Magical Moment: cold

Sharing a laugh

Since starting preschool in early September, our toddler has had three colds. Certainly not as many as I had expected. She recently had back-to-back colds, something that had occasionally occurred prior to starting school.

This week, she had developed a slight cough from the post-nasal drip. I reminded her how to cover her mouth with her arm when she coughed.

Her little sister has also had a few colds recently. In fact, for the last 8 months, she has had as many colds as our toddler. She too developed a slight cough this week. Just the other day, as I was cleaning up after lunch, our baby coughed while sitting in her high chair. My toddler ran up to her little sister, proffered an arm, and said "cough in my hand".

It is certainly reassuring to know that our toddler listens and learns!

Hello Kitty has taken over our home

Hello Kitty

I blame myself. I thought the shirt was cute. Approximately 6 months ago, as I was browsing the kids' clothing section of a large department store, I came across a very affordable Hello Kitty shirt in my toddler's size. Later on that day, when I showed her the shirt, she did not seem overly impressed, but did not seem to mind wearing it. At the time, getting her dressed to go out anywhere was a struggle, so I hoped that the Hello Kitty shirt might make getting ready more enjoyable.

Shortly after the initial purchase, my toddler's language skills started improving exponentially. And then she started asking for Hello Kitty clothing. "No, I don't want this. I want to wear my Hello Kitty shirt" she would say everyday. I tried explaining to her that we only had one such shirt, and that it was in the washing machine. She somehow won the battle, and now she owns two short-sleeved shirts, three long-sleeved tops, three dresses, a dozen pairs of underwear, two hats, a pair of gloves, a school bag and a lunch bag, all with the Hello Kitty prominently displayed.

I must say that getting ready to go out is much simpler now. And going to school is enjoyable, as she happily brings along her Hello Kitty school bag and lunch bag. The downside is that everything has to be Hello Kitty. We recently ordered a twin-sized bed for our toddler. I told her that soon she would have to give up her toddler bed, and that she would be getting a "big girl bed". She didn't seem in the least upset, agreed that her little sister should inherit her crib, but did mention that she wanted a "Hello Kitty bed". Would she refuse to sleep in her new bed, I wondered? Then my husband came up with the brilliant idea of buying some Hello Kitty sheets for her new bed. Perhaps we will no longer have to sit with her for an hour before she goes to sleep as she will soon have a tacky but adorable feline to keep her company...

Crawling expert

Apple picking: a photo journey

This last Thursday was our toddler's first field trip at school. Her entire pre-school went apple-picking, and the parents were invited along. She was very excited about the trip. Later on that evening when her papa asked about her day, she excitedly described it in great detail:

I go on a school bus

Mommy come with me

I pick 5 apples

I see a baa baa

I ride a pink trike


And here are the photos to prove it:

In the school bus prior to departure

On the tractor ride to the orchard

Apple-picking!

Filling her bag

Eating an apple she picked off a tree

2 baa baas

A sow and her piglets

Riding a pink trike

Little Movers

Playing in the Tumble Room

Our toddler was very active as a baby, and remains equally as active now. She crawled by 6 1/2 months, and walked before she was 11 months old. We were certain our second would be much slower to move, partially because she is so rotund.

However, this week, she proved us wrong. No sooner had she learned to crawl, than she started pulling herself fully upright:

Upright!

She is so focused on getting herself upright, that the only time she sits still is at mealtime. Diaper changes have become nearly impossible. So much so that I recently purchased pull-up type diapers for infants called "Slip-ons" for "Little Movers".

Even though we have to be close by, as her balance is not yet perfect, we would not have it any other way. Our two "little movers" keep us on our toes, and very active. I am even considering not renewing my gym membership!