First colouring tries

Pretty good for a 16-month old, no?

In the last few days I spent enormous amount of time on researching new toys for him and it hit me only now - he loves drawing and he can spend dozens of minutes on it, he enjoys colouring, drawing his own stuff, so that is something I should be focused on, not on buying him new stuff. 

Perpetuum mobile

I am impressed. He woke up at 5:37 with sh-sh and fell asleep at 19:00, no naptime today. Wow. I'm dead because he clearly missed the nap.

The two-piece puzzle

In a previous post I mentioned he loves two-piece puzzles by Galt, so today I took some pictures of it.

The car is always the first, and often the last puzzle he puts together.

Winning dance.

Train.

All puzzles together. (I put them together, he has no interest to put together more than at a time)

A bit of sand and water

Pure fun for the toddler. Then he slid on the slide several times. I am a cool mum because I let him.

Constant talker. For some reason he is signing a goat a lot lately.

Swinging on a swing for big children

Pure fun. He loved it. He was falling off quite a lot but he didn't care. Maybe he felt like a big boy?

Kindergarten- Day 7

It was raining today, which meant we didn't go outside - the teacher was surprised when I told we go out no matter what (ok, if it's raining cats and dogs, we might go out only once a day and for a short time, like to play in the puddles in front of our building because the dog wouldn't want to walk more than a few steps anyways- but I kept this for myself) - not the point, though, the point is I had time to observe the whole kindergarten class dynamics because about half of the kids come when we go outside, but today they came and had to stay in. This whole kindergarten experiment with Teodor is a great observation study for me, like seeing the theory in action.

Most of the kids (1.5-2.5? years) are sad. The only ones who seem fine are those who already have some kindergarten experience. There are a few crying newbies, especially one girl takes it really badly, she keeps crying all the time, which makes me feel really sorry for her. It is even sadder that the teachers are not able to distract the children (involve in some play), so they seem to be stuck in their misery. I am not really sure what exactly they should do, but those things the current teacher is trying to pull out seem not very age-appropriate (seems like she is suggesting activities for older kids), but she is really trying unlike the helping teachers who are just sitting surrounded by a few sad children, they just tell them to go to play.

It is also very interesting to watch how the children interact together. One has something interesting, the other ones join. Also how they deal when some other kid takes their toy. Or how the younger ones try to pull some social contact with each other, but it is simply awkward.

Montessori was totally right, children love to work with their hands and they choose tasks for practising fine motor skills. And they love to do this over playing with other toys (ok, Teodor loves the cars there, he might be a lost montessori case :)) The only problem is that there are not many toys for that and they are kept not very organized. Today we tried to cut some wooden fruits with Teodor (too difficult for him), but then one other girl joined, she enjoyed it a lot but there were so many missing pieces and the fruit was not kept in a separate basket, so it was generally impossible for the children to find and play. Another example from today: A girl found a shape sorterer and suddenly a lot of kids were around wanting to play with it. Interestingly enough, children older than Teodor were not much better than him :-O

I miss building blocks there so badly, also stacking cups/cubes, some musical instruments (what can be better than five children drumming, righ?), stacking rings, more of shape sorters, all toys easily accessible (they have jumping horses on a top shelv - wtf?), but mostly the building blocks. Children at this age love to build towers, they love stacking cubes/rings....it really seems to me that many toys are there for older children.

Anyway, Teodor was so excited today to play with the cars that he attempted to go to the playroom on his own (while I was eating breakfast in the changing toom), but got stuck in the middle. Here I got very disappointed with the teacher, she could have taken him to the classroom and could have played with him but she did nothing, so I had to go and save him. Another annoying thing is that the teacher said I should start training him to be there alone. When I saw the sadness in the classroom, I just thought why would I want to do that? I mean I want him to be there alone for a couple of hours per week, but I have no intentions to stress him, it is just not worth it. Plus I feel much better now (still vomitting a few times a day), so maybe if they start pushing, we won't go there any more...

Kindergarten - Day 6

This night was quite challenging, so I was not sure if we were going, but he woke up after 6, so why not.

He loves the kindergarten because they have two boxes of cars there. So when we reached the main entrance, he started his mantra "brm-brm-brm", after changing his shoes and a pee break, he ran to the playroom to play with the cars. They have so many cars there that they keep him busy for an hour without me interfering, it makes me thinking maybe I should really get him more cars but probably not because then the kindergarten would lose its magic.

This time he liked the porridge, so he ate half of the plate. But he was the same hungry at the end of our stay there as in those days he wouldn't eat anything. In the middle of breakfast, he remembered the cars and was very determined to get back to play with them. He had to wait a bit for the other children to finish their food, so while waiting, I managed to get a bit more food into him.

Another playtime with the cars before going out, he was not happy to go out without "his" cars but I managed to persuade him and he found other cars to play with outside. And he finally dared himself to take a slide there. He can walk up the stairs all by himself, then seat himself and then let go and slide on his own.

Again he was not happy to leave, but he was dead tired when we reached home.

Even though the kindergarten is not a place where I would like to leave him full-time because it has very little in common with my views on raising children, I like it there and so does he. He is learning not to be afraid of other children and get what he wants before somebody else gets it. And where else would they have so many cars? Definitely not in a Montessori kindergarten :)

What we've been up to in the last weeks

Apart from bitching how difficult my life has become, we've been quite productive in the pauses between screaming :)

We took walks in the forest, he loved the terrain and the challenges it brought upon him.

Big wooden beads. He could get the bead on the string, but didn't understand how to move it to the string.

 But he liked looking pretty :)

And enjoyed putting it on his finger a lot and then throwing it.

We also started to make "roads" for his train. (yay for sh-sh-sh)

He also started to improve his balance skills. He's so eager to practise, any time anywhere.

 Regular trips on his motorbike and picking up pine cones.

 Playing with his car in front of our building. We do it sometimes even twice a day.

 Building towers.

 Drawing. He became a serious artist. At least 3 metres of paper are used up in one session. He can also tell me what I should draw for him or he tells me what he had drawn.

 Playing with waldorf blocks and learning more about balance.

 Magic water pictures. Fun, fun, fun.

 Playing in water.

 Memo game. We are using it for naming the animals.

Two-piece puzzles - I don't have a picture, but he can find 3 out of 6 pairs and if I put them in a correct order, he can put them together. Pretty amazing for a 16-month old.

In his own bed

He sleeps the same as with us, only we have more space. So, I guess it is working out for us :-)

Kindergarten - Day 5

Teodor slept so well this night that I actually felt motivated to go this morning. We left the dog morning walk to the dad and took the earlier bus, so we could leave earlier.

We came at 8 and there was only one boy, he seriously has no problem with being in the kindergarten. Teodor seemed to be more self-confident in the classroom, not afraid of the boy and to go to get some cars. This morning it felt like we go there so he can play with cars and say "brm-brm-brm" again and again. Only a few more kids came till breakfast, which was good, Teodor really seems to mind other children less and less.

Breakfast was disgusting, in my opinion nothing you should be giving to such young children, but it is a public institution with a limited budget, so I go with it, Teodor didn't like it anyway.

After breakfast there was some drawing time, something he enjoys a lot and then I asked him if he wanted to go home to which he answered no. So we went also outside with the group. He had a lot of fun playing in the sand and was not happy to go home, which we had to because his naptime was coming meaning it is time to get home as fast as possible, otherwise he would be very unpleasant on the public transport.

So I guess kindergarten tomorrow again.

Pauza od koně

Na začátek hned řeknu, že k tomu nemám žádný vznešený ani idealistický důvod, prostě na koně nemám čas.

Začalo to celkem nevinně, prostě jsem jeden den na koni nebyla, Teodor mě celej den nenechal sednout k počítači a ono se co? vůbec nic nestalo. A mě došlo, že je fakt čas koně na nějakou dobu utnout, protože to je strašne zabiják času. Jako díky koni jsem se dozvěděla o barefootu, AP, "nevýchově",...kůň je super, fakt jako jo, ale čeho je moc, toho je moc. Takže se tam kouknu jednou, dvakrát denně a konec. A o tom, co se u nás děje, budu psát tady...tady aspoň nikdo nemá blbý komentáře, aspoň zatím :)

Challenging weeks

Sometimes I swear if I hear "brm brm brm" or "sh-sh-sh" one more time, I'm going to lose it. Well, I hear it a lot, he actually starts talking when wakes up and is almost done by the time he falls asleep, but he also speaks at night. Man, that's annoying. I don't care how important it is for the development of his speech...mamma needs some minutes of silence. Seriously. On Wednesday he made a morning-drunk guy on the tram really pissed by his constant syllable talking. On Thursday it was public holiday in Estonia and his dad took him out for an hour. One hour of silence. Wonderful.

His constant talking is annoyance number 1. Number two is definitely him being so clingy. I am seriously not allowed to sit in front of my laptop when he's awake. He requires me being present at whatever he is doing and listen to him talking and then me translating it into my adult language. I hate the two-piece puzzles he loves now (a perfect opportunity to listen to more "brm brm brm" and "sh-sh-sh" and "rrrrrrrr"), the memory game (lots of animals he loves to name and sign), I hate the train (sh-sh-sh), I seriously can't stand the train, the wooden Brio train is even sleeping with us in case he wants to play with it at night (isn't it wonderful to listen to sh-sh-sh at 2:30am?), I am quite ok with him drawing - even though he is constantly asking me to draw him "sh-sh-sh" :-) Luckily, if I refuse, he has no problems to draw it himself and ask me again to draw it for him, I guess he doesn't care that much what we are drawing, he just loves to talk (tell me what to draw).

I found out that "brm brm brm" is more bearable in the open space, so we go outside a lot just to save me from a meltdown.

Kidnergarten - Day 4

We ditched the kindergarten today as it seemed the outcome is not worth the effort (commute there, be there, buy food, go home with an over-tired toddler).

An early bird catches the worm

I really don't get it after whom he is such an early riser. His both parents are such sleep-lovers. This whole week he has been waking up before 6, more like little after 5, today even before 5am, the only exception he made on Tuesday, then he woke up at 6:30, but it was only because he was screaming from 22 till midnight. Is there anything which can be done about it? I moved his bedtime half hour later, of course it didn't help, but it should soon, no? How is he supposed to go to the kindergarten if he wakes up so early? Would a week of a total exhaustion help? 

I tried today a "stone tactic" - not successfully - I had to sing to keep him from screaming, fell asleep several times (him probably too), but were awake in a few minutes...after an hour, I gave up. A little bit later I put him in Tula and he's sleeping on my back...I don't dare to put him down because he might wake up and the screaming party might start again.

I hope it is just a phase, which is going to pass very very soon. And we have high hopes for the second baby, we are sure it is going to be a super-sleeper to make up for all those adventures we have with its brother.

Kindergarten - Day 1

Warning: It is a very detailed description, probably nobody really cares :))


We are sleeping like hamsters again meaning Teodor is sleeping glued to me and Charlie is somewhere around my head (sometimes he tries to fit between me and Teodor waking us both up), so this morning, at about 5:30, I moved a bit, Teodor instinctively pulled my nose and he was up. Great. The plan was to come to the kindergarten around 9, eat and go outside, but when he wakes up this early, it is almost impossible to keep him awake till 11, we usually go to sleep at around 9.

After a walk with Charlie, little bit after 7am, I tried to make him sleep in Tula, hoping he'd take a 40-min nap and would be up just to catch our 8:05 bus. At 7:30, I gave up because if he fell asleep this late, we would miss the bus and we would miss the first day in the kindergarten (not going was one of the options, but the thing is that waking up before 6am is so usual that he might never go there).

Even the dad woke up and we all took 8:05 bus, Teodor was in Tula, me hoping he'd nap all the way to the city centre. He took a five-minute nap. He was totally not following my plan. On a totally different topic, we decided to buy a car because having two very young children and have only public transport option just doesn't feel right any more, so all the way to the city centre, we were watching cars and discussing which one we should get. Haven't agreed on anything, though.

Arrived to the kindergarten, Teodor did remember the place, no hesitations to go in, no panic that there was another toddler in the changing room, everything went well. We came just in time for breakfast, Teodor refused to sit (he is not used to sitting on a small chair), so I fed him standing. For some reason they have adult-sized spoons, can't imagine him feeding himself with those, but I might be under-estimating him.

He chose a potty and had no problems to pee in it. Wonderful :)

After breakfast we went outside. Ok, it was a bit boring, not too much "attractions" for such young boy (he is the youngest, but he can keep up with the older kids both running and playing, the teachers thought he was older), he was playing with two huge cars (but would probably appreciate a smaller one he could lift up on his own), running after a ball or just wandering around. I left him there alone for about 5 mins in order to get my phone. He made it without a cry. So tomorrow I will try to leave more often. The other crying kids made him somewhat anxious.

Even though the teachers are very traditional, saying "no" instead of "yes" (what the kids should do instead of what they shouldn't), distracting crying kids instead of acknowledging their feelings, I have a good feeling about them, they seem to care. Of course, I wouldn't be fine with him being there full-time, for a full-time I would probably choose a Montessori kindergarten. The ration what I get for what I pay for is great.

After an hour outside we left to talk to my employer. A few weeks ago I was informed they moved to another building, so we went there (it is a bit further than the other building). Teodor fell asleep on my back when we got off the bus, found out the employer is not there and I should go to the original building, I felt like dying, I should learn to babywear in the wrap, the carrier is no longer very comfy, found the employer, everything is fine, they know I am not coming, info in the system is correct, I could go home in peace. Only if Teodor didn't wake up after 40 mins of his nap. That was desperately too little considering how "much" he slept at night. Well, survived the afternoon with him even though I was sick like f**k, he is probably teething, so he is super-clingy...

The secret ingredient

Lately as I am edgy, tired, annoyed, etc. I realized that the most important to keep it calm at home is to be calm and well-rested yourself. When the first trimester nausea and tiredness entered our life, my beautifully calm relationship with our son changed, there was so much more tantrums from his side and mine too. Before I wouldn't shout at him for weeks, but suddenly I found myself screaming and realizing I'm screaming for no reason, it was not anything worth raising my voice. Soon I learned to stop before shouting but it requires a lot of self-control...I shouted at him in my head. It was still exhausting. And then, one day, I went to sleep with him at about 18:30. It was relieving. We woke up around 6am, but I felt ok, I felt like I can do it the old way. Since then I'm often in bed before the sun sets down and we're doing much better with Teodor. Plus if he wakes up at 5am (and is in a good mood, not that he is cranky because he woke up and can't fall back asleep), I can deal with it quite ok. The downside, our home is a mess. It kinda has always been, but now it's a chaos. Have to figure out how to deal with that.

Kindergarten

Tomorrow it is his first day in a kindergarten...is it even possible that my baby is about to start in public education system?
I am still quite undecided whether we keep the place or not as I am not a huge fan of public education (which makes people uniform, difference is not desired), but I am desperate for some time alone. So we are giving it a try. We might be nicely surprised or might not. As I am not going back to work, there is no problem to sign him off. Well, tomorrow is the day. The kindergarten has the stupid (old-fashioned?) policy that parents cannot stay with their child in the classroom because other children might start crying (won't they cry anyway? wouldn't it be better to explain to the other children? do I even care about other children?) but the parent can stay when they go outside, so we are coming to the kindergarten for the outside time. And maybe he will stay like for 5 minutes inside? Just to see the reaction.
Side note: If his sleep is going to get significantly disturbed by the kindergarten experiment, we will not carry on. He got his own bed yesterday and the night was a nightmare, which I do not have energy to repeat on a regular basis.

I'm sorry, but YOU...

I'm quite edgy lately, which is annoying me because it kinda disturbs our peaceful household which we used to have with Teodor, so I am annoyed because I'm edgy. I'm edgy because I am super-tired, feel sick, it's hot outside and I still have to run all the errands with a 16-months old. On the top of it I have a dog on a strike (he doesn't like his new haircut) meaning he's barking and crying at night, he is refusing to walk on our daily walks and generally he's a pain you know where.

Today Teodor was playing with the dishwasher drawer (you know those magical wheels, right?), I was not paying much attention what he was doing, so I closed it causing his fingers being squeezed in between. Of course he started crying and I wanted to "shout" at him "I'm sorry but you should be more careful", within a second I realized what I read about apologies and said "I'm sorry I squeezed your fingers.I didn't mean to" instead. The point is that the power of apology is saying that you are sorry, not blaming the other person it was their fault because if you start blaming the other person, it is not a proper apology. Saying sorry is about feeling sorry about what you had caused no matter whose "fault" it was. I could explain to him later he has to be very careful about his fingers and I promise him I would be more careful next time too. Well, I didn't go into such details because I didn't consider it necessary.