A-B-C, as easy as YouTube?

Truman's been showing some interest in learning letters so we're planning to focus on one letter each day. I just put together a play list for each letter on YouTube. We'll watch those, cut out an upper and lowercase letter to stick on the wall (and by the time we get through them all we'll have our own alphabet chart) and then do something with items that begin with that letter.

Today, with A we ate, smelled (he loves to smell things!) and played with an apple. Cut out apple and alligator shapes, colored and labeled them, then stuck them next to the letter Aa on the wall.

Then I got ambitious (okay, MORE ambitious) and drew three trees so he could count some apple shapes and stick them on the tree. That is where it started to fall apart. He did enjoy coloring the trees, cutting up the apples he was supposed to stick on them and unrolling gobs of the tape, though.

In these moments I just have to remind myself that doing those things were important to him, way more important than doing the activity I had set up. And in getting to explore the materials in the way he desired he was able to finally work the scissors by himself.

Now if only I could figure out what he is learning by making the house so messy, I'd be set. Although I guess what I am learning by having a messy house is that spending time with my child is much more important than cleaning.

21 Months: "Oh My Goodness"

(with Nana on New Year's Eve)


We've entered the stage where Truman can and will repeat any word he hears, so I have taken to saying "oh my" often — in frustration, in excitement, in amazement and anguish, at the TV, at bad drivers and at the things I stumble over. If it's really heated I'll even go so far as to say "oh my goodness!" In this way I have become an old lady to prevent my son from sounding like a sailor. Instead he sound like an old lady with me, walking around saying "oh my!" in a sweet and surprised voice.

These days he's not grown much more in size, though he is inching his way toward 3T shirts, but is growing exponentially in language and other practical tasks. Today he was able to use his scissors himself to cut paper. He couldn't do it exactly the right way, but he found a workable solution. And earlier this week he helped me roll out and cut cookies. He's very smart and intuitive when it comes to activities that involve hand manipulation, like a little engineer.

He loves to color and paint, run, climb, jump and dance. He likes snow and hates hats. He likes to watch things that fly and find things in the house. He's getting pretty good at playing catch and making baskets, but he also likes to carry a purse, care for baby dolls and play chef. He is a ball of energy while we are out, but will often concentrate on activities that interest him while at home.

He is getting better at using the potty and telling us when he has to go while we are out, but he still wears diapers when out and at night.

About once a day he talks about a family member who isn't present, either thinking about them, wanting to call them or when he sees a picture. He remembers and loves his family.

Here he was a year ago: