Happy Wiggle Belly

We signed a lease on an apartment and picked up keys today.  There's no place like home for the holidays, and now we have one.  These are busy times.

The Grub, just so you know, is progressing right on schedule with her turning over on her side, increased dexterity, and attempts to giggle.  Unfortunately for her, the expectations are high because she's every bit the size of a six-month old.

The Bug has been all over the place.  I'd be hard pressed to say the only time she's still or quiet is when she's sleeping.  That's not entirely true.  As most two-year olds, her quietest moments are the most concerning.  In her better attempts to get away with something she knows she oughtn't do, she tells us to go somewhere out of sight and busy ourselves with some task, such as packing a box.

She likes to sing.  Either by merit of poor memory or hypercreativity, she often adapts songs on the fly.  Our favorite (and quite possibly hers) is, "If you're happy and you know it."  Her version goes something like, "Happy clap hands.  Happy clap hands.  Biiiiiiiig happy clap hands."  From there it can continue along the lines of the tradition lyrics, but at some point becomes a form of toddler Simon Says.

"Happy... bonk a head.  Happy... bang da hammer.  Happy... play Poh-Dough.  Happy... do this."  The cutest may have been, "Happy... wiggle belly."  We've found that the imperative nature of the song doesn't work both ways.  Whereas we may be repeatedly encouraged to demonstrate our elation by hopping like a froggy, the game comes to an abrupt halt with such well-intended suggestions as, "Happy... eat your dinner." or "Happy... use the potty."

The Coinslinger

Hard to believe almost a month has passed since my last post. Busy times. The Grub is a couple months old and the size of babies twice her age. (I like to say it that way.)

The Bug has a new game that I really would like to know how she started. It involves her picking an imaginary coin out of a nonexistent pocket and throwing it at the recipient with a forceful flick of the wrist.

Impressively, she can perform this feat with ambidextrous rapid succession. The recipient is expected (rather obligated) to pretend to catch the coin. Hearty congratulations all around for games well played.

Whistle Bug

Small children capture attention. The Bug and the Grub have a bit of a competition going. More of a conscious effort on the Bug's part.

A recent, and endearing, pay-attention-to-me-now technique involves sticking the tip of her finger in her mouth and making a little scream. The toddler whistle. Hard to ignore.

Without going into details, a more daddy directed effort centers around her saying "chocolate cake." The expectation is that I take off running to another room and she can control me. When I exercise my independence, she throws her arms up and yells, "Biiiig chocolate cake!" I laugh, but I don't move.

Attention is a good thing to give children. Positive reinforcement helps with behavioral progress. Such as the Bug's first sucessful use of her frog potty.

All things considered, the Grub's attention getters reign supreme. All around the clock.

Call Time

All the practice the Bug has put in on fake phones (remote controls, video game controllers, shoes, etc.) finally paid off. Recently, we had an actual conversation on the phone, as opposed to the usual silence of her nodding and waving.

Sure. The conversation mainly concerned the monkey and dolly having two eyes, going to play in the dark room, waiting for the light to warm up, and what play was about to transpire and with whom. Still, the lack of previous warm ups made it a tad overwhelming.