Thursday, March 13, 2008
Mastering the Tricycle
chibiguri was given a tricycle for his second birthday by his wonderful Aunt. Unfortunately, when he first received it, his legs were not quite long enough to be able to pedal, so he used his feet to push himself along. However, this has completely changed as of yesterday.
I returned home from work to find chibiguri busily pedaling around the back-yard, his legs churning away as his little tricycle circled the path around the yard. He was able to start, stop and even do a little backwards pushing, without assistance from either myself or from amaguri. Naturally, I was delighted, so I asked amaguri when this achievement had occurred.
She tells me that all day, chibiguri insisted on going around the block, and persevered until he finally mastered the skill of riding his tricycle. He would not stop until he was able to successfully maneuver his machine in all the necessary direction for independent movement. And naturally, chibiguri was mightily pleased with himself, as he had every right to be. Even when amaguri went inside to cook dinner, chibiguri insisted I remain outside with him to watch his newfound skill in practice. And he can maneuver at an astonishing speed for someone who was unable to pedal by himself until yesterday!
he was so pleased that he even wanted to bring the tricycle inside the house with him when darkness finally fell, but I put my foot down at that request- the tricycle is an outdoor vehicle, and is not allowed into the house. chibiguri was unhappy, but accepted the finality of our decision, being somewhat compensated by our assurance that he would be able to ride again the following day, provided the weather was cooperative.
I can't wait to see what skills he has acquired today in my absence- it seems every day i return, he has masstered another skill. Now, if he could only remember the darn alphabet....
I returned home from work to find chibiguri busily pedaling around the back-yard, his legs churning away as his little tricycle circled the path around the yard. He was able to start, stop and even do a little backwards pushing, without assistance from either myself or from amaguri. Naturally, I was delighted, so I asked amaguri when this achievement had occurred.
She tells me that all day, chibiguri insisted on going around the block, and persevered until he finally mastered the skill of riding his tricycle. He would not stop until he was able to successfully maneuver his machine in all the necessary direction for independent movement. And naturally, chibiguri was mightily pleased with himself, as he had every right to be. Even when amaguri went inside to cook dinner, chibiguri insisted I remain outside with him to watch his newfound skill in practice. And he can maneuver at an astonishing speed for someone who was unable to pedal by himself until yesterday!
he was so pleased that he even wanted to bring the tricycle inside the house with him when darkness finally fell, but I put my foot down at that request- the tricycle is an outdoor vehicle, and is not allowed into the house. chibiguri was unhappy, but accepted the finality of our decision, being somewhat compensated by our assurance that he would be able to ride again the following day, provided the weather was cooperative.
I can't wait to see what skills he has acquired today in my absence- it seems every day i return, he has masstered another skill. Now, if he could only remember the darn alphabet....
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Light Switches
chibiguri has a fascination with light switches and in fact, switches in general. he wants to turn on and off any switch he can get his little hands on. His favorites are the bedroom and kitchen/garage switches.
Every time we enter or leave the house, chibiguri insists on turning on/off the lights and closing or opening the garage door, since that is also switch-controlled. The light switches are within reach, though he has to use a chair for the kitchen one. He will go get a chair from the kitchen table, drag it over to the door, and then climb on the chair to turn the switch on or off. And e is insistent if we forget to let him do that. he will start jumping up and down saying his name, until we turn the switch to its previous position and let him do it himself.
He does this in our bedroom as well. Part of the bedtime routine is chibiguri dragging over his little plastic chair, turning off the light, then telling us 'ne-ne', which means 'sleep' in Japanese.
he also likes to open and close the garage door. While I have not so far let him see how I do it from inside the car (no need to start that this early), he is fully aware of the switch inside the garage, and he also is insistent that he be allowed to close the garage door when we return to the house. he will stand on the steps, holding his arms out to be licked up and lifted to the level of the switch so he can then close the door. he is able to understand that it is not a toy, so he will simply do it once and then he is happy. Of course, if we forget, we have to open the door for him to close!
I'm not sure where this fascination will lead, if anywhere, but at the moment, he is certainly interested in being the Switch-man.
Every time we enter or leave the house, chibiguri insists on turning on/off the lights and closing or opening the garage door, since that is also switch-controlled. The light switches are within reach, though he has to use a chair for the kitchen one. He will go get a chair from the kitchen table, drag it over to the door, and then climb on the chair to turn the switch on or off. And e is insistent if we forget to let him do that. he will start jumping up and down saying his name, until we turn the switch to its previous position and let him do it himself.
He does this in our bedroom as well. Part of the bedtime routine is chibiguri dragging over his little plastic chair, turning off the light, then telling us 'ne-ne', which means 'sleep' in Japanese.
he also likes to open and close the garage door. While I have not so far let him see how I do it from inside the car (no need to start that this early), he is fully aware of the switch inside the garage, and he also is insistent that he be allowed to close the garage door when we return to the house. he will stand on the steps, holding his arms out to be licked up and lifted to the level of the switch so he can then close the door. he is able to understand that it is not a toy, so he will simply do it once and then he is happy. Of course, if we forget, we have to open the door for him to close!
I'm not sure where this fascination will lead, if anywhere, but at the moment, he is certainly interested in being the Switch-man.
Labels: climbing, doors, switches
Goodbyes
In the past, chibiguri was very opposed to eight myself or amaguri leaving without him. However, he has recently begun to understand that we have to go out sometimes and that even if we leave, we will be back a little later. So he no longer throws a fit if amaguri or I leave him behind.
He has also begun saying 'Goodbye' to us as we go. For exampled, when I awoke this morning, chibiguri was also awake and as I dressed, he rolled over and said 'Bye, Daddy'! he understood that I had to go somewhere he couldn't, but he knew I would be coming back later that day. So he simply said 'goodbye' and waved to me as I left the house. He does this for amaguri as well. In both our cases,he is very happy when we return- he will stop whatever he is doing and run to the door leading into the garage, from whence we usually enter and depart the house. He like to greet us as we return, though he does not always accompany us to the door when we leave.
He has also begun saying 'Goodbye' to us as we go. For exampled, when I awoke this morning, chibiguri was also awake and as I dressed, he rolled over and said 'Bye, Daddy'! he understood that I had to go somewhere he couldn't, but he knew I would be coming back later that day. So he simply said 'goodbye' and waved to me as I left the house. He does this for amaguri as well. In both our cases,he is very happy when we return- he will stop whatever he is doing and run to the door leading into the garage, from whence we usually enter and depart the house. He like to greet us as we return, though he does not always accompany us to the door when we leave.
Labels: comprehension, goodbyes
Poopy Problems
One would think that when one is two-and-a-half, toilet trqaining would be nearly complete. In the case of chibiguri, one would be stunningly incorrect. So far, we have not been able to teach chibiguri that it is necessary to inform us BEFORE he needs to go. This occasionally leads to some interesting interludes.
Yesterday, I was picking up chibiguri from daycare when he made his usual request to go to his favorite store to play with trains. Since it was fairly early, I acquiesced, and we proceeded to go there. Naturally, chibiguri pooped. As I took him to the restroom for changing, I realized I only had one more diaper, and so informed him, stating that if he went again, we would have to go home. chibiguri listened carefully and asid 'yes' when i asked him if he understood.
After some more time, chibiguri pooped again. He didn't tell me before, but afterwards, he told me that he had pooped and his rear was painful. I told him I had no more spare diapers, then asked him if he was ready to go home. Previously, he had answered in the negative, but this time he answered in the affirmative. This gives me encouragement that maybe one day soon, he will actually begin telling us in advance of his little accidents thus enabling us to retire the diaper once and for all.
chibiguri is also not too fond of the diaper, as he really seems to want to wear 'big-boy' pants- no diaper. However, both amaguri and I continue to tell chibiguri that only when he begins to notify us regularly when he needs to visit the facilities will he be able to wear 'big-boy' pants sans diaper. We all hope that day comes sooner rather than later....
Yesterday, I was picking up chibiguri from daycare when he made his usual request to go to his favorite store to play with trains. Since it was fairly early, I acquiesced, and we proceeded to go there. Naturally, chibiguri pooped. As I took him to the restroom for changing, I realized I only had one more diaper, and so informed him, stating that if he went again, we would have to go home. chibiguri listened carefully and asid 'yes' when i asked him if he understood.
After some more time, chibiguri pooped again. He didn't tell me before, but afterwards, he told me that he had pooped and his rear was painful. I told him I had no more spare diapers, then asked him if he was ready to go home. Previously, he had answered in the negative, but this time he answered in the affirmative. This gives me encouragement that maybe one day soon, he will actually begin telling us in advance of his little accidents thus enabling us to retire the diaper once and for all.
chibiguri is also not too fond of the diaper, as he really seems to want to wear 'big-boy' pants- no diaper. However, both amaguri and I continue to tell chibiguri that only when he begins to notify us regularly when he needs to visit the facilities will he be able to wear 'big-boy' pants sans diaper. We all hope that day comes sooner rather than later....
Labels: diapers, toilet-training
Wednesday, March 05, 2008
Counting Gummi Bears
chibiguri has a nighttime routine. After he bathes, and before he goes to the toothbrushing, he really wants to have his daily gummi vitamin. However, this is not as simple as merely giving him a gummi vitamin- no, chibiguri has his own routine and he becomes very annoyed if he is not allowed to follow it. The routine is as follows:
1. chibiguri drags a kitchen chair to the cabinet wherein are stored and unlocks the cabinet.
2. chibiguri gets down from the chair and opens the cabinet
3. chibiguri opens the door
4. chibiguri replaces the chair and takes down the vitamin bottle
5. chibiguri opens the bottle and takes out three gummi vitamins- one for me, one for amaguri and one for him
6. chibiguri counts to ten (or sometimes twenty) before eating his vitamin.
7. chibiguri replaces the vitamins on the shelf and then repeats steps 1-4 in reverse.
chibiguri is fairly constant in counting to twenty, though he likes to occasionally throw us a curve by changing the number to which he counts before popping his vitamin into his little mouth. If he surprises us, he is very pleased- it is all about being one up on The Parents, I gather. However, he is getting better at the whole counting thing. now we just need to get him to count beyond twenty- he hasn't quite gotten that far on his own!
1. chibiguri drags a kitchen chair to the cabinet wherein are stored and unlocks the cabinet.
2. chibiguri gets down from the chair and opens the cabinet
3. chibiguri opens the door
4. chibiguri replaces the chair and takes down the vitamin bottle
5. chibiguri opens the bottle and takes out three gummi vitamins- one for me, one for amaguri and one for him
6. chibiguri counts to ten (or sometimes twenty) before eating his vitamin.
7. chibiguri replaces the vitamins on the shelf and then repeats steps 1-4 in reverse.
chibiguri is fairly constant in counting to twenty, though he likes to occasionally throw us a curve by changing the number to which he counts before popping his vitamin into his little mouth. If he surprises us, he is very pleased- it is all about being one up on The Parents, I gather. However, he is getting better at the whole counting thing. now we just need to get him to count beyond twenty- he hasn't quite gotten that far on his own!
Spiderman!
chibiguri has developed a fascination with Spiderman, possibly due to his exposure to said character at his daycare provider. Initially, he was able only to enunciate the 'suman' part of his favorite character's name, but more recently, he has successfully mastered the full name of his hero 'Spiderman'! He has taken to moving as much like Spiderman as possible, and will suddenly begin pretending to throw webs and swing from building at the slightest provocation. He has also begun moving into increasingly athletic performances on the playground, according to amaguri. He swings from heightsd and he is willing to work on a move until he masters it.
At home, he will leap from table to the couch, and jump from chairs to the floor. then he grins up winningly at whomever is witnessing these increasingly impressive actions and says 'Spiderman'. However, his afffection for Spiderman is helpful when it comes to persuading him to do things he would otherwise rather avoid- all one has to do is tell him 'Spiderman does this' and he will submit to whatever it is that we want him to do- from putting on his pajamas (he still has a preference for nudity) to brushing his teeth. How long this will last is anyone's guess but for the moment it is a successful ploy.
At home, he will leap from table to the couch, and jump from chairs to the floor. then he grins up winningly at whomever is witnessing these increasingly impressive actions and says 'Spiderman'. However, his afffection for Spiderman is helpful when it comes to persuading him to do things he would otherwise rather avoid- all one has to do is tell him 'Spiderman does this' and he will submit to whatever it is that we want him to do- from putting on his pajamas (he still has a preference for nudity) to brushing his teeth. How long this will last is anyone's guess but for the moment it is a successful ploy.
Labels: activities, spiderman
