Understanding my daughter

At almost 18 months, Betsy has a very limited vocabulary. But her inability to articulate thoughts doesn't hold her back from getting her point across. To help those who don't speak Betsy-onics, here are common words, phrases and actions and their definitions.

Bye Bye noun
1: a wish of well being upon departing: Good-bye

Nigh Nigh noun
1: an act of departure
2: to sleep

Ahhhh verb
1: to ask earnestly for food (with mouth open to accept offering)

Uh Oh verb
1: to express concern (with hands clasped on face a la Macaulay Culkin)

Mama noun
1: first thought to be a term of endearment for the woman who brought her into this world. Now come to discover it means all adults

Tee verb
1: to long or hope for: exhibit or feel desire for (usually includes pointing or reaching for something across the room)
2: to express a wish for: request (includes reaching for something close-by)

Dee verb
1 a: to present for acceptance or rejection (while handing you a cracker, juice or other delectible) b: to present in order to satisfy a requirement (while handing you the item you asked her to retrieve)
2: to make available (handing you any little thing she found on the ground)

No adverb, adjective, noun
1: used as a function word to express the negative of an alternative choice or possibility
2: not any : hardly any: very little
3: an act or instance of refusing or denying by the use of the word no : denial

Screams verb
1: a desire for Elliot to return her toy NOW
2: a desire for anything previously refused her
3: a declaration of pain

Throwing body on floor verb
1: an act of utter frustration and contempt for the big people

Head hung low adjective
1: to feel dejected : cast down in spirits (usually following being told she can't have something and a precursor to throwing body on floor)

So there you go. If you are ever at our house or see us out in public, you will now be able to clearly understand the unique vocal-stylings of our 18-month-old (or at least as well as we do). I should note that the "throwing body on floor" and "head hung low" are only recent developments and aren't used very often (although I think we'll see A LOT more of them in the coming months).

Taking Stock

The wrapping paper is crumpled and thrown away, the cardboard boxes are by the curb, the new clothes are folded neatly in drawers and the cookies have all been eaten. The Christmas-crazies have settled down and it's time to take stock of another great holiday.

Betsy got everything she asked for. Since her vocabulary is about 7 words, 3 of which are unintelligible, she had the easiest demands to meet. Betsy got a dollhouse from Santa and clothes, books and a caterpillar game from mom and dad. She's very happy with all of her presents and usually has to fight Elliot to be able to play with them (oh, the plight of a second child!).

Elliot got his beloved letter book from Santa. Mom and Dad gave him underwear (Betsy discovered these in Mommy's not-too-clever hiding spot, otherwise the big man would probably have had the dirty deed of giving undergarments), books, a marble game, train toys and a remote-control car. Even though he didn't get his Harold book or comic and it was a marble game and not a slide, I think he had a pretty good holiday. And, luckily, Elliot's birthday is only a month away. Because, thanks to his cousins, he now wants a digital camera, remote-control train, fishy light and a marble slide (Jake got the real-deal from Mary Grandma).

As for Joe and me, we're happy as can be. He got all the Grateful Dead stuff he could shake a stick at, plus new clothes and underwear (boy, that Santa sure knows how to give gifts!). And I got double of everything on my list. Seriously. I guess my list wasn't long enough because I got two food processors, two cookbooks and two sweater chests. I did get some other things, but next year I'm definitely going to work on my list. Until then, if anyone wants to chop up some veggies, bake a batch of cookies or store some woolens under their bed, just give me a call - I've got some extras you can borrow!

No Such Thing

A few weeks ago, I gave Elliot a toy catalog from a major retailer. I hoped that by giving him the catalog to look at, he'd get some ideas for things he wanted Santa to bring. No such luck. He looked at the pictures and made up stories about what was happening, he asked if he could "borrow" some of the toys, but he didn't want Santa to bring him anything. He thought the catalog was the gift. He brought his "magazine" to bed with him. He hugged it and loved it and called it his own. He broke down in tears when he thought it would be thrown away after he'd been sick ("But, honey, it has VOMIT on it!").

Since he was pretty nonchalant about what toys he wanted, I thought Santa and I could get Elliot whatever we wanted. I thought we were in the clear because he seems to like everything. Then he saw the letter book and had to have it. Okay, so Santa can handle a letter book.

Now he wants more. Today I asked Elliot what Santa was going to bring him on Christmas morning (just to make sure he still wanted the letter book) and he told me "a letter book, a marble slide, 'Harold the Helpful Horse' book and a comic book stawing Ewiot!"

WHAT?!?!?!

So the letter book was no surprise. But the rest of it? Hopefully Santa knows what he's talking about because I don't have a clue. His little magazine doesn't feature any marble slides, I haven't seen any commercials for "Harold the Helpful Horse" and since when does he like comic books? He gets scared when Nemo's mom dies!

I'm really hoping Santa can pull through on this one because I did a google search and there is no such thing as a "Harold the Helpful Horse." No. Such. Thing.

Thankful Thursday

Like many of us, I often count my good fortunes during the holiday season. It begins with Thanksgiving and standing around the family table sharing our blessings. And is carried through to Christmas and my gratitude for the special gifts I am able to give and receive.

But this year is different for me. I am more grateful than I've ever been and the place where it is coming from is more pure-of-heart. This year I am GRATEFUL. I FEEL GRATEFUL. And it's not because things are great and it's easy to be thankful.

My husband left his job this spring. He wasn't happy and it just wasn't right. And it was a little scary. Financially, we were fine. But when all of the money is going out and nothing is coming in, that's a little disconcerting. Now that the dust has settled and he has a job he loves, I am so grateful for the time that he was home. He was able to spend time with his kids in a way that most working parents never get. I'm also grateful that he had the courage to follow his dream. Ever since I met my husband he has talked about working in this new field. And when the opportunity knocked, he flung the door wide open and welcomed it with a huge embrace. I'm really proud of him for that.

I'm grateful for my kids. My oldest is a challenge to me as a parent. Before he was born, I wasn't too concerned about my abilities to discipline and nurture. A couple of time-outs here, some stern words there.... How hard could it be, right? Hah! All of the old perceptions I had about how to mold and shape a child don't work with him. Elliot is making me grow as a person and as a parent. Every day I practice patience, creative thinking and self-esteem boosting (both for him and me). I'm grateful for the challenge because I hope I will be a better person for having been a parent to him.

This year, as in years past, a group of my girlfriends and I helped sponsor a family in need by providing them with presents and grocery store gift cards. Buying gifts for people who can't afford to buy their own always makes me feel blessed. We have so much, so why don't we share a little? This year, because of my husband's job situation, I chose not to help financially. Instead, I was the elf who wrapped and delivered all of the presents. This experience made me feel more blessed and grateful than I've ever felt in all the years I just bought the gifts. I'm so grateful that we have a home, that we can pay our bills and that we can get jobs and support ourselves. And I'm grateful for people, like my girlfriends, who are there to help if you fall.

It is too easy to focus on the things in our lives that aren't going well - your husband doesn't have a job, your child is a challenge and you can't afford to buy gifts for those less fortunate. But it is true that every cloud has a silver lining - you just have to know where to look. If you can just change your focus from what isn't right to what is, you'll realize that you have so much more to be thankful for than you ever imagined!

Say Cheese

Here's our little diva learning the fine art of modeling at an early age. Also notice the incessant chatter in the background. This would be our other diva, Elliot.

This is also a pretty good example of what our life is like. Joe laying on the couch (at least when he's watching the kids), Elliot talking non-stop and Betsy doing her own thing and being cute.

Classic

Last night, my husband and Elliot, my three-year-old, were sitting together when Elliot ripped one really loudly. So loudly, in fact, that Joe wasn't sure at first if it had come from Elliot. Until Elliot started to laugh and proclaimed his rear-explosion to be a "double pertz*."

My husband asked him if he had burned a hole in his pants and Elliot answered, "I don't have any fire in my bottom, Daddy!" A classic moment in the Jones household.

*A "pertz" is my husband's family's euphemism. I have no idea where the word came from, but it has been passed down for generations (pun intended).

Here Comes Santa Claus...

This morning marked our second annual breakfast with Santa.

We got the kids dressed in their holiday splendor
and drove over the river and through the woods
(well, really it was just a golf course)
to see the jolly old man in a silly red suit.

It was a really fun event and the kids had a great time.

There was cookie decorating and face painting...

Santa's band of merry elves played music...

and Joe and Betsy shared their first dance together...

Santa even brought Donner, Blitzen and Comet
to meet all the good little kids.

And for the second year in a row,
in spite all of the holiday cheer and hoopla,
my kids did not want to meet Santa.

No shaking hands, no giving hugs and definitely
NO SITTING ON LAPS.

They wanted nothing to do with jolly old St. Nick.
Oh well, there's always next year.

I should have known better...

My girlfriends and I sponsored a family in need this holiday season. Each person bought gifts for a member of the sponsor family and I was in charge of wrapping the gifts. It seemed like a great idea to get all of the presents to one location, wrapped and delivered together. It seemed like a good idea at the time. But I forgot that one of the sponsor kids is the same age as Elliot and her wish list had some good stuff on it!

Elliot found the "letter book" for Ladarah and commandeered it for himself. He was very upset when I wrapped it and DID NOT want the special girl to have his toy.

He eventually got over it when he realized that he could just ask Santa for a letter book. The special girl could have his toy as long as the big man brought him a replacement. So ever since the plastic, talking toy graced our doorstep all I have heard about is getting a letter book from Santa.

Normally, I don't think Santa would mind that a child REALLY wanted one toy. Especially a toy that doesn't cost too much and is educational. Except that Santa already got all of Elliot's toys. Santa figured that since Elliot is such an easy-going kid and hadn't expressed interest in anything in particular, Santa could get whatever Santa wanted. Boy, was Santa wrong! Santa should have known that he couldn't get through Christmas without at least one demand. And all I have to say is there better be a letter book under the tree on the 25th or Santa's going to be in big trouble with one little boy!

Epace on Earth

Christmas with little kids is the best. Elliot knows who Santa Claus is. He knows that he needs to be good for Santa to leave him presents (and good boys take NAPS!). He has a resin nativity set that he loves to play with and tells me all about the kings and kneelers (shepherds) who visited the baby Jesus and his mommy and daddy. He understands what is happening and looks forward to each new adventure.

Elliot has loved watching our house transform into a holiday wonderland. He and Betsy get hours of entertainment from taking the ornaments off the tree, throwing them around the living room and then putting them back on the tree. He is in awe of the outside lights on the houses in our neighborhood (his favorite is the all-blue lights). And every day he carefully opens a new drawer on our Advent calendar to reveal another ornament for the little tree. He couldn't be happier with the decorations or more pleased with his contributions to them.

And his greatest pleasure is our mantle. The other day, I carefully unpacked and arranged our stockings along the fireplace. I was proud of the results. When I showed them to Elliot, he thought it looked great too. But he had one minor adjustment to make. Apparently, the letters were in the wrong order. He explained to me where they needed to go and I had no choice but to follow orders (trust me, I didn't have a choice!). I even tried to switch them back later that day, but he discovered my treachery and made me put them back the way he had them.

The perfectionist in me is bothered by our mantle. But the mom in me knows that he is only going to be little for the blink of an eye. And before I know it (or want it to happen), he won't give a hoot where the stockings are as long as they're filled with toys!

This year, my Christmas wish for all of you is Epace on Earth and Good Will Toward Little Men!

Rockin Out

Elliot, you rock! This video is almost a year old and it still makes me smile every time I watch it. It is the quintessence of you. You have boundless energy, a sweet and caring disposition and a wonderful sense of humor. You also like to keep things neat and orderly (notice how you drum in order?), but we all know where that tendency came from!

And we both know that there are days when all that "Elliot-ness" tires me out. When you haven't slept enough and the world is too much for you. When the only way to express yourself is through tears and obstinateness. When you remind me every minute that patience is a virtue (a department in which I am seriously lacking).

But at the end of the day, when you are fast asleep and, probably, dreaming of the mischief to come, I know that I wouldn't want my life any other way than with you rocking it.

I love you, Bug!

humble

There are days when I feel rather intelligent. When I'm confident that I know enough to survive in the world and maybe-just maybe-a little more than the average bear. Today isn't one of those days.

I've wanted to start a blog for awhile. I've wanted the ability to share my thoughts and photos in the great unknown called cyberspace. I've wanted to create change in the world one post at a time. I've wanted to share my life with others.

So today I took the plunge and I'm scared. I'm scared because now I have my very own blog and I don't know what the hell I'm doing!