Such a freak

Posted on July 23, 2008

Following the last post full of praise for my child, this one is the exact opposite:

Yesterday, I sat Chloe down at her table with a coloring book and some crayons to entertain her while I was cooking dinner. Suddenly, I hear Chloe going, “Yucky,” and then spitting. You guessed it, she decided to nibble on one of her crayons! I mean, the kid is TWO! And I promise you, this was not the first time I gave her crayons. Seriously, my kid is such a FREAK!

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Things I am doing right

Posted on July 22, 2008

I know I write a lot of posts on my fears that I am irreparably damaging my child. I think that every now and then, I need to take some time and reflect on what I am doing right.

1. I talk to Chloe all the time. (okay okay, so many times I am talking to myself, but she’s there, too!) As a possible result, Chloe is extremely verbal. (AKA. She never stops talking!) Just recently, she busted out with, “Look mommy, Triceratops!”, “Internet on the puter” AND she spells her name! For that last one, I credit the fact that I turned it into a chant, and she picks up chants rather quickly.
2. From the time she was itty bitty, I worked on her cleaning up her toys. Now, when she is finished playing with something, often times she will break into the “Clean up” song and clean everything up on her own.
3. Chloe is provided with a variety of toys that might be considered “gender specific” for both girls and boys. As a result, my adorable little girl will play with dinosaurs and cars while dressed like a princess and wearing heels.
4. Chloe is also provided with a wealth of experiences. This includes, but is not limited to, Gymboree, play groups, zoos, aquariums, botanical gardens and museums, both those geared for young children and those that aren’t. This week alone, we are going to the County Fair on Wednesday, where we will stay for the fire works in the evening, and on Friday, we are driving to Philadelphia to go the The Franklin Institute where we will see the Real Pirates exhibit. (Okay, so the pirates are TOTALLY for me, but Chloe will enjoy them, too!”)
5. Chloe will be a TRAVELER. Not only do we fly back and forth to Colorado several times a year, but we also tour New York and Philadelphia often, and we plan on taking her to Europe again over New Year’s. (We took her to Germany after she turned one. That’s where she started walking!)

As frustrated as I get with Chloe sometimes, and even though I worry non-stop about whether or not I am doing the right things, my child is turning out to be a pretty good little girl. She’s kind, loving and considerate. She’s smart, playful and has a pretty decent sense of humor. She seems to adapt well to changes in routine and accepts limits with a minimal amount of fuss. Overall, I actually do think that I must be doing something right!

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“Mommy, wook wook, upide down!”

Posted on July 21, 2008

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Not practicing what I preach.

Posted on July 19, 2008

As organized as I like to think I am, I have a couple of soft spots: books and toys. Chloe is starting to outgrow her play room again, and it is time to do the purge.

A majority of the toys will be set aside and stored up in the attic for baby #2 (with the assumption there will be a baby #2.) Some toys we will just get rid of. Either they are missing too many parts to really make them useful to anyone, or they’re broken. It always surprises me when things go missing. I am militant about cleaning up every day and checking to make sure all the toys are complete. And yet, little elves or sprites (or cats) seem to be spiriting away some of her toys. I am not surprised when toys get broken. I am trying to teach Chloe to respect her possessions and not damage her things, but she’s still a child. And let’s face it, some of these toys aren’t made very well.

I know what I should do. The issue is execution. I am having a difficult time deciding what to keep, what to store, and what to get rid of. Ellen is going to laugh at this post because a little over a year ago I was having the same conversation with her regarding her kids’ toys. I remember thinking, “How hard can it be?” Well, I apologize for underestimating the difficulty factor when it comes to weeding out your child’s most cherished possessions. It’s hard because not only does your child have an emotional attachment to these items, but so do you. I remember every present, care package from grandparents, and shopping trip.

Not to mention the fact that I will pull the toy out of her play room and set it aside with the idea that it will be on the chopping block. Of course, Chloe will find renewed interest in it and spend a good half an hour playing with it. Then I feel like I can’t get rid of it. “See,” I say to John, “she still plays with it.” He responds, “Do you actually think she’ll notice when it’s gone?” And the answer is, “Of course not.” She has numerous other things to distract her. But for some reason It’s still hard.

However, there is something to be said for the excess (Okay, I admit it, now shut up.) Chloe really does have an excessive amount of toys. She has a pretty large bedroom that is full, and a decent size playroom which is also full. (I would give you room dimensions, but that’s way too much effort.) And, I confess, I keep buying more. I’ll realize she has a hole in a “category” of toy. For example, she loves to play with John’s tools, but she didn’t have her own tool box. So, I bought her one of those Melissa and Doug tool boxes that will help improve her fine motor skills and eye hand coordination. Does she need it, no. Will it help her, YES! (I just can’t turn off that damn “teacher” button!)

I am a FIRM believer in the “one in one out rule,” when it comes to ME. I just can’t commit to that when it comes to Chloe. That being said, I am mustering up my courage (there is nothing like the rath of a two year old who is missing a toy) and about to begin the purging process. I am fully anticipating this it going to take me several hours, which is why I am blogging. Procrastination is yet another weakness.

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Love/hate New Jersey

Posted on July 18, 2008

I definitely have a love/hate relationship with New Jersey. I hate that it is so far away from my family and friends. I hate the bureaucracy and (“oh my gawd”) the accents. I hate the way people drive, and how brisk everyone is. I hate the humidity mixed with the heat. I hate sweat that doesn’t evaporate, towels that never dry, and not being able to go outside with my child for fear she might get heat stroke.

But there are times, I swear, when I actually love New Jersey. For those of you who have never been here, I think you will be surprised when I tell you that New Jersey is actually really pretty! At least where we live. Because of all that rotten humidity, it is very GREEN here. In the Spring, when flowers bloom, the colors are overwhelming. The flowers have these huge blossoms, and I have never seen so much pink in nature! Today, we went to the reservoir with Ellen and her crew, and even though it was WAY too hot (96 degrees on the car thermometer) we decided to walk to a nearby park. It ended up being more than two miles away. We all melted, and Ellen whined, but it was green and beautiful. We saw huge dragonflies everywhere and vibrant butterflies. The reservoir was created by flooding a valley. As a consequence, there is a forest of dead tree stumps sticking out of the water. It is a sad, melancholy beauty, and I love it. It is so appropriate for New Jersey.