Esme will not be in diapers at age 10. Esme will not be in diapers at age 10. This is my mantra these days, because as slow going as the potty training stage is, I have to remind myself that it will not last forever.
Truth is, we've made progress lately. She's put an Elmo sticker on the special "potty calendar" everyday. Problem is that she thinks once a day is all she has to go. Ask her if she wants to go a second time, and you get the, "I do it tomorrow" statement in a matter of fact voice. That is if she doesn't say, "I already went potty."
We tried to up the ante by baking a special potty cake as Dr. Phil suggests to celebrate her efforts and telling her she only gets to eat a piece after she uses the potty. She even has the doll that goes potty, and we lavish praise on the doll to show Esme how good it is to go potty. But still she draws the line at once a day.
We have a special potty training book that she loves and only gets to read when sitting on the potty. And following the advice of another mom I know, we let Esme run around naked for days at a time, to help her learn to use her potty, but that just caused her to throw a fit for her diaper when she had to go. "I need to put on a diaper now, please!"
In short, I feel like I've tried all the things they recommend in books.
So we're taking a page from our friend Chandra and her daughter Chase's method: Jelly Bellies. I'm going to introduce them tonight as special potty treats. Wish us luck! And repeat after me: Esme will not be in diapers at age 10. Esme will not be in diapers at age 10.
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
Friday, February 2, 2007
Our Favorite Children's Books
Continuing yesterday's theme of books, I thought I'd share some of our favorite books here. It drives me crazy getting all of these children's books that are poorly written and having to read them over and over. So here are some books that I find it a pleasure to read time and again with Esme, and that she enjoys just as much.
- In the Night Kitchen, by Maurice Sendak.
Okay, so pretty much any book by Sendak is great. But Esme wants to read this one at least twice a day, and she gets so excited, telling me what's going on in the book: "Look, Mommy, Mickey's in the batter!"
- The Wedding Procession of the Rag Doll and the Broom Handle and Who Was in It, by Carl Sandburg.
Yes, the title is a mouthfull. But it's by Carl Sandburg! Finally, a real writer! It has delightful images (the spoonlickers were my favorites as a child, and they've proven to be Esme's favorites, too), written in a lilting voice. I just don't get tired of it.
-Jamberry, by Bruce Degan.
A fun tale about a boy and a bear hunting berries together. It has so much that feeds a child's imagination, and is written beautifully. I have to thank our niece Anna, who loved this book, for introducing it to us. It's been one of Esme's favorites since she was just learning to talk.
- A Day at the Market, by Sara Anderson.
Jacob's sister gave us this book for Hannekuh, and it has been a blast to read. It's a poetic, colorful tour of Pike Place Market in Seattle, and does an incredible job of capturing the energy of a busy market place. It's fun to read and has me itching to go visit this market in Seattle. Esme likes to read it two or three times in a row, and given that it's a pretty long book, that's saying something!
-The Lorax, by Dr. Seuss
I almost didn't include this because I figured everyone has to know about the Lorax already, but my babysitter Heidi, who has raised two of her own children, had never heard of it. It is a child's first environmental awakening, and I think it is Dr. Seuss's finest work. It's a little long for a toddler, but Esme sits through the whole thing mesmorized because the story is that good.
- Green Eggs and Ham, by Dr. Seuss
Yes, I could list every Dr. Seuss book here. But this one is another gem for us. I do get a little tired of the repetition, but toddler's thrive on it. And it's worth it to hear Esme yell out "Yes he does!" everytime I read, "I do not like green eggs and ham."
What are your favorite children's books?
- In the Night Kitchen, by Maurice Sendak.
Okay, so pretty much any book by Sendak is great. But Esme wants to read this one at least twice a day, and she gets so excited, telling me what's going on in the book: "Look, Mommy, Mickey's in the batter!"
- The Wedding Procession of the Rag Doll and the Broom Handle and Who Was in It, by Carl Sandburg.
Yes, the title is a mouthfull. But it's by Carl Sandburg! Finally, a real writer! It has delightful images (the spoonlickers were my favorites as a child, and they've proven to be Esme's favorites, too), written in a lilting voice. I just don't get tired of it.
-Jamberry, by Bruce Degan.
A fun tale about a boy and a bear hunting berries together. It has so much that feeds a child's imagination, and is written beautifully. I have to thank our niece Anna, who loved this book, for introducing it to us. It's been one of Esme's favorites since she was just learning to talk.
- A Day at the Market, by Sara Anderson.
Jacob's sister gave us this book for Hannekuh, and it has been a blast to read. It's a poetic, colorful tour of Pike Place Market in Seattle, and does an incredible job of capturing the energy of a busy market place. It's fun to read and has me itching to go visit this market in Seattle. Esme likes to read it two or three times in a row, and given that it's a pretty long book, that's saying something!
-The Lorax, by Dr. Seuss
I almost didn't include this because I figured everyone has to know about the Lorax already, but my babysitter Heidi, who has raised two of her own children, had never heard of it. It is a child's first environmental awakening, and I think it is Dr. Seuss's finest work. It's a little long for a toddler, but Esme sits through the whole thing mesmorized because the story is that good.
- Green Eggs and Ham, by Dr. Seuss
Yes, I could list every Dr. Seuss book here. But this one is another gem for us. I do get a little tired of the repetition, but toddler's thrive on it. And it's worth it to hear Esme yell out "Yes he does!" everytime I read, "I do not like green eggs and ham."
What are your favorite children's books?
Thursday, February 1, 2007
Anthropomorphism
Esme watched Wind in the Willows last night, and she was enthralled by the characters - that flamboyent and selfish Toad, wise old Mr. Badger, witty Rat, and homely Mole.
I know from experience shopping around a children's book I wrote a few years back that agents and editors don't like to see anthropomorphism in new stories, but I can't figure out for the life of me why not. Okay, so there is something cheesy about it, but the kids love it. And while it may not be accurate to imply that animals have feelings just like humans, it is important that children understand that animals do have feelings. And the differences between animals's personalities can sometimes help illuminate different human personalities (as in the Wind in the Willows).
So I say bring it on. We'll read Wind in the Willows, and when Esme gets old enough, she'll read Watership Down, which isn't just beautiful for kids but is an amazing book for adults too. Considering all the crap I see in the children's section of bookstores these days (let's just say Disney and other TV brands should stick to video), maybe these editors and agents need to rethink what they're looking for.
I know from experience shopping around a children's book I wrote a few years back that agents and editors don't like to see anthropomorphism in new stories, but I can't figure out for the life of me why not. Okay, so there is something cheesy about it, but the kids love it. And while it may not be accurate to imply that animals have feelings just like humans, it is important that children understand that animals do have feelings. And the differences between animals's personalities can sometimes help illuminate different human personalities (as in the Wind in the Willows).
So I say bring it on. We'll read Wind in the Willows, and when Esme gets old enough, she'll read Watership Down, which isn't just beautiful for kids but is an amazing book for adults too. Considering all the crap I see in the children's section of bookstores these days (let's just say Disney and other TV brands should stick to video), maybe these editors and agents need to rethink what they're looking for.
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
The Family Bed
I awoke at some wee hour of the morning being edged out of our king-sized bed. Emil was snuggled into my side, using my arm as a pillow. Esme was stretched out horizontally, her feet towards me and her head towards Jacob. Cleo, our dog, was stretched out at the foot of the bed, her pink elephant stuffed animal tucked under her paw (I kid you not).
Welcome to the family bed. Tight as it might get, I wouldn't have it any other way. Well, sometimes it would be nice to have just me and Jacob in there again. But I do enjoy our family bed.
To be fair, Esme doesn't always sleep with us, but she's been doing it on our travels and it's been hard to say no to her since we returned home. Especially since she knows Cleo and Emil are in bed with us. It seems kind of mean to force her to sleep alone in her bed.
There are plenty of debates about cosleeping, particularly with an infant Emil's age. Some people believe that it increases the risk of SIDS, while others claim that the data shows just the opposite. According to this site, most cases of SIDS are reported from crib deaths, and deaths of infants in adult beds occur mainly when the child is sleeping alone in an adult bed rather than with the mother.
As for me, I combine my gut with my research. There seems to be no definitive research on the topic, so I refer to my gut, which says that Emil is safest and happiest in his mother's arms at night. He sleeps in his bassinet or crib during the day, and he begins the night in his bassinet. But when I wake up to feed him in the middle of the night, if I try to put him back into his bassinet he grunts his complaint until I relent and pick him up again. Not only does he enjoy it, but I enjoy it, too. I can fall back asleep while he's nursing.
So for now we will stick to the family bed. It's not the best for romantic evenings, but it's not forever.
Welcome to the family bed. Tight as it might get, I wouldn't have it any other way. Well, sometimes it would be nice to have just me and Jacob in there again. But I do enjoy our family bed.
To be fair, Esme doesn't always sleep with us, but she's been doing it on our travels and it's been hard to say no to her since we returned home. Especially since she knows Cleo and Emil are in bed with us. It seems kind of mean to force her to sleep alone in her bed.
There are plenty of debates about cosleeping, particularly with an infant Emil's age. Some people believe that it increases the risk of SIDS, while others claim that the data shows just the opposite. According to this site, most cases of SIDS are reported from crib deaths, and deaths of infants in adult beds occur mainly when the child is sleeping alone in an adult bed rather than with the mother.
As for me, I combine my gut with my research. There seems to be no definitive research on the topic, so I refer to my gut, which says that Emil is safest and happiest in his mother's arms at night. He sleeps in his bassinet or crib during the day, and he begins the night in his bassinet. But when I wake up to feed him in the middle of the night, if I try to put him back into his bassinet he grunts his complaint until I relent and pick him up again. Not only does he enjoy it, but I enjoy it, too. I can fall back asleep while he's nursing.
So for now we will stick to the family bed. It's not the best for romantic evenings, but it's not forever.
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
I'm back! With travel tips to boot.
Sorry for the delay, but I'm finally back. We've been traveling a lot in January, first to Tennessee and Kentucky and then to Palm Springs. Fresh from the road, I've got some travel tips for you.
- Always bring extra diapers.
We were delayed by 9 hours(!!!) trying to leave Palm Springs. It's normally a 1-hour flight, so I had packed enough diapers to get us through 3-4 hours. Silly me. Luckily, they got into our checked suitcase and found more diapers for us.
- When packing toys, think compact.
I'm an expert at packing for the kids. You need artwork of some sort (coloring book, crayons) and books to read. The Maurice Sendak Nutshell Library is perfect because it's a collection of 4 tiny books, giving lots of reading without taking up lots of space.
Hand or finger puppets are great because they serve the same purpose as stuffed animals without taking up the space. You can have a puppet show on the plane, keeping kids under 5 happy for long stretches of time.
And layer puzzles are great, again because they take up so little space while giving toddlers the chance to practice their fine motor skills.
I also always try to pack something new and exciting. On this last flight, it was a sticker book. But don't forget that old favorite toy that provides comfort.
- Go for the suite spot.
Hotel suites, that is. Kids can nap in the bedroom while mom and dad hang out in the living room area, watching movies, playing games, reading books, etc. We're fans of the Embassy Suites, because they have a manager's reception in the evening (free drinks!), an indoor pool, a cool atrium common space that the kids love to run around, and complementary cook-to-order breakfasts.
- Roll your carseat through the airport.
If you travel 2-3 times a year, it is worth investing in a convertible carseat/stroller. You don't have to check anything at the gate. You just roll the child's stroller right up to the gate, and convert it into a carseat for the plane (or check it, if you have a lap child). At around $200, it's the best investment I ever made. The only problem is that Esme loves her travel carseat so much that she throws a temper tantrum when she has to get out of it to go through security.
- Always bring extra diapers.
We were delayed by 9 hours(!!!) trying to leave Palm Springs. It's normally a 1-hour flight, so I had packed enough diapers to get us through 3-4 hours. Silly me. Luckily, they got into our checked suitcase and found more diapers for us.
- When packing toys, think compact.
I'm an expert at packing for the kids. You need artwork of some sort (coloring book, crayons) and books to read. The Maurice Sendak Nutshell Library is perfect because it's a collection of 4 tiny books, giving lots of reading without taking up lots of space.
Hand or finger puppets are great because they serve the same purpose as stuffed animals without taking up the space. You can have a puppet show on the plane, keeping kids under 5 happy for long stretches of time.
And layer puzzles are great, again because they take up so little space while giving toddlers the chance to practice their fine motor skills.
I also always try to pack something new and exciting. On this last flight, it was a sticker book. But don't forget that old favorite toy that provides comfort.
- Go for the suite spot.
Hotel suites, that is. Kids can nap in the bedroom while mom and dad hang out in the living room area, watching movies, playing games, reading books, etc. We're fans of the Embassy Suites, because they have a manager's reception in the evening (free drinks!), an indoor pool, a cool atrium common space that the kids love to run around, and complementary cook-to-order breakfasts.
- Roll your carseat through the airport.
If you travel 2-3 times a year, it is worth investing in a convertible carseat/stroller. You don't have to check anything at the gate. You just roll the child's stroller right up to the gate, and convert it into a carseat for the plane (or check it, if you have a lap child). At around $200, it's the best investment I ever made. The only problem is that Esme loves her travel carseat so much that she throws a temper tantrum when she has to get out of it to go through security.
Thursday, January 4, 2007
Who has Time to Blog?
This is an apologetic post, a post about not posting, if you will.
Everyone is sick. Esme, Emil, Jacob, me. Hell, I think I even heard the dog coughing last night. We're interviewing nannies, a stressful process under the best of circumstances. Esme's daycare provider is on vacation. And I have three deadlines Monday, and two more looming soon after that. And did I mention that we leave for 'vacation' next week (if you can call visiting family and researching travel pieces with two very young children in tow vacation)? So I can pretty much promise that I won't have time to blog much until after Jan. 16, when we return from vacation.
See you in cyperspace then.
Everyone is sick. Esme, Emil, Jacob, me. Hell, I think I even heard the dog coughing last night. We're interviewing nannies, a stressful process under the best of circumstances. Esme's daycare provider is on vacation. And I have three deadlines Monday, and two more looming soon after that. And did I mention that we leave for 'vacation' next week (if you can call visiting family and researching travel pieces with two very young children in tow vacation)? So I can pretty much promise that I won't have time to blog much until after Jan. 16, when we return from vacation.
See you in cyperspace then.
Monday, January 1, 2007
A New Year's Resolution Gets the Ax
Hallelujah. The NY Times has exonerated me by declaring "messy closet owners are probably better parents and nicer and cooler than their tidier counterparts" in this story (subscription required).
The article talks about how more creative people with limber minds are more likely to have messy desks, among other things. This is nothing new, except it confirms something most of us have thought for a long time: if your house is too clean, then you probably don't have a life. The beauty of seeing this in print is it allows us to let go of the guilt many of us feel when we look around at our cluttered lives. Each piece of clutter is actually a sign of a life well lived. Looking around this New Year's Day, I see toys, several party hats that we made with Esme last night, an empty bottle of Dom Perignon, and the remains of a delicious breakfast. I realize I live a very full life indeed.
I guess I can cross off the New Year's Resolution that says try to be cleaner. Nice.
The article talks about how more creative people with limber minds are more likely to have messy desks, among other things. This is nothing new, except it confirms something most of us have thought for a long time: if your house is too clean, then you probably don't have a life. The beauty of seeing this in print is it allows us to let go of the guilt many of us feel when we look around at our cluttered lives. Each piece of clutter is actually a sign of a life well lived. Looking around this New Year's Day, I see toys, several party hats that we made with Esme last night, an empty bottle of Dom Perignon, and the remains of a delicious breakfast. I realize I live a very full life indeed.
I guess I can cross off the New Year's Resolution that says try to be cleaner. Nice.
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