Trip to RI – Part I – Providence Zoo

Last week we took a quick trip up to RI to visit my aunt and uncle. We had a car full as we had myself, Chris, Makenna, my Sister-in-Law Jessica with her two little ones, Eli (just over 2 years old) and Abigail (just around 2 months old)

The trip up was fairly uneventful-Thank goodness. We got there and surprised my uncle who did not know we were coming to help him celebrate his birthday (belated). On Friday we took the kids to the Providence Zoo. As it’s still early in the season, there were not many people.

What I really enjoyed was watching Makenna being our tour guide. She took my Sister-in-Law’s backpack (which was the kind that slings across you) and put the zoo map in the side pocket. We would get to an area of the zoo, look at the animal for all of about 10 seconds, and Makenna would whip out the map and say, what’s next? Then I’d tell her what we were going to see next, and she’d put the map back in the pocket and try and get us all to move along.

This is an actual bald eagle that they have in captivity

The kids loved these seals the most. We were able to watch them from the water tank and they’d come right up and rub up close next to the kids and they would just laugh and laugh.

All and all we had a fun day!

Calm Down Teri!

It's been two and a half weeks since I heard this curse come out of my child's mouth at me. I was taken off guard but quite heartily amused at the same time.

The mornings during the week are me running around getting everything ready for the day that I didn't previously get ready the night before - which is mainly a child that loves to "dawdle" as I put it. She'll grab books as I'm trying to get her dressed, or some toy, or just walk off. I get frustrated and start demanding that she come back and focus on the task - whether it's getting dressed, eating, brushing her teeth, brushing her hair, or putting on her shoes or coat. It's usually a lot of me trying to not scream at the top of my lungs to just get the job finished and then she can go off and look at books, or play with toys or whatever.

Then the stress starts all over again as we head for the car. There's bugs to look at, rocks to throw, grass to run in...you name it...it's just not walking directly to the car to get in, which is what I'd like to have happen.

So back on Wednesday, May 5th, we are out the door, heading towards the car and she's off in the yard somewhere. I firmly state, "Makenna, let's go! - Get to the Car please!" She firmly replies, "Calm Down Teri!"

If I could only convey tone in a blog. Instead I have to try and describe it for you. It was in a disgusted, tired tone as if it was a teenage daughter sighing at her pathetic mother who is a nag and a pain in her butt.

All I could do was laugh. I did tell her, "You're right Makenna, I do need to calm down, but that doesn't change the fact that I need you to get in the car...now!"

The problem is, I find this story so funny, I've about told everyone and most of the time, Makenna is around. So she's now repeated it a few more times. It wasn't as funny as the first time as the tone hasn't been the same but now it's my fault for "praising" her by telling so many others. Plus, I have to be consistent in telling her to call me mom and not Teri.

Of course, there are other little comments that have come out at different times. Such as, tonight she told daddy that something was not appro-pre-lit (appropriate). She'll also tell us when we "fro-got" to do something ("Oh mom, you fro-got to get me my bunny"). On occasion she'll also add "sweetie" or "honey" to her sentences when she talks to us (Oh sweetie, I need ten more minutes to sleep" or "Honey, can you get this for me?). Another favorite of mine is, "Okay I'm coming..." - then she's a no-show. I'm usually replying, "If you were coming, then you'd be here by now."

She's also telling us that "she's the boss." Well, it certainly seems like it at times, but we are trying hard to maintain the semblance that we are.

Of course, there are the sweet nice comments at times too. I love to hear, "okay mom" and then the immediate response of her picking up something or doing what I've asked. Or her saying, "sure" in a happy-go-lucky tone. But my favorite is an "I love you mommy" that comes out of the blue. That's the type of comment that makes me calm down.

Say Cheese!~

What a beautiful, sunny warm day. We started out great and ended up miserable.

I took Makenna to swim lessons and asked her if she wanted one float or two. She agreed to one, so I strapped it on her and then told her teacher that she wants to try one float, but to keep an eye on her and if she felt it was too much for Makenna, to switch her back to two.

I went out in the waiting area, watched Makenna jump in, and then watched as one of the lifeguards rushed over to make sure she came back up. They immediately switched her back to two floats. Oh well, at least we tried.

After swimming we went to the park and met up with her cousins - Eli, Katie, Natalie, and Abagail. She enjoyed her usual climbing and went down the slide...once. It was too hot. Then rest of the time was mostly spent on the swings.

We left there and on the way to lunch I had given Makenna the case for the camera. I thought that the camera was in my back pocket still until I heard, "hey, the camera!" I was like, 'What?!" But I figured, no big deal, she won't be able to turn it on. All of a sudden I heard a ding noise indicating the camera was now on. I started laughing at her persistence and ingenuity in getting the camera on. Then I said, to myself, well, she won't be able to take a picture...WRONG. She was able to take two pictures - not bad really. From the back seat of the car I kept hearing her say, "Say Cheese mommy!"

I wanted to add this other picture that she took later at home after I told Chris about her craftiness.
So where did it start to go down hill? Well, no nap quickly turns into misery. She fell asleep on the way home from lunch but as soon as I put her down, she gets back up and says she's done with nap. This is truly unfortunate as I'm worn out and need a nap, Chris who has worked on the yard all day, is tired and goes and takes a nap. Plus, she woke up early (6:30 am). I once heard from a mommy podcast that there's an inverse relationship in putting kids to bed. The earlier you put them to bed they actually sleep longer. Then if you put them to bed late, like we did last night, they get up earlier...she proved this to be true.

I finally told her, after commanding her to go back to bed, that if she got up, then she'd have to go to bed early. That's where the misery really hit...later, when it was time to go to bed. I tried explaining to her the reason she was so miserable was due to lack of sleep. She didn't buy it. We did our usual bedtime routine, with a lot of fighting, but eventually we won out. Chris read her a story and she fell asleep while he read it to her. That's a first!

Today was also a day of bumps and bruises. At the park she flipped of the swing backwards and her back is a bit scraped. Then later we were outside taking a walk and having her ride her tricycle (or trying to get her to ride it,) and she got off, ran ahead and, Splat--right out on the gravely driveway. Two scraped up knees. The best part for her - she was able to get two plasters (band-aids) that have kitty's on them.

Hopefully, tomorrow will be just as nice, just as filled with fun, but less bruises and no fights at bedtime.

Literacy Day

Today at the ECC (Early Childhood Center) where Makenna goes for school, they had literacy day. It was based on Curious George and they even had someone dressed up as Curious George and another staff member dressed as the Man in the Yellow Hat.

Makenna really enjoyed seeing Curious George and kept saying, "Hi Curious George" and she also got a chance to high-five and hug him. Then she said I had to do that too, so I did. What was coincidental was that all this week, Makenna wanted to watch Curious George movie (over and over).

The bad news was that at some point her happiness switched to misery. I had taken off work today so I could enjoy this day with her, and at some point it was as if she knew it was getting close to the time for me to go. She just sprawled out on the floor screaming while I was trying to get her to join in the singing and dancing portion. So I took her out for a time out and to calm her down.

That's when the whole, "I don't feel well" started. It drives me crazy that she tries to use this excuse to get out of things. I just see a long road ahead paved with this excuse. I tried to explain to her that she was "fibbing/lying" and that if she didn't want to do something, she had to say that, and not tell me she wasn't feeling well. That didn't work...I have to remember she's three and a half, not ten. Again, how do you explain lying to a child of her age?

I, as usual, told her that if she didn't feel well, that she wasn't going to have her movies, TV or go outside. She said she just wanted to go to bed. I guess my bargaining chip is waning and I'll have to come up with something new.

I did eventually leave and they told me later that she was okay shortly after. I unfortunately forgot to bring my camera....rats!

My little fibber

A week ago Sunday (4/18) we had a potluck after church. That's not the interesting part (obviously). While I was standing in a long line waiting to get food, Makenna decided she had to go potty. I told her to do it on her own. This is nothing too new as I usually have her do it at home and I come in for the clean up process.

Once I got my food, I went looking for her in the myriad of bathrooms and other rooms that she could be in. I finally found her in a room with a piano. She was sitting on the piano bench, playing the keys (not banging them, but playing,) and singing, and turning the pages in a song book. I was smiling and so wishing I had a video camera with me. It's moments like those that make you melt.

Cut to today...she told her first fib. She wanted to watch a Curious George movie and I told her, "No, we don't watch movies before pre-school." We allow her to watch something semi-educational on the Disney channel. It's usually Mickey Mouse Clubhouse or Special Agent Oso. After I said no, she immediately turns to Chris and asks him if she can watch Curious George. He tells her the same thing I did.

A bit later, she comes up to me again while Chris is getting ready for work and asks again. I again told her no. She then says to me, "Daddy said I could." I about dropped to the floor. I looked at her and said, "No he did not!" I tried to explain to her that we don't do fibbing. How do you explain lying to a toddler?

We tried covering it when she would tell me she had to go potty when she really didn't. I just don't know how to go about explaining the concept. Anyone willing to help give me pointers?

She has now also picked up saying please repeatedly. She'll ask for something and then if I'm hesitant, or say no, then she'll say, "oh please, please please!" Each please getting more desperate then the previous.

Her "talking-back" has also increased. I think we just have to be really consistent in nipping that in the bud. I'll say, "Makenna, I told you not to do that." She'll say, "Well, Teri, I told you ......" and she'll fill it in with whatever. It's hard not to laugh but when she repeatedly talks back it does get frustrating.

Or as Makenna will now say it, "frust-er-ating." "Teri, you're frust-er-ating me." Even her teacher at pre-school told me that she said it last week about a book that she was reading. Her teacher found it amusing. Yes, yet again, another word she picked up from me.

It's funny, but sad all the words and inflections and tones (and even yelling at times,) that she has picked up - makes you really stop and think before you do or say something - or it should.

Not quite-id-ly

Well, here I am again attempting to be more up-to-date on my blog. I of course didn't keep as good of track of the goings on of Makenna as I should've so I know I'm missing a few things that were said.

A new one this week though was not quite-id-ly (not quite - id -lee) -or something sounding like that. When Chris was asking her something, which I now forget, her response was "not quite-id-ly. She repeated this a few times as we found it amusing. We tried telling her it that wasn't "quite-id-ly" a word.

She also came out of the blue yesterday and asked, "mom, did they have Halloween back in your day?" I think she saw something Halloween-like around the house which prompted the question but I was quite amazed that such a question came out of her mouth and then a bit offended that the implication was that I'm as old as a dinosaur.

The big issue for the week was yesterday when she decided she "didn't feel well" and was flat out refusing to go to the ECC (Early Childhood Center) - her pre-school. I don't know if it was because she realized that Chris and I were going to be home all day or what exactly prompted it, but I know she was okay health wise. After Chris tried to reason/argue with her we gave in and the stipulation was that if she stayed home, she was now choosing to not watch any T.V. , no movies, and she was not allowed to go outside for the day. She agreed.

She actually did fairly well and kept herself entertained by playing with toys, coloring, playing with play-doh, and laying in bed for a bit. Friday is my get my house cleaning and lesson for church done day so I was a bit frustrated that she was going to be under my feet but she did fairly well. I had to tell her to stop asking me questions while I was trying to get my lesson done but we got through it. We only relented to letting her go outside, in the rain, while Chris was cooking dinner on the grill.

When she did ask about watching a movie ("please, please, please, please, please") my adult answer to her was "remember how you said you weren't feeling well and couldn't go to pre-school and we agreed that there would be no movie watching due to your choice?" Her answer, "I'm feeling better." My reply, "I'm glad you're feeling better, the answer is still no." Her reply, "please, please, etc."

That's the other thing she's picked up now (and I think it was from a movie). She figures if one please gets her something, many will most definitely get her what she wants. I always tell her I appreciate her saying please, but that it doesn't change my answer. Unless I wimp out - which I occasionally do - but not often.

She also now shows me what she wants for dinner by opening up the freezer and bringing it to me. She will also say, "Here, let me show you." Her other new saying is "10 minutes." Everything is based on ten minutes. "I need to sleep for 10 minutes." "I need a drink for 10 minutes." "Mom, I'll show you for 10 minutes." Hmm, no idea where she got that from....not quite-id-ly.

Shoe Fettish

I keep telling myself I'm going to get better about blogging, meaning, more regular posts that will hopefully be shorter instead of once a month, long-winded, catch-up sessions. So in that vein, here's a short update from today.

Shopping is not something I like to do with Makenna and today was no exception. Namely, clothes or shoe shopping. Shoe shopping with her is especially painful. I still needed to get her some "summer shoes" and decided to inflict pain upon myself and take her with me. The good news...we got shoes. The bad news...it was a fight and she tried on way too many shoes that are 10 sizes, at least, to big for her. I don't even know where she picked up a couple of the shoes as she would just walk off as I was trying to find a sales associate to see if they had a certain shoe in her size. Then as I went to pay, she was off again and I literally had to search every isle to find her and I found her with women's high heel shoes from who knows where.

We left there and I wanted to get her a new sun hat. We then walked to the next store, "Old Navy." Another fight ensued. She would not stay with me and I as I was looking for a sun-hat, she was off looking at more shoes. I relented and did actually find her another pair of summer shoes under $7.00 so I agreed, as long as she agreed to try on a couple of hats and a light summer jacket. We got through it without killing each other...barely.

On the way home from shopping she fell asleep. I put her up to bed for a nap, or so I thought. Shortly after, she came out of her room, I told her go back and go back to sleep. She came out again showing me her arms covered in lotion. I assumed, at first, incorrectly I might add, that she had gotten into her baby lotion. I soon realized that I had left the 50 plus, waterproof, sun-block in her room and that was the lotion she was referring to. Joy!

I ran upstairs and found it also on her pants and looked in her room and found it on the carpet as well. Now, I've always I guess you could say "prided" myself on the fact that my child had not done one of those "America's Funniest Videos" where you see the child covered in something and even though you're a bit jealous that they have a chance to win a lot of money, you're also more glad that you don't have that mess to clean up. Well, now I had that mess and no chance of winning money.

I futilely was trying to wash the sun-screen off her arms, applying layers and layers of soap trying to scrub it off. Let me tell you, that waterproof stuff really works. Then it was on to the carpet. I immediately used dish-soap and cold water and scrubbed. Then I left it in frustration and gave up on her napping. I went back up later and scrubbed again and applied Resolve. I think it worked. It's got a bit of a different color on the rug but not too bad. Luckily it's an old carpet so it's not too big of a deal.

One last question to put out there to other parents...how do yo get your child to stop repeating themselves once you've acknowledged their comment/request/question? Makenna is constantly saying the same thing over and over (and I'll stop with the "over's" but you get the idea). I try saying to her, "what did I already say?" Other times it's more like, "Makenna, ask me again and the answer is going to be no." Or, "Makenna, you're driving me insane, stop asking!" I've also said to her, "Makenna, I know, I got it, I understand, you're asking for.....(insert whatever it is,) now please stop asking." I know she's only 3 but it's ridiculous how many times she'll ask even after I've given her an answer at least 10 of those times. Please tell me this doesn't get worse! I already know the shopping, especially for shoes, is not going to get better.