Paul’s Page

Painted by Paul, February 2010

I am not a “post it on the fridge Mom,” probably because my mother never was. But this painting by my son has been in the place of honor for weeks. I love it.

Paul asked me to take a turn, so I added the red border around it. He did the rest. I love how the colors are washed out in the middle. I love the vibrancy of the purple and the green (it doesn’t show up well in the scan). I just love knowing how much fun Paul had in painting it. It is his masterpiece for age 2 and a half.

(1)

The other day, as I drove to deliver cookies to my friend for her birthday, I saw my reflection in the rearview mirror.

“Oh,” I said aloud. “I forgot to put on makeup this morning.”

Paul’s response: “Uh oh, Mommy! Go home and get makeup! Uh oh!”

(2)

As I lead Paul upstairs for bed, Paul likes to bid farewell to everything he says.

Paul: “Bye bye cars! Bye bye books! Bye bye fridge! Bye bye flowers! Bye bye stairs! Bye bye Jesus [in a picture]! “

(3)

If my prayer gets too long, Paul helps me out.

Paul: “In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen. AMEN! AMEN!”

(4)

Paul has a new favorite word. From the sample conversations below, see me if you can figure out what it is.

Mommy: “Do you want to sit on the toilet?”

Paul: “Icky toilet!”

Later: “Let’s change your diaper!”

Paul: “Icky poop!”

Later: “Daddy might come home tomorrow!”

Paul: “Icky Daddy!”

Later: “Do you want some goldfish for your snack?”

Paul: “Icky Goldfish!”

(5)

Paul is a very compassionate two-year-old. If I bump my arm against something (for example) and exclaim “ouch,” he runs to me and kisses it better. When he sees the picture in his book of Cookie Monster crying (because the onions made his eyes water), he gives him a hug and a kiss. Paul has compassion on everyone and everything. When his cars crash against each other, he kisses them better.

My son has a doll. You met him in December in an adorable picture last month. I think it’s about time I share his story.

Baby Doll joined our family back in May. I attended a local garage sale with Paul in tow, and when Paul saw the doll on the edge of a display blanket, he immediately was taken in: “Baby! Baby!” One dollar later, and Baby Doll had joined our family. We took him home, changed his clothes (because the pink was a bit too girly for Baby Doll’s preferences), and Paul promptly forgot about him.

Throughout the summer, Baby Doll occasionally appeared. “Baby!” Paul would say, rocking the doll for a few minutes before dropping him on the floor.

In early November, something changed. Paul started walking around with Baby Doll. We had not at that point given the doll a name (after all, Paul mostly ignored it) but Paul had no problems calling it Baby Doll or Doll. “Doll” does rhyme with “Paul” so it probably seemed natural for Paul to have a little friend with a name almost like his own.

Around Thanksgiving, Paul made a new discovery: if he pulled off the clothes, Baby Doll did not have a diaper on! Oh no! He was very upset, and we had to add a diaper so he wouldn’t be so upset. I think Paul had entered a new stage of his own awareness at that point, so it seemed appropriate.

But a few weeks after that, Baby Doll entered yet another stage of life: toilet training. Paul occassionally sits on the toilet. Sometimes he’s excited to do so. Sometimes he is successful. Sometimes immediately after wetting his diaper he runs up to me saying “Toilet! Toilet!” But he has not been interested in being “toilet trained.”

Baby Doll, however, has been toilet training since December. Some days Doll forgets completely and stays in the toy chest. Other days, Baby Doll must sit on the toilet every five minutes all day long. Paul is the spearhead of this endeavor. Baby Doll is always successful, even sitting on every toilet in the house every five minutes for four hours at a time.

It’s a very rewarding thing to help Baby Doll. Paul loves to cheer “yeay!” when Baby Doll let the pee into the toilet. I always ask “do you want to sit on the toilet too, Paul?” The answer is normally “No.” But I’m feeling hopeful.

Paul likes to change Baby Doll’s clothes. This began when Baby Doll’s other clothes fell in the toilet and I had to go find the box of baby clothes to change him (because, of course, Paul was upset that baby doll had no clothes on). Paul gets upset when his little 3-year-old nursery friend comes to visit and takes off all of Baby Doll’s clothes (and diaper!!). He cries and wants Baby Doll back. Then, of course, he forgets about Baby Doll for days.

Paul realized a few weeks ago that Baby Doll has marker on his head. He doesn’t understand why we can’t wash it off, since all of our markers are washable.

Baby Doll doesn’t have a different name. As I said, “Doll” rhymes with “Paul.” Any name at this point would be bit affected, I think.

So, how do I take Baby Doll’s toilet training and make it Paul’s toilet training? I’m calling for success stories at my website. I’d love to hear your ideas!

Day one in the snow: 30 degrees, 1/4 inch. Running, playing, delighted. Inside after 30 minutes (and kicking and screaming) for a cup of cocoa. Out again in the afternoon for more.

Day two in the snow: Awoke saying “Play! Snow!” 10 degrees, 4 inches. Overwhelmed, cold, wet, unsure what to do, even on the top of his play area. Asked to go inside with a whine.

Whew. I was afraid we’d be outside twice a day. Mommy was cold on day one!

photo taken December 9, 2009

(P.S. fun snow day = sinus headache, cough, and cold this week. Poor boy!)

photo taken December 8, 2009

Tags: baby doll

“I want toast for breakfast,” says Mommy.

“By the way, there’s no more peanut butter,” says Daddy.

“There is peanut butter in food storage in the basement,” says Mommy.

“Well, I didn’t want to go down there,” says Daddy.

I am wearing my FIRE CHIEF hat. I can save the day!

I go to the basement.  Mommy turns on the light for me. She thinks I’m going to go play! She does not know I will save the day.

I walk downstairs like a real fire chief. I am getting really good. Mommy says she can’t watch me because she thinks I’ll fall. I haven’t fallen down the stairs for a few days now!

I open the door to the Dark part of the basement. I see the peanut butter on the second shelf, and I have to reach for it. Then I crawl back upstairs with it. It is hard. The peanut butter jar is big and awkward!

Mommy sees me and is very surprised. She didn’t know I could save the day!

Daddy says, “Thank you, Paul! Good job!”

“Oh dear,” says Mommy. “We need a child safety lock on that door!”

“Yes,” says Daddy.

Paul began his second birthday with a request to use the toilet (”Toilet! Toilet!”). While he’s rarely successful, I’m always eager to encourage this new obsession. I think it bodes well for the next year.

We’re low-key birthday people around our house, so I have tried to avoid making it a huge deal and spending money unnecessarily. In fact, so far, including the cost of the cake, I’ve spent less than $15, and Paul has loved his celebrations!! I think it just goes to show that kids don’t need a lot; I certainly did not want any more big toys right now. That said, I rarely buy Paul anything (thanks to our recently being added to my friend’s “hand me down” list!) and he’s a great kid, so he deserves something. I did give him some gifts on Sunday, but I know he loves stores, and he loves opening presents. (Apparently, he didn’t need any instruction this time around! Sunday, he was the present opening pro!)

So we went back to Dollar General today, and then I came home and wrapped everything up. He picked out a new car. I got him some more play-doh, too, because he’s really taken to that, and I also got some of those beads you put in the water that grow into shapes. I’m so excited for his bath tonight! He loves cars and trucks and trains!

And then I got him some magnetic numbers for the fridge. He brought me the number 8 saying “EIGHT! EIGHT!” and I thought he was a genius!

And then he brough me the number 4, saying the same thing. Ah well. At least he knows EIGHT is a number!

I did give him some fun things the other day too and I’ll talk about his other birthday “parties” in a later post. (I’ll try to be good at getting things up!)

So far, one of his favorite parts of the birthday celebrations is the cupcakes. He ate two on Sunday. Then Monday he saw them on the shelf and pretended like he was blowing out candles (yes, he did) to ask for more. We had one each Monday, Tuesday, and today. I may let him have a second today, since after all, it is his actual birthday.

What will he do next week when I’m not giving him wrapped up toys and letting him eat sweets?! The poor kid will be in withdrawl!

Has it really been a month since I updated this page? Ooops! I have pictures of Carl’s August wedding to post, I have (a few) pictures from my trip to Utah to post, I have some pictures of Paul’s birthday celebration from Sunday to post. I’ll try to get to them in the next few days.

Tags: Birthday!

Paul hasn’t been particularly interested in Cowboy Joe in the past months. I haven’t been encouraging him to play with Cowboy Joe — Joe’s a bit fragile as he’s all knit, and some seams are coming out already, even without regular play.

Last week, though, Paul was holding Cowboy Joe and pointing out various recognizable things: “eyes!” “ears!” “feet!”

I went to get the camera and by the time I got back, of course, Paul turned in to a big ham. He just loves to smile for the camera! Cowboy Joe was mostly forgotten, I’m sorry to say. I think Paul was trying to get Joe out of the picture so he’d keep the limelight to himself!

Tags: cowboy Joe

I prepare breakfast granola one or two mornings a week, and Paul loves to help! He often gets up from breakfast and runs to his stool saying “cook! cook!” I found a pre-schooler cookbook and I’ve been taking it’s advice to heart: it’s not the end product that matters to a young cook, it’s the action things that they like.

Paul loves to help. From cracking eggs, to stirring, to eating the coconut flakes off the counter, he loves to cook with Mommy.

Here he is helping me cook a little pizza two weeks ago.

And then videos are the most fun!

P.S. I think Paul is smiling a cheesy smile and sitting still in the second video because he thought I was taking a regular picture, not a video.

Tags: eating

Paul is caught in between ages this month.

One day he wants to sit on the toilet every hour. (He’s usually successful.) The next day, he won’t go near the toilet without crying.

One day he wants to sit at the table in a regular chair. The next day he cries unless I open up his high chair for him.

One day he wants to go down the stairs ALL BY HIMSELF walking on two feet like a big person. The next day he cries for someone to come take his hand or he slithers down on his hands and knees.

One day he wants to sit and cuddle for ten minutes after his nap. The next day he won’t come near me and cries if I try to hold him.

And then there are the signs that he’s figured out the system. He slipped on the floor and sat down and fake cried for a few seconds. I was taking something to a different room and as soon as I was out of his sight, he stopped crying. As soon as I walked back in, he started up again. He wouldn’t stop until I’d picked him up and given him a “feel better; I love you” hug.

I love the baby stage, but it is exciting to see the “I’m getting older” stage too!