Toddler Heaven

What more could a toddler want than to meet Curious George and get her face painted like Spiderman all in one weekend?

Last Friday evening, we all went to the Bay Area Discovery Museum (thanks for the membership Grandma and Grandpa Geckeler!) for a special event - meeting Curious George. Actually, the main event was a musical performance, but obviously the highlight of the evening was meeting George. The museum was well-prepared for the stir his appearance caused. George had his own bodyguard/handler that kept him safe and moved him along through the throngs of groping toddlers and hoards of parents with cameras. Hana was quite excited to meet him, although a bit nervous about getting too up close and personal without one of us right by her side. She did give him a high five though.

Then on Saturday it was "Kids Fun Day" at her preschool, where she got her face painted. Despite the best efforts of the (ahem) "traditional" volunteer parent who tried to steer her towards a princess or a butterfly design, she picked the Spiderman face out of the book of pictures. So that's what she got. I was a little worried she might be scared when she saw herself in the mirror, but she took it all in good stride. She had a nap afterwards and when she woke up, she said "Mommy, want to see the Spiderman all over the crib?" The paint was all over her sheets.

On another note, Hana has developed a serious case of the "why's." No response is ever sufficient explanation. Tonight I was patting her belly to help her go to sleep and I stopped and she said, "Mommy, why did you stop?" I said, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to, it was an accident." The response: "But mommy, why did you stop though?" After several fruitless attempts to claim it was an accident, I finally said, "Because Mommy's brain wandered and thought of something else and forgot to tell her hand to keep patting you" to which she responded "Oh."

Role Reversal

Hana: I'm drinking soda [or coffee].

Me: That's only for grown-ups. Are you a grown-up?

Hana: Yes.

Me: Can I have some?

Hana: No, you're not a grown-up!!!

Abracadabra

"Abracadabra, I'm going to turn you into a cat!"

This is a new favorite game. Turning me into a cat (or a dog), then asking me to turn her into a cat (or a dog). In general, she is very into pretending to be someone or something else. Sometimes she is a baby and likes to be carried and rocked and pretends to nurse. Sometimes she is a mommy to her dolls and stuffed animals. And when she's pretending to be a dog, we play "fetch" and she brings the ball back in her mouth. :)

Potty training is going well. I must say, though, that the term "potty training" implies that the parent is doing something to train the child to use the bathroom, as if there is some sort of methodology. As it turns out, just about everything I've read is completely contradictory to that. In fact, the child is actually the one in charge, and any pushing by the parent before the child is ready is bound to be counterproductive. Hana is on her own timetable and process for this one. She's got all the skills and awareness necessary to use the potty, but motivation has been intermittent.

Today, we had a break though, which I attribute to what was probably a lot of healthy peer pressure to use the potty at preschool this week. She ran around the house after her bath for 3 hours naked today, and spontaneously used the potty three times during that period!! Two of those times, she insisted on doing the whole thing completely on her own, and wouldn't even let me in the bathroom. I could hear her going through all the steps - peeing, wiping, dumping it in the big potty, flushing the toilet, putting the lid down, and washing and drying her hands. She was very proud of herself for doing the whole process from start to finish.

Sleeping in the big girl bed, on the other hand, is pretty much on hold. We still have the pack n play, so that's her night time home for now.

Born to Go To School

Hana started preschool this week. She absolutely LOVES it and we couldn't be more thrilled with the school. The facility is fabulous, the teachers are wonderful, and there is a strong parent/family community. The teachers and director have all said that Hana is adjusting perfectly to the new environs - she's outgoing, participatory, energetic without being domineering, friendly with the other kids, and a general pleasure all around.

She is already learning new things. Today she showed off her new vocabulary word - "germs." :) When I went to change her diaper this evening, she asked me if I had gloves. I didn't know what she meant, but said yes, figuring she was referring to winter gloves, since that's the only kind of gloves she knows. Then she told me I had to wear them while changing her diaper so we don't share germs. (I told her since we are family it's OK to share a little bit of germs, but if you are not family you should try not to share germs.)

Also, she made "apple pie" today (apple muffins) with the organic apples from the tree in the yard. She's fed celery to the goats, and dressed up like a zebra. She's played in the sandbox, read books, sang songs, napped on her monkey mat, and lots of things I'm sure I don't even know about. It's toddler heaven.

Hana Is Starting Preschool

A surprise twist in Hana's day to day life - she will be starting preschool next week! We had been casually exploring preschools, without much hope for this year since slots fill up 6 months to a year here in the Bay Area. I had pretty much given up hope and was resigned to waiting until next year, when we found a great place that was affordable, flexible, a great environment, and they had openings in their "Sprouts" classroom (2 year olds).

Hana will get to play inside and out, have singing and reading during circle time, tend the garden, explore the "forest" (a small collection of fruit trees and vines), enjoy healthy organic snacks, and feed and care for the farm animals - 5 chickens and 2 pygmy goats - that live at the school. She hasn't been to visit yet, but we are pretty sure she will love it there. The teachers are very nurturing and patient and there is a strong parent community as well. It's hard to see what the downside is, except...

Hana will have to give up her nanny. This makes us very sad, because Hana just adores her and she loves Hana. Hana will still see her for another month as she transitions to school, so there will be time to say goodbye. Even though she is sad too, the nanny agrees Hana should go to school because she really needs more of a learning environment.

Tuesday will be her first day. Pete and I will stay with her for an hour or two and then will leave and we'll see how it goes.