Well, its been an adventure so far. It was just you and I for the first four days. You were great on the flight out, in the airport you pulled your own luggage while i had everything else and made friends with the car rental dude. You fell asleep in the car instantly and we were off to Toledo!
Day one consisted of a Daddy clingon and lots of tears crying "I want mommy. I want to go home."
We left today, five days later and you changed your tune a bit: (again in tears but this time yelling at mommy and daddy) "I'M STAYING HERE!!!"
It was a great visit. You opted to stay with Grandma while i picked up mommy from the airport yesterday and you were a very good girl. Today after repeatedly telling you no to watching your strawberry shortcake dvds" "Hey Daddy? Maybe you can go pick up mommy from the airport again and I can stay with Grandma okay?"
Thanks to (crazy) Aunt Linda, Uncle Chris, cousins Maria, Adam, Ashley, Matt, Steph, Grandma, Aunt Lordes, Uncle Chuck, Aunt Rosie and of course your best friend Uncle John! Maya had a blast with you and loves all her presents! We'll be back soon and come to Seattle.
Next up... Christmas vacation part dos: The Granville days. Look out Lawrence and Lynchs', a complex two year old is coming your way!
Wow. Christmas. This is the topic of our daily discussions these days. Christmas lights! Santa! Christmas Lists! Snow! Ohio! Prizes! Candy Canes! Snowmans! And yes, you still insist you're on the funny list. Its a hoot and crazy time of year.
To start things off we had our annual "snow" day here in Seattle! That usually just means a dusting and indeed that is all it was this year but you saw it out our window when you first woke up; "DADDY! DADDY! SNOW! YOOK IT! SNOW!" Unadulterated, ecstatic enthusiasm. We immediately got all our winter gear on and headed out to play, even before breakfast! We ran into your friend Noelle and her Mommy and Daddy. She is one of your first neighborhood friends. Its pretty darn cute watching you two interact together. This first set of photos are courtesy of her mother Sonja Hunt from http://sonjahuntphotography.com/. I think this emphasises the fact that we need to get a professional shoot done with you instead of just capturing everything with our pitiful little cell phone cameras.
<tangent data-attribute='get-off-my-lawn'> When I first met your mommy we got our very first cell phones together. A few years later was when they introduced cameras on cell phones for the first time. I remember saying "There is absolutely no reason I would ever use a camera on my cell phone." Combined we both have over a gagillion photos on our phones. </tangent>
Thanks for the pics Sonja!
And of course more shots with our pitiful camera phones. You were pretty into the whole snowball concept.
So you're pretty excited about your Christmas list. Here you are at target checking out a book, you know to see if you want to add it to your list or not.
You LOVE decorating for Christmas. We got our tree last weekend and again, pure toddler excitement with helping decorate it. Notice the first ornaments you hung this year. The purple ones. Quite different from last year's Red Fang Christmas. We lost your Red Fang patch too. You still wanted to hang it after I mentioned it, but after the purple ones.
Thank goodness Grandma sent us Christmas decorations this year. You probably would not have been satisfied with our normal minimal Christmas display. I'm so impressed you've managed to not touch the Christmas blocks so far!
I made the mistake of saying that we could put Christmas lights in your room. As soon as you hear that, it had to happen. But what kind of lights? Yup. You guessed it. Purple ones. It looks like a damn kids room from the 1970s. All you need is a black light poster and you're all set!
You're getting to be such a big girl Mai! You're stylish.
Love to help cook.
Love to play dress-up.
And love to build things. This is your chair you built out of your footstool and cushion. "It helps my back" you say. Yup. You will have many funny sayings because you have older parents. I guess that's why you're on the funny list.
<tangent>If there is such a thing as the funny list, your mommy and I invented it. We're pretty damn funny. Let's not forget that. I'm sure you'll appreciate our humor as you grow. Either that our resent us but whatevs. </tangent>
Today you and Mommy are picking me up from work to ride the carousel and see the big tree downtown. We have many other Christmas fun times planned AND we leave for Ohio soon! Let's keep this Christmas train rolling!
Its Thanksgiving eve and I've just finished brining our turkey. I can't believe the holiday season is already here. I still have to post about our Halloween fun! In addition to all the holiday fun, we also celebrated Mommy's birthday! Your teacher at your daycare says you are the one that LOVES birthday parties. She even tries to rearrange the days that you are there to coincide with the parties because you like them so much. For Mommy's birthday you helped me bake her cake!
Your also recovering from being sick. We don't like our sweet girl to be sick but... when you are, it is when you are the most "cuddly" so we try to take advantage of it.
Even when you're sick you want to help. Here you are "helping" me make your bed.
This is also the first year you are old enough to really "get" some of the holidays. You loved Halloween and we are all pretty excited for our friends to come over tomorrow for Thanksgiving. We've also introduced you to more Christmas concepts.
For example, we told you about Santa and Christmas lists. Since you are watching more TV / cartoons these days, you see stuff on the commercial and exclaim: "I WANT THAT!" We need to instill a better "can't always get what you want" and "you have to earn it" type mentality but.. you're 2 so for now we are saying "You better put that on your Christmas list!"
Again, being two, the concept of being "nice" or "good" lasts for about 45 seconds before that naughty side kicks in. You want to be good. You really do but you just can't help yourself. Well, at least you USED to want to be good. Here is a conversation from last weekend.
Mommy: "Maya! Its time for bed!"
Maya: "No. I don't want to do that."
Mommy: "Maya, that isn't being a good girl. Do you want Santa to move you from the nice list to the naughty list?"
(This is after at least 1 day of you trying your best to stay on the nice list)
Maya: (after a pause and some pensive thought. You kind of mutter under your breath) "no. I'm going to be on the funny list."
Daddy: "What?"
Maya: "I'M GOING TO BE ON THE FUNNY LIST!"
Daddy: (erupts in laughter)
Mommy: "Honey, there is a fine line between funny and naughty and I don't think you have the experience to pull that off."
Daddy: (more laughter)
Maya: "no. I can do it. I'm funny."
Good Lord, what are we in for.
In addition to the "wish list" you've also taken a shine to all the holiday decorations. We bought you some purple Christmas lights that we are going to put up in your room tomorrow. You're so excited you can't stand it. I can't wait to take you to see the lights this year. You're going to love it!
Besides all the materialistic things, we are also trying to introduce you to the concept of giving. We want you to understand the joy of giving during the holidays and not just all about "me, me, me." So far so good. You're excited to give away more of your old coats, clothes and toys. Let's keep that up.
Well, its late and I'm rambling. Happy Thanksgiving my funny girl!
So a few posts back I mentioned that we were getting ready for your big girl bed... well that day has come. (It has passed actually but whatever)
Grandma came in town and we had another great visit with her. This visit had a purpose though. Fix up that little girl's room! If you haven't realized it yet, Grandma is very crafty, artsy and creative. She loves putting together designs. In fact Grandma has helped decorate every house we've ever lived in, rented or owned. When we sold our Ohio home Grandma helped stage the place and that probably was 99% of the reason we sold it mid recession. What I'm trying to say is that Grandma has skillz and now that she has got the hang of pinterest she's out of control. So while we had a blast with her visit as always, she was dead set on getting your room together for you before you left. Her only constraints? Purple. You had to have purple.
So you'll find that the one thing I'm really bad at are the "before" pictures. I want to do a whole "before" and "after" series now but alas I don't have any pictures of what your room looked like before we started to change it. Best I can do is the actual real estate picture I found of it when we bought this place and a few random "work in progress" pictures of me putting that stinking Ikea bed together.
And...
the...
reveal....!!!!
TADA!
We love it! Thanks Grandma!
You are doing awesome in your big girl bed. We were worried you would never sleep there but after just a little bit of fuss, nothing. You love going to your own room in your own bed. Mama asked you to sleep with her the other night and you responded: "No mommy. I have to sleep in my own room. You'll be okay though! I can give a kiss and a hug!"
You love your room. You had a play date over the other day and you wanted to show her your room. You showed her your purple wall, the lanterns, your purple light, your mirrors and your sunshine. You were pretty proud of everything.
While Grandma was here we had fun getting the room together while still showing Grandma around Seattle. We hit the international district to pickup the Japanese lanterns.
You slept with Grandma every night she was here. We were worried that was going to create a monster and you weren't going to want to sleep by yourself. Luckily you like your room so much its not an issue. AND as a bonus, because you and Grandma went to bed together, Mommy and I had a few couch date nights! Score!
You are getting so big and grown up so fast kiddo! Remember that whole potting training business? Well, just as we suspected as soon as WE (mommy and daddy) got serious about it you were pretty much instantly potting trained! About 5 weeks ago we started our serious training and you had it within a few days. Heck you've only had maybe 3 accidents since we started training 5 weeks ago. Good job Mai!
As always, your awareness and intelligence always impress me. While you and mommy were having a cheese snack you took a bite of your cheese and said: "Look Mommy! Idaho!"
You are also turning into our good little helper too. While we were taking down our Halloween decorations you asked if you could take a walk. I said "Sure! as long as I can see you." Maya: "otay." You walked all the way down to the end of the block all by yourself. Don't worry you knew not to walk into the street or anything. My little baby and her independence! :)
We're having fun Mai. AND we just booked our Ohio tickets for around Christmas time. We can't wait for that. I fear we turned you into a little travel junkie. You've been saying: "I want to stay in a hotel again sometime." :) I think you have travel withdrawal like Mommy and Daddy get. Let's hope our Ohio trip scratches that itch for everybody.
I love you so much Mai. I love watching your grow and discover more things every day. Don't grow up to fast! Mommy and Daddy still want to enjoy our sweet little baby for a bit longer.
You've been dying to go up in the Space Needle for awhile now. Every time we drive by you scream "I want to go up in there!" We told you that we were waiting for Grandma to visit and we could take her. That day finally arrived. I think the anticipation was much more exciting than the actual doing... but then again you were a crab butt today.
Doing the Space Needle is tricky business. You want to try to go on a sunny warm day. Those words are typically NOT used in the same sentence when you speak of a Seattle day in October. And when it is nice, the lines are crazy because everyone wants to go on said warm and sunny day. Very tricky business. The forecast was calling for a nice day but you never really know until the day of. I woke up early and was out for a walk during sunrise. The day was looking promising.
We managed to get out of the house before 10 AM. It wasn't too crowded so we got up right away. Once we were up on the observation deck your disappointment set in. I'm not sure what you were expecting but this was not it.
Maya: "Where's the space needle?"
Daddy: "Were IN the space needle! We're on the very top!"
Maya: "No. I want to go to the different space needle. The REAL space needle!"
Daddy: "This IS the real space needle!"
Maya: (silence but with a very unsatisfied look)
Daddy: "Don't you love it?!?!"
Maya: "It's too windy."
Despite your crab butt, it was beautiful up there today.
After a bit and a lot of milk, you finally started to perk up. You liked it inside better.
Then Grandma treated us to ride the ducks! You loved that. You probably spent 1/2 of the time on the duck waiving at at the world outside. I should also mentioned that you did all this without wearing a diaper today. The duck ride was over 1.5 hours. Towards the end you asked: "Do I have a diaper on?" That is usually DANGER! DANGER! DANGER! I told you nope and asked you to hold it and you did! You're doing great with this whole potty business!
It was a good fun day with Grandma. Rest up girl, we have lots more to do on this Grandma visit.
You know me. I'm a mush ball. I get it. I'm a pushover. There's not much I can do about it. I'm smitten with you to no end. Its out of control. But you make it so damn hard with your damn cuteness. You look out for me too. The other day you and Mommy were driving home from the store and you passed the intersection of Fauntleroy and California. You have a good sense of direction and know that is where Daddy's favorite taco truck is.
Maya: (as you glance out the window to look for my taco truck) "The taco truck is open! I have to tell daddy about this."
As you get older and experience more and more of the world, the more and more I want to protect you from it. Now time will tell but I think we're doing a pretty good job of letting you experience your own experiences, for better or worse. At the end of the day you have to learn what this world is about and how to make your own way through it. But there are some things that just kill me. Nightmares. And you're 2 so give me a break.
You just started having bad dreams recently and waking up in the night screaming. No. Me. Gusta. (Dear reader, its not an epidemic or anything so don't freak out.) We know its just normal and you know how to comfort yourself but its hard being a parent. I don't like hearing you scream for reasons I don't know. I want to cuddle you and just make it all go away. This is just a sample of how I'm going to feel for the rest of my life though isn't it?
How am I going to feel on your first sleep over? Your first date (when you're 30)? You're first time driving a car? And everything else between now and until the roles reverse on us?
My friend Roger mentioned something a long while back saying that it was hard watching horror movies (or any movies) that involved kids being in trouble once you have a kid. I had no idea what he meant. Boy do I now. I just finished watching the season 5 premiere of the Walking Dead and sheesh. There was a scene that was hard for me to watch. It wasn't even that bad compared to a lot of the horror movies that I've seen but it triggered some emotions in me that messed me up for the night. I think this is my therapy writing this blog tonight. (maybe I watch too many horror movies too... but its October! AND I still love me some horror flicks)
So what are we to do? Its not practical to make you live in a bubble nor is it throwing you to the wolves. As with anything Mai, moderation. If there is anything I hope you learn its moderation. Moderation in everything. Never excess and never deny. Moderation. If you learn moderation, all things in life will be easier. For Mommy and Daddy that means finding the right balance in what we let you learn on your own and what we take more guidance on.
For example, what TV do we let you watch? Well, we've just recently started watching a bit more cartoons and even your first movie, Polar Express. (at least part of it) Grandma got you the Polar Express book and you've loved that for a long time. We were on a kick where we read that book almost every night. We recently started watching the movie and you were transfixed... until the hobo on the top of the train.
As soon as that scene started you said, "I don't want to watch this anymore" in a very concerned tone and before I knew what was happening you lost your marbles. I turned it off and tried to talk you down but it really shook you. That was the first time I think I saw something scare you like that.
You had a bad dream that night and told me the next morning you were scared that the polar express was going to come out your window. So Mommy and I talked you through it. We even invented the Polar Express game that we pretend we're on the polar express. I also started making up some stories for you called "The Mija Stories." One of the Mija stories riffs off Polar Express. So we have a ball with the whole Polar Express thing again and you don't have bad dreams about it anymore. We won't watch the movie until we think you're ready for it but I like to think we gave you ammunition to deal with that bad dream and make it a good one.
Of course that is an example of something we can control. Unfortunately, not all situations are going to be in that realm. But know this. We will do everything we can to give you the best guidance we know how.
At the end of the day I count our blessings. If a scary man on a Tom Hanks animated film is one of our concerns, we're doing okay. I think its just a mood I'm in today. You're growing up so quick. I bought your big girl bed today. You used the potty all weekend. When we talk its a full on conversation. Sometimes its just overwhelming being a parent. We all want the best for our little humans. I never knew how powerful that emotion was until you came along.
But enough about that. Let's celebrate the cuteness that is Maya Rose at 2.5. Here are the vocal stylings of Maya Rose Castañeda singing "Sweet Dreams" from her most beloved and most viewed Strawberry Shortcake Sweet Dreams movie.
So you are about to hit your 2 year, 7 month mark and we are on a mission to have you potty trained before Grandma visits in a few weeks. We are pretty much in potty training bootcamp. Well as much of a bootcamp you can get with fairly lazy and inconsistent parents but we are not here to talk about us. This is about you missy.
We thought for sure you were going to be a breeze with potty training. I mean, you had your first potty success when you were 15 months old! That was like 14 months ago! It has been a roller coaster ride since then.
To be fair, we really didn't start being consistent until recently. Up until then it was more just getting you familiar with all the ceremony, if you will.
What we don't understand is how you an be so smart but still not have this down. I mean you knew over 20 of the 50 states by the time you were just over 2!
Here are some stories we've heard from other parents:
"Oh, potty training was easy. She/He learned over the weekend."
"As soon as she/he saw me go potty, she/he wanted to do that too and just started using the potty."
And my favorite from multiple people...
"Oh we didn't do much. She/he pretty much learned how to use the potty at daycare."
Lies. All lies.
You totally understood what "going to the potty" meant by the time you were 18 months. Up until very recently, here are some typical conversations.
Mommy: "Maya! Let's wear big girl panties today and use the potty."
Maya: "No. I don't want to do that. I'll wear a diaper."
Daddy: "Maya, don't you want to be the princess of the potty like your book?"
Maya: "No. I'm just a baby still."
I know, I know the blame is 99% on us and our inconsistency but the rational and diaper complacency on your end is a bit over the top.
We've also gave ourselves the excuse that we like to travel and go out so much that potty training can wait a bit. But now its almost winter time and time to buckle down. No more excuses.
We've tried all kinds of things. Sticker rewards, praise and we even resorted to giving you m&ms for successful potties. We have a system. 1 m&m if we ask you to go potty and you do. 2 m&ms if you go pee-pee on your own with out coaxing. And 3 M&Ms if you go poo-poo on your own! You've only gotten 3 M&Ms once. Of course you can't just get any old M&M.
Maya: (after going #1) "I get 2 M&Ms! I want purple M&Ms!"
Daddy: "We don't have purple m&ms."
Maya: "I want 1 brown M&M and 1 blue M&M."
I feel like Eddie Van Halen's tour manager from 1982.
Luckily within the past month you seem to have a vested interest in conquering this thing. It might be because you are pretty excited about getting a big girl bed. We've been shopping lately and you love trying out new beds. At the end of the day you really don't care what kind of bed it is, as long as its purple. It has to be purple. Everything has to be purple. You want purple everything. If I tell you that you can't have something you usually respond with "Maybe I can get one when I get older. Maybe I can get a purple one." The "one" can be anything from a spatula to a garden hose.
(That last pic is of one of your "buildings." You love to take whatever is around and build these structures and call them your house or your garden. This is your new bed in your bedroom." I smell architect in your future.)
You also want to wear big girl panties and use the potty. In fact using the potty is probably our most talked about subject right now in our household other than our little "what do you want for dinner" make believe game.
Mommy: "Everyone wears big girl panties and uses the potty. Mommy does. Grandma Does. Lorelei does."
Maya: "Uncle Shawn wears big girl panties too?"
Daddy: "Yes Maya. Uncle Shawn wears big girl panties too." :) (Sorry Shawn, I can't let that one go)
I'm confident in you (and in us) Maya! We can do this. I want to update this blog in less than 2 weeks from now with the title "Princess of the Potty" and not look back to diapers anymore. Let's do this!
Attention! Attention! Attention! Calling all of you out there in the blogosphere / facebook world and twitterverse. How do you make an animal from the muppets costume for a 2.5 year old?
Halloween is coming up and we're getting ready for it. Maya wants to be animal from the muppets. Here favorite muppet.
I know I could probably buy one but I figure there are a lot of creative, crafty folks out there. Hit me up with you're best ideas. We already have a pair of drumsticks. :)
Disclaimer: She's 2.5 and has also stated that she wanted to be a scarecrow and cookie monster. By the time Halloween rolls around we could be doing something completely different.
She's consistent with what Mommy and Daddy should be. I'm supposed to be zombie and mommy a brain.
Yup. You said that out loud. It was actually "Hey! I'm done with my plate too mermaid" but it definitely sounded like "barmaid."
Dear Mai,
We took off last Sunday for a quick day trip up to Bellingham.
Your conversation and your comprehension continue to astound me these days. I know I'm biased and its probably normal for 2.5 year olds but you're my only experience other than dogs so allow me to be impressed. We woke up and said "Hey Mai, do you want to go on a road trip today?"
"Yea!" was your response. "Let's get some new apps for my ipad so I can play them when I use my ipad. Maybe let's get shortcake app."
So.. you don't play OUR ipad on a normal basis but you realize that when on road trips you get to have ipad time. And because you hung out with Lorelei the night before and she downloaded some apps for you on her ipad, you apparently understand this whole app / download concept now. You're a crazy kid.
So on the road we go. We need our sunglasses, sunscreen and probably our last summer dress for this season. (I can't believe we got away with not having to wear the rain boots this time) Grab a quick "healthy" breakfast of mini doughnuts and we're on our way!
The last time Mommy and I visited Bellingham was before you were born. We tried to retrace some of our steps and hit this Bellingham Bay resort. (If you're over 21 and reading this, the lighthouse bar and grill has one of the best wine pours I've ever seen. Just an FYI) It was just a great day to hang by the water out in the sun.
It was fun tooling around the town and different neighborhoods. We decided to grab a quick lunch at Fat Pie Pizza. As we were finishing up, our waitress came over and asked us if we were done with our plates. She grabbed mine and mommy's and started to walk away. "Hey! I'm done with my plate too mermaid!"
silence
I don't think she heard you but wow... since then we've been having discussions about manners and politeness. Don't get me wrong though. We laughed our behinds off.
I don't know why you call people mermaids. I bought you your first lego set awhile back and the two female figures in that set you refer to as mermaids too. As I'm writing this I'm realizing where you got this from... You don't watch too much TV and you have definitely never seen the Little Mermaid or anything like that BUT... you have this awful barbie mermaid book. I think I read it to you once and told you it was an awful book. SO somehow those figures and that waitress remind you of those barbie mermaids. wow. so crazy man.
Anywho... after more tooling around we drove home down the scenic Chuckanut drive. Mommy and I have this weird thing we do where we yell "PRETTY!" on drives like this. You've somehow found it appropriate to respond to us with "MONKEY!" with the same gusto. To someone outside our circle of trust we probably look like lunatics.
Our last stop before heading home was the Oyster Bar on Chuckanut drive. It looks like this total dive but its some fine dining and its one of the first spots I realized I liked oysters. I tried to get you to try a bite but you wanted nothing to do with it. You responded with "No. But maybe later. When I get older."
It was a long day and we had barely enough time to get home, take our bath and head off to bed time. Of course you wanted to get some playing time in.
