Thursday, May 30, 2013
Thursday, May 23, 2013
Josiah Funnies
I can't believe our boy is two now! It seems so old . . . and sometimes still so little. In commemoration of his two-ness, I wanted to write down some stories about Josiah's current doings and sayings so I don't forget them. These aren't really related or in any particular order--just little things I jotted down over the past few weeks.
1. Typically Josiah's "owies" are easily healed by a kiss from Mama. For some time now he's given kisses to his stuffed animals and toys when they are injured, too. (Usually he also inflicts the wounds. He used to throw his stuffed bear or "Baby Abby" doll on the floor just so he could make a crying sound and then pick it up and comfort it with a hug and kiss.) Lately, though, he's taken to kissing all sorts of things . . . The other day he hit the rose bushes with his bat (a no-no). I reprimanded him, and he immediately went over to kiss the rose bushes and stroke them gently. Today he kissed a book with a page tear. He seems to attribute hurt feelings to these "wounded" things and treats them accordingly. Kisses fix everything!
2. A few weeks ago I helped Josiah pick up his toys after "room time" (or, rather, he helped me). (For "room time" I set a timer for 20-25 minutes, and he plays alone in his room with a few special toys reserved for the occasion. This isn't punishment, just a chance for him to learn independent play and for me to get a short break.) As we picked up, I asked him what he did with his "guys" (little plastic animals), since I could only find one, and he started with several. He said, "Up high!" In Josiah-speak, this phrase sounds like one word (uphi) and is almost akin to "fly." I guess he had been throwing the guys up in the air. So I asked, "Then where did they go?" And he replied, "Down." I'm glad he's got gravity figured out, at least!
3. One of Josiah's favorite books is Curious George. We usually read it at least once a day. Each time we reach the last page, in which George joins the zoo and we see all the animals with balloons, Josiah earnestly says, "Zoo! 'Siah! Zoo!" and heads to the door. The other day he added, "Now!" (I always have to tell him, "No, we can't go to the zoo now, but maybe we can ask Daddy and go another day together.)
4. Josiah has long loved clocks, especially those that "bong" or go "cuckoo." He associates my dad with clocks, since this Pa often obliges Josiah's obsession by showing him clock videos on youtube (over skype). (Who knew there were so many videos online of clocks chiming?) Recently he's picked up some sense of clocks being related to the passage of time, though. When he woke partway through his nap last week, I told him it wasn't time yet to get up, and I must have glanced at the clock. Later when he woke at the right time, I went in and he told me, "'Siah, out! Clock!" and pointed to it. He was obviously trying to convince me the clock said it was time to get out of bed!
5. As of May 3rd, Josiah sleeps in a "big boy bed." Really this is just his crib with the side taken off. We were apprehensive about this change, since of course he can easily hop out of bed and come out of his room if he wishes now. We've been pleasantly surprised at how well he's done, though. He's tested the limits a few times and gotten out of bed to play when he was supposed to be napping. One day after several days of smooth sailing with naptime, he stayed awake for two hours after I put him in for his nap, repeatedly getting out of bed. But since then, he's consistently obeyed us and stayed in bed for naps and at night!
6. I love hearing Josiah's vocabulary develop and his sense of pretend blossom. He sometimes sings songs to himself now. On our bike ride a couple weeks ago, I heard his sweet little lilting voice from the back seat singing about Mama, Daddy, and baby Abby. And the other night, as he got ready for bed with Daddy and Abby (who was fussing), he asked to hold Abby. ("Hold! Hold!" he says and holds out his arms.) Daddy helped him hold her, and all on his own Josiah began softly singing, "Jesus loves me . . . ." It was so sweet.
7. Josiah went pee on the potty for the first time the week of May 13th! Usually he doesn't want much to do with his little potty, but one day that week he said, "Potty!" and got it and sat on it. I took the opportunity to bring some books in the bathroom. I took his diaper off, had him sit on it, and read some stories to him. In between books I'd encourage him to go (and promised him a chocolate chip if he did; raisins aren't special enough, it seems). All of the sudden he peed . . . and I guess it surprised him! He jumped up off the potty a bit, spraying me, the books, the floor, etc. I sat him down quickly, and he did make some in the actual potty. While the mess wasn't exactly pleasant, I did reward his effort with two chocolate chips.
8. Aunt Hannah taught Josiah the word "disgusting." Nowadays he'll try to repeat almost anything we say. He's started pairing words and even sometimes achieving a sentence, like "Where are you, kitty?" (His version is "Are you, diddy?") when we're biking the neighborhood. He uses "bebe" for both babies and all small things, and he always says "big" with a deep voice to illustrate/dramatize the meaning. (He says "loud" with the same voice.)
1. Typically Josiah's "owies" are easily healed by a kiss from Mama. For some time now he's given kisses to his stuffed animals and toys when they are injured, too. (Usually he also inflicts the wounds. He used to throw his stuffed bear or "Baby Abby" doll on the floor just so he could make a crying sound and then pick it up and comfort it with a hug and kiss.) Lately, though, he's taken to kissing all sorts of things . . . The other day he hit the rose bushes with his bat (a no-no). I reprimanded him, and he immediately went over to kiss the rose bushes and stroke them gently. Today he kissed a book with a page tear. He seems to attribute hurt feelings to these "wounded" things and treats them accordingly. Kisses fix everything!
2. A few weeks ago I helped Josiah pick up his toys after "room time" (or, rather, he helped me). (For "room time" I set a timer for 20-25 minutes, and he plays alone in his room with a few special toys reserved for the occasion. This isn't punishment, just a chance for him to learn independent play and for me to get a short break.) As we picked up, I asked him what he did with his "guys" (little plastic animals), since I could only find one, and he started with several. He said, "Up high!" In Josiah-speak, this phrase sounds like one word (uphi) and is almost akin to "fly." I guess he had been throwing the guys up in the air. So I asked, "Then where did they go?" And he replied, "Down." I'm glad he's got gravity figured out, at least!
3. One of Josiah's favorite books is Curious George. We usually read it at least once a day. Each time we reach the last page, in which George joins the zoo and we see all the animals with balloons, Josiah earnestly says, "Zoo! 'Siah! Zoo!" and heads to the door. The other day he added, "Now!" (I always have to tell him, "No, we can't go to the zoo now, but maybe we can ask Daddy and go another day together.)
4. Josiah has long loved clocks, especially those that "bong" or go "cuckoo." He associates my dad with clocks, since this Pa often obliges Josiah's obsession by showing him clock videos on youtube (over skype). (Who knew there were so many videos online of clocks chiming?) Recently he's picked up some sense of clocks being related to the passage of time, though. When he woke partway through his nap last week, I told him it wasn't time yet to get up, and I must have glanced at the clock. Later when he woke at the right time, I went in and he told me, "'Siah, out! Clock!" and pointed to it. He was obviously trying to convince me the clock said it was time to get out of bed!
5. As of May 3rd, Josiah sleeps in a "big boy bed." Really this is just his crib with the side taken off. We were apprehensive about this change, since of course he can easily hop out of bed and come out of his room if he wishes now. We've been pleasantly surprised at how well he's done, though. He's tested the limits a few times and gotten out of bed to play when he was supposed to be napping. One day after several days of smooth sailing with naptime, he stayed awake for two hours after I put him in for his nap, repeatedly getting out of bed. But since then, he's consistently obeyed us and stayed in bed for naps and at night!
6. I love hearing Josiah's vocabulary develop and his sense of pretend blossom. He sometimes sings songs to himself now. On our bike ride a couple weeks ago, I heard his sweet little lilting voice from the back seat singing about Mama, Daddy, and baby Abby. And the other night, as he got ready for bed with Daddy and Abby (who was fussing), he asked to hold Abby. ("Hold! Hold!" he says and holds out his arms.) Daddy helped him hold her, and all on his own Josiah began softly singing, "Jesus loves me . . . ." It was so sweet.
7. Josiah went pee on the potty for the first time the week of May 13th! Usually he doesn't want much to do with his little potty, but one day that week he said, "Potty!" and got it and sat on it. I took the opportunity to bring some books in the bathroom. I took his diaper off, had him sit on it, and read some stories to him. In between books I'd encourage him to go (and promised him a chocolate chip if he did; raisins aren't special enough, it seems). All of the sudden he peed . . . and I guess it surprised him! He jumped up off the potty a bit, spraying me, the books, the floor, etc. I sat him down quickly, and he did make some in the actual potty. While the mess wasn't exactly pleasant, I did reward his effort with two chocolate chips.
8. Aunt Hannah taught Josiah the word "disgusting." Nowadays he'll try to repeat almost anything we say. He's started pairing words and even sometimes achieving a sentence, like "Where are you, kitty?" (His version is "Are you, diddy?") when we're biking the neighborhood. He uses "bebe" for both babies and all small things, and he always says "big" with a deep voice to illustrate/dramatize the meaning. (He says "loud" with the same voice.)
Wednesday, May 8, 2013
Monday, May 6, 2013
Smiles!
I caught some smiles on camera! Lydia obliged me with some beautiful dimpled smiles (she's in the pink polkadotted outfit), but Abby's were only slight smiles. These are from a few weeks ago, though. Now both girls smile readily when we talk to them and smile at them. They're especially smiley in the morning when they wake up.
