T: Toddling, Turkeys, Tomatoes

Dear Maya,

Mommy is sitting here trying to remember the last week and it's kind of a blur. Until this morning, your insanely early wake ups were making our heads spin with exhaustion. However, after a quick glance through mommy's sleep bible (Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child by Dr. Marc Weissbluth), we had a plan. This morning when you woke up at 4:45 with a dirty diaper, we changed you without speaking and put you back in your crib. After a few whines, you laid down to sleep until 7:45! Yeah!

 

Our big event last week was our trip to the county fair! We didn't cover nearly as much ground as we had last year, but you weren't in a stroller. You especially loved looking at the turkeys, llamas, cows and wild animals, and the "Santa trees" and pumpkins in the four season-themed landscaping contest.

We went on the Ferris wheel together and then you saw the 'zipper' and wanted to ride that, too! Luckily the merry-go-round and helicopter rides distracted you. You also wanted to try an obstacle course with daddy, but when you were too scared to go down a chute you had to be let out.

 

 

It was a great day at the fair but we were all so tired that mommy didn't have the energy or patience to take you to the farm for our crop share the next day. Instead I went without you after daddy got home and it's amazing how many cherry tomatoes ended up in our fridge compared to previous trips when so many ended up in your belly! You did get to eat plenty of tomatoes this week, though, since that was our key word for our letter "T" study. You caught on pretty quickly.

 

 Well, off to bed for this mama. Love you!

S: Spotted, Spinning, Sweetheart

Dear Maya,

It's been a sometimes difficult, sometimes beautiful week for us.

Mommy's great aunt passed away last Sunday and you came with me to her wake on Wednesday. Aunt Gert was a clever, funny, kind woman who chocked a lot of amazing experiences into her 91 years. There were lovely photos of her and family members at the wake and the overall mood was more nostalgic than somber. It's a good thing, too, because you wouldn't stop giggling, spinning, dancing, climbing on and tunneling under chairs the whole time we were there. Sigh...

We left the wake and went straight to the pediatrician to have your latest rash looked at. Your scarlet fever bumps took a while to disappear completely, and then all of the sudden you got a new, different-looking rash that you've been scratching like crazy. You were even more, er, animated at the doctor's than at the wake, causing him to call you a "force of nature" and a "very active child" with a sort of glazed look in his eyes. Mommy was exhausted by the end of that day to say the least.

Thursday was Obon, a holiday in Japan when families gather and honor their ancestors. We were surprised to find that you still fit in the jinbei outfit your grandparents sent us a couple years ago. Luckily it's more versatile than, say, a kimono as you played with rocks and sticks in it!

Starting Friday afternoon your wild behavior from earlier in the week started to become slightly more tame. You were helpful and a better listener at the farm on Friday, you had a nice time with daddy while mommy went to yard sales on Saturday, and Sunday we had a fun family trip to the dollar store. And because mommy's sure there will be more crazy moods ahead, we stocked up on lots of mini puzzles, stickers, and crafty items for you while you ran around with a bouncy ball and sunglasses.

 

Today we went to the pediatrician yet again. Part of the reason is because your rash has gotten even worse and we were told last time to come back if it did. Part of the reason is that you burned your hand on a frying pan this morning when daddy was making you breakfast! You didn't seem to be in pain but mommy didn't like the color of the burn. The doctor we saw today gave us good suggestions on how to care for it as well as the rash which she said is eczema-related. Whew!

Well, here's hoping for a quieter week ahead. Love you!

P.S. We studied "S" is for "sun" this week.

R is for Rainbows

Dear Maya,

As we studied "R" this week we were going to focus on robots, but mommy dropped the ball preparing all the activities I had planned, so we switched to rainbows instead. Much easier, fits with your current colors obsession, and we can do robots when we go through the alphabet again--works for me!

On Tuesday we did our regular story time at the library and, as usual, you ignored the books being read and sat at the craft table doing your own thing. But when Miss Kristin finished reading and said we should go outside to enjoy the beautiful weather, you perked up and started to run outside before mommy could even pick up her bag to go with you! You enjoyed the bubbles, sidewalk chalk, and just running around with the other kids who you'd been ignoring two minutes earlier. Hmmm...

 

On Wednesday Aunt Kelsie came over to babysit you while mommy went to the dentist. Later mommy took Baby Grace's photos and you got in some pictures, too. You are really starting to like having a baby cousin and you kept touching her hands and feet and commenting how small and cute they are.

On Thursday we went to visit your great grandparents. As soon as we got to their house they told us they were taking you shopping for sneakers! At first you didn't want to try on any shoes because that meant taking off your precious pink rain boots (note: it wasn't raining) but after a while we managed to get you into some adorable grey sneakers and red sandals. When we got back to their house you finally got the hang of peddling your 'big' bicycle--it must've been the new sneakers!

 

Saturday was the end of the library's summer reading program. Over the course of the six-week program you 'read' about 285 books! Wow! At the closing event you enjoyed playing with water balloons, eating ice cream, and even managed to share toys with the other kids.

 

Over the weekend mommy and daddy each had some time for themselves and also got to spend some time alone together! Uncle Matt and Aunt Rhi babysat you so we could go out for dinner and a movie. It's been a looong time since we've been on a date and we missed you but it was so nice to have the time to talk and eat without being interrupted. And you were so tired out from playing with Matt and Rhi that you slept until 7:30 the next morning! Hallelujah! They can babysit you anytime!

Well, it's back to the library again tomorrow morning so mommy needs some rest. Love you!

Q is for Queen

Dear Maya,

"Who's the queen of the house?" If we ask you this question, you answer a different person each time. If you ask any of us this question, we pretty much always answer Maya. This week you've had plenty of attention and so it's no wonder that you think the world revolves around you!

On Wednesday, mommy's friends Megan and Paul came to visit. It didn't take you long to warm up to them and soon you were asking them to follow you to this room or play together with that toy. It was really sweet. On Thursday we all hiked to the local waterfalls in the morning and then hung out indoors due to rainy weather. You enjoyed playing with the fun toys that they brought you and even more so the wrapping. After your nap on Friday you were pretty sad that your new playmates had departed.

Then on Saturday night Aunt Bobbie and Billy came to visit so you got to play with them all Sunday morning. You had them following your explicit instructions on how to play with foam stickers. That night with yet another set of playmates gone, you tried to join Matt and Rhi's card game--you used a bench to climb up and get a set of doggie game cards that were too high for you to reach, picked them all up when they fell and scattered, then went to their table to join in. It was so adorable!
 

 

   
You caught on pretty quickly to the letter "Q" and the key word "queen" this week. To our surprise you've also picked up some pretty specific words such as hummingbird and sunflower. You've been mimicking the adults around you in other ways, too, by brushing your teeth more accurately (instead of just chewing on the toothbrush) and trying to help us cook almost every single meal. Usually you make it harder for us, but you just love touching the ingredients and mixing everything together.

Well, it's getting late and you've been up early lately so mommy needs some shuteye!