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Every day with my little one is a new experience, and a reminder of how sweet and simple life really is. Even with yukky diapers.
Tuesday, June 28, 2005
2 1/2 Casserole
Cassidy's nanny Heidi likes to call her by cute little nicknames, like "cassers" or "cass". One day she and her friend Rachel were talking to Cassidy, and called her "cassarole". Rachel asked Cassidy if she was a tuna casserole, and she replied, "no, i'm a 2 1/2 casserole!!" Isn't that hysterical??? sooo funny! Rachel and Heidi were blown away too, because it's just amazing how her mind works. She is just so smart and funny and wonderful. On the way home yesterday she said she wished the sky were dark, so she could see the moon and stars. I suggested we go home and make cut outs of a moon and some stars to hang from her playroom ceiling. So I cut them out, and she colored on them, and named on star the "mommy" star, and the other one was the "cassidy" star! We had a great time! Then I got a phone call, and she literally climbed up into my lap and fell asleep! Really, how many 2 year olds do YOU know that will just crawl up on your lap and quietly fall asleep? Amazing.
Speaking of amazing, I'm reading a wonderful new book called "Magical Parent, Magical Child; the Art of Joyful Parenting." I won't go into a full explanation now, but it has really opened my eyes to the theories of optimum learning, and also state specific learning. The basic theory is that all learning is associated with the emotion felt during the learning moment. If you teach a child to kick a ball, for instance, but get angry when they dont' follow the mechanics, then they will have a lifelong distrust and anxiety associated with that lesson. If, on the other hand, you let the child simply kick the ball, rather than focusing on the spin, or velocity or whatever, they will develop a lifelong LOVE of that learning. It was validating in a way, because I naturally strive to make each experience fun for Cassidy. For some reason, she really hates to wash her hands. Well, we have to do it, but I always first acknowledge that she doesn't like to do it, and then I ask "How can we make this fun?" I've literally gone so far as to put water in a bowl, with a towel and some soap, under the dining room table to play a hand washing game! oh brother! And when we brush our teeth, I tell her there's animals in her mouth, and we have to brush them out. That makes her laugh, and then a chore becomes fun. The whole idea is parenting in the "zone". We'll see how I do. Wonder what she'll tell her therapist about this someday?! HAHAHAHAAAA!!
Cassidy's nanny Heidi likes to call her by cute little nicknames, like "cassers" or "cass". One day she and her friend Rachel were talking to Cassidy, and called her "cassarole". Rachel asked Cassidy if she was a tuna casserole, and she replied, "no, i'm a 2 1/2 casserole!!" Isn't that hysterical??? sooo funny! Rachel and Heidi were blown away too, because it's just amazing how her mind works. She is just so smart and funny and wonderful. On the way home yesterday she said she wished the sky were dark, so she could see the moon and stars. I suggested we go home and make cut outs of a moon and some stars to hang from her playroom ceiling. So I cut them out, and she colored on them, and named on star the "mommy" star, and the other one was the "cassidy" star! We had a great time! Then I got a phone call, and she literally climbed up into my lap and fell asleep! Really, how many 2 year olds do YOU know that will just crawl up on your lap and quietly fall asleep? Amazing.
Speaking of amazing, I'm reading a wonderful new book called "Magical Parent, Magical Child; the Art of Joyful Parenting." I won't go into a full explanation now, but it has really opened my eyes to the theories of optimum learning, and also state specific learning. The basic theory is that all learning is associated with the emotion felt during the learning moment. If you teach a child to kick a ball, for instance, but get angry when they dont' follow the mechanics, then they will have a lifelong distrust and anxiety associated with that lesson. If, on the other hand, you let the child simply kick the ball, rather than focusing on the spin, or velocity or whatever, they will develop a lifelong LOVE of that learning. It was validating in a way, because I naturally strive to make each experience fun for Cassidy. For some reason, she really hates to wash her hands. Well, we have to do it, but I always first acknowledge that she doesn't like to do it, and then I ask "How can we make this fun?" I've literally gone so far as to put water in a bowl, with a towel and some soap, under the dining room table to play a hand washing game! oh brother! And when we brush our teeth, I tell her there's animals in her mouth, and we have to brush them out. That makes her laugh, and then a chore becomes fun. The whole idea is parenting in the "zone". We'll see how I do. Wonder what she'll tell her therapist about this someday?! HAHAHAHAAAA!!
Friday, June 24, 2005
It no good, it no good, it no good, baby, it no good......
Cassidy has a new favorite song. Yes, you guessed it, "You're No Good". I have the original, done by Betty Everett, and re-recorded by Linda Ronstadt. Every time we get in the car, she immediately says, " i wanna hear "it no good babay" song"! It's so funny! although after the 14th time in a row, it's not quite as amusing, but still, it cracks me up. She does love specific kid stuff, like Laurie Berkner, and such, but her two favorite songs right now are this one, and "Clocks" by Coldplay. That's a favorite of mine as well.... so i'm guessing there's a connection there!
Her verbal skills continue to grow. She uses the word "habitat" frequently, in context, and without prompting. We are now working on the concept of rhyming. She definitely gets it, but isn't quite able to find words that rhyme on her own. Pretty good for being only 2 1/2! The other day we were at the park, and she befriended a slightly older little girl. When we both had to leave, Cassidy looked at her little friend and said, "I'm sorry you have to leave, but I'm so glad to have seen you!" I almost fell over!! "I'm so sorry to have seen you!!" unbelievable! Oh, and last night, she actually corrected her own grammar. I asked her if she'd done something, and said, "oh, did you do that?" and she said "yes, i do that". Then she stopped, and said, "no, no , I DID that, not I do it. " I was like, "yes, that's right honey! good grammar!" The child never ceases to amaze me.
Cassidy has a new favorite song. Yes, you guessed it, "You're No Good". I have the original, done by Betty Everett, and re-recorded by Linda Ronstadt. Every time we get in the car, she immediately says, " i wanna hear "it no good babay" song"! It's so funny! although after the 14th time in a row, it's not quite as amusing, but still, it cracks me up. She does love specific kid stuff, like Laurie Berkner, and such, but her two favorite songs right now are this one, and "Clocks" by Coldplay. That's a favorite of mine as well.... so i'm guessing there's a connection there!
Her verbal skills continue to grow. She uses the word "habitat" frequently, in context, and without prompting. We are now working on the concept of rhyming. She definitely gets it, but isn't quite able to find words that rhyme on her own. Pretty good for being only 2 1/2! The other day we were at the park, and she befriended a slightly older little girl. When we both had to leave, Cassidy looked at her little friend and said, "I'm sorry you have to leave, but I'm so glad to have seen you!" I almost fell over!! "I'm so sorry to have seen you!!" unbelievable! Oh, and last night, she actually corrected her own grammar. I asked her if she'd done something, and said, "oh, did you do that?" and she said "yes, i do that". Then she stopped, and said, "no, no , I DID that, not I do it. " I was like, "yes, that's right honey! good grammar!" The child never ceases to amaze me.
