All Smiles Before the Butterfly House
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 th
e 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 a
nd 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!
Riding Elephants
Some of you may remember that Emma is the daughter of my co-teacher Jennifer. Emma is a spit
fire 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 heade
d 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.
"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 neighbor
hood 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 autom
atic. 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.
Elmo Loves Edmund
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.
Edmund Sees Eye to Eye with a Big Grouper
Saturday we got up bright and early for the main attraction--the Atlanta Aquarium. Steven's cousin Karen, who lives in Atlanta, joined us as she had never been. The first animals Edmund encountered were a bunch of penguins in the main rotunda. Edmund had a blast watching them slip and slide over the ice. After he tired of the penguins, we made our way to the Riv
er Scout section. Before we entered we came to a pool which houses rays and a small species of shark. Visitors are encouraged to touch the animals using the two finger stroke. I was itching to touch the animals. I was only able to get close enough to touch a ray as the sharks swam much deeper in the pool. Steven passed, but Karen dove in. Edmund was more than happy to get his arm wet, but he shuddered at the thought of touching these unknown creatures. A few feet away we came to another touch pool. This time we were able to touch horseshoe crabs, starfish, and some kind of anemone. Edmund was a little more willing to get out his two fingers this time and proudly touched a starfish. Near this pool was a remarkable children's playground. Edmund was still a little young, as it was quite a large structure full of tunnels. Edmund loves tunnels, but his inability to crawl definitely gets in the way of his going through the smaller ones. However, he did enjoy his time as captain of a ship in the play area. Where there are noisy buttons to be pushed, you can bet Edmund will be nearby.
We then walked through the rest of the aquarium sections. Edmund's favorite part was looking at fish through a crawl space just his size. I had to crawl to get through, but Edmund was able to clear the area while standing. Edmund also got to see real alligators. They figure into his favorite line in the second verse of "Row, Row, Row Your Boat." The line is "if you see an alligator, don't forget to scream ahhh!" I'm not sure Edmund had ever seen an alligator in a picture, so now he knows what we are screaming, I mean, singing about.
When we walked out of one of the aquarium sections we spied a lifesize Deepo walking around. Deepo is the aquarium's mascot. I liken him to a very cheap knock-off of Disney's Nemo. We stood in a very short line to shake hands with Deepo. Edmund wasn't quite sure. I'm sure he was even more unsure when Deepo patted my head and gave my neck a rather prolonged squeeze. Deepo was still trying to shake hands with Edmund when his handler told Deepo it was time to go elsewhere. Edmund breathed a sigh of relief.
We had a great time at the aquarium. It is the biggest aquarium in the world, though I'm sure I've
been to bigger. While researching for this post...Can you believe I did research? I'm sure some of you can...I found that it is the biggest because it has the largest amount of water of any aquarium in the world. Aren't you glad we've cleared that up? So even though the aquarium is the "biggest" it didn't take too long to see everything. We arrived early enough that Edmund was able to get up close and personal with most of the fish, and we were able to see everything before noon. It's a good thing too, as the aquarium was packed by the time we got to the last exhibit. I'm afraid this meant Edmund didn't get to get a good look at the Nemo (clown) fish. But hey, he got to meet Deepo!
That afternoon we went to stay with Steven's other Atlanta cousin, Amy, and her husband Aaron. They were gracious enough to let us spend the night in their lovely home. Their dog Ty, was also a trooper, especially since he had to be put away for most of our stay. Edmund loves dogs, but he is a little intimidated by big dogs. Sorry about that Ty. That evening we all went out for dinner. Karen joined us again. We had a wonderful time catching up. It was great to hear what everyone is up to, as we often miss certain cousins at the beach and Christmas. While at dinner Edmund perfected what we now call the "nenu" (dinner) dance. Any time music plays in a restaurant Edmund does the silliest dance. Unfortunately we don't have evidence of the "nenu" dance yet, but hopefully soon. We'll have to remember to grab the camera before we head out to eat next time.
So although the trip to Atlanta was a waste of money due to the absurd test, it was definitely a good time. And if any of you happen to find Deepo, tell him "hi" from the Pattishalls.
Edmund and I have almost 2 full weeks of school under our belts after a 3 week long vacation. Saying it was difficult to return to work after winter break is an understatement. However, now that I'm in the swing of things I feel as if I never left. Edmund also seems to feel as if he never left. I was hoping some of his less endearing habits at school, such as banging his feet under the table at lunch, would disappear. No such luck. Not only does Edmund still do the lunchtime march, but he gets the whole class to join in. Learning table manners is a process. We're working on it.
This post wouldn't be complete without a Susanna mention. My dear friend from college returned from her Foreign Service duty in Mexico to visit family and friends before heading to Peru. Steven, Edmund, and I were fortunate enough to receive a visit. Edmund quickly became a huge Susanna fan. After she left our house Monday evening Edmund would longingly call for "Zanna." He did this up until bedtime. She certainly made a big impression. I'm sure Edmund will anxiously await her next visit.
This post has no real connecting theme, but I had to write down this Edmund story before it gets lost wherever it is forgotten memories go. This story comes with a disclaimer. The preschool is cleaned and exterminated regularly, but when it's cold outside and the building is surrounded by woods you are bound to see a creepy crawly every now and then.
This morning Edmund and I were running late for school. That seems to be how things go when Steven is on call. As soon as we enter the building I set Edmund down and let him wander while I set up the classroom for the day. Today instead of going straight for toys as per usual, he started pointing and happily saying "kitty cat, kitty cat." He was also slowly moving around the room which caught my attention. Suddenly I spotted the "kitty cat." It was a water bug (essentially a large, disgusting cockroach). I am terrified of these bugs so I went to the kitchen hoping it would go back to that from whence it came. Fortunately when I returned to the classroom the bug had disappeared. However, I was forced to brave the "kitty cat" when it reappeared around 9 am. At this point I had a classroom full of children and had to keep my cool. I swept up the bug as if it was a simple little cheerio. My co-teacher commented on my bravery. She was not sure she could have done the same. It's funny that having 8 little toddlers watching you turns you into a bug braving hero. I'm sure if it showed it's face in my house tonight I'd run away screaming.
All Smiles Before the Butterfly House
e 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.
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.
nd 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.
