Nora loves Mo Phillips (http://www.mophillips.com/) and normally likes to rock out and do her classic moves. The Nora bounce (slight bend to the knees with her hands out to the side), the Frankenstein (legs stiff and rocking back and forth from one to the other), and the weeeee (she does a slow, careful turn while pivoting on one foot).
But today, I saw only a few moments of her dancing before all toddler-hell broke loose at the show.
The owner of the toy store that is now connected to the venue decided to allow one of the kids to bring in a toy from her store. A doll stroller. The toy has collapseable parts to it like a real stroller and is, frankly, an inappropriate toy with metal parts that could harm anyone.
So imagine how thrilled I was when this thing was pulled into the room by her daughter and left unattended in the middle of the group of toddlers who had been happily dancing. A moshpit-esque scramble ensued with my daughter at the helm. No one, and I mean no one, was going to pry her tiny sticky fingers off that thing. That stroller was hers!
I had to physically take it away from her and hand it to the owner. She saw my face and just took it back without saying a word. You have a child, woman, wtf?! Have you no conscience?! Don't pimp out your dangerous toys for sale to my child who is a grand escape artist! I spent the rest of the time trying to calm her down and get her to stay in the room after that because she wanted the stroller and wanted to go play in the store. I use to like the venue but I don't think I want to deal with this situation every time I go there. That was maddening and embarrassing.
The other moms kept staring at me like I was so mean to Nora. Wanted to flip them all the bird and march out of there with every toy Nora and I could get our hands on whilst our exit. Half a mind to just let her run ammock the next time and sit back with my coffee like the hipster trust fund babies do. "Ah, hey, my kid is just expressing their creativity." Oh, really, asshole? I'll be sure to explain that to child services when I report that your kid smells like weed.
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Update 11-7-12
We have since returned and Nora no longer runs off. I bribe her with cheese and let her fart on everyone instead.
Friday, October 12, 2012
Friday, October 5, 2012
The many hats of Nora; October 5, 2012
She's almost 19 months, talking up a storm and dancing so well. She has incredible rhythm and loves to play jokes on people (offering food and jerking it away, playing hide-n-seek, and blanket monster). Unfortunately her allergies have taken a turn for the worse lately and she's battling a sinus infection this past week. Her head hurts and she gnaws on her hand due to yet more teeth she's cutting.
I pulled the curtains back so she could watch the leaves blowing on this blustery day and she said, "Walk?" She brought me her shoes and hat, how could I say no? We bundled up and headed out. She made it only two blocks before she squatted down in the middle of the sidewalk and said, "Up mama?!" I picked her up and asked if she felt alright, "No good." I nestled her in and hefted her up against me. She gave me a kiss and patted my back as I reassured her, "Colds are no beuno, huh baby?" She wiped snot on my sweater and said with a stuffed-up head, "Nooo."
We spent the rest of the day on the couch watching Shaun the Sheep. As sick as I am of watching the show, thank you yet again to the creators for saving my sanity. As many of us know, taking care of a sick kid while you yourself are sick is very much "no beuno".
I pulled the curtains back so she could watch the leaves blowing on this blustery day and she said, "Walk?" She brought me her shoes and hat, how could I say no? We bundled up and headed out. She made it only two blocks before she squatted down in the middle of the sidewalk and said, "Up mama?!" I picked her up and asked if she felt alright, "No good." I nestled her in and hefted her up against me. She gave me a kiss and patted my back as I reassured her, "Colds are no beuno, huh baby?" She wiped snot on my sweater and said with a stuffed-up head, "Nooo."
We spent the rest of the day on the couch watching Shaun the Sheep. As sick as I am of watching the show, thank you yet again to the creators for saving my sanity. As many of us know, taking care of a sick kid while you yourself are sick is very much "no beuno".
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
Under the weather; October 3, 2012
I'm fighting off feeling ill ever since I got the flu shot on Monday the 1st. Nora's allergies are worse and she's not herself. It's hard to say why exactly with so many changes occurring concurrently for her but I imagine she's probably reacting to the shot like myself. But let's not also forget the rapid languange acquisition (she identifies bad smells and announces "pew!"), fine motor skills developing (she can open doors now...yay), or the ability to announce her feelings with a definitive "noooo".
Being cooped up with a toddler makes for moments of madness as well as heart melting highlights of tenderness like when she was so tired (yet fighting it off physically by banging her head on me) that she layed her head in my lap and fell asleep standing up. Or her reinacting her timeout by using her Cabbage Patch kid as a role-play stand-in for herself propped up in her booster seat with an emphatic finger waving and "no....NO!". Or her announcement of "bath!" for the first time and running in to the bathroom to bang on the side of the bath tub with her favorite block. (My excitement was replaced with horror when I realized she had poop seeping through her pj's above, below, and to the sides of her diaper on her back half.)
Her favorite colors are red and pink. She can say "red" and "green" but not pink yet. She loves red or pink shoes (especially the colors together) and she picks out every red or pink toy she has and shows them to you. I think this is the pre-verbal toddler version of illustrating her Christmas list. We broke down and took her to Ikea to do something for free that would wear her out (it also allowed us the chance to sit at moments depending on the displays that were handy) and we discovered a free play area, the kids department. Now mind you, they provide a well labeled shortcut from the living room and kitchen displays to this area (clever bastards). She discovered the kitchen playset. We took turns sitting on stuffed animals and watching her cook for a good 45 minutes.
She has the most wonderful laugh...ever. I wish I could capture it on video but it would take someone videoing us together and that doesn't happen. Maybe I'll ask Grandma to do this for us (hmmm?). She loves being tickled and runs from you to jump on her bed. Remember the days as a kid when you had a favorite safe spot, a "home base"? I can't remember having one but I do remember loving to sit inside the forts we would build, especially the indoor ones. Nothing like taking a nap under the canopy of a blanket surrounded by pillows.
Her favorite word is still "hi" and she loves to run up and give kisses (now with a decidedly loud pucker noise), leans her head out towards you for a kiss as well, hugs you around your knees if you're standing and lays her head in your lap if you're sitting. I love seeing her face light up as she sees me, runs towards me, and puckers up for a kiss at the last moment.
She doesn't like to hold your hand when you're walking but she will to cross the street. She runs to us if something is scary and cocks her head in wariness if she doesn't like the sound of something. She thinks squirrels are small dogs. Insects don't scare her, dogs amuse her, cats bore her (she has those at home), and she loves rocks. I've learned to check her pockets before doing the wash.
Water is awesome. Freezing, warm, bubbly, salty - all forms are a delight to her. Her favorite spot in OMSI is the water play area in the science playground. It's the last stop on the way out before we commence the dance of the resistant toddler getting out of wet clothes, into a dry diaper and outfit, and strapped into her carseat. She's normally asleep before we exit the parking lot.
This video was taken at the fountain in front of the Water Resource Center in Vancouver, WA, in early September.
Being cooped up with a toddler makes for moments of madness as well as heart melting highlights of tenderness like when she was so tired (yet fighting it off physically by banging her head on me) that she layed her head in my lap and fell asleep standing up. Or her reinacting her timeout by using her Cabbage Patch kid as a role-play stand-in for herself propped up in her booster seat with an emphatic finger waving and "no....NO!". Or her announcement of "bath!" for the first time and running in to the bathroom to bang on the side of the bath tub with her favorite block. (My excitement was replaced with horror when I realized she had poop seeping through her pj's above, below, and to the sides of her diaper on her back half.)
Her favorite colors are red and pink. She can say "red" and "green" but not pink yet. She loves red or pink shoes (especially the colors together) and she picks out every red or pink toy she has and shows them to you. I think this is the pre-verbal toddler version of illustrating her Christmas list. We broke down and took her to Ikea to do something for free that would wear her out (it also allowed us the chance to sit at moments depending on the displays that were handy) and we discovered a free play area, the kids department. Now mind you, they provide a well labeled shortcut from the living room and kitchen displays to this area (clever bastards). She discovered the kitchen playset. We took turns sitting on stuffed animals and watching her cook for a good 45 minutes.
She has the most wonderful laugh...ever. I wish I could capture it on video but it would take someone videoing us together and that doesn't happen. Maybe I'll ask Grandma to do this for us (hmmm?). She loves being tickled and runs from you to jump on her bed. Remember the days as a kid when you had a favorite safe spot, a "home base"? I can't remember having one but I do remember loving to sit inside the forts we would build, especially the indoor ones. Nothing like taking a nap under the canopy of a blanket surrounded by pillows.
Her favorite word is still "hi" and she loves to run up and give kisses (now with a decidedly loud pucker noise), leans her head out towards you for a kiss as well, hugs you around your knees if you're standing and lays her head in your lap if you're sitting. I love seeing her face light up as she sees me, runs towards me, and puckers up for a kiss at the last moment.
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| I stand at the top of the stairs and people watch as the students walk by. I also like to say "hi" to the crows and howl at them. (Please note she picked out her outfit. She's very particular.) |
She doesn't like to hold your hand when you're walking but she will to cross the street. She runs to us if something is scary and cocks her head in wariness if she doesn't like the sound of something. She thinks squirrels are small dogs. Insects don't scare her, dogs amuse her, cats bore her (she has those at home), and she loves rocks. I've learned to check her pockets before doing the wash.
Water is awesome. Freezing, warm, bubbly, salty - all forms are a delight to her. Her favorite spot in OMSI is the water play area in the science playground. It's the last stop on the way out before we commence the dance of the resistant toddler getting out of wet clothes, into a dry diaper and outfit, and strapped into her carseat. She's normally asleep before we exit the parking lot.
This video was taken at the fountain in front of the Water Resource Center in Vancouver, WA, in early September.
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| Nora chasing her boyfriend, Rowan. It's always the boys we like that we end up chasing...so it begins. |
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| No, she did not fall in...she did poop her pants though. |
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