two years, five months, (almost) two weeks

Zachary,

This has been one of those weeks where I secretly wish we were closer to your third birthday. No matter how many times we say to you that some something is dangerous, you still need to do it. I must have lost a few years off my life this past week, worried sick you'd seriously injure yourself.

A few days ago, despite being asked repeatedly to stop, you climbed up the back of the couch. Unfortunately, you didn't make it over the back and fell backwards, first onto your little table and then to the floor. You have a nice little bruise on your back now.

On Monday, we took a walk with some friends around the neighborhood. Despite being told to stop, you ran into the street. Into Broadway, no less. We are all so lucky for the person (I can't remember if it was a man or a woman) who stopped you as you stepped off the sidewalk. Our play date ended immediately and I grabbed you by the hand and marched you straight home.

I must have lectured you for a good hour after that stunt. 4 days later and I'm still catching my breath. You will not be permitted to walk outside unless strapped into your stroller or holding Mommy or Daddy or Tata or anyone else's hand. Firmly.

Let's stick to climbing on the playground and running in the park, shall we?

Sleep tight, little daredevil.

I love you,
Mommy

two years, five months

Dear Zac,

Now that you're pretty much potty trained, you know all kinds of fun words to describe what happens in the bathroom. I think, possibly, hearing you talk about pee and poop has kept me laughing through this whole potty-training experience. (Which I'm convinced has been way more stressful for me than for you.) I've really enjoyed reading Everyone Poops with you. You like "touching" all the animal poop. "Yucky!!!!!" And, luckily for us, you've actually really enjoyed learning to use the toilet and...well...exploring different positions...to pee.

Today you peed standing up in the toilet for the first time. This looked something like, mommy holding you under your armpits while you stood ON the toilet seat, knees slightly bent, both of us watching your pee land (evenly, I might add!) in the toilet.  You didn't get all the pee out, and said to me "There's more pee but it's too hard...I sit now."

The second you sat on your little potty, you farted. Loudly. And it echoed. You thought that this was hysterical.  But to me the fart itself was not nearly as funny as your reaction,

                       "I'm passing gas! Excuuuuu-me!"

I don't think mommy and daddy have EVER used the term "passing gas" to describe you farting. (I'm assuming you must have learned that at school.) So, I added, "You did! You farted!"

                        "I did fart. That's funny!"

So, at barely 2 and a haf, farting is already funny. Great.

Thanks for keeping me laughing, my little comedian. Looking forward to finding out what else makes you laugh.

Love,

Mommy

"where the poop go?"

Before we flush the toilet you always ask to see what's inside. The other day you asked "where the poop go?" And before I could answer, you said "I goes down the tunnel!"

You followed-up with another question, "what's it going to do in the tunnel?"

Again, before I could (make up an) answer, you spoke.

"It go play with the other poops!"

Yes, Zachary. That's EXACTLY where our poop goes.

two years, four months, four weeks

Dear Zac,

I didn't write a second letter last week because we have been SO busy. So, I'll write the letter I would have written then, now.

My little creature of habit, it usually takes you weeks to adjust to any changes in your routine. A bedtime routine was something that we started with you pretty much from day one. And it worked for a long time. Dinner, Bath, Books with Daddy, nursing and to sleep. In the Fall, we replaced nursing at bedtime with Songs in the Chair with Mommy. About a month ago (or more), we started noticing that bedtime was just taking too long. Usually when I was home for bedtime (most nights), you would not go to bed without 3 books and about a dozen songs. I tried to limit the number of songs (to match the number of books), but then you would have a hard time falling asleep.

Last week we stopped doing songs in the chair cold turkey and switched thing up a bit. You still got your dinner. You still got your bath and your books with Daddy. Only now, you feed your fish and say good night to them and turn of your own light. Mommy and Daddy put you in your crib with some stuffed animals (who are waiting for you in your crib, already asleep - Elmo has an earlier bedtime), and Mommy hums Edelweiss (you won't let me sing the words and you like to hum along) and then we say good night. If you still need me there, I sing ABC's, Bah Bah Black Sheep and Twinkle Twinkle from the door. Generally, you go right to sleep.

The other day, I put you down for a nap (which is only slightly different than bedtime - only one book, hum Edelweiss and we say "see ya when you wake up!" and close the door), and when I close the door you did not go right to sleep. Instead, you finished the new routine - you said ABC's, Bah Bah Black Sheep and Twinkle Twinkle...and then you were quiet.

I'm so proud of you. I'm glad you like your crib and your new bedtime routines. I know it won't be long before you resist the crib and hop over the side. I know a toddler bed is in sight. You know it, too. I think this summer will be a good time for that transition. We'll be going to California without a porta-crib (at 35lbs and 3' tall, you're just too big!) for two weeks. You'll be sleeping on a mattress on the floor and when we get home, no more crib. Unless you want it. Which I doubt.

Have fun at school today - your first day back after a week and a half long break. I'm sure you'll have a blast and come home with lots of stories.

Love,
Mommy

two years, four months, three weeks

Dear Zachary,

Another vacation week means more quality time together.

Today we had a great day. We both slept really well last night and woke up in good moods, with a good amount of energy. After breakfast, we played together on the floor with cars then go dressed for an outing.

Today was Willow's first haircut and she really wanted you there to see. (You were eager to go, but totally lost interest once you saw all the toys in the salon.) Since Tata's car doesn't fit 3 car seats in the back, you and I traveled downtown on the subway. You were so excited because we don't take the subway all that often and you really enjoy it.

Before we left the house I asked you if you wanted to take the stroller or if you would walk. "I walk nicely," you said. And you did, mostly.

You were an absolute angel on the subway. You held my hand as we waited on the platform for the subway to come (the first one was packed so we had to wait 5 minutes for the next one, which was completely empty) and sat down on the seat when I asked you to. You sat the entire 35 minute ride. You looked out the window into the subway tunnel, you met another little boy your age, and you had a small snack. We talked about how it would be several stops before it was our turn to get off and you reminded me each time the subway pulled into another station that it was "Somebody else's stop."

Today was the first time I took you farther than the playground without a stroller and the most I had to carry you was halfway up the subway stairs. You didn't whine, you didn't squirm, you didn't ask to stand or get off the subway before our stop. I didn't feel frustrated once with traveling alone with you on the subway and I didn't regret leaving the stroller at home.

When we got home, I made up matzah brei and we sat down at the dining room table together. You love it when we do anything together but today was even more special to you because you got to sit in my seat at the table and not in your booster. I asked you before we sat down to eat where you wanted to sit and you said,

"I sit in mommy's chair."
I asked, "then where will I sit?"
"You sit in Zachary's chair! noooo! You get stuck! You sit in daddy's chair!"

Good idea, Zac. I reminded you that there is no throwing and you must sit while you eat or I would strap you into your booster (which you are starting to hate...along with being strapped into the stroller) You reassured me and said, "I sit nicely."

You really are doing everything so "nicely" today.

I'll probably write again this week because I am so enjoying our time together.

I love you so much,
Mommy

"green eggs and haaaaan?"

Grandpa and Bobé sent you a copy of Green Eggs and Ham. You read every page the same way.

"Green eggs and haaaaaaaan? Green eggs and haaaaaaaan? No no no like green eggs and han!"

Too cute.

two years, four months, two weeks

Dear Zac,

You've reached some pretty big developmental milestones this week.

Potty training:

A few weeks ago I mentioned my concern for your readiness to use the potty. This came after your teachers told me that you are the last in the class to use the potty and that you wouldn't be able to start the early childhood program in the Fall until you were completely trained. This caused me so much anxiety because you aren't even two and a half and I couldn't predict when you'd be ready and willing to use the potty. I don't know why I was so anxious or why I felt like I needed to rush you through the process. A month  ago you screamed and threw a tantrum every time we mentioned the word "potty". I bought a $5 book on potty training and read the first few pages and realized I was going about this all wrong. I know your personality pretty well and needed to just trust that you would figure this out on your own. You would need gentle reminders, but bribing you wasn't going to work. I knew that if you could just pee successfully in the potty one time that you would want to do it again and again (and every half hour when we're home!).Also, because you really like to do things together, if mommy or daddy said something like "let's go to the potty together!" you might be excited to try. I was right.

I never knew potty training to be so much fun.


Relating to characters and experiences in books and in play:

Another milestone this week has been your ability to see yourself in the books we read. Potty training books were helpful and it was remarkable to hear you say things like, "that looks like Zachary's potty!" "That's boy like Zachary!" and my favorite, "we don't touch poop! it's yucky!"

For the past few weeks now, you been increasingly disinterested in sleeping. You often scream at us, "I don't want to go to sleep". This pretty much shatters my heart every night. A couple nights ago we read Good Night Gorilla and Good Night Moon. We looked at the pictures as I read the story. You noticed that the animals in Good Night Gorilla also did not want to stay in their beds but when they were finally "tucked in", they didn't cry. You looked up at me and said "I won't cry tonight." And you didn't. And the past few nights since then, while you've resisted a little, haven't been unbearable and you've put your head down with your stuffed animal and gone to sleep fairly quickly.

I love you, pumpkin. I am looking forward to spending next week with you while we both have a break for for Passover.


Much love,
Mommy

"i have to go pee pee. i be right back!"

Yesterday as I was getting you to the potty, you stopped in the doorway and turned to daddy, with your pointer finger near your face and said,

"I go to the bafroom. I have to go pee pee. I be RIGHT BACK!"

Daddy said, "Ok, Zachary"

"I be right back daddy, OK??"

"Ok Zachary"

"I have to sit on the potty and go pee pee and then I pour it into the toilet and then I turn on the baff and then WOAH!!! OK? yeah!"

two years, four months, one week

My dear, sweet Zachary,

This week, with the extra hour of daylight and the weather has been significantly warmer, we've been able to head to the playground. Since the majority of your socialization happens at school, without mommy and daddy there to see, it was such a pleasure to spend a few hours with you in the park last weekend.

Mommy and daddy were once again struck with your capacity for empathy. You are cautious around children you don't know and are rarely phased by a child invading your personal space. As a child you didn't know tried to walk past you on the narrow stairs in the playground, you gently stepped aside to let them pass. The other child did not say excuse me and you didn't get upset. When that child's parent took them off the stairs to show them what they had done and to ask if they had seen you on the stairs already, that child became upset. You watched their interaction with a look of concern for this smaller child. You didn't go back to your own play until the child had calmed down and was back on the playground with you.

Potty training.

You have made some significant progress on your potty training efforts. Last week mommy was beginning to get a little concerned. Not because I am in a rush to get you in underwear, but because you were stopping your pee from coming out. We're talking 2-3 drops of peepee and then you would make it stop. I honestly have no idea how you have the ability to do this! Well, for the past two days you have been letting more out on the potty and yesterday you were dry from after your nap until you woke up this morning.

I am so proud of you. But, even more importantly, you are so proud of yourself when you pee in your little potty. You really enjoy pouring your peepee into the toilet, rinsing the potty in the bathtub faucet and flushing the toilet.

Now, if you could only poop in the toilet. Then I would believe you when you say "I'm a big man!"

Love,
Mommy

two years, four months

Dear Zachary,

I am so sorry I've been so sick lately. I notice how hard it is to see me at home and not be able to play with you. It's hard for mommy, too. Yesterday daddy picked you up from school and explained to you that mommy was at home, sick and in bed and that you needed to let mommy sleep. When you got home, you came to visit me in my room. You came up to my side of the bed, said "hi mommy. You sick? You need to sleep. Ok? See you later mommy." And left the room with daddy. Thank you for listening to daddy, for being understanding and for letting mommy sleep.

This week, I really wanted to blog about some of the more difficult parenting moments daddy and I are experiencing with you. Last night, after you threw your entire dinner, water, fork and spoon on the floor, I insisted we throw you in a bath to calm you down. You kicked and screamed for a good 10 minutes (long tantrum you've ever had) and then suddenly looked up at us with your happiest, most excited face and asked "are you ready? Yeah?" And then stuck your head under the faucet. Daddy's response was "there's my Zachary! I missed you!" And Mommy's response was "sometimes I don't understand you at all." I am glad the bath helped your mood and you were able to finish your dinner more peacefully the second time around.

I love you, my little unpredictable monster.

Happy 28 month birthday!!!

Love, mommy