Expanding the Family...: January 2010

Lessons My 20 month old is Teaching Me:

1. Always Be Willing to Work Really Hard.

example - abram is so diligent and works so hard. If he's learning a new word or a new sign, or even copying what we're teaching him, he's focused! Maybe he's stacking lego's perfectly until they are taller than him (which can take over ten tries), or learning to sign "bedtime" and "store", or stacking and restacking bowls to stand on and open the fridge (which he tries twelve times over and still doesn't get them to stay! also he's not allowed to do this but does!), he is always ON and working hard!

2. When you want something Really Bad, Be Persistent!

example - every morning i'm home with him, when we come down the stairs, he is saying "big bird, big bird, big bird, big bird, big bird". i flip on sesame street. if big bird doesn't happen to appear immediately, he carries me the remote repeating 'big bird', 'big bird', 'big bird' as if i have it on the wrong channel. Well, Now on our 'list of things to buy for Abram' is a video featuring BIG Bird! (hopefully such a video exists!) Also, when he gets home from daycare and walks in the door, he signs "eat" immediately. he wants dinner. He will sign and say eat over and over and over until dinner is served! Slightly exhausting to me, especially if i'm trying to prepare something with the kid clinging to my leg saying "eat eat eat" lol...

3. Don't be Afraid to express your Emotions.

example - abram wears his emotions on his sleeve to say the least. I'm never wondering what he's feeling - he shows it and isn't afraid to do so. When he's sad about going to bed, he cries his eyes out. When he's happy to see us, he runs to us, grinning and calling our names. When he doesn't want to do something, he says "nnnooo...." and resists anything other than what he wants. And when he's happy and cheerful, he is laughing and playing with us and running circles around the house.

4. When you know you're Wrong, be Quick to say You're Sorry.

example - abram knows his time out spot on the bottom step when he's in trouble. he gets a warning and then if theres a repeat offense, he's in timeout. After about one second in time out, he looks over and signs and says to me "sorry" and sits back down... after the minute and a half, i go over to let him out and he tells me again "sorry".

5. When You Hear Music, Dance!

example - it doesn't matter if its music in the car while he's strapped in his car seat, music from a commercial on tv, a cd we're playing or music playing over a store intercom, abram stops everything to dance!! its too cute and so fun:)

6. If you don't like it, Don't Eat It. and get it Far Far away!

example - if abram doesn't want a certain food at the time its offered, he won't even entertain me by trying a bite. He doesn't want it and that moment or day, doesn't even like it. He hands me the plate politely and says "done". I put it back. He hands it back repeating "done!" and sometimes he'll resort to carrying the plate to the kitchen or even throwing the food completely out of his site.

7. Sometimes, you just need your Mom.

example - he rarely wakes at night anymore these days (thankfully!) but when he does, he's calling for me right away. When i go in, he takes my hands and puts them around him for a hug. Its like he just needed his mom. During the week mornings I'm gone and working by the time he wakes up, so when husband goes in, he says each morning abram says "Mama?!?" all hopeful... makes me sad i'm not there to hug him every single morning...

The kid received a Mr. Potato Head from his cousin for Christmas and boy oh boy does he love him! He likes putting the arms and ears and other pieces into the potato - BUT what he REALLY loves doing is - all kinds of other stuff w/ the pieces... like, hanging Mr. Potato Head's arms out of his own nose (meaning abrams!) or trying to put Mr. Potato Head's ear in his own ear, and well ... just see for yourself.

and even mom is expected to wear the hat and KEEP it on for an extended period of time... lol...

didn't catch any pictures of abram shoving items in his own ears and nose because i'm way too busy snatching the stuff away and telling him "no we don't shove pieces of anything up our noses or in our ears!" ... I think he's now taken it on as a challenge. He sneezed while eating lunch yesterday and a piece of green bean flew out. sigh...