Thursday, June 26, 2008
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
New words startle me!
Monkey's daycare is closed for the week. I love this Montessori School more than I care to admit, but this whole mimicking the school schedule drives me crazy. The school year "ended" and there were parties, and now it is closed for just over a week, to reopen for "summer school." Meanwhile, those of us that stay stateside for the summer scramble to find daycare for a week!
Luckily, or maybe because I am anal and plan waaaay far ahead, I was able to arrange for Monkey's favorite teacher from school to watch her this week. And yes, I asked months ago.
Vicki had one minor conflict, which was attending the 8th grade graduation of her cousin, Skye. She even lined up an alternative sitter for me (another teacher from the school, whom I didn't know would sit on her days off - score!) but then something came up for her, too. Medical stuff. So Vicki decided, in typical teacher fashion, to roll with the punches and come up with a solution. Which was, to take Monkey TO the graduation ceremony and family party in Brooklyn. I was all, um, you ok with that? But Vicki assured me it would work out well. Besides, her mom wanted to meet the "baby with all the hair" as Monkey was referred to in the beginning....now she's the insane toddler with all the hair. Heh. (see? how cute was she!)
Not only did Monkey enjoy the graduation ceremony (the kids sang songs) but she SAT STILL FOR AN HOUR playing with Vicki's sidekick and wallet. Hopefully Monkey didn't text any ex-boyfriends by accident....
I know, I actually typed out the words in the paragraph above. In caps. And no, I don't believe it actually happened. I think Vicki is delusional - my insane toddler, the one that runs all.the.time....she sat still? Unthinkable.
Monkey's exceptional behavior continued at the party where she sat still to polish off her lunch and ask for more, politely. Vicki was laughing when she told me about this - because at this point her family starting insisting that Monkey HAD to be older than 22 months....since no 22 month old would actually behave that way. See, they witnessed this and they didn't believe it, either!
After the party, in a good mood, Monkey and Vicki went to the Prospect Park Zoo. And Monkey loved it. Now she knows what the zebras and monkeys are, so spotting them is fun. Vicki parked the stroller and Monkey ran (making up for lost time and reverting to the mean...) the entire time they were there.
When I came home from work last night I asked Monkey about her day, and asked her what she saw at the zoo. I expected her to say giraffe, elephant, monkey, or even cow (from the children's zoo part). Nope. She looked at me and said "meerkat."
There was a 2 or 3 second pause as my brain scrambled to understand this word. Monkey pronounced it correctly, I just wasn't expecting it! It honestly startled me.
I figured that this was a fluke, but when M got home Monkey also reported to Daddy that she had seen a meerkat at the zoo.
And this morning? She asked for a meerkat when M went into her room after she woke up.
This kid cracks me up.
Luckily, or maybe because I am anal and plan waaaay far ahead, I was able to arrange for Monkey's favorite teacher from school to watch her this week. And yes, I asked months ago.
Vicki had one minor conflict, which was attending the 8th grade graduation of her cousin, Skye. She even lined up an alternative sitter for me (another teacher from the school, whom I didn't know would sit on her days off - score!) but then something came up for her, too. Medical stuff. So Vicki decided, in typical teacher fashion, to roll with the punches and come up with a solution. Which was, to take Monkey TO the graduation ceremony and family party in Brooklyn. I was all, um, you ok with that? But Vicki assured me it would work out well. Besides, her mom wanted to meet the "baby with all the hair" as Monkey was referred to in the beginning....now she's the insane toddler with all the hair. Heh. (see? how cute was she!)
Not only did Monkey enjoy the graduation ceremony (the kids sang songs) but she SAT STILL FOR AN HOUR playing with Vicki's sidekick and wallet. Hopefully Monkey didn't text any ex-boyfriends by accident....
I know, I actually typed out the words in the paragraph above. In caps. And no, I don't believe it actually happened. I think Vicki is delusional - my insane toddler, the one that runs all.the.time....she sat still? Unthinkable.
Monkey's exceptional behavior continued at the party where she sat still to polish off her lunch and ask for more, politely. Vicki was laughing when she told me about this - because at this point her family starting insisting that Monkey HAD to be older than 22 months....since no 22 month old would actually behave that way. See, they witnessed this and they didn't believe it, either!
After the party, in a good mood, Monkey and Vicki went to the Prospect Park Zoo. And Monkey loved it. Now she knows what the zebras and monkeys are, so spotting them is fun. Vicki parked the stroller and Monkey ran (making up for lost time and reverting to the mean...) the entire time they were there.
When I came home from work last night I asked Monkey about her day, and asked her what she saw at the zoo. I expected her to say giraffe, elephant, monkey, or even cow (from the children's zoo part). Nope. She looked at me and said "meerkat."
There was a 2 or 3 second pause as my brain scrambled to understand this word. Monkey pronounced it correctly, I just wasn't expecting it! It honestly startled me.
I figured that this was a fluke, but when M got home Monkey also reported to Daddy that she had seen a meerkat at the zoo.
And this morning? She asked for a meerkat when M went into her room after she woke up.
This kid cracks me up.
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Time out
It is official. Mommy got a time out this morning. We were eating breakfast together, and I reached over to help myself to a piece of her dried mango. Well, apparently that infraction was going to go down on my permanent record, because Monkey gave me a time out.
"Time out Mommy, no mango. Time out!"
When I asked her if she was giving Mommy a time out, she said (with great gusto and vigor) YES!
But when I asked her why I was getting the time out (to see if the no mango rule would continue) do you know what she did? She shifted her eyes left and right, in William Shatner-like overacting, as she said "hmmmmm..." and tried to come up with a rationale. I swear to g*d, she was trying to make something up!
I about feel off my chair laughing. It's official, that kid is just bottled insanity. And I love it. Of course, next time I give her a time out and she starts laughing, I might regret this morning....
"Time out Mommy, no mango. Time out!"
When I asked her if she was giving Mommy a time out, she said (with great gusto and vigor) YES!
But when I asked her why I was getting the time out (to see if the no mango rule would continue) do you know what she did? She shifted her eyes left and right, in William Shatner-like overacting, as she said "hmmmmm..." and tried to come up with a rationale. I swear to g*d, she was trying to make something up!
I about feel off my chair laughing. It's official, that kid is just bottled insanity. And I love it. Of course, next time I give her a time out and she starts laughing, I might regret this morning....
Thursday, June 19, 2008
No, Mommy
This morning was almost perfect.
M and I got up on time, in and out of the shower on time, got to eat our breakfasts in peace (Monkey was sleeping in, hence the peace), and when daddy finally woke up Monkey she was smiling and happy. God, I love mornings like this!
Only then it went downhill when I tried to depant Monkey to 1) change her diaper that was so oversoaked it looked like she had a bowling ball hanging down under her butt and 2) get her in her clothes for school.
That's when the "no, Mommy"s began. Again, and again, and again, and again, and again, and again, and again,and again,and again,and again,and again,and again,and again,and again,and again,and again,and again,and again,and again, and I can I stop typing that because you get the idea? Oh thank g*d. (ever notice if you type or say a word too many times it starts to sound like nonsense? or is that just me?)
So, we compromised. She wore her jammies t-shirt under some cute overalls....and, in the interest of world peace and getting to work before 10am, after I put the overalls on Monkey I put the pants to her jammies on OVER her clothes.
And that is how she went to the last day of school for the year. How much do you want to bet at least one of the teacher's brought a camera?
M and I got up on time, in and out of the shower on time, got to eat our breakfasts in peace (Monkey was sleeping in, hence the peace), and when daddy finally woke up Monkey she was smiling and happy. God, I love mornings like this!
Only then it went downhill when I tried to depant Monkey to 1) change her diaper that was so oversoaked it looked like she had a bowling ball hanging down under her butt and 2) get her in her clothes for school.
That's when the "no, Mommy"s began. Again, and again, and again, and again, and again, and again, and again,and again,and again,and again,and again,and again,and again,and again,and again,and again,and again,and again,and again, and I can I stop typing that because you get the idea? Oh thank g*d. (ever notice if you type or say a word too many times it starts to sound like nonsense? or is that just me?)
So, we compromised. She wore her jammies t-shirt under some cute overalls....and, in the interest of world peace and getting to work before 10am, after I put the overalls on Monkey I put the pants to her jammies on OVER her clothes.
And that is how she went to the last day of school for the year. How much do you want to bet at least one of the teacher's brought a camera?
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
A new sherriff is in town
I think I've blogged about the bizarre love triangles at Monkey's daycare/school before...needless to say the social complexities of a classroom full of toddlers never ceases to amaze me!
It used to be that Monkey loved Roman, who loved Filipa, who didn't love Roman, while Caleb loved Monkey and so on and so forth....
Well, there's a new sherriff in town. Monkey now favors Caleb.
Last night, at school pick-up, Caleb's mom and I left at the same time and walked together a bit. The kids were happy and chattering, and Monkey even shared her everything bagel with Caleb. We got to the front of Caleb's apartment building, and it was time for them to go in while we continued on our way.
We said our goodbyes, and left.
Monkey was bereft.
She wanted Caleb back, and mourned his absence for a good ten blocks. She was crying out CALEB so piteously at one point that a kindly grandmother clucked, shook her head, and said "oh poor baby, you've lost your toy Caleb..." I had to giggle and explain that no, Caleb was Monkey's boyfriend. Grandma's face was priceless as she tried not to also laugh.
Like I said, a new sherriff's in town. But wait, next week it might be Daniel who has won the favor of Monkey's heart....love's a fickle thing in a 22 month old!
It used to be that Monkey loved Roman, who loved Filipa, who didn't love Roman, while Caleb loved Monkey and so on and so forth....
Well, there's a new sherriff in town. Monkey now favors Caleb.
Last night, at school pick-up, Caleb's mom and I left at the same time and walked together a bit. The kids were happy and chattering, and Monkey even shared her everything bagel with Caleb. We got to the front of Caleb's apartment building, and it was time for them to go in while we continued on our way.
We said our goodbyes, and left.
Monkey was bereft.
She wanted Caleb back, and mourned his absence for a good ten blocks. She was crying out CALEB so piteously at one point that a kindly grandmother clucked, shook her head, and said "oh poor baby, you've lost your toy Caleb..." I had to giggle and explain that no, Caleb was Monkey's boyfriend. Grandma's face was priceless as she tried not to also laugh.
Like I said, a new sherriff's in town. But wait, next week it might be Daniel who has won the favor of Monkey's heart....love's a fickle thing in a 22 month old!
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