"Why did Posa eat her din, dins?" Ivan asked pointing to Mariposa's food dish, while we were getting ready for work/daycare this morning.
His first why question.
This was followed by a "Where is box?" a some time later, while he was holding the key to the black jewelry box, which I don't use, and which is one of his toys instead. He wanted to practice locking and locking it. (The locking fascination runs close to the wires, plugs and general "boops" fascination)
His first where question.
In general, since last night, I noticed a huge leap in Ivan's speech. I was astonished. Overnight, he's become so much more verbal and articulate. He no longer says words, but attempts full sentences and narrates things. We can actually hold a conversation.
His attempted sentences are half in English, half in Croatian, sometimes all in English, other times all in Croatian. But nevertheless, full sentences.
I didn't see him for about 24 hours on Sunday-Monday, because he spent Sunday night and Monday day at my parents house. When I saw him again on Monday night, and especially again when he woke up this morning, he was a completely new kid.
For example, on Monday evening when we were at the Silver Spring water fountain, he pointed to a stroller and said "baby sleeping, baby has no shoes."
This morning, he woke up at 5:40 and proceeded to talk to himself and Medic in his crib. Some 15 minutes later, he was done with the crib and wanted to come to our bed. Since it was still pitch black outside, I convinced him that he should continue sleeping (because the crickets, which come out at night, were still singing). He laid still, more or less, but continued whispering to himself and Medic. He was practicing talking. It was too low for me to discern any actual words, although he was right by my ear, but still I could tell he was practicing talking.
Then around 6:10 he declared: "No more sleeping." It was time to get up and go "dole."
(Also, when we were at the pool on Saturday, after 30 minutes of class time, he declared, "I finished," and insisted on getting out of the pool).
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Mr. Social
This past Sunday we went to the playground. We missed the last few playground Sundays because we were either away (like the previous Sunday at the beach) or other moms weren't there. So we hadn't seen our neighborhood friends for a few weeks.
As always, we was excited to go to the playground. Since I expected the same scenario that had been playing itself over the summer where we get to the playground and then he sits in his stroller, observing kids and crying "kuci, mamma, kuci," I didn't think about it too much.
Except this time, he actually got out of the stroller and sat next to me on the playground edge for a few minutes before wandering off to play and interact with kids.
I was thrilled. The shy spell must be over. I actually read on BabyCenter recently that the wanting to go home behavior could be a sign that a child is stressed-out about a situation. I don't know why he could've been unconfortable at the playground but I'm glad I didn't push him over the summer.
On our way home from the playground, we swung by the other smaller playground that's closer to our house. He wanted to go down the slides. He first went down the little slides a few times, like he's done numerous time before. Then he climbed up to the big, twisty slide. The one I always have to come down with him. So down we went. But then, he climbed up again to go by himself. Several times. Again, I was thrilled. He had been slide-averse for the last few months and had never wanted to go down the twisty slides by himself. And now he did it.
All it its own time.
As always, we was excited to go to the playground. Since I expected the same scenario that had been playing itself over the summer where we get to the playground and then he sits in his stroller, observing kids and crying "kuci, mamma, kuci," I didn't think about it too much.
Except this time, he actually got out of the stroller and sat next to me on the playground edge for a few minutes before wandering off to play and interact with kids.
I was thrilled. The shy spell must be over. I actually read on BabyCenter recently that the wanting to go home behavior could be a sign that a child is stressed-out about a situation. I don't know why he could've been unconfortable at the playground but I'm glad I didn't push him over the summer.
On our way home from the playground, we swung by the other smaller playground that's closer to our house. He wanted to go down the slides. He first went down the little slides a few times, like he's done numerous time before. Then he climbed up to the big, twisty slide. The one I always have to come down with him. So down we went. But then, he climbed up again to go by himself. Several times. Again, I was thrilled. He had been slide-averse for the last few months and had never wanted to go down the twisty slides by himself. And now he did it.
All it its own time.
Latest Ivanisms
Ivan has become quite a little chatterbox.
He practices talking to himself, talking to his toys, talking to Medic. It becomes a random hodge-podge of words and phrases he's heard us use, and he repeats things he heard a while back. He also practices things he's heard in daycare. He practices his interaction with other kids or teachers. It's really cute. And so obvious that that's what he's doing.
It's also clear that in daycare they're teaching them colors and numbers. And he obviously has absolutely no concept of either. They must be working on the color "green." According to Ivan, everything is green, including all the things that are not.
The same goes for numbers. For a while now, he'll count "one, three, nine," or some other number combination.
This week's favorite has been "Didi, leady, four, ten," as he'd try to tell my dad, "ready, one, two, three," when they were playing with the ball.
He's still mixing up English and Croatian in the same sentence. He understand both and can "talk" in both. However, lately I'm noticing that English is becoming a bit more dominant. It makes sense. The pool of English speakers around him is much wider and during the week he's more exposed to English than to Croatian. But that's OK.
A selection of recent random Ivan phrases:
"Didi sjekao notkici"
"Yucky cips."
"Drinking a voda."
"Do dat, dadda"
"No bones, Popo."
"Move grass."
"No touc it"
"No go kuci," as he kept insisting today as we were driving home from daycare.
And the all time favorite: "My do dat."
He practices talking to himself, talking to his toys, talking to Medic. It becomes a random hodge-podge of words and phrases he's heard us use, and he repeats things he heard a while back. He also practices things he's heard in daycare. He practices his interaction with other kids or teachers. It's really cute. And so obvious that that's what he's doing.
It's also clear that in daycare they're teaching them colors and numbers. And he obviously has absolutely no concept of either. They must be working on the color "green." According to Ivan, everything is green, including all the things that are not.
The same goes for numbers. For a while now, he'll count "one, three, nine," or some other number combination.
This week's favorite has been "Didi, leady, four, ten," as he'd try to tell my dad, "ready, one, two, three," when they were playing with the ball.
He's still mixing up English and Croatian in the same sentence. He understand both and can "talk" in both. However, lately I'm noticing that English is becoming a bit more dominant. It makes sense. The pool of English speakers around him is much wider and during the week he's more exposed to English than to Croatian. But that's OK.
A selection of recent random Ivan phrases:
"Didi sjekao notkici"
"Yucky cips."
"Drinking a voda."
"Do dat, dadda"
"No bones, Popo."
"Move grass."
"No touc it"
"No go kuci," as he kept insisting today as we were driving home from daycare.
And the all time favorite: "My do dat."
Swim Lesson
I signed up Ivan for swim lessons. Our first lesson was last Saturday at Maryland. Since the indoor pool was undergoing some serious cleaning, the first lesson was scheduled at the outside pool. This probably sounded like a swell idea when they were preparing the schedule. However, last week the weather turned cold.
(It was actually kind of perfect timing. Labor Day weekend Sunday, the weather was perfect and we went to the beach. More on that later. But Monday turned cold and rainy. As if on cue, it signalled the unofficial end of summer and the beginning of another year--school year, professional year, fall, etc.)
So the Saturday in question was cloudy. The temperature barely rose to 64 degrees by 9:30 a.m. when the lesson started. Luckily, the pool was nicely heated to a comfortable 83 degrees.
Based on Ivan and Andy's previous pool excursions and his delight at being at the beach the weekend before, I hoped he'll love the swim lesson, but I wasn't sure.
There were several classes taking place simultaneously--parent and tot (our class), three year-olds, four year-olds, etc. swim lessons.
Our tot class had some 8 parent-tot couples.
Instructors wanted the kids to walk into the pool themselves, instead of being carried. Ivan, of course, refused. He insisted I "dingut, dingut," him. Our instructor came to help to lure him into the pool, but he basically shooed her off. So I releted and carried him in.
Once in the pool, he loved it. We had a wonderful time. He was beaming with joy. The instructor had us do all sort of get your-kid-accustomed-to-the-water games. They included the wheels on the bus, where we walked in circle spashing water around, lifting the child up and down in the water, etc. We also played Humpy Dumpy Sat, where we sat the child on the pool edge and then let him fall back into the water int our arms. We also got little watering buckets to dump water on the child, or let the child dump the water on the parent. Then the instructor gave us foam letter to throw in front of us in the water and have the child reach for them. This idea was swell, except that all kids, including Ivan, held tight onto those letter and would let them go. "Mine, mine."
Then everyone started getting cold. Being in the water was a bit less fun. So after half an hour, the lesson ended. But we had a great time. I can't wait to take him back on Saturday.
I, however, felt like a humongous duck. My bathing suit, which fit OK the week before, was suddenly snug. I felt like boobs were flying everywhere and the tankini top kept riding up my belly. At first I was self-conscious but then I hoped that no one really cared nor paid attention to me. Everyone was engrossed in their own kid.
My parents came along for the lesson as Andy was working. I was glad they came. They also had a blast watching Ivan enjoy himself so much in the pool.
(It was actually kind of perfect timing. Labor Day weekend Sunday, the weather was perfect and we went to the beach. More on that later. But Monday turned cold and rainy. As if on cue, it signalled the unofficial end of summer and the beginning of another year--school year, professional year, fall, etc.)
So the Saturday in question was cloudy. The temperature barely rose to 64 degrees by 9:30 a.m. when the lesson started. Luckily, the pool was nicely heated to a comfortable 83 degrees.
Based on Ivan and Andy's previous pool excursions and his delight at being at the beach the weekend before, I hoped he'll love the swim lesson, but I wasn't sure.
There were several classes taking place simultaneously--parent and tot (our class), three year-olds, four year-olds, etc. swim lessons.
Our tot class had some 8 parent-tot couples.
Instructors wanted the kids to walk into the pool themselves, instead of being carried. Ivan, of course, refused. He insisted I "dingut, dingut," him. Our instructor came to help to lure him into the pool, but he basically shooed her off. So I releted and carried him in.
Once in the pool, he loved it. We had a wonderful time. He was beaming with joy. The instructor had us do all sort of get your-kid-accustomed-to-the-water games. They included the wheels on the bus, where we walked in circle spashing water around, lifting the child up and down in the water, etc. We also played Humpy Dumpy Sat, where we sat the child on the pool edge and then let him fall back into the water int our arms. We also got little watering buckets to dump water on the child, or let the child dump the water on the parent. Then the instructor gave us foam letter to throw in front of us in the water and have the child reach for them. This idea was swell, except that all kids, including Ivan, held tight onto those letter and would let them go. "Mine, mine."
Then everyone started getting cold. Being in the water was a bit less fun. So after half an hour, the lesson ended. But we had a great time. I can't wait to take him back on Saturday.
I, however, felt like a humongous duck. My bathing suit, which fit OK the week before, was suddenly snug. I felt like boobs were flying everywhere and the tankini top kept riding up my belly. At first I was self-conscious but then I hoped that no one really cared nor paid attention to me. Everyone was engrossed in their own kid.
My parents came along for the lesson as Andy was working. I was glad they came. They also had a blast watching Ivan enjoy himself so much in the pool.
Is Medic a Girl?
Over the last month or so, Ivan has rechristened Medic into Mimi. Actually, he refers to the stuffed bear as both, sometimes it's Medic, other times it's Mimi.
I'm stumped. When and why did the change occur? I'm not sure.
However, Ivan and Medic continue to be inseparable, although Medic is, once again, stinky. He's due for another spa treatment, e.g. a cold water, gentle spin in the washer, and a thorough drying in the dryer.
Now Ivan talks to Medic ("no cry, Mimi, no cry") or talks about Medic ("Medic crying, change diapers Medic"....)
He also plays with him, this often means he also inadvertently sweeps the floor him.
Medic also gets pretend-fed and gets his diapers changed, for real. He even sometimes gets "everywhere," otherwise known as underwear.
I'm stumped. When and why did the change occur? I'm not sure.
However, Ivan and Medic continue to be inseparable, although Medic is, once again, stinky. He's due for another spa treatment, e.g. a cold water, gentle spin in the washer, and a thorough drying in the dryer.
Now Ivan talks to Medic ("no cry, Mimi, no cry") or talks about Medic ("Medic crying, change diapers Medic"....)
He also plays with him, this often means he also inadvertently sweeps the floor him.
Medic also gets pretend-fed and gets his diapers changed, for real. He even sometimes gets "everywhere," otherwise known as underwear.
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