Parenting

Helping Out

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I have started getting Chanler to help me with daily activities. So far he loves to help me “dump” ingredients when we are cooking. He is also very proficient at “setting the table”. This picture was taken after Chanler had finsished setting up for dinner. Please note the only thing I did was put the orange juice on the table – everything else is exactly where Chanler placed it.

The best part is the running commentary while things get put on the table. . . “one a mommy, one a daddy, one a Chanler” for each item as he places it.

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Do you know what is frustrating … How Chanler can change his mind in a nano second. He will go from asking for a specific thing to declining it when I offer it to him 2 seconds later! It drives me NUTS.

I mean he has a good long attention span and memory when he wants one, so I can only assume that he is deliberately doing it to annnoy me

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So we are not quite there yet (about 6 weeks until Chanler actually turns 2), but I am beginning to see why people call the two’s terrible. Life is challenging with an infant because they can’t do or understand things. With a 2 on the other hand then understand and decide NOT to do what you asked. The will is in “strong willed” is comming out.

This is not to say that Chanler isn’t still wonderfull and cute much of the time, but he is being more and more challenging. I pray continually that we have the perserverance, wisdom, and energy to do the right things (disipline, attention, flexibility, etc.) each time!

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Back story:
Chanler went to Micah’s birthday party in mid November. Being the kind on parents that we are, we started trying to get Chanler to say “happy birthday Micah” about when we got out of the car at his house.
So Saturday Chanler had another birthday party this time for Lucy. We started preping Chanler when he woke up (plus it was an early party)
In both cases Chanler didn’t actually say happy birthday to the child in question!

Today:
Chanler has been saying “happy day to Micah” or “happy birthday Micah” ALL DAY LONG. Over and over and over again.
Scott and I have decided to begin preping him for Christmas by changing happy day to Micah into happy day to Jesus. So far No Dice.

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Chanler has a friend named Sadie. We went with Sadie and her mom and sister to Target today. Anytime Sadie was out of view Chanler started calling for her. When we left to go the their house Chanler whined the whole way home for Sadie.

Can you say CRUSH

Added:
Any time I have gone into a store since the Target episode Chanler starts asking for Saide. He will also call her on his phone while driving or just playing.

Halloween

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Chanler was a fireman for Halloween.

Now Scott and I are not big fans of this supposed “holiday”, but because Chanler was invited to two costume parties, I figured he should dress up as something.

So I made a fireman outfit complete with spotted doggie (thank you Grandmama), fire axe, fire hat, etc. I have to say Chanler was one of only two children at the costume parties to have a homemade costume.
I don’t know if that is a good or bad thing . . . ?

Pictures

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At church this morning, we were sitting in the library (a.k.a. the crying room)watching the service while Chanler was playing. Just at the worship was beginning Chanler found a seat and watched quietly for about the first 10 minutes. Cute you think – right? except that he decided to sit on the opposite side of the room.

I told Scott that “Chanler had already figured out that it is “not cool” to sit with your parents at church.” And I thought you didn’t learn that until you were in your teen years, not your teen months. =]

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Chanler and I were eating lunch today (me – tuna fish sandwhich; Chanler – strawberries – 9 to be exact) when Chanler offered me a strawberry piece and said (I swear) “you want a bite?”

Language is a funny thing. I don’t expect Chanler to use sentences since he still only uses a few single words consistenly, but I know what I heard.

Other sentences I think I’ve heard:
I see (used during peek-a-boo)
buy it (used while pointing at anything)
you go (while handing you something)

Beach Trip

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Scott was stuck at work this afternoon so he decided (with some nudging) to take the afternoon off. To make it worth his while we decided to head to Santa Cruz and take Chanler to the beach for the first time.
We started out with lunch at togo’s where Chanler “tickled” a complete stranger (we think he thought it was uncle David). The only problem – Chanler could only reach to the groin area! needless to say I was slightly embarssed!

Chanler took a short nap on the way over 17 and didn’t wake up until we were at the beach. With a quick change he was ready to take on the ocean. Until we actually got to it – it was a bit scary. So we watched the waves for a few minutes and did eventually get just a bit wet.
Later we checked out the tide pools, but they were too dangerous to let Chanler run around on by himself so he stayed in the Ergo.
We hit down town Santa Cruz for dinner and had some really bad local pizza, then headed home.
Of course Chanler fell asleep in the car (at 7pm no less) and we didn’t quite know what to do when we got home (keep him asleep or wake him up so he would got to bed on time) We decided on the first and amazingly it worked. Chanler slept the whole night (except for the scare at 11pm when he came toddling out of the bedroom happy as a clam)

Pictures

Does Chanler look older?

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No it is not your imagination – he did not grow up over night – he just got his first “real” haircut. I have been trimming his neck and sometimes bangs, but I just didn’t know what to do for an overall haircut. So I succumbed to paying $17 to get his hair cut at a kids specialty place. I must say it was worth it! Chanler didn’t mind any of the tools or even notice that his hair was being cut. It is probably due to the race car seat he got and the GIANT screen TV that was playing cartoons the whole time.