Babe in Toyland

This Friday until the end of the day today has been Tax Free Weekend here in NC. I got so incredibly excited about this event that I went window shopping early to get my plan of attack ready for Friday. I really don't know what it is that had me so excited about this event. I probably saved at most ten dollars, while the state of NC lost millions in tax revenue. Our family is also traveling to PA on Monday, a tax free clothing state, so again I really don't know what got me so revved up.

On Thursday I took Edmund with me to the mall to scout out the clothing options. Anyone who knows me knows that I get more excited about Edmund's clothes than I do my own. He gets to wear cute animals on his shirt and no one thinks twice. If I did so, I'm sure I'd get a few stares. So that I wouldn't feel guilty about taking him on this excursion I first took him to the mall playground. Edmund absolutely loves the mall playground. It's a lifesaver in the hundred degree weather we're having. Everything is soft and padded, so I worry little about him getting hurt, that is unless someone lets a big kid loose when they shouldn't. Edmund has his play routines. He turns the steering wheel in the helicopter, slides down the lighthouse a few times, and does a look-out on the sailboat. Most days I don't have to give warning that it's time to leave. He generally tells me he wants to put his shoes on after about 20 minutes and we're on our way.

After Edmund announced he was done with the playground I lured him into several stores with the promise of playing with trucks at the other end of the mall. Southpoint, the local mall near our house now has a toy store called Toyland. I know some parents think the location of Toyland is awful because they have to drag their children the entire length of the mall if they want to go from playground to toy store. I, however think this is pure genius because I can sandwich "mommy stores" in between two "Edmund places." Toyland is a small independent chain based out of New York that for whatever reason decided to expand to North Carolina. Toyland definitely isn't as big as some of the other "educational" toy stores in the area, but it has several pluses. It carries a lot of the wooden and educational toy brands I like and has very few electronic or licensed character toys. My philosophy at least for now is that toys should be open ended. I'm certain Edmund will be "wired" soon enough, so I'll let him use some creativity for now. I've bent a little on my no "characters" rule recently. Edmund loves Curious George, Thomas, and Elmo, and who can blame him. They're cute! He's not relying on tv for his play schemes and that's really the only issue I've ever had with characters anyway. I'll save the discussion of branding for another day.

Another plus this store has to offer is its openness. Five play stations are set up around the store and because the store isn't cluttered I can see Edmund at any play station from wherever I might be within the store. As I don't let Edmund wander I often can't browse, but I can do so here. Let me stop here. I realize this post is making me sound like a shopaholic. This is not the case. I'm a "browseaholic" if such a word exists, as I seldom buy. But I digress. The five play stations are right up Edmund's alley. The first is a table filled with rubber mulch, diggers, and bulldozers. The next station is a roadway system complete with a garage. This is followed by a train table. Next we come to a Calico Critters station. For those of you not familiar, Calico Critters are woodland creature families that live in elaborate houses. Edmund currently loves Calico Critters and their miniature furniture, but I'm sure it won't be long before society dictates to him they are a "girl's" toy. I'm having fun joining Edmund in his Calico Critters play for the time being. Finally there is a station with a large wooden fire station and rocket ship. Edmund is especially in awe of the rocket ship. He recently developed a love affair with the spaceship outside the Museum of Life and Science, and I don't have the heart to tell him the final space shuttle launch is quickly approaching. Edmund loves what he refers to as the "truck store". The only disadvantage I find with Toyland is my own personal guilt when we walk in, play, and leave. As I mentioned, I rarely buy. We probably won't go too often in order to appease my guilty conscience. However,on days when I'm stir crazy because Steven is on-call, I may just have to put those guilty feelings to rest and hop on over to Toyland.

Calling All Dogs

Peek-A-Boo

Today Edmund and I decided to try out a new playground. The playground isn't exactly new, but new to us. I'd driven by Piney Wood Park before, but didn't see a playground, so I figured it wouldn't be a Durham park we'd try anytime soon. I love a good trail every now and then, but with Edmund's total dislike of strollers I find that our "walks" are more like standstills. It takes us 5 minutes to get Edmund a mere few feet from the car into school each morning, and that's only because I end up dragging him in after a few minutes of "self" walking. I'm all for "stopping to smell the roses", but not when it impedes on others' enjoyment, so we tend to keep our explorations to more kid friendly places. After doing a little more research I was convinced Piney Wood Park had a playground, but again wasn't sure where. Fortunately, I met a Durham mom who informed me you can't see the playground from the parking lot, so we decided to plan a trip. After a weekend of rain and defeating an incompetent GPS, we made it to our destination this afternoon. I'm so glad we finally found this playground because it's my, and I'd like to think Edmund's, new favorite.

After a semi-disastrous venture to Forest Hills Park last weekend, I didn't know what to expect from Piney Wood. Forest Hills gets rave reviews from parents in the area for its "sprayground." However, I'm still trying to figure out what bothered me most about this park. Was it the disrepair of the equipment, the litter covering every inch of the playground, the fact that Edmund has been to much nicer "spraygrounds" in other places, or simply that Edmund can mix sand and water at school any day of the week? I'm glad that Durham has such a playground, but I'm not sure I'm willing to make the drive when there seem to be better, closer options out there for our family. I'm willing to give Forest Hills another chance for perhaps we caught it on a bad day. There was a family reunion going on and we all know how those can get. So Edmund and I may make our way back, but I can guarantee Steven will be a no show.

Piney Wood was a blast. It's fairly close to our house which is a huge bonus for me. I'm finding I like nearby options on weekdays after work. As I mentioned before, the playground isn't immediately visible from the parking lot. Once I located the playground this turned out to be another selling point. Our go-to playground in Chapel Hill at the Community Center is located away from the parking lot, but not far enough I feel I can let my guard down for a second. This wasn't the case here. The playground is also shaded which will keep Edmund and me cool on hot days. Fortunately today wasn't a scorcher, but it's nice to know this is a place where we can attempt to beat the NC heat. I also love the fact that none of the play equipment has major drop-offs. Edmund seems to have some issues with depth perception and I worry about him at most other playgrounds. I hover, not because I want to, but because Edmund is very likely to walk off a tall ledge without a second thought. In most instances I take the philosophy "live and learn", but when it comes to 10 feet drops I err on the side of caution.

Edmund actually didn't play very long on the play equipment. He went up and down the steps a few times, turned the large maracas around, and did a couple rounds of sliding, when he saw "IT". A huge dog park full of...you guessed it...dogs! Edmund climbed up onto a wooden slab and pressed his nose against the fence. He summoned the dogs at the top of his lungs with a cry of "goggies." Don't ask me why it's "goggies" as he seems to pronounce other "G" word just fine. Edmund was a crazy ball of excitement until one dog answered his call and pressed its nose up to the fence. Edmund flailed his arms and ran to daddy who at this point had joined our park excursion. His words of wisdom..."don't call the "goggies" if you don't want them to visit." Very well put. Edmund eventually went back to the fence. He retained his excitement, but ceased the "goggy" calling. It's funny how his fears come and go, though I suppose a healthy fear of dogs can't hurt. Our child who today appeared horrified to be approached by a dog, yesterday marched up to our neighbors and informed them that he was going to pat their dog, Kiki, on the butt. It seems mommy and daddy need to start watching what they say.

The dogs eventually moved to the other end of the dog park and Edmund lost interest. He played on the playground a few more minutes, then informed us "I go home, drink milk." Thus ended our playtime at Piney Wood Park. This is one park we'll be sure to visit again. Who knows? Perhaps Edmund and I will hit the trails the next time. If you see a kid pushing his own stroller you'll know it's us.

Location:
5999 Woodlake Dr.
Durham, NC 27713

Gymbo Stamp Please

To our devoted family members out there, I am going to try something a little different. I am going to try to write more frequently. I know I say this almost every post. This time I truly do hope I mean it. I'd love to share ideas about activities with my working mom friends in the area, as well as post my thoughts on what it means to be a parent and teacher during this time of my life. And boy do I have a lot of thoughts. I hope you'll continue reading as I hope to continue writing.
Sincerely,
Tabitha

If I Can't Stand On It, I'll Sit

For the past several months Edmund, Steven, and I have been attending Gymboree Play and Music of Durham. Gymboree is such a stereo-typical middle class parent thing to do, but I have to say we absolutely love it. This summer our location offered a special allowing us to try a variety of classes within the month for the price of one. Generally this wouldn't have thrilled me because places like this seem to cater to stay-at-home moms, which would mean I wouldn't be able to take advantage. However, our Gymboree recently started offering Sunday afternoon classes in addition to Saturday classes, so we more than got our money's worth. Not to mention having free-gym options on scorching afternoons when Steven is on-call has been nothing short of a life saver. Normally we attend a Gym Play and Learn Class, but today we decided to try the new Family Music offering.

The music class didn't take place in the large gym room, so I thought Edmund would freak out. "You mean you brought me to Gymboree and I'm not playing in the gym." To my surprise he went with the flow, which is not how he usually rolls these days. When we entered the class, our teacher Ms. Julie, had two large drums set up. It wasn't long before Edmund was banging away and trying to stand on the drums (which we quickly tried to discourage). Edmund was definitely the most active child in this particular group, but the teacher had enough planned to keep him engaged. This month's theme is tropical islands, so we learned a song called Hawaiian Rainbow. On a side note, for me tropical islands takes my mind to the television show "Lost." I don't watch TV often, but got Netflix and watched the entire series in a month. Now my brain is on Lost overload, so I will do my best to remember this theme was in no way intended as a tribute to the castaways. Back to reality. I forgot the words to Hawaiian Rainbow promptly, but Edmund remembered and filled me in on the car ride home. He is quite the singer these days. After a few rounds of the tropical song and island themed dancing complete with bubble blowing, Ms. Julie brought out a "magic box" of instruments. Some of the instruments were "kiddie" in nature. Others were instruments more akin to something you'd find in the percussion section of an orchestra and a ton of fun. I think I had more fun with the instruments than Edmund. As the other kids made haphazard choices as they pulled from the box, Edmund was very deliberate in his decision to grab a handled drum and mallet. Then the banging ensued. At the end of the class one woman told her husband who had come to pick her and her son up from class "you should have seen Edmund, Larry. He is quite the drummer." I'm glad she saw it that way, as I was too busy trying to shield Edmund's classmates from flying mallets. OK it wasn't that bad, but Edmund can get a bit carried away in his drumming.

I must admit the music class is not very different from what I do with the 2 year olds in my preschool class on a day-to-day basis. "Why cough up all that money for an experience we can have for free daily?" At the music class I was actually able to enjoy sharing music with Edmund sans interruptions. There were no squabbles to break up, poopy diapers to change, or noses to wipe mid-song. The parents took full responsibility for their children, so we could be in the moment. We probably won't sign up for an official music class once the special runs out, but we'll take advantage while we can. When the music class concluded we let Edmund loose for free-play in the gym, which is now offered on Sundays. Edmund loves exploring the ramps and slides, and for a child with a minor gross motor delay, Gymboree is just the ticket. Maybe later we'll take advantage of the more structured, gymnastics based "Little Gym" down the road, but until the simple Gymbo the Clown stamp loses its allure, we'll be heading to Gymboree.

Location/Contact Information:
Gymboree of Durham / Chapel Hill 3515 Witherspoon Blvd Suite 101
Durham,North Carolina 27707
(919) 419-3150
durhamnc@gymboreeclasses.com

City Traveller

All Smiles Before the Butterfly House

One week ago the Pattishall family took a big vacation to celebrate the end of an era--life before Steven starts residency. We wanted something different enough not to be boring, inexpensive enough that if Edmund decided to lose it wherever we were we wouldn't feel as if we'd wasted our money, and a relatively short travel distance so that if Edmund decided to lose it in the car we wouldn't be deaf before the end of the vacation. It took us months to decide on the locale, but a week before our vacation we finally settled on our destinations. First stop Harrisonburg, VA to see KayKay and Granddad. Edmund would get a quick KayKay fix and we would be able to break up the drive. Next stop, and main destination, Washington D.C. Why you may ask did we choose D.C. if both mom and dad had been before? Simple: tons of museums for mom, historic landmarks for dad, and the Metro (subway) for son. The museums and zoo are free so we would be able to walk in and out as we pleased. Final destination before the return trip--Hershey, PA. Again you may question the reasoning. It isn't as if we don't make the trip every winter. However, every winter mom is disappointed she can't partake in all the touristy offerings of Chocolate Town, USA. Hershey would be another child-friendly spot with free lodging and babysitting, thanks to Grammie Pattishall. With itinerary set, the Pattishalls were off.

After a quick stop at KayKay and Granddad's house we headed to Washington D.C. We settled in our hotel and decided to head into the city via Metro. We knew the noise of the train might be a little much for Edmund, but he had been greatly prepared for the ride by Aunt Becca. She had given Edmund several subway trains for his train table, a book about the subway, and a subway shirt. The noise of the Metro couldn't compete with Edmund's excitement about the ride. On our first trip into the city you could tell Edmund was slightly concerned. He held onto Mama and Dada's shoulders for dear life when the train pulled into the station. However, after he braved his first Metro ride, he couldn't get enough. Edmund's current favorite imaginative play scheme involves the subway and the phrase "doors closing." Obviously the subway experience made quite a lasting impression.

Our first stop in D.C. was the Air and Space Museum. Edmund was most impressed with the rocket ships, especially since there are rocket ships on his pajamas of choice. We toured the Orville and Wilbur Wright exhibit. Edmund's favorite thing to do in this exhibit was to climb the stairs up to the model cut-outs of houses. When there are steps to be explored everything else takes a backseat. We looked at a few more exhibits at the museum before it closed. As you might imagine there is only so much a 2 year old can handle before he gets antsy, so we called it a night.

The next day we got up bright and early to head to the National Zoo. Edmund had been to the NC Zoo a few weeks prior so he was prepared for this trip. We made sure to stop by the panda exhibit. The baby pandas are now back in China, but it was still fun to see the big pandas. If I do say so myself Edmund is brilliant, for if you now ask him what pandas eat he says "bamboo." So kids do learn from these excursions we take them on. Edmund also loved viewing elephants and gorillas. He especially liked the baby gorilla, which I'm sure reminded Edmund a little bit of himself. Baby gorillas sure are funny. We also made a breakthrough in Edmund's fear of cows. He developed a fear of cows after an incident involving a loudly mooing cow at a local farm. However, at the National Zoo's petting area Edmund asked if he could pet the cow. I was praying hard the cow wouldn't moo. My prayers were answered and Edmund was able to pet a cow without any loud sounds startling him. After facing his fears, Edmund was worn out. His head slumped over in the stroller before we left the zoo grounds. It's tiring seeing all those animals.

After Edmund's nap we decided to see a few D.C. landmarks. We first walked to the Washington Monument. Edmund can now tell you the monument is an obelisk. We then walked along the length of the Reflecting Pool to the Lincoln Memorial. To get to the top of the Lincoln Memorial we took the elevator. We weren't sure Edmund could be trusted to handle all those steps. After taking in the sights from the top, Edmund "1,2,3 boomed" his way down all the steps. I must tell you this was a much longer process than taking the elevator, but worth every second to Edmund. Before heading out on our next leg of the journey we toured the American History Museum and the National Gallery. These were more for mommy and daddy than for Edmund, but he seemed to enjoy them nonetheless. All in all D.C. proved to be everything we wanted in a vacation with a toddler.

The next afternoon we braved the rain to arrive in Hershey. Edmund was thrilled to see Grammie and her box of toys. Grammie treated us to a wonderful dinner at the Chocolate Avenue Grill. If any of you travel to Hershey with children this is the place to eat. The waitress provided Edmund with WikiStiks and triangular crayons. It was enough to amuse and entertain our child, as well as the adults, while we waited for our food. The next day we got up early so as to beat the heat and headed to the Hershey Gardens. Hershey Gardens houses a wonderful children's garden. Edmund enjoyed taking in the aroma of the various flowers. At one point he got a little too anxious for a sniff and leaned over so far he toppled into the flower bed. Daddy was a little upset at mommy for letting this incident occur, but I have to say it was a hilarious sight. The gardens were stunning. It was like taking a trip back in time as one can also see the historic Hotel Hershey from a distance. Edmund enjoyed touring the butterfly house, but this past week when KayKay came for a visit I heard him tell her he was a little scared of the butterflies. I suppose if a child has strange insects landing on his head it might make him a little apprehensive. We spent quite awhile in the children's garden. There Edmund rode a pig and a cow, (just statues, so no need to report animal cruelty), played in a hollow modeled after The Wind in the Willows, and played a tune on a crocodile xylophone. The children's garden was beautiful, but Edmund seemed to enjoy the paths through the main gardens just as much. I wasn't sure what to expect from the Hershey Gardens, but it more than exceeded my expectations.

After a quick nap at Grammie's, we headed to Chocolate World to ride the famous chocolate making ride. A trip to Hershey isn't complete without the singing cows. Then we headed to Aunt Sharon's house for a visit. Edmund was lucky to be able to visit with Aunt Sharon, Uncle Sam, cousin Laura, and dog Baxter. After some initial apprehension Edmund bonded very nicely with Baxter. It was nice to be able to celebrate Aunt Sharon's birthday with her. She even let Edmund blow out the candles on her cake. This was most fortunate, as Edmund's silly mommy forgot to get candles for his birthday cake. At least he got to practice, so he'll be ready for next year. That is if mommy can remember to get some candles. Again our day had been jam packed. We ate dinner and put Edmund to bed. Then mommy and daddy sneaked out of the house for a few hours at Hershey Park. Our plan was to ride as many roller coasters as possible, but I was only able to handle four. When you go to the park at night lines are short, so there is no recovery time. My stomach could only handle so much. However, Steven and I still had a great time. While it would have been fun to share the park with Edmund it was nice to have some alone time too. The next day we visited Zoo America and the Hershey Story Museum. I feel that we were able to take in all that Hershey has to offer even while traveling with our little man.

Vacations with a toddler can be rough, but I actually feel we were able to relax, learn, and enjoy. We may not have ventured into the most exotic territory, but we did have a good time. For now it will be the vacation to remember, as tomorrow both Steven and I head back to work. Wish us luck!

Just Two Friends, Two Best Friends

Riding Elephants

Toddler friendship is a funny thing. One minute the children are hugging each other, the next minute they have each other in a headlock. In the end these toddlers that can go from one extreme to the other in a matter of minutes truly do care for each other. Thus is the friendship of Edmund and Emma.

Some of you may remember that Emma is the daughter of my co-teacher Jennifer. Emma is a spitfire to say the least. If you think Edmund is full of energy, multiply his energy level by 1000 and you get Emma. Emma is hilarious with her squeaky voice, bouncy walk, and I-can-do-it attitude. No wonder Edmund is drawn to Emma. Amidst our move in the past month our family was able to squeeze in some fun outings, and much to Edmund's delight, many of these outings involved Emma.

Our first outing was "Touch a Truck." You may recall I wrote about this event last year. Edmund was barely a year old and probably had little idea why we were sitting him on various trucks. He loved it all the same. This year we invited Emma and her family to join us at the event. Our first stop was the bus, as Edmund's shrieks of "on the bus, on the bus" could not be ignored. If it were up to Edmund, we would have spent the entire event on the bus, but there were other things to see. This year Edmund probably sat on less trucks than he did the previous year. Despite being in awe of the various trucks and vehicles, he was a little scared when it came to actually climbing inside one. Even Emma couldn't lure him in as she climbed in and "drove" every single vehicle available. Did I mention Emma's a spitfire? Emma and Edmund did have loads of fun running on a trailer bed. Running is a toddler's dream and since it didn't involve sitting up high, Edmund was all for it. The two children stomped, ran, and laughed until we told them it was time for other children to have a turn. In typical toddler fashion, neither one wanted to share, but we were able to lure them away with a toddler sized fire engine. In the picture you'll notice Edmund taking the wheel from Emma. Steven said I should insert a comment about women drivers here, but seeing as I am a woman I think I'll steer clear. Eventually we were able to get Edmund on a motorcycle. He may have been slightly nervous, but his current obsession with motorcycles overcame the fear. We're hoping the motorcycle obsession is a passing fad, or we're in for it. After sitting on the motorcycle, Edmund was a little more willing to sit in the driver's seats, provided he had a mommy or daddy lap to sit on. Several vehicles later we gave Edmund the "it's time to go, choose one more activity " speech. Thus we concluded "Touch a Truck," where else? You guessed it..."on the bus."

Last Sunday Steven, Edmund, and I went on another big adventure with Jennifer and Emma (Jennifer's husband is currently teaching a class in Italy). We squeezed (not an understatement) into Steven's car and headed to the zoo. Emma had already made two trips to the zoo, but this was Edmund's first time. Edmund's first animal encounter at the NC Zoo was with some very tall giraffes. According to Jennifer we were lucky to see them as they normally don't appear during rain, and it had been raining earlier in the day. I'd like to tell you more stories about Edmund and Emma's awesome encounters with animals, but to be honest, the two of them were much more interested in pushing their strollers around the zoo. Who needs to ride in a stroller, when you can push one? Despite having two very active toddlers who refused to ride in their strollers, we somehow made it to every animal exhibit. Of the animal exhibits the chimpanzees appeared to be the biggest hit. Edmund did his best to give the chimps kisses. He came closest to giving a chimp sculpture a kiss outside the exhibit. So we took our toddlers to the zoo for a little animal culture, and what topped their lists as the day's highlights. In no specific order they are... painting a chalkboard wall with water, playing in a helicopter exhibit, pushing strollers, and wait for it...riding the bus back to the parking lot. Did you notice I didn't mention any animals? Oh well. As any early childhood teacher will tell you, it's the experience that counts. And I don't know any adults who confuse tigers with frogs, so I think these kids will be just fine.

The Bumpy Road to Independence

"Self": Reading, Driving, and Climbing Steps

Hello devoted Edmund fans,
I hate to start each post with "it's been a long time," as it's such a cliche saying, but "wow, it has been a long time!" This posting will be all over the place, but hey, as I said before "it's been a long time." The past month has been busy to say the least. I have been faced with more big decisions at one time than ever before in my life. The beloved director of my preschool has decided that after 26 years at CHCP she would like to try a new job. She leaves us in a really great place, but will be sorely missed. As I was qualified for the position, I had to do much soul searching as to what I'd like to do. I felt like I had to protect the preschool I have come to love. With much guidance from friends, family, and the director herself, I decided that at this time having both Steven and myself making giant career moves at one time isn't wise. And of course we couldn't forget our sweet Edmund in all this. Perhaps in a few years I'll begin ascending the career ladder, but for now I'm happy to stay put. It helps that my co-teacher and friend, Jennifer, will be with me for at least another year. Her husband's contract was recently renewed. Hooray!

Steven and I have also purchased our first home in Southwest Durham. It will be strange to leave Chapel Hill after all these years. Of course we're not going to a distant planet, just a few minutes away, but again it will be a change. The neighborhood is wonderful, and we even had a chance to meet some of our neighbors when we showed up at the annual neighborhood yard sale. For some reason Steven had us go undercover, so won't the neighbors be surprised when they discover our true identities :) One of the young boys even asked for a high five from Edmund. Edmund was more than happy to oblige. We're very excited about this big step, but a little nervous at the same time.

Steven will graduate in 2 weeks and will officially be Dr. Pattishall. He'll have a month off after graduation, during which time we plan to spend as much time together as a family as we can. Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers as our family makes some big transitions.

Time to change gears. I've never quite understood why everyone talks about the terrible twos. Most two year olds have words and can express pretty clearly how they are feeling. Toddlers are a different story. Toddlers may try to get their point across in a word or two, but if the caregiver doesn't understand or comply, the toddler will hit full meltdown mode. Edmund is no exception. Don't get me wrong, Edmund is as sweet as he can be, most of the time. However, there are times when even Edmund loses it. And currently meltdowns occur over two things: water at snack and washing hands. Edmund loves milk. However, our rule is water at snack time, or we'd go through a gallon of milk a day. This past week we've had a mini tantrum every day over this rule. Believe me it takes everything in my being not to give in. I'm a preschool teacher, so I know consistency is key, but boy are there days I'd like to take the easy way out. However, today we had a breakthrough. Edmund and I got home from Gymboree free play and guess what? Edmund asked for water. When I gave him his water he didn't throw the cup on the floor or at me, but drank it. Way to go Edmund.

Handwashing is another meltdown trigger. You would think that my little guy would think handwashing was a waste of time, but Edmund is the complete opposite. It doesn't help that the guidelines for preschool handwashing are ridiculous. If we were able to comply fully with North Carolina's handwashing requirements for preschools all day/everyday, the children and teachers would be at the sink all day. I even talked with the woman who helped develop the handwashing guidelines, and she said that even she wouldn't be able to comply 100%. It's not to say the teachers don't strive for perfection, but sometimes there are more important things than washing hands. Another thing that makes handwashing so appealing for Edmund is the sinks at the preschool. They are automatic. Once the children discover they can make the water run by sticking their hands under the sensor, they feel the power. The power of water is a big draw, and Edmund is far from the only child who would spend all day at the sink in his classroom. He relishes using the step stool to step up to the sink independently. It's when Jennifer or I take the step stool away from the sink that the meltdowns happen. Edmund is definitely the most vocal of his friends when it comes to his displeasure in having the stool taken away. You may think the teachers cruel for taking the coveted step stool away, but imagine a mob of angry handwashers vying for one sink and one stool, and you'll think differently.

These days Edmund is asserting his independence like there is no tomorrow. If I make an attempt to help wash his hands, he will hold a hand out and say "self." In fact Steven and I hear the word "self" constantly throughout the day. Loosely translated "self" means "step away, I'm a big boy, and I will accomplish this task by myself even if it takes me all day." Because of "self" we must plan for a little more time to accomplish quick tasks (i.e. dressing, feeding, washing hands, getting in the car seat, climbing obstacle courses, etc., etc.).

As you might imagine, a day with Edmund is never boring. I know Edmund must learn to spread his wings and fly (figuratively). If he pulls a "self" on flying we're in trouble. I know that this is one of a series of phases Edmund we'll go through. As challenging as this so-called "phase" is, I am loving every minute of it. Edmund is a true individual. My goal as a parent is to give Edmund the tools to use "self" more and more as he grows. I just hope he'll still allow me some snuggly reading time every now and then.

If You Need Directions, Ask Edmund

Elmo Loves Edmund

The last few weeks have been a whirlwind. Three weeks ago my computer crashed. I went into a bit of internet withdrawal, and I don't even use my computer as much as most. What did people do 20 years ago? It was around that time I had big plans to blog about Edmund's visit with Elmo. Edmund is a big fan and showed Elmo he has skills when it comes to dancing the Hokey Pokey. Edmund's friend Emma joined us and we had ice cream after meeting the furry, red monster. Edmund somehow stayed relatively clean while insisting he feed himself some of daddy's chocolate ice cream. Emma on the other hand, covered her white, Italian coat in chocolate ice cream. She certainly knows how to make a fashion statement.

Steven and I also began house hunting around that time, so our time has been sucked up driving around neighborhoods and touring houses. Surprisingly, Edmund enjoys house hunting. He loves bathtubs and steps. If his current new saying "steps, steps, I love steps" is any indication, as long as the house we purchase has steps, he will be sold.

I hadn't felt there was anything too out of the ordinary on the Edmund front to blog about recently , but Edmund did something today that had Steven saying "if you blog about that, I'll give you the time." So here goes. I hope you find it blogworthy.

*Words in parentheses are Edmund to English translations.

If you know me well, you know I am directionally challenged. Give me directions that say go 1.2 miles and turn left and I'm set, but give me a map to the grocery store and I might just wind up in Nebraska. So it comes as a bit of a surprise that my 21 month old son knows where we are going before we even get there. Steven, Edmund, and I go to a local pizza place called Tomato Jake's every Friday night. About a month ago he started crying "pizza" whenever we passed the building. It's rather non-descript except for a small picture of a tomato on the side. We thought the fact Edmund could recognize the building was rather impressive, until recently. In the last few weeks Edmund now starts saying "pizza" when we reach the sign for the exit. This Friday night we decided to throw him off a bit and take a completely alternative route. Edmund wasn't fooled. His happy squeals of "pizza" could be heard before we turned onto the road for Tomato Jake's.

You're thinking to yourself, "maybe he just wants pizza." We too thought Edmund might think a car ride signaled pizza, but we've found that isn't so. Today we turned onto a street we use to get to The Community Center Park, Edmund's favorite playground. We've been a few times in the couple of months, but not a lot since the summer as it has been too cold. What do you know? Edmund inquisitively asked "geegound (playground)?," as we drove on. His inquisitiveness turned to whines when he realized that wasn't where we were headed. Don't worry, we don't deprive our child of outdoor time. He'd already visited the church playground earlier that day. Fortunately for him we had other child friendly plans. We pulled into University Mall, a place we visit maybe once every 2 months. Immediately Edmund asked "Thomees (Thomas)?." There is a great locally owned toy store in the mall that has a Thomas train table set up for children to play with. Somehow Edmund knew we were at one of Thomas the Tank Engine's hang-outs. When we got inside the mall, Steven set Edmund down. Edmund knew exactly how to get to the toy store. When Edmund finally located Thomas, squeals of excitement echoed throughout the store. There's nothing like a little "Thomees" to brighten a toddler's day.