So Tempting. . . October 27, 2009

When I picked Isa up from daycare today, I was relived to hear from Maribel that he had a “good” day.  He shared his Pirate Booty with all his friends at lunch.  This was good news because we had had a less than desirable start with Isa running away from me as I tried to dress him at 7:40am. (Departure time is 7:45 am sharp or else I’m late for my 1st period class)  I had to resort to something I haven’t done in months: dressing my force.  It is one of my least favorite ways to start the day—tackling a kicking and screaming toddler, tugging the clothes out of his balled up fists and stuffing him into a new outfit while he begs for his pajamas back.  Thankfully, it didn’t last long because I was lucky that when I finally caught Isa and got him to the ground he landed in a spot where he had a view of the TV and then his favorite show, Dinosaur Train, happened to have a scene interesting enough to distract him.

But as we were leaving the daycare, another little boy had built a tower and I could see the devious wheels turning in Isa’s head.  He wanted to knock it down so badly, every fiber of his body inching toward this vulnerable tower and bursting the bubble of joy this little boy was having.  I said sternly, “Isa look at me.”  After a few tries I got him to make eye contact with me and I said sternly ”Do NOT touch that tower.”  Isa replied, “But I want to.  Beep Beep.  Excuse me. I have to walk here,”  “No, you don’t Isa; walk AROUND!”  This tense power play lasted a few moments, and then I just plain bribed him, “If you walk around this tower like a good boy, I will give you a gummy bear when we get home.”  Suddenly, Isa was able to breeze by the tower with no problem.  The temptation of the gummy bear clearly trumped that of destroying the tower.  Did I help him learn how to control his urges?  Who knows?  All I know was that we managed to get out of there without a nuclear meltdown!

On our way to the car Isa wanted to walk a bit in the park.  He said he wanted to find bugs, so I found a rotting log to turn over and there were a bunch of millipedes and sow bugs and a termite.  I handed him a millipede and he was fascinated, said he wanted to take it home to Daddy.  This was tricky because it kept crawling out of his hand before we could get back to the car (which I’m actually grateful for now).  So I told him the baby millipede had to go home to his mommy to have teetoo and we couldn’t take him home.  At first he was pretty upset, kept saying, “I want the millipede!”  But after a while he got the connection that that little baby millipede was doing exactly what he wanted to be doing so he dropped it.

Tonight after dinner Isa said to me, “Mommy, the food goes into your mouth and down to your stomach and then goes into your poopies.”  Any chance to say poopies and he’s all over it.

Isa is now in the habit of saying things like, “Mommy, you’re my best friend in the whole wide world.” Or, “Toast, that’s my favorite food in the whole wide world.” Or “Green, that’s my favorite color in the whole wide world.”

Weekend at the Abode October 20, 2009

The Abode of the Message is a Sufi community in New Lebanon, NY where Eduardo lived on and off over the years before Isa was born.   An old Shaker village with original landmark buildings and all, the Abode is nestled in the mountains of the NY side of the Berkshires.  It’s an amazing place that we love to go back to.  It renews our spirit to breath the mountain air, eat the wholesome organic food, and catch up with all the people we love there.  Sometimes we even dream about moving up there as a family one day.

Ghost Train October 16, 2009

Isa’s new bathtime game is to fill the bath with bubbles and then Thomas, Spenser and Gorden get completly covered and ride up and down the tub proclaiming themselves “Ghosts!” Gordon will then say to toy Ernie (from Sesame St), “Hi Earnie, I’m a ghost. Will you be my friend?” Ernie replies, “Ahhh, a ghost. Run away!” Gordon follows, “No, I’m a nice ghost. Sorry if I scared you Ernie. Do you want to play?” Then Ernie and ghost Gordan go off to the park. All voices are done by Isa.

Kukamonga & Kate Bush October 14, 2009

Today Isa said to me, “Mommy, last night in a dream you put your head on a pillow and you said to me ‘Kukamonga.’”

We’ve been working a lot on behavior that last few weeks: helping, sharing, taking turns, cleaning up, asking not grabbing and the big ones–No Hitting & No Biting.  I made an “Isa’s I’m a Good Boy Poster” which hangs in the kitchen and Isa earns stickers in each category every day he’s a good boy.  It basically boils down to slapping stickers all over the thing every night, but the idea is that we’re talking about actions and consequences and he’s getting a lot of feedback about what behavior is “good” vs. what’s  not.  Maribel said she already sees an improvement in daycare.  Isa is incredibly smart and perceptive.  He KNOWS what’s good and bad; he’s just struggling to learn some self-control, plus he needs lots of attention and I’m pretty sure he acts out on occasion just to get more attention even if it is negative.

The other night we stopped into Malecon to pick up some chicken soup for dinner and Isa saw the chickens on the rotisserie in the window and said, “Mommy, that’s like Shrek and Fiona eating the woodrats.”  (Reference to scence in the 1st Shrek movie where Shrek catches woodrats and roasts them over a fire for Fiona).  Sure enough, he was exactly right.

For the last few nights, Isa and I have been ending the evening with a dance party in the bedroom.  He’s figured out how to work my ihome and turn on the ipod.  The first time he did it, the playlist that came up was all Kate Bush songs and he LOVED it.  He bobbed his head and made sounds as if he was signing the words, but the best part was he emoted all the feelings in the song.  He cloesed his eyes and cocked his head and grimiced his face as if he were a rock star singing a power ballad. The next night I tried to put some Beatles on but he wanted none of that, insisting that we hear the “lady sing.” So more Kate Bush it was.  I switched over to Auntie Fiona Apple after a few songs and he loved her too.  Tomorrow we’ll try Annie Lennox!

Isa has begun to call me his “lovey dovey.”  I’ll ask him to come take his bath and he’ll say, “Ok, my lovey dovey.” Precious.

First Days of Fall October 14, 2009

A Beautiful Sunday in Washington Square Park.

We got to visit Eduardo at his new job in NYU!

Here’s Isa the day before getting ready for a car trip.  Priceless expression.  Isa, let’s try it once more, but this time with some FEELING!

Holy Lolipop! October 12, 2009

Last Days of Summer October 1, 2009

Playing with Makeup Instead of Going to bed! October 1, 2009

Mommy’s Birthday Card from Isa October 1, 2009

Back to School September 10, 2009

“Isa, do you like your new friends at school?”

“Sure. Totally Yes.”