The Darker Side -- Day 903

Ok, maybe that title is a bit dramatic, but here is the point. There comes a time in your child's life when almost everything you teach them can also be used to create trouble. I think this trend continues until you give a teenager car keys, and at that point you lose complete control and just give up.

Well, maybe that isn't exactly true, but here's an example of our current situation. We get Anna a stool so she can learn a little independence (brushing teeth at the sink and getting onto the potty), and she does use the stool for this purpose, but she also now uses her stool to reach things she shouldn't be reaching. We essentially purchased an extra 12 inches onto her height. Why would anyone do that? Now Daddy's change jar, lights, dishes, etc. that were once inches out of reach are now easily within reach.

Another example. We started to teach her how to put on her clothes. The darker side of this is that she now can take them off whenever she wants. Granted, she is really proud that she can now dress and undress herself, but it is not uncommon to find her half naked at any given time. The other day she was swiffering the floor (we don't make her clean the house, she just likes to do it) and the next thing I notice is a trail of toddler clothes going upstairs and a completely naked baby running around with a broom. When asked what she was doing she said, "I want to clean the house naked." Now, I challenge anyone to come up with a quick logical reply to that statement that will have any traction with a toddler. Just try it.

Even verbally she is pushing the envelope. The last time she was at school I came in and the parent and teacher asked me how my wife was. Apparently, Kerry was in the hospital, and they were very concerned. Of course, Kerry wasn't in the hospital, Anna just told them that she was. Ha ha. Later when I asked Anna to tell mommy what she told her teacher, Anna says, "She's in the hospital," then added, "Mama woke up on the wrong side of the bed and fell off. She had to go to the hospital." Not true, but bonus points for the effort.

Anna is even outsmarting our babysitter already. After a night out, Kerry and I came home and the lights were on (the house should have been dark and quiet), and we had a tired babysitter reading books upstairs. Anna then declared very proudly -- and fully awake, "I stayed up reeeeeeeeeally late and read a loooooooooottttt of books." There was a time when babysitters were feared, now they are welcome.

Ok, maybe it isn't that bad; however, I was at music class last Friday and one of the Grandmothers there said, "You know, your daughter reminds me exactly like my daughter when she was young. She just did anything she wanted and there was no controlling her." I'm thinking, ok, and how is this good? But then she added, "It took a lot of work, but she is so independent and I wouldn't have traded it for the world." Ok, that's better, but she had me worrying for a bit.

Anyhow, in other news, we almost lost Nya-Nya yesterday. Anna was reading books at the Natural History Museum and well...she just kind of left him there. But right before getting on the metro, I noticed him missing and made haste back to the museum.

During this episode, Anna was supremely calm. I, on the other hand, was a bit panicked. I would say things like, "We need to hurry up and get back." Anna would say, "He's reading books." I would say, "I hope we find him and he is still there." Anna would say, "Nya-Nya stayed at the museum." There was clearly a difference in expectations, fears, and reality. Of course, Anna was right -- except that reading books part -- and Nya-Nya was right where we left him. Then on our way back to the metro, Anna says seriously that Nya-Nya was sorry for staying in the Museum.

While on the subject of Nya-Nya, he is getting rather ratty. I really can't describe his odor. It is sort of a mix of saliva, vintage mac-and-cheese, and mildew. And of course, his ears and nose are unraveling and are constantly wet from Anna chewing on them.

One day while coming home from day school, I was carrying Anna in my arms, and she kept on trying to insert Nya-Nya's into my mouth. Anna kept on announcing -- very factually -- that Nya-Nya was trying to put his mouth into Daddy's mouth.

For my part, I was in pure defensive mode. My mouth was clenched shut and my head was rocking back and forth trying to dodge and perry the funky Nya-Nya. Every now and then though Anna would land a big wet Nya-Nya kiss on Daddy's face. Great game that was.

Anna is also into dressing up now, and she also dresses her stuffed animals -- or as she calls them, her 'friends'. I just happened to leave out some old Anna clothes a couple weeks back that were too small, and now the Nya-Nyas and all the other friends have a complete wardrobe and are wearing clothes too. So just as Anna is starting to dress herself, I am now having to put diapers on the Nya-Nyas and stuff them into a onesie.

By the way, Anna has decided that she needs a set of twins -- as in twin sisters. She even has her two little stuffed lambs (not the Nya-Nyas, different ones) that she calls 'the twins'. Anna just loves to talk about all things related to her childhood and our past. So it isn't uncommon for Anna to ask, "Tell me the story about Jack (a former cat of ours) eating the sweet bread." Or, "Let's talk about having twins." Or, "Can we talk about when I was in Mommy's tummy?"

Even the Nya-Nyas are in on the dialogue. Yesterday morning I was explaining some form of punishment, and as I was explaining it to her, she asked that I tell Nya-Nya. I didn't know quite what she meant, and she was getting rather upset at this. Then after a few more failed attempts, I finally realized that what she wanted was for me to use a fake voice like a ventriloquist and explain her punishment 'through Nya-Nya'. Once this started, Anna just kept getting more and more excited and the smile kept growing. She then kept on requesting that I explain it [the punishment] to her again, and then again...and again...and so on. Of course, in the end I was not quite sure where we stood with the whole punishment thing; I hope it stuck. Maybe Nya-Nya knows.

Well, this has been a bit longer post as I haven't done one in a while. I'll try to get back into posting more frequently, but I had to catch up on my ukrainelist site first. I'm sure the grandparents understand this.

Village People -- Day 877

We have finally settled down after the holidays which included a lot of gifts, illness, travel, and time outs for Anna. Anna essentially celebrated the holidays by asserting her independence and learning the numerous ways she can earn a time out. So after we got back from North Dakota, we went on a discipline immersion course, which seems to have paid off. She has really been a good little girl for the last few days.

We even started watching the TV show Supernanny for a few tips. In the end, we probably only get a couple of ideas a week, but sometimes that is the little bit that makes the difference. Regardless, a change in tactics is always good to keep Anna off balance so she doesn't catch on to our parenting weaknesses too quickly.

Our Vintage Fisher Price toys for Christmas have been a big hit. She plays with them for hours a day and will often announce, "I think I am going to play with my village now." Even when I ask her if she wants to go to a museum, she will say thoughtfully, "I think I will play with my village just a little bit longer." That was the best money we have ever spent.

North Dakota was a really good time, but sickness was the theme of the trip. I think my brother and I were the only ones who didn't get sick. Anna got an ear infection and a bad cold, Kerry followed, then my sister-in-law got sick, then the grandparents took their turn. Teaching Anna to take medicine was no fun either.

There was almost no snow in North Dakota, which was the first time since 1971 that there was no snow for Christmas. That was too bad because we were hoping to go sledding for the first time. We did get one good snow before leaving, but the next day it rained and turned it all to a yucky slush.

By the way, since the North Dakota grandparents usually take an enormous amount of photos, I don't have hardly any pictures from the trip. I will have to post them later on when I get the files.

Anna has also started to call me by my first name. It is not that uncommon to hear the little girl going, " Kaaaaaaaarrrrrring." And that elongated intro will usually be followed by a request such as, "can you pleeeeeeeeese get me some milk?" Even last night she woke up screaming (probably a nightmare of some sort) and she ended up calling out, "Kaaaaaaaarrrrrring." Of course, she says Daddy 90 percent of the time, but it is sort of interesting to see when she uses my name.

Another one of Anna's favorite activities is giving the Nya-Nyas a birthday party. She will take all of her stuffed animals (Pirate, Miffy, Snoopy, her rabbit, and the two Nya-Nyas) and set them up at her little play table. She usually puts the Nya-Nyas in their brunch dresses (don't ask). Then she will get all of the birthday, Christmas, and Halloween cards she has received this year and distribute them out. All this occurs upstairs in her room, and Kerry and I will hear from downstairs Anna belting out the happy birthday song several times during the hour or so. She loves her play time.

Well, I had better go. It is 73 and sunny in January, and I can't be tied to the computer.