So...here I am going to update a few things Bear has been doing lately.
He is understanding more and more but it also makes him more and more frustrated. He cracks me up!
1. He HATES his toys. Has no interest in them at all right now unless he is sitting on our lap using them and we are encouraging him the entire time. This is fine...we do sit and play with him a lot...but sometimes mommy's need to shower, cook lunch, go to the bathroom and he doesn't want to play on his own for those few minutes.
2. If it is NOT a toy- he love it. He wants cell phones, keys (not toy ones- they don't make the alarm go off on the minivan), cameras, controllers, buttons of any kind to push, brooms, mops, kitties water dish, plunger, water faucet in the tub he can reach, laptops, dvds and cases. His newest favorite thing is a wooden paint stir stick from Home Depot. He found it somewhere from when I painted his room. I let him play with it for a few minutes really thinking it is not that big of a deal....it won't change a channel, turn a volume, set off a car alarm. But he still finds a way to get into trouble with it. He thinks the paint stick is a fun thing to use to hit kitties with. One swap of that thing and the run...which makes him laugh....which makes me not a happy mama and takes the paint stick away. That was a fun toy for a few moments.
3. Kitties...oh the kitty saga. He really likes the kitties but doesn't grasp the concept of them right now. Oliver and him are buds. They like to get into trouble together. Two little boys, who would have thought? Today Brandon was on the floor reading a book and Oliver put his two front paws on Brandon's back and started licking his head. This makes Brandon laugh. He loves that attention from Oliver. The unfortunate thing is that Brandon doesn't understand that love/attention giving thing back. So he 'pets' the kitties in his own way which is a nice firm pinch and pull of hair. There is great controversy in my world about this issue. Many family/friends think I should really not let the kitties and Brandon interact. I do get invovled many times and interven when I need to. However, Brandon needs to learn to respect animals in his own way as well. They don't bite him but they will nip at him when he is being too rough. This does scare Brandon a bit and that is a good thing. He is learning he is not their master and all powerful over them and can beat them up how he sees fit.
4. Food. Some days we battle this and some days there is no need. It amazes me how a toddlers likes/dislikes change so much. One day he loves bananas the next he hates them. That is very typical for him. He is learning to like new foods- rasperries, blueberries, strawberries, hamburger, chicken (in specific ways), pizza, cucumbers.
5. He has been learning a lot in the past month. His sign language 'vocabulary' has grown. Besides his typical 'more' (which he knows will get him more) he signs eat, milk, drink, bye-bye, he did 'sleep' once. We are working on 'help'. Many times he wants help with something like getting something out of the toy box or going down a step but just sticks his hand out and says, "EH". We know that means help but we are trying to get him to use his word or sign it.
6. He is also doing more and more on his own. I am very ready to get rid of the gate at the top of the stairs. Right now it is being used as a barrier for the most part to keep him in one location. When it is time for us to go bye-bye I will leave the gate open and say "Follow Me" and he slides right down on his belly to the entry way to get his shoes on. He does like to hold my hand and go down each step of the way on his own like big people. I do let him do that every now and then because he loves it so much but to get him down the steps safe and sound I like him to scoot on his belly. He will walk out of the house on his own (down two steps) and over to the van and once I open the door he tried to put his leg up to get in the van. It is still too big for him but he tries. He likes to walk on his own too which is great but it is mostly when we are out and about and then he wants to run through parking lots. We have a rule that you either hold moms/dads hand or you go in the stroller or get carried. He normally ends up being carried or in the stroller.
Ok- so a few updates for now and some time passed. Wonder if I can sleep for an hour before he wakes up???
So...here I am going to update a few things Bear has been doing lately.
He is understanding more and more but it also makes him more and more frustrated. He cracks me up!
1. He HATES his toys. Has no interest in them at all right now unless he is sitting on our lap using them and we are encouraging him the entire time. This is fine...we do sit and play with him a lot...but sometimes mommy's need to shower, cook lunch, go to the bathroom and he doesn't want to play on his own for those few minutes.
2. If it is NOT a toy- he love it. He wants cell phones, keys (not toy ones- they don't make the alarm go off on the minivan), cameras, controllers, buttons of any kind to push, brooms, mops, kitties water dish, plunger, water faucet in the tub he can reach, laptops, dvds and cases. His newest favorite thing is a wooden paint stir stick from Home Depot. He found it somewhere from when I painted his room. I let him play with it for a few minutes really thinking it is not that big of a deal....it won't change a channel, turn a volume, set off a car alarm. But he still finds a way to get into trouble with it. He thinks the paint stick is a fun thing to use to hit kitties with. One swap of that thing and the run...which makes him laugh....which makes me not a happy mama and takes the paint stick away. That was a fun toy for a few moments.
3. Kitties...oh the kitty saga. He really likes the kitties but doesn't grasp the concept of them right now. Oliver and him are buds. They like to get into trouble together. Two little boys, who would have thought? Today Brandon was on the floor reading a book and Oliver put his two front paws on Brandon's back and started licking his head. This makes Brandon laugh. He loves that attention from Oliver. The unfortunate thing is that Brandon doesn't understand that love/attention giving thing back. So he 'pets' the kitties in his own way which is a nice firm pinch and pull of hair. There is great controversy in my world about this issue. Many family/friends think I should really not let the kitties and Brandon interact. I do get invovled many times and interven when I need to. However, Brandon needs to learn to respect animals in his own way as well. They don't bite him but they will nip at him when he is being too rough. This does scare Brandon a bit and that is a good thing. He is learning he is not their master and all powerful over them and can beat them up how he sees fit.
4. Food. Some days we battle this and some days there is no need. It amazes me how a toddlers likes/dislikes change so much. One day he loves bananas the next he hates them. That is very typical for him. He is learning to like new foods- rasperries, blueberries, strawberries, hamburger, chicken (in specific ways), pizza, cucumbers.
5. He has been learning a lot in the past month. His sign language 'vocabulary' has grown. Besides his typical 'more' (which he knows will get him more) he signs eat, milk, drink, bye-bye, he did 'sleep' once. We are working on 'help'. Many times he wants help with something like getting something out of the toy box or going down a step but just sticks his hand out and says, "EH". We know that means help but we are trying to get him to use his word or sign it.
6. He is also doing more and more on his own. I am very ready to get rid of the gate at the top of the stairs. Right now it is being used as a barrier for the most part to keep him in one location. When it is time for us to go bye-bye I will leave the gate open and say "Follow Me" and he slides right down on his belly to the entry way to get his shoes on. He does like to hold my hand and go down each step of the way on his own like big people. I do let him do that every now and then because he loves it so much but to get him down the steps safe and sound I like him to scoot on his belly. He will walk out of the house on his own (down two steps) and over to the van and once I open the door he tried to put his leg up to get in the van. It is still too big for him but he tries. He likes to walk on his own too which is great but it is mostly when we are out and about and then he wants to run through parking lots. We have a rule that you either hold moms/dads hand or you go in the stroller or get carried. He normally ends up being carried or in the stroller.
Ok- so a few updates for now and some time passed. Wonder if I can sleep for an hour before he wakes up???
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Brandon is trying out his 2 new front teeth.
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Learned Time Out
Brandon learned time out today (yes, I know it is after July 4th and I need to post some photos- they are on my facebook page).
We have been teaching Brandon time out lately and we are being very careful as to what we do time out for. We know he is still learning so we don't want to put him in time out for everything but as he is entering the toddler years we are noticing he is starting to throw tantrums if he doesn't get his way. This means we need to guide him and teach him that he can't always have his way and how to control that anger and frustration.
We use time out if he is doing something drastic. Mostly- hitting our big screen tv or the cats. We also use it when he is tipping his sippy cup upside down and squeezes it to let it squirt all over. We always give him a warning first at eye level with a firm voice. We correct the behavior and redirect him. Sometimes that doesn't work. Our time out spot is at the end of the hallway facing the wall (usually he turns around which is ok).
Today he hit the tv and we redirected him. When I was at his eye level with him I told him that next time he hits the tv he will go in time out. He immediately ran down the hall and sat facing the wall. The hall light was off so I went and turned it on and got him out of time out. I told him he wasn't in time out and made a fun/giggle out of it so he didn't think he was in time out. He popped up and went to play. He realized he wasn't in time out.
However, hours later he didn't listen to mommy about not spilling his sippy cup upside down. After the warning he did it again and I took the sippy away and said "Time out". He ran to the end of the hall and sat down facing the wall. He knew he was in time out and knew the drill. I follow him and sit behind him to make sure he sits for a minute. I only had to correct him once and make sure he sits for a minute. After the minute is up I face him and talk to him like an adult and tell him why he was in time out. Sometimes he just wants to go and play but he needs to listen that he didn't listen to mommy and why he was in time out. Then we do hugs and kisses so he know I still love him and then he goes and plays.
It is intersteing how the last few days he is really making a connection to things. When we are eating and ask what he wants he has been signing 'more'. He really knows what that sign means. When we ask him something specific (like "Bring this to daddy") he will do it. His mind is working like crazy these last few days and it is fun to see how things come together. He is also trying hard to talk more and more- the sounds are there but not the actual word.
This is a fun time period right now. I love seeing him learn and grow and make these connections. I love this kid!
We have been teaching Brandon time out lately and we are being very careful as to what we do time out for. We know he is still learning so we don't want to put him in time out for everything but as he is entering the toddler years we are noticing he is starting to throw tantrums if he doesn't get his way. This means we need to guide him and teach him that he can't always have his way and how to control that anger and frustration.
We use time out if he is doing something drastic. Mostly- hitting our big screen tv or the cats. We also use it when he is tipping his sippy cup upside down and squeezes it to let it squirt all over. We always give him a warning first at eye level with a firm voice. We correct the behavior and redirect him. Sometimes that doesn't work. Our time out spot is at the end of the hallway facing the wall (usually he turns around which is ok).
Today he hit the tv and we redirected him. When I was at his eye level with him I told him that next time he hits the tv he will go in time out. He immediately ran down the hall and sat facing the wall. The hall light was off so I went and turned it on and got him out of time out. I told him he wasn't in time out and made a fun/giggle out of it so he didn't think he was in time out. He popped up and went to play. He realized he wasn't in time out.
However, hours later he didn't listen to mommy about not spilling his sippy cup upside down. After the warning he did it again and I took the sippy away and said "Time out". He ran to the end of the hall and sat down facing the wall. He knew he was in time out and knew the drill. I follow him and sit behind him to make sure he sits for a minute. I only had to correct him once and make sure he sits for a minute. After the minute is up I face him and talk to him like an adult and tell him why he was in time out. Sometimes he just wants to go and play but he needs to listen that he didn't listen to mommy and why he was in time out. Then we do hugs and kisses so he know I still love him and then he goes and plays.
It is intersteing how the last few days he is really making a connection to things. When we are eating and ask what he wants he has been signing 'more'. He really knows what that sign means. When we ask him something specific (like "Bring this to daddy") he will do it. His mind is working like crazy these last few days and it is fun to see how things come together. He is also trying hard to talk more and more- the sounds are there but not the actual word.
This is a fun time period right now. I love seeing him learn and grow and make these connections. I love this kid!
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Chatty Boy...drinking a big gulp (it was empty)
Yes, the ice falls and smushes his face. He starts crying but didn't get hurt.
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