January is slowly over

The last week in January was very slow for us, it's been raining since Monday, meaning we had no wish to go out for the first two days - it would be too slippery for both of us, on Wednesday we took a walk in the rain, not much fun, though, on Thursday I thought he would walk to the shop because we needed to get some food, but no, he was pointing at the stroller, so he went in it.

Today is Friday, the roads are totally snow-free and it's not raining (yet), so we're going to take a walk in the afternoon, if I feel like it, we might take a trip to the city centre to buy ring sling rings - hopefully they'll have size M, not L, which they have on their website. 

I've started to have my laptop off during his awake time because I got so tired of him requiring to watch youtube videos, but not being able to specify what he wants to watch...everything was "no, no", but if I turned it off, he started screaming. No need for such a pointless drama. I didn't become any more effective, no surprise there :), I just sit on the sofa or on the floor and watch him play or comment on what he wants me to comment on. He spent his days building from Lego Duplo (now I'd say it's a must to have it, thinking about getting him some other building kits like Magformers), playing with his train (doing crashes) and jumping around...that's pretty much it...not very productive either. 

On Wednesday evening I put him to sleep in his own bed. He slept there from 8pm till 3:30am with one feeding at 10:30 pm (when I went to sleep) and then he was up for another two hours. So much fun. So yesterday's day rhythm was ruined, he fell asleep at 10pm, refused to be put to his own bed and generally didn't sleep well with me either. So today I put him in his own bed for a daynap. I seriously have to read something on the topic because I do want him to sleep in his own bed. Not to mention it doesn't make much difference in the distance between us.

Potty-training instead of peeing into the sink is going well - he pees in the potty during the day without any protests, soon I want to try to persuade him to poop in there, too. That's going to be a challenge.

Except for just chilling on the sofa or on the floor, I am very determined to learn how to knit, I have managed to learn the basics technically, but the stitches are not simply the same and it starts to frustrate me. I want to make a perfect blanket for our daughter. 

Totally the first try

Aaand he's up because he's in his own bed...a 30-minute nap...I'm wondering how long will the accustoming take and if I will keep sane in the process...He's back on my back trying to make him sleep a bit more.

How to punish a toddler

Take him downhill sledding :)

Waiting for public transport to take us closer to some hills as we have none near our home.

It was snowing, the wind was blowing, the temperature was a bit below zero, it was Sunday so the dad was home- meaning a perfect opportunity to give a try to downhill sledding :)

At the beginning of the trip, Teodor fell twice from the sled, both times with his face in the snow. I was surprised he was still ok to sit on the sled afterwards.

It was a really nice family trip, a little bit too much walking in the deep snow for me (it was more of a walking than sledding down because SOMEBODY didn't seem to be thrilled to go down), but it's great to know we have hills only 10 mins by bus from our place. 

Even though he was only sitting on the sled, he looked pretty worn-out afterwards

Making most out of it

Teodor's sleeping schedule totally doesn't support my projects because he falls asleep too late for me to feel like doing something afterwards or he just decides to move his daynap to late afternoon, which disrupts his night-sleep (like I slept about 6 hours this night because he was constantly waking up, ok, it might be also because one of his molar might erupt)...Anyway, yesterday I started to feel very unproductive and decided to do something about it, mostly because I wanted to feel good about myself.

At first I wanted to write an extensive post in Czech about Teodor's favourite books...but Blogger started to turn the photos as it wanted and I just couldn't deal with re-rotating them as I haven't found "rotate" function directly in Blogger platform. So I dumped the idea and was really annoyed because taking pictures took me most of his late afternoon nap.

So in the evening, in the effort of being productive, I attached the hat to the doll. Now I have to decide about her body, if to stuff it or not...
I'm kinda proud of myself I figured out how to attach it, so the stitches are not visible.

And today I learned how to knit, well, how to start. It took me half an hour, several re-playing the youtube tutorial video, but I made it...Exactly at the moment I figured it out, Teodor woke up from his nap. Great timing.

There is a very little chance I will finish the doll and the blanket before our daughter is born, if I do, I'll be thrilled. 

Talking about what I want to achieve before our baby girl is born, there are three areas I want to work on with Teodor:

• potty-training - he is sink-trained, today, after many months, he was willing to sit on the potty and he peed in it twice. Hope this is going to work out. 
• self-feeding - if he likes the food, he's willing to eat with his hands....The most important thing I'd love to teach him is how to bite off a piece of something.
• sleeping in his own bed - that's the biggest challenge of all, I'm too lazy to sleep in between our and his bed, I hate him waking up more than once at night (once per night is becoming quite usual)..

Oh, and he's in a total daddy phase, I love it. The dad can do anything without him protesting, he even agreed on going to sleep with him today, meaning I got my free evening. Wish the dad was home more often, so I could get more time off. 

The boy with a pink buggy

Teodor is well-known in our neighbourhood as the boy with the motorbike. When we got the snow, all those old ladies we always meet asked him where his motorbike was. As he couldn't ride his motorbike, it was quite difficult to think of a way how to make him walk on the new surface, so Charlie would get a descent afternoon walk. Finally yesterday he came up with a solution, he asked to take his buggy out, which he loaded with cars and it was a really good idea. 

At the beginning he was moving with the speed of light, as we were getting further, he was slowing down but still, he was moving forward, more or less :) I think he likes the fact he can use the stroller as a support even though it doesn't provide much, in my opinion. I also realized yesterday how much challenging it is for him to walk on the snow. 

He is also very interested in snowdrifts but he hates the snow on his shoes. Charlie also loves snowdrifts but he doesn't care if there's any snow on him :) I'm quite curious how the relationship with the snow is going to progress within winter...

Bead stringing

Today he's finally learned how to string beads...I would have never believed how many steps are involved in the process :)

Play-doh

A few days ago I finally got him play-doh. I didn't expect it but the consistence is very nice and it's very pleasant to work it with, definitely much more than the modelling clay I remember from my childhood (and definitely more than the Stockmar modelling beeswax - well, no surprise there, he's simply too young for it).
The day he got it, he only made a tower out of the storage cups. The next day, I decided we should give it a try and we did. It entertained him for more than an hour! He was a bit wild afterwards, but I guess that's what happens if you focus for too long and need to use up your energy.

First we tried printing with shapes for baking Christmas sweets, I tried to teach him how to make a ball out of the clay - more challenging than one would ever thought, and then I brought his Schleich animals and we tried to make prints of their feet. He loved to play with the cat. he was putting it on and down and on and down...

Challenge accepted - make a ball :)

Rolling is also quite a work

Printing

Playing with the cat...

Mother-friendly pouring activity

The moment when you say to yourself "ahhh, what the heck..."

We were irritating each other this night, so we both ended up sleeping only a few hours, meaning it was a looooong morning. Then I took an hour nap while he was doing whatever he was doing and then he took 1.5 hour nap from which he woke up all happy. I didn't feel well, I had a headache and lots of things to do, I wanted to make gulash and bake piškoty (I am not going to waste my time with trying to find a translation) for T's dad's birthday cake. 

Of course I invited him to help me to prepare the dough...he is becoming less and less destructive and more helpful...but 4 bile still ended up on the floor, I decided not to shout or even care much because a cranky toddler was the last thing I needed for my headache. While cleaning the floor, he started playing in the flour with his truck. Then he was furious his car was dirty. 

Anyway, this and also Grimm's sorting bowls gave me the idea that he might really enjoy pouring because when I gave him the bowls, he immediately started to pour, not to sort...

I was avoiding pouring activities because I didn't feel the need to clean afterwards...but our floor was already dirty, I needed him to be consumed by the activity...

He seriously had so much fun and the cleaning wasn't that bad...He is definitely in the sensitive period for pouring, not sure what I'm going to do about it...

Cute

Even though he can be a real pain, he's still a cute toddler boy :-) We managed to overcome his hate towards snow today, so I'm getting hopeful that we might enjoy the rest of winter. 

Why we get nothing done when we go for a walk

It took us exactly 25 minutes to get dressed before going out yesterday, I was not procrastinating on my pc or taking pictures of the process.
First, I put shoes on Charlie and made his topknot. He was not resisting this time, so it went fast. Since then he started crying because he couldn't wait to go outside. If I knew he'd be so co-operative, he'd get the shoes as the last one.
Then I get dressed myself, with the bump, it's not that comfortable. I put on my warm skiing trousers and a hoodie.
Teodor's turn. Change his t-shirt and give him woolen sweater while he's looking for the toy he's planning to take with him. Take the toy out of his hands, so it is possible to dress him in the sweater. Teodor is ready to go. Charlie sits next to him by the door and they both cry. Time to put warm trousers on Teodor. He's trying to pet Charlie or says "boo(m)" and falls down. Very co-operative when you're trying to stuff him in the trousers. Shoes. Another "boo(m) boo(m)". Teodor is trying to open the door, Charlie seems to be even more impatient. Me putting on my shoes. Put on Teodor's mittens. His train falls out of his hands. I ask him if he want to take something else. He runs to the living room and big dilema is about to start. No, you cannot take your huge car transporter with you. No, four small cars are just too many... Finally he chooses a bus, very unexpected choice. Put on his warm jacket, he cries because his hands are hidden in the sleeves. Charlie cannot keep it any more and starts jumping on the door. Teodor's hands are found again, he smiles. Put on his neck warmer (or whatever it is called), his hat and open the door. They wait for me in the hall while I put on the rest of my clothes.
Catch Charlie and put on his reflexive vest.
Go to the basement and take out the sled.

Then we spend about an hour outside, sometimes more, sometimes less.

When we come home, first I have to undress Teodor (he might help a bit), then Charlie, then me, take Teodor to pee, shower Charlie from all the snowballs which are slowly melting on his body. Finally time for me to pee. Teodor needs to blow his nose like 20 times during this time  :) When that all is done, I'm exhausted for another half an hour or an hour. Like seriously I refuse to do anything. Sometimes I lie down in bed (with T. and his cars, sometimes he nurses), sometimes I'm on the computer, sometimes he watches something on computer...but I really need to be left on my own to compose myself. And then we make dinner, then bedtime routine...and the day is over.

(and then he decides that we should be awake for three hours at night...but that's another story)

Coping with freezing weather

It's been more than a week since the temperature dropped way down below zero. At first I was excited. Snow usually means more light and I was dreaming about snow-related adventures with Teodor. Obviously he has a totally different point of view on that "white something". 

The beginning of the previous week we spent outside of home doing different stuff indoors, like visiting a friend, shopping for clothes, fabric,...(btw. Teodor is a great when it comes to accompanying me on the shopping trips). We always take these trips in the morning because he deals with them better and always falls asleep in the stroller on the way back home. I either took Charlie for a walk while he was still sleeping in the stroller or Charlie walked with the dad a bit later (he is not a fan of such freezing weather!), meaning I totally cut off his toddler walks. Well, I actually tried twice.

Pulling the sled is quite a work-out...and I felt like he gets no tired just from sitting there and being cold unlike me dying afterwards from all that physical activity.

So I decided to give a try to his motorbike...he did not move much on his own, I had to pull him on Charlie's leash. Even though he has really warm Reimatec gloves, his hands were not warm. Fun fact: we had to stop a lot, so he could clean the snow from his shoes and motorbike. 

Then he started to show signs of a runny nose and cough. If it was not that cold and he was more willing to spend time outside, we would be going out at least for some time, but instead this is the fourth day we are stuck at home and it's just nuisance. 

He has a cold, his tooth (may I be optimistic and say teeeth?) is growing, it is cold in the apartment, so he has to wear socks and a hoodie, there is no hot water (it's been not working for already a week, sometimes there is warm water but one never knows when and for how long) and I moved him to his own bed. This all together is just a recipe for a disaster. He doesn't sleep well in his bed, he has to sleep either in his hoodie or under a blanket - he hates both, so I don't sleep well either (I gave up this night, so I got some sleep :). So, fourth day with a whiny toddler who loves to talk in a high pitch voice, has lots of wonderful ideas how to be destructive (to both things and himself, another bloody accident did happen, this time we didn't have to go to ER...I really hate there is only one child ER in Tallinn, I'd feel really bad to go there one month after his fall from stairs accident). The whole weekend was about me and the dad making up meaningful things we have to do NOW, so the other one would have to take care of our annoyed toddler :)

Some photos from rare moments he was doing something productive :)

21 months old

Teodor turned 21 months yesterday. I didn't feel any nostalgic or moved when his first birthday was coming but with the second one, I can't get it out of my mind. He's turning into a little boy and it's so exciting. I'm having so much fun with him (no, I really didn't particularly enjoy the baby period), especially now after he's gone through a pretty tough drill of answering yes-no questions it feels like we're having conversations. His answers cannot be always taken seriously but still, he answers. He doesn't use words much, if at all, but he is very communicative and it's very helpful if he can answer me in the way I do understand instead of just guessing. I sometimes feel like he has no motivation/need to even try talking in words because I'm so good at guessing what he wants.

I really like this picture, it somehow perfectly shows what is Teodor like: a calm, focused, organized, serious toddler. He has his wild moments, but usually he is a "perfect" example of a Montessori child. In some ways it might be interesting to get the second child with a totally different personality because I'm dying to know how much it is his personality and how much it is the upbringing that he's so focused and calm. (Found out that the fish oil is really working for calming the child) Or maybe he's got some autistic traits, he is still a huge fan of routines - we took a trip to visit a friend yesterday and because we came home late, it was impossible to make him sleep...I just had to wait until he was done screaming and fell asleep from exhaustion. 

I'm trying to make him feel important part of the family life, so these are his "chores":

He stuffs the washing machine with laundry, opens and closes the drawer for washing powder and presses the button. (he also chooses the program, which I always change)

He takes the bag with dishwasher tablets from their place, takes one out, puts it in the dishwasher, I help him to close the drawer and then he brings the bag back on its place (without any reminding, it's pretty impressive, want to make a video of it), then he presses the right button and closes the dishwasher. He can use the dishwasher better than his dad :)

He loves wiping, so he's wiping the worktop, table, sometimes even the chair when nobody asks him :)

He would love to help with mopping, cooking and everything but we take it slowly, I'm having only one set of nerves and patience.

If he decides he no longer wants to help, he can leave, I don't push him to finish the task...but I always ask him if he wants to help before starting to do those things mentioned above. 

He's a pretty smart kid with lots of skills and I just can't believe he's turning 2 in 3 months and that we will have another baby in the family around this time. I feel like maybe we should start caring that a new member is coming because we have bought literally close to nothing for her. But as my friend said today, you have the wrap, breast, diapers, old Teodor's clothes, so what else does a newborn need, right? 

The importance of measuring

Not a very good picture of my evening project. Teodor fell asleep an hour later than desired (well, me and dad were already asleep, but then he came and woke me up), so I was in a hurry to sew the blanket case because I was desperate to finish the project (for my own pleasure reasons) It turned out to be better quality than the pillow case but a bit shorter than the blanket. Ups. I'm sharing this because mostly I see people and their projects which turned out perfectly, so I didn't even feel like trying...I'm not giving up, though. 

To be continued...I'm determined to turn his bed into a car paradise, so he'd move there and sleep there all night long :)

January 3, 2016

Or should we call it the day we finally got some snow which is going to stay for some time?

I like January, and this time I am even more excited about it because we're going back to our rhythm, no more visits, no more rainy dark weather,... plus it's the month when both me and the dad have a birthday.

Even though he goes to bed at the same time, he started to wake up an hour earlier, which is a total nuisance, I hate getting up way before seven. Anyway, today at 8am, he realized he was bored and it was time to take a morning walk again (we haven't done much of those in December). Yes, heads over heels to go into the freezing weather in a total dark. I managed to postpone our departure till 9.

It was snowy, windy and freezing. He seemed very fine with it. Where did the hysteric toddler who was afraid of snow a few weeks ago go? I had problems to get him home. 

It was obvious that with the heavy snowing (not seen in the picture as it was taken with my phone) we will have much more snow in the afternoon. And we did.

We decided to go to look for a hill and go sledding. Well, it turned out to be a trip in the forest with very small hills. Teodor still hates the sled :)

It was quite bad he refused to walk on his own because those MyMayu rainboots with fleece liners are not as warm as one would expect (Stonz are much much warmer), so he was quite cold (even though he kept saying he wasn't) and unluckily, we didn't have any blanket with us. He looked so bored that a few times we thought he was going to fall asleep.

 He walked a bit, like 100 metres, but he was extremely slow, so we gave up and put him on the sled again. So he did spend 1 hour in the fresh air but didn't get tired. I'm thinking about how we're going to go on our usual walks with Charlie...if he's going to walk on his own or if I'm going to pull him on the sled...Should he wear his Zeazoo winter shoes or MyMayu? Zeazoo are warmer, MayMayu more practical for the snow...

And the best part of today? Evening! I managed to sew a pillow case for him. I'm turning his bed into a car paradise :-) It is not perfect, like not at all, but there is a fire engine on it, so he's gonna love it. I love the feeling when I do something productive in the evenings :)