Parenting

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Chanler has learned to open door knobs. *sigh* I knew this was coming, but didn’t really want to think about it much.

So, why is it that this skill works best on the front door? but doesn’t work for the shoe closet (a locking door vs a non locking door)? And we also just found out that he can reach the dead bolt lock on the front door and open that too.

All hope of containing Chanler is lost as of now – I repeat LOST.

Thank goodness for those ugly childproof door knob things – he hasn’t figured those out YET.
PS he hasn’t actually tried to escape yet, I just needed a dramatic title.

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Chanler is starting to recognize letters. We have an “A to Z” book which Chanler loves, it is silly, but I think he gets that.
A to Z by Sandra Boynton

Last night, I was listening to him play and he was pointing at the name on the side of one of his toys and saying “S” and “ssss, sss, ssss” it was very sweet. Then, today it was the labels for his toy basket. He looked at me and told me there was an “A, ah, ah, ah” and an “R, rrrr, rrrr, rrr” and his eyes got excited an “S, sss, sss, sss.” I guess he actually has been paying attention when I have been reading his ABC book and making all the letter sounds for him!

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Chanler’s favorite book right now is “Bear Snores On”, by Karma Wilson and illustrated by Jane Chapman.

The general plot line of the book is that a bunch of small forest animals get together in bear’s den and have a party, but bear does not wake up, he “snores on”. Chanler has added his own creative intepretation, and in our reading, the bear snores “On the ground!” 🙂

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By far Chanler’s favorite food has to be . . .

Hot Dogs!

We went to a Cajun fair a few weeks back and he ate 2 regular sized hot dogs!!! – no buns, just dogs. We got him one and when he finished it I figured he was done, but he said he wanted more. So we waited between 15-20 minutes to see if he really was still hungry. And apparently he was because he was still asking for another hot dog. So we got him one and he ate all of it but one tiny bite. You should have seen his belly that day!

Another night Scott and Chanler were having hot dogs for dinner and Chanler ate 2 and Scott ate 2 (and was full) (and NO we don’t have hot dogs all the time)

Every time we get him a hot dog I think – “there is know way he is going to eat that whole thing” (like yesterday when he had a Costco hot dog), but then he finishes it AND wants more!

Cute things he says:
Velovader – for the car elevator in his little people garage
Ander-roo – our neighbor who Chanler originally thought was his friend Anders.
The car is getting cut – while bringing down a piece of the little people garage onto the car (great my son is going to run a chop shop at an early age!)
It’s my Jamba Juice – how he knows that it is Jamba Juice astounds me – we have been there all of twice.
I getting a maget – While playing with the Doodle Board. He then reappears with a train (with a magnet on it) which will draw on the board.
Aaachoo – from the book “Bear snores one” Bear blows and he sneezes and the whole crowd freezes.
Also from that book every time the books says but the bear snored on – Chanler finishes with “snores down on the ground”

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Since last Thursday Chanler has decided that he likes Milk.

It all started when we had small group over for dinner and Evan Krehbiel asked for milk (he ended up drinking two or three cups.) Any way apparently Chanler thought this was cool because everyday since then he has asked for milk. Before this weekend I could count on one hand the number of times Chanler has eaten a significant amount of plain milk. I am not complaining though.

Obession

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Chanler is obsessed with Chris and Emily’s baby – Joseph. He is obsessed in a somewhat good way – he wants to see the baby all the time, he wants to hold the baby when ever we actually see him, he talks about baby Joseph all time and even sings songs to him when we are driving in the car.

This is the first baby that Chanler has had close contact with and it is also the first time I have seen what a great big brother Chanler could become. It is very neat to see him with a small baby, he is very gentle and wants to give hugs, kisses and pats and make sure the baby is happy.

One thing that has been very interesting is talking with Chanler about nursing. Chanler knows that babies have “nursies”, that “nursies” is all little babies can eat, and that they each “nursie” from their own mommy. It is neat to see him make the connection that that is how things are supposed to be. He has even articulated it when we are out, Chanler will hear a child crying and tell me – “baby sad . . . nursie mommy??” I think he is becoming empathic.

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Just a quick note about two cute things Chanler has picked up this week.

1) A few days ago he was having a very hard day. I was washing his hands and when we went to dry them he wanted to keep holding the hand towel – OK fine. Later while he still had the towel he needed a diaper change. He really didn’t want to have one, but it had to be done. He was yelling about it and I asked him if it would help to yell into the towel instead of at mommy. It did seem to help. So now he has been carrying around this bathroom hand towel and calling it his blankie. He even took it to bed with him last night.

2) Chanler asks to sit on the potty sometimes (usually nothing happens and he eventually gets bored). I decided that maybe he just needed to relax and spend a few minutes longer on the potty to actually use it, so I decided to read him a book while he was sitting. We have done this now a few times. This morning I had to go potty and Chanler said he wanting to come watch – OK well I guess being a mommy means not going potty alone – shrug. Chanler then brings me a book to read while I go potty. Too funny.

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The other day Chanler and I were playing with Chanler’s football, and I was trying to teach him to “tackle” me. He would throw the football to me – ok he would throw the football, and I would go where he threw it – and I would pick it up and “run” (shuffle) past him, egging him to catch me. When he caught me, I would fall down on the floor, which he found very funny, and he would say “Daddy flop on the floor!!!”

Then he would take the football and then “Chanler flop on the floor!!!” as soon as I got close to him.

After a few times, he asks “Mommy flop on the floor?” to which I replied that Mommy probably not want to flop on the floor, and probably would not want to play football.

Chanler thought about that for a few seconds, then says, “Mommy play basketball?!?!”

Safety First

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We were playing in the yard yesterday evening and Chanler was trying to pedal his trike, when he looked at us and said “I want a helmet.” So as safety conscious parents (and since we were going out for coffees anyway) we decided to go get Chanler said helmet. I mean when your child tells you they WANT safety equipment – are you reallying going to discourage them? I think not. So now Chanler has a bike helmet (it came with the knee and elbow pads – I am not THAT freaky) and he LOVES it. He even picked it out (after we had eliminated ones that didn’t fit)

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I taught Chanler how to peel a mandarin orange last week. Now all I hear is “peel it; oranges?”

He is actually quite adept at peeling. I start the top for him and he can do the whole (very small) orange. It is quite cute to see how proud he is of this accomplishment.