She Counts!

LO can count to 12.  I have to give Elmo and the Count some credit, however DH and I make an effort to count and sing the alphabet with her a lot.  With the counting, we start with 1, she says 2, we say 3 and so on.  She likes to skip 4 and go straight to 5 but hey, it's progress.

Other sentences she's come out with recently are
"Is wet the duckie?"
"Dolly dirty diaper."
"Bye, park.  See you later."
"I need to get that."
"Is watch the TV."

Hang in there Gram and Gramps, we're trying to get a video for you but as soon as she sees the camera, all she wants to do is play with it!

Signs You Need to Get Out More

10. You're tossing your Little Britain DVD's to make room for the new Elmo DVD collection.
9.  A great Friday night is staying in and watching "The Marriage Ref."  And then arguing over it.
8.  Your cleaning lady saw you in makeup and heels the other day and didn't recognize you.
7.  You've started to speak in baby talk.
6.  Summer reading is "The No-Cry Sleep Solution" and "The Happiest Toddler on the Block."
5.  Airborne Toxic Event is something you're preparing for, not a rock band.
4.  A renewed love of coloring with crayons.
3.  Your credit card statements are so filled with diapers.com, baby gap and Gymboree expenditures, AmEx freezes your card for suspicious activity the one time you try to buy a tube of lipstick.
2.  You volunteer for the midnight run to get Children's Benadryl.  It's the new "me" time.

And the number one sign you need to get out more is...

1.  You kinda like your pancakes shaped like dinosaurs.

Shake Your Tail Feather

At 17 months, it's official -- we have a talker.  LO talks in a constant stream of babble, which I'm sure means something to her.  But she also has over 200 words, to which she has added full sentences.  "Where's the bug?" and "Where the bug go?" she says with ease.  "Come and sit," which is my call to sit at her little table and color with her.  "Mommy's shoes," she says as she shuffles around in my sneakers.  The little dictator who used to just point and grunt at things she wanted now can fully express herself.  Favorite requests are Elmo, pizza, pasta, pool (to go swimming), milk, tensis (to watch tennis on TV) and books.

We walk outside and she says "Hi, dirt!" to the dirt in the flower beds.  This is followed by saying hello to everything from the bees to the flowers, cars, steps.  Yesterday I took her to a store with me and she took off down the street going into each shop and saying "Hi!" to everyone inside.  This is not a shy child.  Which is pretty wild to see coming from a shy mommy.

Aside from the talking, LO has another favorite activity.  We joined one of those music classes in which moms and babies sit in a circle and sing songs.  As soon as the music started, LO ran into the center of the circle and busted a serious move.  Everyone laughed.  LO was the only toddler who insisted on doing this.  

Go baby, go baby, go!

Elmo Mania

How do you know your child is obsessed with Elmo?  When she points to a fish in a book and says, "Dorothy!"  I never knew who Dorothy was until a couple of weeks ago.

Have you ever noticed how Elmo is everywhere?  He and Big Bird are on the newborn diapers at the hospital.  That's where it begins.  Then you buy some organic baby crackers and there he is on the front of the box.  They're smart because he's red and easy to spot at Babies R Us.  The name "Elmo" is also easy for a baby to say.  Now my 16-month-old is completely attached to Elmo and asking for him at every turn.  She watches the show and giggles when he does.  This is crazy!  She also said "noodle," referring to Elmo's clown friend Mr. Noodle.  I thought I had at least another year before this craze began, but alas we now have a stuffed Elmo and Elmo DVD's and books.  For people who didn't want our child to watch TV, this one is hard to avoid.  Although I did love Sesame Street as a kid.  Shhhhhh, whatever you do, don't tell her about Sesame Street Live coming to town...

Next Stop, Wimbledon

It was a big day in our house -- we bought LO her first tennis racket, a Babolat B'fly.  It's so cute, the pink cover has a backpack strap on it.  Just in case you gotta fly, I guess.

Those who know me know how much I love tennis and hope LO will too.  I played in college and a little after, coached and still play any chance I get.  If LO decides she wants to be a tennis player, she's got mama.  Her Uncle Tony to her Rafa.  Her Jimmy to her Chrissie.  See, I'm already projecting onto LO and she's only 15 months old.  But how's she gonna kick butt at mommy & me tennis if we don't start preparing now?  I can honestly say she loves her racket, which she calls "rack!" and swings around the room yelling "pow!"  I love it.  The furniture...not so much.

 

An Open Letter to Saks Fifth Avenue

Dear Saks Fifth Avenue,

I've tried to get off of your mailing list.  Really, I have.  But no matter how many times I unsubscribe, those daily emails keep a comin'.  Letting me know about all of the designer jeans, handbags and shoes I'm missing out on.  What are my must haves for summer?  You told me and I thank you.  But to be honest, you're barking up the wrong tree.  (See prior blog entry about $2 paycheck).  Where I come from, we put it this way -- it ain't happenin'.  I know it's my fault I got in your list in the first place.  A year ago I did buy an overpriced handbag to go with my overpriced shoes and yes, I could use more.  More.  MORE.  I just want to be up front in this relationship because no matter how many times I try to break it off, we're still together.  So consider yourself informed.

Thanks,

LA Mom

p.s. Love the Miu Miu pre-fall collection!

Oh, Canada!

We just got back from a long trip to Canada to visit my in-laws, better known as Gram and Gramps.

It was our first plane ride with LO.  I packed meticulously, bringing a full carry on suitcase stuffed with every kind of puff/graham cracker/yogurt bite/squeezable fruit imaginable.  My arsenal also included an array of new, travel-friendly toys and books.  We don't let LO watch TV, but being terrified newbies, we brought along a DVD player as a last resort.  If we reached DEFCON 1, maybe Sesame Street would hold her attention.  So naive...  The DVD player was brought out in the airport before we ever boarded the plane.  The ride went surprisingly smooth, however, even the dozen trips up and down the aisle where LO said "Hi!" and waved to everyone.  Her excitement was contagious.  To the woman across from us trying to sleep, I'm truly sorry.

One thing I did not expect was LO's primal need to push anything that would move.  I guess that's just what 14 month olds do.  Here's how we spent the long ass wait at baggage claim:

We had to take turns going round and round as she pushed with all her might.  When she ran into something, she'd try to turn it, get angry and squeal, then lay face down on the ground crying.  Seriously?  The pushing was cute, though, and everyone in the customs line was pointing and laughing at this little baby powering this huge cart.

Jet lag has set in and I must retire.  Part II to follow tomorrow.