Turning the corner, into the bathroom

It was getting to the point where I had accepted that Lily would never be potty trained.   I even envisioned that conversation, pleading her to give up diapers, just before she left for college.    It's just that she appeared to know the how and the why, but could never seem to break that internal fear.    Then, one day it just changed.

Here we are a few weeks before her 3rd  birthday, and she's finally embraced the bathroom.   It wasn't by some parental reasoning, trickery or bribery, but rather, it was just time.  It was the right time for her.   She asked to use the toilet, announced she was going to 'poop' and did it.   It was that simple.   A few days later she started doing it at daycare too.

Each movement is still an event.   She inspects the toilet to make sure it's clean.  She politely asks everyone to leave the room if it's more than just #1.   Then she beams with pride examining the work, offering the view to anyone that would take a look.   The post game ritual is always the same - wipe, flush, wash.   She then gets a small treat and lavish praise, things that won't continue forever, at least for this achievement.  

Introducing...The Beatles

I started to introduce Lily to the Beatles.   They just seem the natural place to start with music.  She's already listened to most of the White Album and Revolver, with Sgt Pepper, Abbey Road and Rubber Soul all on deck.

So far, most of her favorite songs are almost too obvious, 'Ob La Di' and 'Yellow Submarine', for example.  Some of her favorites confuse me a little - she absolutely loves 'Back in the USSR'.    It's also fascinating that some legendary songs are met with ambivalence, like 'Blackbird', 'Eleanor Rigby' or 'For No One'.

I tend to think Lily is more a fan of the 4th Beatle, Ringo, preferring songs with a strong drum presence, and an accessible beat.  She just hasn't developed a taste for the work of the 5th Beatle, George Martin, who produced everything the Beatles did (except for 'Let It Be'), and arranged the Baroque Pop classics like 'Eleanor Rigby' and 'For No One'.    The strength of the lyrics in a song like Blackbird probably doesn't have as much of an effect on her either - maybe 'Ob La Di' speaks of things more relative, at least for now.

This situation calls for the Rolling Stones

I've been listening to the new album by the Strokes called Angles.   This is new music, but borrows heavily from the past - 70's rock, with hints of everything from Lou Reed to the Cars.   It's also quite good, which is increasingly rare for rock music, in this day and age.  

I've played the CD enough that Lily recognizes individual songs, often pointing out her favorites.  These favorites mirror mine, and probably most listeners.  For example, she points out that "I like this song", when what's clearly the standout track Undercover of Darkness, plays.  She's even asked, on a number of occasions to turn up the volume, complaining that she can't hear the music.  

It's because of this that I want to introduce her to a broader range of music.   Starting out first with the Rolling Stones and Beatles and moving both backwards to what inspired that, and even further back to what came before and everything else across the spectrum - world, jazz, classical, etc.  

It's very cool to see her take a liking to music that I love or have loved, and I want to foster that experience for her.   I want to make it a point to challenge the kids.

It would be easy to dismiss time in the car as 'necessary for transit', but this is the perfect experience for that place.   It provides a discussion point and a captive audience.  

The Class Clown and his big sister

Nate's personality is rolling out.

We now know he's fascinated with music.  He loves to dance and will even sing on occasion.   His favorite toy is modeled after an old AM transistor radio and plays randomized bits of classical music, with that kid's toy type tinniness.   He walks around with it playing, only stopping to dance or pick up the next thing he finds in the other hand.

We are also finding out that he likes to entertain people.   He's already been noted as a class clown at daycare, and we are seeing it more and more at home.   If he can make someone laugh then he'll play the joke and work the room, searching for more people to join in, until everyone stops laughing.

Other than that he's just easy going and active.   He rarely stays in the room you set him down in for long, and rarely complains when you shuffle him around or take something away.

We should be thankful that he's as easy going as he is, because it softens the interactions with his sister.   She has a tendency to want every toy the moment he picks it up, and won't refrain from snatching it from his hands seconds later.  While this would have thrown her into an epic tantrum at the same age, it rarely registers more than a whimper from the little brother.

Nate and Lil's budding relationship is both fascinating and touching to watch.   I have no illusions that it will be all smooth sailing, but as each develops and their interactions become more complex, it only creates more layers for a bond that will hopefully last long after I'm gone.

Delayed Gratification

We had a lot of yogurt in the house.   There was Chobani for mom and dad, and plenty of the Costco store brand (Dannon in a new package) for Lily.    Unfortunately, there was only a single vanilla yogurt remaining, which is, by far, Lily's favorite.    When she requested the vanilla yogurt, her mom informed that it was the last one and by eating it, there wouldn't be one available for breakfast the next day.    

Then an amazing thing happened - she said she would have Apple Sauce instead.   Now, while this would be an easy trade off for an adult, it's a remarkable leap for a 2 year old (who's nearly 3).    It's also great thing to see as a parent, knowing that some day soon you might be able to reason with the child.

There was also the interesting study, recently, that showed how self control at the age of 3 is a better indicator of success in adulthood than IQ:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/41253088/ns/technology_and_science-science/from/toolbar

Nate vs the Cake

Nate turned one a couple weeks back, and we had a party the next day.    There was too much pizza and I managed to not invite my sister Colleen, but everything worked out in the end.    Colleen even managed to make it, and she didn't know there was a party till two hours after it started.

My only regret is that Nate was teething all weekend.   He just wasn't himself.   When given the cake to smash up, he just looked perturbed.    Maybe it was the black eye he had received just a little bit earlier in the day.   The cake looked almost untouched when we took it back from him - it wasn't ground into a pulp or spread across his face to make for the usual pictures.

We tried again the next day to similar results.   He showed little interest in the cake, even when shown how tasty it was.