More Writing Time.

"Mam-mom! Ite! Ite!"

He says this a lot.

I tell him to get his yellow step stool and get in his yellow booster.

He climbs up there, then we snap him in.

Usually we tape down a large paper for his work area.

I ask if he wants crayons or markers.  Usually he wants to ITE! which means he wants a pen.

He spends a lot of time remembering how to click the pen off and on.

He spends a lot of time taking the materials from their boxes and back into their boxes.

He adds more and more to the paper each day.  Its nearly a double sided poster! Perfect to use as wrapping paper, I think.

Sometimes this art session will last ten minutes, sometimes thirty.

Sometimes he will do this same process four times a day.

Its a great time of day for me as his mom and his teacher though. I really like watching what he creates, how he does it, and listening to him chatter to himself as he does it.  

I think what is working the BEST for us now is that we use painters' tape to affix the paper to the table, that we do this activity in the same place and he has predictable materials to use, and I have stopped taking over the projects from him and just give him space to do what he wants.  I want to HELP so much... but that's not fostering independence or creativity, two parenting goals I have for myself.

DDD April 14

Dan has been doing a lot of yard work lately, and Daniel likes to
help. Notice though that he favors the large shovel instead of the
garden scoop! He also surprises us by doing things like sitting in
this hole in the garden for twenty minutes.

Words He Asked Me To Write

In egg shaped sidewalk chalk on the patio.
So the request was, "Mam-ma, ite, aggs".

DDD for April 13

This is Daniel's favorite part of the Little Swimmers pool time - the
steering whieel that operates a spout. He turns this thing so much
and yells and laughs!

Opening Sister's Presents

Our friends the Hoemann's sent a shower gift for his sister, but Daniel was really excited about them anyway.  He opened up both presents and tried to wear both - baby shoes (purple, size 6 months) and colorful flower bibs.

DDD for 4/11

I am ready for dinner! Let's get this pizza out of the oven and eat already!

DDD 4/12

Monday = Family Pool Day!

DDD for April 10

We enjoyed a 90 degree Saturday afternoon...and Daniel enjoyed the
sprinkler, as long as it was set to very low water pressure!

20 Month Sleep Disturbances, Whines, and Sobs.

This has been an unpleasant month for our ears and our sanity in the Haid house.

Daniel has started to wake up screaming at least once a week, needing a parent's comfort for half an hour to all night.  He has coerced us into co-sleeping sometimes, especially at 1 AM when we are so tired and just want to sleep.

He has also started to throw fits.  These fits have screeching and very young baby pitch and volume.  They are unpleasant.  Some days ... especially afternoons and evenings, he is SO TOUCHY.

And the whining.  My-Mom-Ma! Dad-da-da.  No- no.  No-way! Nan-nana.   We are sick of the whining!  Especially the phrase, NO way.  I don't know where he learned this.  Its easier to blame on another person, right? I don't think we've said this with him.  I know we've said, No thanks!.

We are also putting our parenting foot down with him telling us no.  We are making him say Yes, mama or yes, daddy.  Or no thanks.    Its getting to be ridiculous around here, and much harder than many of the previous 21 months.

DDD for April 9

Daniel enjoys playing each week at the publc library. He came to give
me the fireman's hat right after this photo was taken.

DDD for April 8

Another photo from the truck night at a local park! I'll post the
rest of these photos on his blog very soon because they are all FAB.

Well... except that the (adult sized!) cap he is wearing often gives
him elf-ish folded ears. Sorry about that, bud. I always try to tuck
the ears in for you so you aren't embarressed in future years and so
they won't develop a fold in them!

DDD for April 7

DDD for April 6

Afternoon snack - pudding and barefeet on the patio.

DDD for 4/5/11

Hello!

DDD for April 4

Playing in sandbox for first time.

DDD for April 3

Playing on one of the prettiest days of spring!

Trampolines are really fun, especially this one at Daniel's cousin
Katherine's house. He and her daughter Hayley sang "Ring Around the
Rosies" and did lots of other games together, too.

Haid Family Photo - April 2, 2011

Here's a photo of the three (four) of us! Might be one of the last
taken before delivery!

DDD for April 2

Look who is excited about his grandpa's 4 wheeler! He is too
impulsive to NOT touch all the gears and clever enough to know how to
turn on most of them!

Isn't this a funny motorcycle riding face?

DDD for April 1

No fooling on this one... Daniel LOVES tractors. He was so excited to
go outside each day and look at them, talk about them, make their
noises, and convince others to let up get UP!! on them.

DDD for March 31

Daniel enjoys writing time. He usually wants to do this activity in a
certain chair with a certain pen and isn't interested in adult help!
In this photo, he is trying to figure out how to turn on a pen he
hasn't used before.