Daycare feats

I had a "student-teacher" conference a few weeks back where they told me Elias was a bright, normal 2 year old. It was interesting how he shows abilities and difficulties at daycare differently than at home. For example, at daycare he's the best at waiting until everyone is served before eating(!), whereas at home sometimes he's gobbled down half his meal before I even get everything set on the table. Alternatively, they were surprised to learn that he was using a fork and spoon just fine at home, fingers--or, rather, fist-fulls--being the serving tool of choice there. Another example is that they only have him down for knowing 1/2 his colors, typical for his age...but I know he's known then all cold since last May. He's sneaky, my little one. I told them that, and that he also knows all his letters and the sounds associated with them, but I think they just put it down to mother's bias. I wish his daycare would push "academics" more, rather than settling for the "lowest common denominator" goals of the Madison school district. If Elias knows this much just from what brief, jumbled exposure I give him, just imagine what he'd do given some informed, intentional teaching. But even if they're lagging on that front, his daycare is wonderful at doing other things I wouldn't be as good at providing. They have tons of varied art projects, dramma, group activites, guests that play music or speak Spanish with them, and outdoor play nearly every day, sun or snow. He's spending a lot of time with kids his own age, learning important social skills--something his mom wishes she'd learned better, herself.

A few days ago this "biased mom" got a nice rush of justification, though. Wednesday Elias slept in, therefore I slept in, and we were running late for school and work. His class was already at breakfast so I brought him in there (where, incidentially, he immediately walked around to an empty chair, seated himself, and waited patiently to be served--unlike the whiney chaos typical of his 1st daily breakfasts at home!) His teacher excitedly referred to when I'd told her he knows his alphabet, and said "he really does!" and related how the day before he was casually reading off all the letters of a banner in the room, and proceded to do the same with other printed matter. She asked the 3yr olds teacher to back her up, and she also got excited and said how Elias could "read" the signs and spell his name and was just amazing, like no other kid she'd ever seen do that [that young]. I may've let slip a "I told you so," but played it cool.  It was certainly a nice way to start the day (even if I did show up 40 min late to work.)

Wednesday Elias went potty on the toilet for the first time at daycare.  He was progressing quite well over Christmas, but hasn't shown much interest since coming back home.  I'm told boys often do that.  The great thing is, Thursday he did it 4 times (never having a wet diaper), and again several times on Friday.  He complains a bit, but will do it at home, too, so hopefully this time it'll "take" for good.  His aim could use some help, however:  this morning he peed all over my leg and foot, as I was sitting next to him sitting on his potty.  Oh well.  I think it's time to take out his urinal, even though I've been unsuccessful at recruiting anyone to demonstrate its usage.

We're back, I think.

It seems my appetite for blogging, like all my hobbies, goes in great spurts then wanes to nearly nothing.  I don't get tired of bragging about Elias, but lately writing about him has required more energy than I had.  Yet, I don't want to deprive the world of news!  I try really hard not to dwell too much on his wonderfulness to the handful of people I get to talk to face to face, so it's also a nice outlet for me.  Bragging in prose is much more acceptable than doing it in person.

First things first:  Elias came through his surgery in flying colors.  He had both ear tubes replaced and an adenoidectomy (scraping off the immune tissue at the back of his throat right behind his nose.)   Just 3 hrs later they sent us home and he was cracking jokes and running around (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HRYnvS1LaCo).  I, on the other hand, was wiped and the next day came down with a horrific cold or something that laid me low for a week.  The very next week his teachers reported he was listening (hearing?) better, and his horrible nighttime snoring has stopped!  I think my initial reluctance was justified, but I am happy with the outcome.  Thanks for your prayers.

more bad news from the ENT

Today we had our supposidly last appointment with the ear-nose-throat doctor, a year after Elias' ear tubes were put in.  At the last appointment he had a nasty ear infection and the left tube had come out, but he seemed recovered and I fully expected him to get a clean bill of health this time.  Not.  He said Elias still had fluid behind his eardrum that was stopping him from hearing well, and it wasn't going to go away by itself.  That, plus his heavy snoring and constantly runny nose, made him say that Elias needed followup surgery, to replace both ear tubes plus remove adenoid glands.  In general I am very much against any "ectomy"--God put stuff there for a reason, even if we don't know the reason.  Medical history is replete with examples of surgeons removing "useless" parts, only to discover later their important health role.  I talked to the ENT quite a while, then his nurse, and now am going through the literature.  I am convinced it will help him; I'm just not entirely sure it won't also hurt him in terms of immunological function.  We can use your prayers for a correct decision.

a burst of firsts

I am sooo tired...but wanted to brag a bit about Elias' afternoon before tomorrow's antics cause me to forget.

Elias attended his first concert:  Maennechor's German Christmas concert and diner.  A friend of ours is a member.  They were really good--the singers and Elias.  Elias was a bundle of energy, but was mostly contained at our table, and mostly not very loud.  J* especially helped entertain/watch him.  They may've thought he was crazy hyper, but I was very pleased at his good behavior--after all, I was asking a 2 year old to listen to a bunch of men sing for 2 hrs in German.  Into the 2nd set, though, I did take him out to play in the gym, because he started shouting out his own song request:  Jingle Bells.  He had a great time running and jumping around in there.  We rejoined our friends just before Father Christmas (decked out German style) made his grand appearance.  He stopped and blessed Elias, who then followed him up to the front.  He sat on his lap--his first Santa-sitting.  Elias wasn't talkitive, but did give a big smile when I said our private joke, "applesauce!"

We got home around his bedtime.  While changing into PJs he got that strange look on his face so I asked if he wanted to sit on the potty, and he said yes.  So he did.  THIS time, though, unlike the seemingly hundreds of other times, he actually pee'd in it!  First time!  Hooray!  He seemed pretty pleased at his achievement as well.  We called Nanna to tell her.  She asked if he was going to go in his potty tomorrow too, and he confidently said "Maybe."  It was so cute and funny, and the first time I heard him use that word.  I asked, "You're going to go in your potty tomorrow, maybe?"   "Maybe," he answered.  "And maybe not?"  "Maybe...maybe not."  I guess it's good we both have honest and reasonable expectations.

In getting ready for bed at last, he said something and for the first time I think used "am"-- like "I am all finished now."  Usually he says "I finished now."  I wish I could remember the sentence!  He sounded so grown up.  I am facinated by how well he grasps grammar, which is confusing to everyone at some level.  He always says "I" when referring to himself (it used to be "Elias," in the 3rd person), even though I mirror back "you."  Tonight he said he was "good" (as they teach him at daycare) but then immediately corrected himself and said "well" (as I always model for him when he asks how I am, although I've never corrected his "good").  The one thing I noticed him missing lately, is that sometimes he'll switch the word order for adjectives, so that "sock puppets" become "puppets sock."

[Addition:  I guess I *was* tired!  I fell asleep last night writing this so am just mailing it out now.]

little squirt

Last night I almost forgot to give Elias his Saturday night bath.  So it was late and I was pretty tired after a long week.  He, however, was full of energy and loved splashing around, pouring water over his head, and trying out his technique from swim class.  At one point he stopped, looked me dead in the eye, then spit a huge stream of water right in my face.  No, I didn't see it coming, and his aim was good; I was soaked.  At least I had changed into a tank top beforehand.

Winter Weekend

More often than not, I feel like I'm barely keeping my head above water as a mother.  The spirit is willing, but the body is weak, and the days are far too short.  Yesterday I felt like I was gaining ground just a bit, rather than treading water & sinking.  A good portion of the morning Elias was happy entertaining himself--a transition from his former extreme clinginess, for which I am very thankful.  In this case I got to sleep in then do 3 loads of laundry.  We drove into town to get my TB test read (negative), picked up some frozen dinners for the babysitter, then stopped for lunch at MacDonald's.  He was constantly moving like a, well, like an energetic 2 year old, but was generally well-behaved.  Going out with him no longer takes every last drop of energy I have.  We got home and he said he was sleepy and it was time for a nap(!).  While he napped I cleaned the kitchen and did a little winterizing outside, but when I came back in for some quiet time myself, he woke up. 

They've been reading about gingerbread men at daycare, so I decided to make some with Elias.  He loved rolling out the dough and especially pressing down the cookie cutter--preferably many times over the same cookies, so it was tricky rescuing intact cutouts.  He insisted on circle and dinosaur shapes as well, like one of his books has, so I improvised.  Elias liked dropping little cut-up pieces of dough all over the floor.  His offer of I clean up! while knocking the mop into walls and counters was well-intentioned but not very helpful.  When it came to cleaning up the huge collection of toys and books scattered in the livingroom, he was definitely not well-intentioned.  He ignored me or blatantly refused to help clean up, resulting in about 5 rounds of "time out" in his room and a few times of me moving books not back to the bookshelf or wndowseat, but instead to the mantle where he can see them but can't reach them, eliciting mini-tantrums each time.  Eventually the livingroom got picked up and no one was hurt:  point scored for Mommy.  Then I vacuumed, and Elias was brave in the face of that scariest of all noises.  Because of his waning interest, we didn't end up decorating the gingerbread cookies, but that was OK.  We read books and colored and had a nice dinner and generally enjoyed each other.  When he went down to sleep at what is becoming his new bedtime, 8pm, I frosted the cookies and checked email, where I discovered a few preview pictures from our photo session last weekend.  Didn't quite get to ordering Christmas cards, though.

Today didn't seem nearly as successful:  reversion towards the mean.  I felt tired out and lazy and uncreative from the start.  Looking back now, though, it wasn't too bad.  Elias enjoyed going to Sunday School, and afterwards he played outside while I finally got his carseat to give up some slack so the poor kid can get circulation to his legs now that he's wearing winter clothes.  I'm surprised how willing he is to wear mittens (unlike his mom.)  Anyway, I also packed up a big box of 18month-sized clothes to donate to church and got him to help clean up the livingroom a couple times without all the drama of yesterday.  He rocked to his CDs (he turns the volume all the way up).  He was getting whiney when I started making dinner so I let him help, which he really enjoyed, saying I help Mommy!  I help dinner.  I taste!  It made him more eager to eat it afterwards, too, I think (spicy Thai chicken with grean beans and noodles, cooked in coconut milk).  I gave him a bubble bath, then we talked on the phone with Nanna and Pappa.  Then after several books he said it was time for bed.

Tomorrow it's back to work.  With only 2 weeks left before we leave for Christmas vacation it's sure to be very busy...yet compared to tending a 2 year old, I expect it will feel relatively relaxing.

EIEIO

Elias sings a lot now.  My favorite (mostly because I can recognize it) is Old MacDonald.  Farms in Elias World are populated with cows and chickens...and lions, tigers, puffins, coyotes, sea lions, and the occasional mommy and semi circle.  (Mommies kiss, but the semi-circle had me stumped.)  Lately it's been more challenging for me, since he started added descriptors to the animals--one bird or a big bear--and wants me to repeat it exactly during the song.

Along with EIEIO he also spells out ELIAS with a little help, and then shouts out his full name.  He also spells ACTION along with his "Kids in Action" CD.