Smart Maya
Maya walks J the dog now. She does a fantastic job and as long as I'm holding her hand I don't get nervous--in fact, J seems to walk differently with her (and he's not a run-away dog--we could take him out without a leash if we wanted). Yesterday J started going poop, and Maya looked down at the leash and reached for the baggie holder, which is attached to the handle. She pulled out a bag. To, you know, pick up the poop. Harvard called later on to say they have one slot left for 16 month olds.
Monkey See Maya
Maya likes to imitate to the point of hilarity. She will imitate everything. She pants like J when he pants. She makes noises like barks when he barks. She makes any face or sound you make. Unfortunately she doesn't imitate Mama on the bed going to sleep. *Sigh* (Naptime is still a suckhole of a struggle around here.)
Bad Habit Maya
Just started picking her nose. Well, actually, sticking her finger up there, till it's like she must be hitting brain, and looking at me like, well, what? What's so funny? And she farts and laughs. And she burps. And she fake sneezes to psyche us out.
Tall Maya
Met another Chinese girl today who just turned two. Maya was almost as tall as her. (Of course we were in a crowded area and of course the girl's mom is yelling across the room at me, "SO HOW LONG HAVE YOU, YOU KNOW?? HAD HER?" and I'm trying to be all incognito and such, but obviously failing because my kid is jangling my keys and toddling around and the mom is all "SHE'S TALL FOR HER AGE, HUH?" and the other toddler is yelling at Maya because Maya is trying to steal her keys (because Maya MUST have what you have, too bad!) and I'm saying "Sweetheart, it's okay, she won't take your keys forever, she just wants to check them out" and the mom is saying "WOW SO ALMOST HOME THREE MONTHS!" and everyone in line, about twenty people, is looking at me. Yay!) But yes, Maya is tall.
AhhhEhhhh Maya
MP has started making this whiny ahhhehhh noise all. the. time. In the supermarket (ahhhhhhhhhehhhhhhhhhahhhhhhehhhhh) until I pluck her out of the seat. In her carseat. In her highchair. If I'm not one hundred percent focused on her she is making the sound. (She's not making it now but that's only because she just finished making it for like twenty minutes straight).
And she is doing some serious preferring of me over anyone else and sometimes she cries hard when Random takes her away from me and holds out her little arms in desperation. Yesterday I lost it (more on that below) and so at the end of the day when Random came home and Maya was screamy and crying for me I couldn't help it. I picked her up instead of letting Random take her, like I should have. Thus ensued--well, you know. Not a great night. Although it ended okay with cheese enchiladas and a beer (I've started drinking beer, all of a sudden. I went ten years without drinking a beer and now it's a beer every night. Hello, beer belly! Woo hoo!) Random is such a great dad but it is so hard for me to listen to her freaking and easier for me to just take her--although I know that is not the best thing to do.
Still Apparently Looking Like a Boy Maya
This was just kind of funny. T'other day I was in Buy Buy Baby buying Maya presents for the upcoming holiday (okay, how many presents do people buy 16 month olds? Do you guys go crazy? I mean my good friend J has already bought her munchkin a whole kitchen and a dollhouse and all kinds of wondrous whatnot and MP is getting a set of stackers and a wooden puzzle so far. Go us!) and Maya was wearing a pretty outfit and a BOW. A honking big bow. I put a girlie hat on her. A woman was standing nearby. This conversation ensued (and I am not making this up).
WOMAN: Is that a girl's hat?
ME: Why yes, it is. *Taking off hat, fixing bow on Maya's hair, putting hat back*
WOMAN: Oh, are you sure it is a girl's hat?
ME: *Looking at hat* Yes, it is pink and white....and has a sparkly cat on it...I think this is the boy version *Showing woman the boy version which is blue and orange and not sparkly*
WOMAN: Oh, but you put it on him so I thought it was a boy's hat.
ME: *Looking at Maya, whose BIG LARGE BOW is RIGHT THERE, in plain view* Um, what do you mean?
WOMAN: *Also looking at Maya* Well you put a girl's hat on a boy so I thought that was the boy's hat.
ME: *Baffled* That's not a boy. She's a girl...see the bow? *Pointing to very obvious pink bow in black hair, not to be missed unless you are colorblind pink/black*
WOMAN: Oh that is a girl? Oh oh. My daughter has a boy so I just thought....oh sorry. I thought. Oh sorry. *Flustered, like her whole world has been rocked*
ME: No problem. *Walks away chuckling to self, duh what silly billies!* (Apparently I need to get MP seven "I'm Not A Boy" t-shirts for every day of the week. Currently I only have one and it is sitting in the washing machine right now festering in old dried poo. Shut up all you washers-of-dirty-clothing-right-awayers.)
(On my favorite sitcom last night, The Office, Pam the receptionist said to a woman, "oh what a cute little girl!" The woman sneered "he's a boy." Pam said "But he's dressed in all pink!" The woman said, annoyed, "It's his favorite color!" Too funny.)
Stinky Nap Taker Maya
Stinks at taking naps. I've tried it all. Some days, I can't be bothered to go through all of the required steps (or, hey! I have Important Stuff to do! And I can't spend four hours trying to get her to take a fifteen minute nap!). She definitely needs naps--if she doesn't get one, she is a little demon spawn--but they either require A) a drive at exactly the right time or B) a serendipitous high chair lunch or C) a stroller walk at exactly the right time, and somehow all forces have to align perfectly for her to fall asleep and stay asleep for more than five minutes. So needless to say with no one around to help all day and me alone with her all day sometimes Random comes home and he just laughs because, well, do I really have to say why?
*Losing It* In a Quite Hilarious Way Here and There
Apparently I really don't like it when I'm trying to change Maya and she puts her hands in it and then I see the crayon she was holding is now a new color and the dog is barking and she is screaming and there are suddenly no wipes and the diapers are scattered across the room because I forgot to put them back in the holder after MP used them to coat the floor and, well, apparently that's when I start to get a little hot under the collar. *Flaps arms and quacks like psychotic duck*
Back To That Present Thang
Could you share with me what you are buying kids this holiday season? I need some ideas.
(And thanks for all your thoughts on MP's scar....I think bite of some sort is probably right. And I looked more closely at the scar yesterday and it has definitely faded since we first met MP.)
My son is 3 and this is the first year ever I've bought him gifts. Between family and friends, he's always been overwhelmed with gifts so I've never felt the need to buy any myself. I probably wouldn't this year, but we'll be other kids who'll wonder if Santa doesn't bring him anything. My daughter just turned 16 months and I ended up getting her 3 gifts to satisfy the Santa issue with other kids. Otherwise, I definitely wouldn't be getting her anything. I don't even buy them, and my house is filled to the brim with toys!
Maybe I'm just a big spoil sport, but I figure I'll save the big gift giving for when they'll remember it.
Posted by: Amy | 12/01/2006 at 03:30 PM
When my daughter was 16 months old, we bought her a ton of Sesame Street and Elmo stuff. We also bought her some Wiggles dvd's along with Sesame Street dvd's.
Have a great holiday!
Posted by: Jen | 12/01/2006 at 03:47 PM
Well I have a 14 month old, I did get her the bounce and spin Zebra thingy.. She will no doubt fall off and crack her head open, but I bought it anyway. She has a fisher price baby piano that she got for her birthday, she loves it. She also loves the fridge farm and the fridge dj... I am running out of room on my damn fridge. Don't stress about presents. You will buy her enough stuff all year long...
Posted by: another emily | 12/01/2006 at 03:49 PM
I don't mean to go on a rant or anything, but the woman? At Buy Buy Baby? Um...why was there any need for her to say anything whatsoever in that scenario?
Even if she thought she was seeing a mom putting a girl's hat on a boy child, what possible contribution is she going to make by piping up -- does she think you were NOT AWARE of the sex of your child, or that, alternatively, you are TOTALLY UNAWARE of the stringent gender constructs of our society, e.g., pink is for girls, so it was her DUTY to set you right?
Or! Maybe she thought that you had walked into the store sans baby, happened upon a child in a stroller, assumed the strange child was a girl and plopped a girl's hat on her head, so she thought she'd best speak up and defend the perceived boy-child from this gender-bending hat violation. I can't think of any other possible justification for any words to come out of her mouth.
People.
For other people's kids, I have been buying jammies and cute clothes-type things, as well as fun stacking toys and modern-y stuff from places like Sparkability. I luuurve their stuff. And I know when we bring our daughter home from Vietnam (some million years from now given current wait times), I will do the same as you and tend toward the minimal because...she'll be a baby and will probably get an avalanche of stuff and then play with the remote instead.
Posted by: Lawyerish | 12/01/2006 at 03:59 PM
My son is 6 months old, and I have bought him a few presents. A baby piano, Baby Einstein DVDs (for my sake), and some small stocking toys. I am going to get him some clothes (he needs them anyways) and a few more stocking stuffers. Also going to knit him a sweater.
Babies don't really remember Christmas, so why bother spending lots of money? I wouldn't have bought the piano, but *I* REALLY wanted it. It was the same one I had as a little kid and I loved it.
Posted by: Jeanne | 12/01/2006 at 04:11 PM
My daughter went through a huge mama-attachment thing at just about that age. It's so hard, on everyone. When she was a yr old we had her in for her check-up, and they were taking her blood for the lead test, and T was holding her, and she was screaming and reaching for me--and it was a small lab room, too. I couldn't handle hearing her scream and reach for me--my only choices were leave the room (walk away from your baby who's reaching for you!) or take her from T. I finally took her, and we had a FIGHT in the car coming home...
It's so visceral. Your baby is crying, and you just have to help. Not to take her seems wrong. But it makes for some tough moments in the marriage...
I think I got her 2 books and a CD for Christmas when she was that age. At age it's all about the wrapping paper and boxes, anyway...
Posted by: nate | 12/01/2006 at 04:22 PM
Malka's first Birthday and Chanukah fall within the next two weeks.
We got her a black doll form porrty barn kids.
And an Elmo cell phone.
that's it.
She really doesn't get the concept yet, so we'll save our hard earned cash for that stupid 501c3 or whatever we're supposed to be doing to save money for her college, which we SO haven't done yet.
ugh.
I snarfed at the gender thing - the entire population of NYC is convinced that we have a boy. I've practially done a diaper change in times square just to prove the idiots wrong. I have an "I'm not a boy" bib that's ALSO in the laundry pile, because our washing machine is in the basement - of an apartment building, and we're LUCKY if laundry gets done once a week...
Posted by: shelli | 12/01/2006 at 04:22 PM
We had the same nap time issues for months after our daughter came home. Evening - no prob, nap - no WAY. We took to putting her in her stroller and pushing her back and forth in her room, took maybe 5 minutes. Worked like a charm nearly every time. Probably did this for several months, now she goes down for her naps as pleasntly as she does at night.
I mostly lurk, but I completely feel your pain on the nap issue.
While I am typing, for presents, our daughter is older now (just 2), but she really enjoyed blocks of all kinds when she was Maya's age. She has had bristle and duplo ones too - hours of fun. And an 'aquadoodle' thingy. And there is always the box that a 100 pack of diapers comes in. That one is still a hit.
Thanks for blogging, you always crack me up.
Posted by: Erika | 12/01/2006 at 04:41 PM
My dd is 20 months, and I feel like she doesn't need any gifts. The grandparents are going overboard. Divorces on each side. We have a gpa who overcompensates being out of state and not seeing her much, buying her the world. The gma, his ex-wife, buying her more to keep up with the jonses. When my mom told me how much they spend on each grandchild, I died and told her she could pay for her college. And my dad who thinks that an under 2 year old would like computer gadgets.
So, we are getting her nothing. Actually we are getting her one of those little shopping carts with play groceries. I think kids these days get way too much for Christmas, and I plan on discreetly taking some of it back, and putting the money in her college fund.
But gifty ideas, since Lindsey is only a few months older than MP........she loves her baby dolls and baby stoller. And any stuffed animal.
Posted by: Angie | 12/01/2006 at 05:08 PM
Maggie is getting 2 little trucks, this Playskool gear thing and a pair of Osh Kosh overalls. That's it from us. My parents got her a closet organizer--ha! She doesn't play with the toys she has for the most part anyway. She's way more interested in remotes, cell phones and junk she picks up off the floor.
Posted by: Allison | 12/01/2006 at 05:09 PM
"waives hand* Dealing with bad napping here, too!
As for toy ideas: this is my first Christmas with a child and I was completely lost until I went to www.fisher-price.com. You are able to search by age and it really helped me figure out age-appropriateness. I also looked at www.target.com for some ideas.
My girl's 1st birthday is the day after Christmas and my husband and I decided to her a present from each of us and a joint present for each day (Christmas and birthday). (Plus a Christmas stocking with things like books, bows, bubble bath, chewy stuff, etc.) We thought that was a good idea since she'll also be getting things from family and friends in such a close time period. Here's what it looks like right now:
Christmas -
http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html/ref=br_1_29/601-5052234-0216947?%5Fencoding=UTF8&frombrowse=1&asin=B000HBC7BW
Christmas -
http://www.fisher-price.com/fp.aspx?st=2341&e=detail&pid=33158&pcat=buroll
Christmas -
http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-Child-Kids-Toy-Youth-Acoustic-Guitar_W0QQitemZ110040791193QQihZ001QQcategoryZ2385QQcmdZViewItem
Birthday -
http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html/ref=cm_reviews_dp_seemore/601-2592373-0327337?ie=UTF8&coliid=&frombrowse=1&alt%5Fview=custReviews&asin=B000096QNK
Birthday -
http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html/ref=br_1_11/602-0650985-5517468?ie=UTF8&frombrowse=1&asin=B0002YDPX8
Birthday -
http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html/ref=br_1_47/601-5052234-0216947?%5Fencoding=UTF8&frombrowse=1&asin=B000ETRENI
So, umm, yeah - good luck! I can't wait to see the holiday pictures!
Posted by: Reese | 12/01/2006 at 05:17 PM
Note: these are things that she has expressed an interest in and will keep us sane.
The Elmo chair is going in our library for story time.
The guitar is because she is constantly playing with my husband's guitar (she is actually quite musically inclined).
The dinosaur is for downstairs in the family room.
The Learn and Groove table will be taking the place of her exersaucer downstairs (also, see guitar).
The tool bench is for learning numbers/something pop-py (which she loves).
The ABC magnets are for the bottom part of the fridge so she can play while we are cooking.
We are trying to focus on things that are geared toward learning since she will be getting a lot of "just toys" from friends and family.
Posted by: Reese | 12/01/2006 at 05:23 PM
Dang, I can't shut up can I? We are also going to be making a run to places like T*rget/W*lmart/T*ys R Us to do some serious returning the week after Christmas. I shudder to think the mounds of stuff she's going to end up with...
Posted by: Reese | 12/01/2006 at 05:27 PM
My daughter is 2. She's getting a V-Smile, princess stickers, and new light up shoes. Last year she got... diapers. My 6 month old son will also be receiving the gift of a clean bum this year.
Posted by: mama-beans | 12/01/2006 at 05:27 PM
Emily is going to be 20 months at Christmas. Here are some ideas for you, but I'm warning you - we didn't buy her all this stuff, they're just ideas!
What we bought:
Play kitchen and some food/dishes to go with it
new pjs
Elmo book
FP Little People Castle
What others are buying (that I know of)
Little Tikes Tball Set
Little Tikes golf set
Elmo magnadoodle thing by Roseart - has SEsame street stamps
Other ideas:
A ball if she doesn't have one
Lego Mega blocks - Em has had hers for a while but REALLY started to love them a couple months ago
Puzzles with about 4-5 pieces
Bath toys
Pretend play toys - Em has a FP LIttle Mommy shopping cart that she loves (though the removable basket is a PITA) there are other shopping carts out there. Doll strollers are also really popular at this age - and of course a doll.
FP Little People are a huge hit around here. The farm, especially and she's getting the castle for Christmas too
Books! - favorites around here are Sandra Boynton's "Moo, Baa, La la la" and Sesame Street's "Monster at the End of this Book"
Posted by: Mandy | 12/01/2006 at 05:30 PM
For Katie's first christmas she was 6 mos old so we got her a few blocks, books, and rattles and, per tradition, a christmas ornament. The family was not so reserved so she also got clothes, toys, a coat, etc. Mostly practical stuff, though.
This year we're asking for more clothes from family with limited gifts like Little People sets, toy food and other pretend play (grandma has been specially picked to get her a tea set and doll), and some CDs of kids music that we like. From us? yea, she's getting 2 giant packs of wipes and one giant box of size 4 diapers. Because it looks nice to have gifts under the tree, and it's fun for her to open gifts, but it's silly to stuff our house with more toys. We'll get pictures of her opening the real gifts from grandparents/aunts/uncles for her scrapbook, but the rest is just for appearences and the fun of unwrapping a box.
Oh, and she'll get another ornament this year to build her collection.
Posted by: Julie | 12/01/2006 at 06:09 PM
Crap, I'm supposed to buy him gifts?
No idea yet, we're last minute folks.
Huge sympathies on the nap situation, all the stars and planets have to line up just right at my house too, it makes me tired just thinking about it!
Loving loving loving your mom stories.
Posted by: MotherLawyer | 12/01/2006 at 06:10 PM
I have a 20 month old and he is getting nothing from us for Hanukkah, we are putting money in his college fund. But the grandparents are getting him-
the fisher price laugh and learn door
little people farm and zoo
elmo shake and giggle chair
a ton of puzzles
the little tikes shopping cart
the spin zebra thingey by fisher price
And I'm sure more stuff that will make my house look like toys r us exploded
Posted by: jodi | 12/01/2006 at 06:12 PM
Zorba was near Maya's age last Xmas. I went way overboard for her then. Trying not to do it this year. But, last year, I did buy her this great rocking horse from babystyle.com. They still have it. It is wicker and super cute. She still rides it!
Posted by: Shelba | 12/01/2006 at 06:46 PM
Karen, if it makes you feel better, I have "had" my daughter for all 15.5 months of her life and I have no idea what to get her for Christmas. But! if you need some adorable, warm winter jammies, check out the "Nick and Nora" ones at Tarjay. They're just like the grownup versions, two-piece and the top has a lapel collar. I got Persephone the pink ones with snowmen and the blue ones with pink piping and sheep. (Look at the front page of my blog to see her in the pink pair.) And speaking of blue and pink, I get that boy/girl thing all the time! And she is delicate and I dress her girly and it still happens! Although, one gentleman recovered himself quite nicely...he'd thought Seph was a boy, and when I pointed out her ruffled Gymboree zebra outfit, he said, "I'd forgotten that zebra is the new pink".
How tall is Maya, anyway? Just wondering =)
Posted by: DebbieS | 12/01/2006 at 08:05 PM
My son's 15 months and for Christms we have a pretty spiff fire truck "from Santa," if he asks when he's 4 or something, and some books from us, Christmas PJs, and I'm thinking of getting him an ornament every year (except err, last one) so he can have a whack of them when he's all grown up. That's it.
The grandparents and extended family will be taking care of more stuff and frankly - we have tons and tons of toys! And we don't want to make Xmas solely about stuff and we are practicing now. :-)
Posted by: Shandra | 12/01/2006 at 08:05 PM
We usually don't buy very much. My daughter will be 28 months old at Christmas, and she will probably appreciate what is going on more this year than she did last year. That said, we are only going to get her a couple of books and a toy. She will get presents from cousins, her aunts and uncles, and grandma and grandpa. We just don't have the room to go overboard with her and then find places for all the other things that people will buy. And, when I see things during the year that I want her to have, I buy them. So, I don't see the holidays as something that I need to go overboard on. But it sure is tempting to buy a lot! I think that I will let my daughter open my presents as well. She will probably like that part best anyway.
Posted by: abogada | 12/01/2006 at 08:24 PM
i can totally send you 6 more!!!!! glad to see it comes in handy once a week though...
Posted by: mortimersmom | 12/01/2006 at 08:39 PM
First of all--that woman in the store! WTF? How bizarre.
We have a few traditions around x-mas presents so buying for my niece (who is just about Maya's age), and my nephews, who are a bit older, has been easy. I just took the traditions my family had and ran with them (they are on my husband's side so the traditions are new to them but they enjoy them). So we get everyone brand new pj's (winter themed) so everyone looks cute in photos on x-mas morning (those are opened the night before), a new doll for my niece until she outgrows them (the boys were getting new tonka truks but they are too old for that now so they are getting tickets to a football game), and a x-mas ornament (a new one every year till they turn 18 and then they get to take them all when they move out). And my husband is making my niece a doll cradle/stroller (the handle and wheels detach and you can add the cradle legs--very crafty he is) as well. She is very into babies right now since there are a lot of new infants around so I think she will like it and all the things are high quality and will last for years. I still have every single doll my grandfather gave me until I turned 13 and I love all the photos of us in our new pj's on x-mas morning.
But she is definitely too young to really appreciate what xmas is all about so right now the gifts are more for the photos and memories for us than they are for her. That is why I figure I will take advantage of all the time I can before she starts wanting all the cheap plastic and disney character crap she sees advertised during Saturday morning cartoons. For now we can just get her things we love that will last for years to come. That is a pretty short window of opportunity these days.
Posted by: Amy | 12/01/2006 at 09:08 PM
My daugther is 16 months too (July 25th) and we are getting her a kitchen. It is one of Step2 ones. It's really her only present from us. So it my only suggestion for you. :)
Posted by: Robin | 12/01/2006 at 09:22 PM