When Carl and I were small, we had a favorite Sesame Street Sing-a-long record. (Yes, a record. If you danced too enthusiastically, it skipped.) The album tells the story of Ernie interrupting Bert during his bath in order to hold a sing-a-long in the bathroom - because everyone knows that everyone sounds better singing in the bathroom! Eventually all of the Sesame Street characters, including Big Bird, crowd into the bathroom. Bert gets trapped in the tub, and stays there protesting until the very last song.
It's a wonderful album of songs, and we were fortunately able to transfer it onto cds and now into iTunes. It hasn't ever been reissued.
The video below (which works, despite the strange appearance) is a dance song from the album. Steve tries to show Sebastian how to clap his hands, stomp his feet, turn around, touch his toes, pull his ears, flap his arms, stretch up high, and all fall down!!
Sesame St. dance from B. Avery on Vimeo.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Monday, February 23, 2009
adventures in language
We've been working on teach Sebastian some language. It's slow going. He isn't that interested. :)
But so far, this is what we've got:
words
uh-oh = oops. also, I threw it intentionally on the ground and want it back.
dada = both mom and dad (the injustice!!!)
baaw = ball
jui = juice
mnnaa = milk
nana = banana
pees = please
uhuh = up
signs
turning palms up = "where is it?"
shaking hands at table = all done
blowing a kiss (i.e., bringing hand to mouth as he is carried out the door) = "I love you, buh-bye!"
If we ask him to point to various body parts, this is what we get:
nose = mouth
foot = eat your right foot
ear = ear!!
He'll clap his hands and stomp his feet, give high five, and hold his arms up for "how big is the baby?". But those are more visual than verbal cues. And with certain books, if we ask "Where's George (Curious George)?" or "Where's the gorilla?" he'll point to the right character. I've been meaning to get a video of it.
But so far, this is what we've got:
words
uh-oh = oops. also, I threw it intentionally on the ground and want it back.
dada = both mom and dad (the injustice!!!)
baaw = ball
jui = juice
mnnaa = milk
nana = banana
pees = please
uhuh = up
signs
turning palms up = "where is it?"
shaking hands at table = all done
blowing a kiss (i.e., bringing hand to mouth as he is carried out the door) = "I love you, buh-bye!"
If we ask him to point to various body parts, this is what we get:
nose = mouth
foot = eat your right foot
ear = ear!!
He'll clap his hands and stomp his feet, give high five, and hold his arms up for "how big is the baby?". But those are more visual than verbal cues. And with certain books, if we ask "Where's George (Curious George)?" or "Where's the gorilla?" he'll point to the right character. I've been meaning to get a video of it.
Friday, February 20, 2009
15-month checkup!
Sebbe and I went to the doctor yesterday (oh, the tears, the clinging, the wailing... stranger anxiety in full flood) for his checkup. Even after refusing to eat for the last 2 weeks, he has still gained a pound since our last visit. He's now 32 1/4 inches tall, and 22 lbs 7 oz. (Has he outgrown you yet, cousin Danica?)
Thursday, February 19, 2009
our first parent-teacher conference!
Okay, so it's kind of ridiculous to have a parent-teacher conference for your toddler. I know that. And yet, it was so fun to sit and talk with someone about this little person who is your child, who is possibly a bit different outside the home than he is inside it, and to learn what others observe when we're not around.
The most surprising thing is that he has apparently given up the pacifier for naps at daycare. At home, he won't go to sleep without it. Alysa, the head teacher, said that she just forgot to give it to him one day about 3 weeks ago, and was amazed to see him fall asleep just fine. So they've never given it back and he doesn't seem to miss it. In general, he's a much better napper at daycare than he is at home - goes to sleep without a fuss, and sleeps for 2 hours plus. (At home, it's sometimes a lengthy battle, and he often wakes up after an hour and wants to play or to be cuddled for the remainder of his nap.)
Alysa says that the funniest thing is how much he likes to be alone, away from the other children. The toddlers usually move in a pack around the room, and he moves steadily away from them, playing by himself as far away as he can get. If they descend, he'll pick up and move away. He is also very passive, not fighting to hold onto a toy if one of the other kids comes up and grabs it away. (He never steals toys, obviously, since that would involve interacting with the others.) The teachers are trying to teach him that he doesn't have to give up, that he can hold onto something he's got, but so far he isn't very interested.
So he's very much our observer boy, watching what everyone else is doing but taking care to preserve his personal space. He gets very upset when anyone he doesn't know touches him - especially if they hug him. But he's very affectionate with all of the teachers in the infant room, especially Alysa. Alysa says she loves his giggle and tickles him a bunch of times a day just to hear him laugh.
The most surprising thing is that he has apparently given up the pacifier for naps at daycare. At home, he won't go to sleep without it. Alysa, the head teacher, said that she just forgot to give it to him one day about 3 weeks ago, and was amazed to see him fall asleep just fine. So they've never given it back and he doesn't seem to miss it. In general, he's a much better napper at daycare than he is at home - goes to sleep without a fuss, and sleeps for 2 hours plus. (At home, it's sometimes a lengthy battle, and he often wakes up after an hour and wants to play or to be cuddled for the remainder of his nap.)
Alysa says that the funniest thing is how much he likes to be alone, away from the other children. The toddlers usually move in a pack around the room, and he moves steadily away from them, playing by himself as far away as he can get. If they descend, he'll pick up and move away. He is also very passive, not fighting to hold onto a toy if one of the other kids comes up and grabs it away. (He never steals toys, obviously, since that would involve interacting with the others.) The teachers are trying to teach him that he doesn't have to give up, that he can hold onto something he's got, but so far he isn't very interested.
So he's very much our observer boy, watching what everyone else is doing but taking care to preserve his personal space. He gets very upset when anyone he doesn't know touches him - especially if they hug him. But he's very affectionate with all of the teachers in the infant room, especially Alysa. Alysa says she loves his giggle and tickles him a bunch of times a day just to hear him laugh.
Monday, February 16, 2009
Stepping Stones museum for children
Sebastian's daycare was closed for President's Day, so I took the day off and we had an adventure together. We visited the Stepping Stones Museum for Children in Norwalk, CT. They had a water play room and a toddler room filled with climbable stuff and a giant mechanical sculpture, and it was so fun. Sebbe loved it.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Not a Box!
Sebastian discovered the wonders of big boxes this weekend. He climbed in and out of it, he threw balls and other toys into it, and he pushed his truck up and over. In this video he pushes the truck across the box and then clambers up and over it himself. He did this yesterday for about 45 minutes straight.
He also started to play with his hipster boy doll, Pip, a Christmas present from Uncle Carl, Aunt Kim, and cousin Danica. He had previously ignored Pip entirely, thus feeding into all our stereotypes about boys and cars and girls and dolls. But this weekend he picked up the doll, carried him around, talked to him, and took his shoes and hat on and off. Pretty cool!
On Saturday we visited the Children's Museum of Manhattan on the Upper West Side. Sebastian got to run around, explore the giant Lite Brite, feed letters to a giant alligator, play with pretend food, and steer a NYC bus. We got there just before 10 and had a grand time for an hour or so. By 11:30, it was getting crazily crowded and we fled in search of food.
not a box! from B. Avery on Vimeo.
He also started to play with his hipster boy doll, Pip, a Christmas present from Uncle Carl, Aunt Kim, and cousin Danica. He had previously ignored Pip entirely, thus feeding into all our stereotypes about boys and cars and girls and dolls. But this weekend he picked up the doll, carried him around, talked to him, and took his shoes and hat on and off. Pretty cool!
On Saturday we visited the Children's Museum of Manhattan on the Upper West Side. Sebastian got to run around, explore the giant Lite Brite, feed letters to a giant alligator, play with pretend food, and steer a NYC bus. We got there just before 10 and had a grand time for an hour or so. By 11:30, it was getting crazily crowded and we fled in search of food.
not a box! from B. Avery on Vimeo.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
The Very Busy Spider
In the last week or two Sebastian has started bringing us books to read to him - he walks up holding it outstretched for our attention - and just this past weekend he started backing up and sitting into our laps while carrying a book. His new favorite book is Eric Carle's The Very Busy Spider. On Sunday I read it to him 4 or 5 times. In a row.
The Very Busy Spider from B. Avery on Vimeo.
The Very Busy Spider from B. Avery on Vimeo.
Monday, January 19, 2009
Christmas 2008 (better late than never)
I finally managed to sort through and post our pictures from Christmas. There are many more in the online album.
Sebastian with his new Richard Scarry books.
Demonstrating the art of unwrapping.
animal magnets!
Haba blocks!
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
haircut
I took Sebastian for his first haircut on Sunday. It will surprise no one to hear that he hated it. He started wailing as soon as I sat him in the chair, and he wept and sobbed and clung to me for the entire 3 minutes that it took. So sad.
We went to a place near here called Snip-its, that specializes in children's cuts. The staff blow bubbles, hand out toys, have tv monitors with kid's videos, and reward each child after the conclusion of the cut. (Not that any of these tricks made any difference to our son, of course.)
He looks good with his hair trimmed a bit - we left the curls in back, but trimmed away some of the strands that were contributing to the unfortunate mullet/fauxhawk look.
We went to a place near here called Snip-its, that specializes in children's cuts. The staff blow bubbles, hand out toys, have tv monitors with kid's videos, and reward each child after the conclusion of the cut. (Not that any of these tricks made any difference to our son, of course.)
He looks good with his hair trimmed a bit - we left the curls in back, but trimmed away some of the strands that were contributing to the unfortunate mullet/fauxhawk look.
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