Artistic Temperament

This has been a very difficult and trying week, hence the almost too-late-to-bother post. Michael has also been helping me move to a new computer, so I haven't had the easy access to my computer I'm used to (although soon it will be better than ever!). I'll make this post very abbreviated.

For the last week and a half Zane has been very terribly-twoey. I'd heard it tends to happen before they are two, and boy is it happening now. He is having great difficulty going to sleep, and he is also screaming and crying in his sleep and waking up a lot needing Mama. In the day he is very demanding, rude, violent, and insistent on doing things his way. We are having some time outs, a lot of counting to three before I declare Mama will take over, a lot of wrestling to make diaper changes, getting dressed, and getting into the car seat happen. This is not my favorite phase! I hope it is a quick one. Tonight for the first time in a while he has gone right to sleep without asking for kisses, hugs, this pillow, a different pillow, one blanket or the other, no blanket, no pillow, too hot, sun coming in the window bothers him ... He was just exhausted since nap time went so poorly!

I've been trying to wear him out with excitement, but that doesn't seem to be working. We've had story times, visits with Grandpa, visits with cousins and family, trips to the park with its big sandbox, bicycle rides to the beach with much sand playing, Folklife festival (twice), a new set of paint brushes just for Zane (and "painting" with water), swimming, and a playdate with Uma. Here we have the aftermath of the playdate.















I must say I am pretty exhausted by the emotional effort. Plus the fact that whatever is going on in Zane's brain is making his sleep very disturbed which means I get crappy sleep, too. Grouchy sleepy Mama does not have the patience she needs to get through this. And so I really should not be making this blog post longer. I will relax with wine, a cookie, and a bear documentary.

Nice Days

I can't really think of many earth shattering things that have happened this week, it just feels like it's been a pleasant one. We've had a couple of nice days here and there, and the rest were pretty OK (weather-wise). Compared to what we've had, that's stellar. I've been getting Zane out in his sandbox, and to the park, on strolls with him on his bike, and out front with neighborhood kids. On a couple of days we've even managed bare feet. Today Zane kept being anxious that they were dirty, though, so I set up a foot bath in a plant dish. I try to tell him that being dirty outside is really OK, and even fun, but he likes to be clean. Oh, well.

We made a breakthrough in manners in that he finally said please, unprompted, in a sentence. Unfortunately, he said "More cookies, please." I had already said no many times and didn't want to give in. He said "More apples, please" later, and I got to give him those. Mostly he is still imperious, though. "Mama, up! Mama, walk! Over there!" "Mama, sit! Right there!" "Daddy, move!"

Zane's highlight of the week was probably a box that came with 6 new pairs of socks. Three pairs of space socks and three pairs of construction truck socks. Michael tried to take them away and Zane got seriously upset. He threw his body on them and tried stuffing them up his shirt. I guess I got that purchase just right! How many more years do I get where gifts of socks are loved?

City Fun

This week we ended up having a lot of fun outings. Friday I had a day off, and I had planned to take Zane swimming. A couple of nights before his current cold went into his chest and we had a miserable night of coughing, so we went to the Zoo instead. It was the first warm-ish sunny day for us at the zoo, and it was really fun to wander around. The petting zoo was open for the season so we spent a lot of time there as it was new to us. Zane looooved using the (dry) water pump and driving the tractor. We got to pet some sheep and goats. He was so taken by the goat poop scattered around that he was still talking about it as he drifted off to sleep that night.

We finished off our visit with a short turn manipulating an animatronic dinosaur with buttons, a run on a lawn, and a ride on the carousel.


I thought he would be totally pooped, but he was so jazzed he had a hard time going to sleep at nap time.

I worked this weekend so on Saturday morning as I left for work Zane and Michael were heading off to the aquarium for another fun morning there! They had the usual fun of watching the sea lions eat and generally romping around. Sunday morning we all went out for breakfast and in the afternoon Zane helped Michael and Mike lift weights. Zane lifted 2.5 pounds. On Friday he had a small stick and was imitating Michael's Bo staff antics in the backyard, so maybe he's ready to be signed up for a gym membership.

I've also been exercising his brain, and here he is working on his Maine relatives! These days he can get most people except Aaron and Colleen.

Training

I've been talking to Zane about potties and toilets and what's in his diaper from very early on. Just in the last couple of months he's come to really enjoy reading the potty story books. This week he started to spend some time sitting on his potty with clothes on, sometimes to read. Today he peed on a small rug when he was in between diapers, something that he hasn't done for many months; I think his bladder control is getting better. He seemed a little upset about it, so we spent some time on the potty again. Later I asked him if he wanted to sit on it without any pants on, and for the first time he said yes! He wanted his potty doll Xavier to join him for solidarity. It didn't last long, and there were no results, but I feel like we're at the very beginning of the toilet training journey.

Speaking of training, Zane is also getting ready to earn some allowance:


Earlier in the week Zane had a few nights and naps where he had great difficulty falling asleep, which is unusual for him these days. I'm assuming he was just having a brainsplosion. He's back to normal now.

For excitement I took Zane swimming which we haven't done for a while. He had a blast! We have to go more often, even though it's kind of a pain to do. Friday we went to a Cajun jam after daycare and before going home. It was at a cafe so we could have our dinner there. Zane had a great time looking at instruments and exploring a new place, but he did not like me dancing or playing the triangle. Party pooper.

Happy Mother's day everyone!

Spring Fever

Nice warm weather is finally here, and we have been enjoying it a lot. Zane and I spent most of this weekend outside! I got a yard work done, we ran, walked, and played with sand. We've been meeting up with the neighbors, too. Saturday and Sunday evenings we heard kids playing across the street and Zane insisted we go see; we ended up spending some time in their back yard, which was nice. Sunday we started off by going to Shilshole Marina to see a former co-worker off on her foray into the cruising life with her boyfriend. They have a 32' boat and they plan to cruise the Pacific after spending some summer time in Alaska. Zane loved exploring their boat, seeing all the other boats, a ship cat, a school of small fish, seagulls swimming, and a train. Then we went out to breakfast with Daddy, to the Farmers' market, and home to crash hard for a nap. This afternoon we hung out in the yard, with the neighbors, and literally ran halfway around the block. Good legs on that boy!

Earlier in the week I had Zane in a pair of Michael's pants from when he was little, and some red converse sneakers. I thought he looked especially cute and took a bunch of photos and some video. Zane obliged by getting into the tough guy persona.

One of Zane's favorite things to do these days is to hang out in the front seat of our cars and push buttons and levers. I have to make sure he hasn't turned on the lights when we're finished. When I get back into the car the next day the windshield wipers usually start swishing away and the blinkers go off. Monday night when I was at work a neighbor happened by when Zane was coming home from daycare with Michael, and he got some nice pictures of Zane enjoying booping the car buttons.
I leave you with some video of Zane enjoying the spring sunshine.


And a bonus bun!