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

two years, three months, three weeks

Dearest Zac,

This week we welcomed another new member to our little family.

ELMO!

Oh my, how excited you were when we found him at Nordstrom after buying you a new pair of sneakers. Your face lit up and we just couldn't leave him there.  It was the cutest thing. We saw Big Bird and Grover and Cookie Monster, too, but your excitement for Elmo was just too cute. You carried Elmo around the mall hugging him under one arm (and eating his eyeballs). Mommy and Daddy have never seen you so happy about a doll.

Elmo sat with you in the stroller and "wanted" to be strapped in with you.

Elmo "wanted" to sit next to you.

And tonight, Elmo "wanted" to pee in the potty.  This made mommy very, very happy.

"Elmo go pee-pee on Zachary's potty! Elmo has to wait for the pee-pee to come OUT! Oh look, Mommy! It's coming! Oh nooooo, there's no pee-pee in there!"

Apparently Elmo doesn't know how to pee. 

Anyway, I'm very proud of you for all of your efforts on the potty. Twice this week you woke up in the morning with a dry diaper and peed on the potty. Today, you resisted, but that's ok. Actually, you resisted just about everything today...

Tomorrow we can try again.

I love you so much,

Mommy

two years, three months, two weeks

Dear Zac,

I am absolutely loving spending this week with you! We are both off from school/work and have been taking advantage of our time together. We have gone to the Natural History museum with friends, run a bunch of errands, had friends over for brunch, slept in, taken long naps, baked muffins and cookies and visited a good friend in New Jersey. We've played with trains, read books, rolled out play-doh, built tunnels, painted, and colored with crayons. We've watched a ton of "Elmo's song" on YouTube. You have pointed out every triangle, every "Z" and every helicopter you see.

We started our week together by spending the day at Micki's house with your brand new baby cousin, Twila. It was heart-warming to see how gentle you were with her. And you weren't jealous at all that I was holding her for so long. You were also very excited to spend time with cousin Willow, so I get that was a good distraction for you.

I know that you will be fine going back to school next week, but mommy could really get used to staying home with you.

I'm going to savor these next few days at home, enjoying your company, hearing you come running from wherever you were, calling for "My mommy! My mommy!"

I love you so much, my Zachary.

Love,
your mommy

zachary's first report card

"Zachary is a happy, confident, and independent child who join us every morning with a positive attitude. After he hugs his father and says goodbye, he gives a smile to his teachers and says, “Good morning Astrid." He also looks for friends as soon he comes in and asks, “Where is Phoebe” or “Where is Trudy?” He then immediately begins his daily routines by saying, “I need to close the door.” Then he gets his green bag from his cubby to put all his belongings inside it. When he hangs up his bag he says, “It is heavy; I did it!” While he is completing all of these steps, he talks with his teacher and narrates all the actions that he is doing, for example, “I bring a banana, apple sauce, etc.,” “I need to open the refrigerator,” “I put my basket right there,” and ”I need to work.”
Zachary chooses his own activities and enjoys working in all the classroom areas. He matches and recognizes the primary and secondary colors. He sorts shapes, strings beads, puts together puzzles, connects the tracks of the train, paints, pastes, stamps, transfers dry beans, pours water, and so on. At lunch time, Zachary sets up the table by getting a placemat, plate, cup, and a napkin independently.
He is very friendly and enjoys working alone and with his friends. Zachary is also very affectionate and will hug his friends and teachers during the work cycle. We very much enjoy working with Zachary."

two years, three months, one week

Dearest Zachary,

It's been another week of solid sleep, pleasant mood, great eating, and hilarious conversation.

Of course, there has been your usual occasional defiance. "I don't like it" and "I don't want to" are often heard coming out of your mouth.

You've been naked a lot more recently because when I try to get you dressed in the morning for school or at night for bed, you usually assert yourself saying, "I don't want to wear that! I need to pick one!" And then you proceed to empty the contents of your drawers. Eventually, however, you do end up "picking out" the same pajamas mommy and daddy already laid out for you.

It's important for me, and for anyone else who cares for you, to understand that when you say, "I don't want to", you really mean "I don't want to do it right now. If you give me a few minutes, or some incentive, or some reason I should do it and not you, than I am more than happy to oblige."

Last night the following conversation took place.

Me: (on my knees) Zachary, your sweatshirt is dirty. Please take it off and put it in the hamper.
You: I don't want to. Mommy do it.
Me: Mommy will help you take it off, but then you need to put it in the hamper.
You: I don't want to. Mommy put it in the hamper.
Me: But Zachary, it's not Mommy's sweatshirt. Please go put Zachary's sweatshirt in the hamper.
You: It's MY sweatshirt. (And then you ran to put it in the hamper)
You: I did it! (With a big smile on your face as if it was your idea to put it in the hamper in the first place).

I keep being reminded of that scene from My Big, Fat Greek Wedding where Tula's mother and aunt are trying to convince her father to let her go work at her aunt's travel agency. In that scene, the women plan to have the father think he came up with the idea on his own. And in the end, he does think the plan is his, and the women praise him for it.

Sound familiar?

I love you, even though it takes you 10 minutes to put on your shoes.

Love,
Mommy