Feelin' like a (Germ) Killer

This morning I was horrified to find that sometime during the night last night, my poor Bean threw up big time. I felt so horrible for her. She was a mess. Her crib was a mess. And her menagerie of toys? Yep, that was a mess too.  I immediately snapped into Supermom, crisis containment mode. Bean went in the bathtub, bedclothes went in the washer, impacted fuzzy ones were put in a box and hidden in the closet for later attention...

...It's later now... 

Not long ago, as I described the Bean's menagerie of creatures in her crib, a friend asked me,"So how is it that you get to that point [of having a whole town worth of stuffed animals and toys in your one-year-old's crib]?" Well, I guess the simplest answer is that two people who happen to go by "Momma" and "Dada" cave every time another furry little friend is added to the fold. And so far, it's mostly been positive, even buying us extra time in bed on Saturday mornings, while the Bean plays with her beloved babies and kitties. The downside, which I now know firsthand, is that stuffed animals are magnets for everything gross that can possibly be emitted from a toddler. 

So what's a parent to do? (Especially one whose number one hated activity is throwing up). Well, thankfully there are all sorts of suggestions out here on the interwebs. Though many people had great suggestions, my favorite resource was a Real Simple article that gives detailed instructions for disinfecting all sorts of important and germ-collecting objects in your child's life. Which is how the Bean's babies have come to live in the freezer (germs will die in the cold environment). And even though I'm doing the right thing, this image somehow feels so wrong (thus I had to share it with you!). 

Recipe for a Winter Workout

Ingredients:

1 24 lb toddler
24 lb toddler's winter gear (size may vary)
itty bitty sled

Recommended, but not necessary:

6 + inches of snow

backyard with a ridiculous hill

Directions:

Snugly wrap, zip, velcro, or otherwise shove maneuver toddler into winter gear. You'll know you've done it right if said toddler cannot move her arms, hands, or neck. It is a good idea to do the same for yourself. Doing so sets a good example.

Go outside. Buckle toddler securely into sled. After a few test pulls through the snow just to get used to things, bend at the knees and hoist the toddler-filled sled part way up the hill. Carefully turn the sled around, and pull down the hill. For extra fun, let go for the last few feet. Giggle, dust off your snowy bum (you probably fell down at some point along the path), and repeat the process.

Marks of success:

You can "feel" your legs, knees, back, and arms in a whole new way.

Your toddler is ridiculously happy and has internalized the word sled.

Her face might look something like this:

Note:

This workout is best followed by a lunch of warm soup and a long nap.

B-Word of the Week: Book

Book was the Bean's first word. Right after Dada, and before Momma, she began asking to read. As many families probably do, we've gone through several phases of favorite titles, books that she'd ask for night after night. Until recently, however, the Bean would typically request different titles every night to accompany whichever book was the favorite. This is something that I most certainly took for granted, as we've now entered a phase of strict adherence to routine. We've been reading the same three books every night since Thanksgiving, sometimes more than once. Part of me loves this, as the Bean can now read these books to herself pretty well, and part of me is anxious to change up the mix a little bit.

Ultimately, I am grateful that my little girl loves reading so much. It has most certainly contributed to her language development and has helped to satisfy her insatiable interest in everything. It provides wonderful quality time together and acts as a conduit for us to sing, dance, and laugh together. It is also one of the few times my daughter sits almost completely still...in my lap! This is why, no matter what the book Bean chooses for me to read night after night, I will always embrace the opportunity to pick it up and make the story come alive for her once again.

Although the selections may not change frequently, we invite you to read along with us. From now on, we'll share our current bedtime favorites on Bean's very own virtual bookshelf. We look forward to sharing them with you, and to hearing about your favorites, too!

B-Word of the Week: "Bis"

Conversing with a toddler is, I imagine, a little bit like acting as an interpreter/translator for someone from a foreign country. As little ones give new words a try, they come up with plenty of their own pronunciations and even words for objects. One of the words that the Bean uses most consistently and often is "bis." Translation: blankie. Any blankie. From the day she started calling a blanket anything at all, it was a "bis" and has remained so for at least 2 months. Bean's use of the word is so consistent that I am finding it difficult not to use the word myself. I'm not surprised that it's one of the first objects that Bean has named. As soon as she was able to control her arms, she would lay down in bed and pull the blanket up over her face to sleep. Now, she meticulously fluffs and piles her blankets (2-3 of them) to make a nest to sleep in, much like our dachshund does with his bedding. The Bean's blankets are adored, and with such status deserve their own unique name. For that reason, I've deemed "bis" the word of the week...perhaps the word of the year :) Cheers to babyspeak, and to "bis"es everywhere.

4-month-old Bean, asleep under her "bis"

More Christmas, Please!

Christmas, 2011 was not the Bean's first Christmas, but it was the first one that she was aware of. And, man oh man, did that girl embrace the season! I mean...literally embrace it. Ornaments received kisses and hugs, snowmen pats on the head, and the baby Jesus was literally rocked in the Bean's rocking chair. Christmas was also a great language learning opportunity. Added to the vocabulary were the words tree, lights, "boo-ful," angel, star, snowman, and on and on. Each glimpse of a sparkling scene brought more "oohs" and "aahs" that escalated into giddy shrieks and wild clapping. This season was one of true joy, experienced anew through the wondering eyes of my one-year-old.

One of the memories that I will hold with me forever is that of decorating the Christmas tree together. I wasn't sure how it would go - one-year-olds can be surprisingly destructive and/or disinterested but have the equal potential to be captivated and attentive to something they find interesting. Let's just say the Bean was captivated. We truly decorated the tree together. I would gather a few ornaments from their storage box, instruct Bean to be careful, and she would remove them from their individual packages. She watched, eyes wide, as I placed each piece on the tree, identifying each character and object as they were hung. As I finished hanging each small group of ornaments I'd fetched, I was confronted by two frantically signing hands - MORE! MORE!

The Bean signs "More!"

Bean was so excited by the hanging of the ornaments that each time we ran out, she demanded even more excitedly than the last that we find more to put up. I would grow excited and comply...

...until we ran out. And then Bean cried. Hard. Her hands signed harder and harder - "MORE!" coupled with "PLEASE!" As I gently placed the empty boxes and wrappings into the storage container, and we closed the box together, the Bean finally understood that we'd run out. So we commenced ogling the tree, pointing out our favorite decorations and giggling as we made the oinking sound of the pig ornaments.

It was such a joyful, beautiful evening. One of the first experiences we truly shared together.

Fast forward to today, the third day back to work. It has surprised me that returning after this week-long Christmas break has been nearly as difficult as returning for the first time after four months of maternity leave. It was indescribably wonderful to have so many precious moments with my daughter and our family. The first day back to work had me feverishly demanding of the universe,"More Christmas, please!!"

Tiny hands work feverishly to hang ornaments

And though the lights and tree may be soon headed for the basement again, I pray that I am able to hold onto and carry forward the intense presence and closeness of Christmas into the year ahead.