Wednesday's Winning Words: The cure for temper tantrums

I am not even kidding, y'all, I have found. the. cure.  I have a guaranteed method for bringing 2 year olds and 6 year olds alike, out of a full-blown, mid-scream, tears-down-the-face, I-hate-the-world-when-I-don't-get-my-way temper tantrum.  It's 5 simple words:  "What does the fox say?"

I don't know if you have heard that song, What Does the Fox Say?  but if you have not, you MUST immediately drop everything and check it out.  If you have small children, have them watch with you.  It is awesomely bad to adults, but once a kid hears it, it is kryptonite to the common temper tantrum.  Now, to be truly effective mid-hissy fit, you must say it loudly, in the rhythm of the "music" and then be prepared to say what the band says the fox might say (or some variation thereof).  Because, well, that's the best part to a child.  Silly dancing helps too, but that should come as no surprise.

You are welcome.

If, by chance, you are as enraptured by this Swedish group and want to hear more, like a certain part-Swedish person I know and happened to be married to, a great deal of entertainment (although NOT for kids) was derived from Meaning of Stonehenge.

Wednesday's Winning Words: Toddler Lyrics

To say that Delaney's vocabulary has taken off would be the understatement of the century.  Regularly, she says things that make me just stop and wonder what happened to my 2 year old and when she suddenly became a teenager.  It's frightening, sometimes.  Really.  My favorite thing lately is that she sings in the car.  Constantly.  And if she doesn't like the song I have on the radio (that I may or may not be singing along to), she will sing louder, as if to prove a point.  Yeah, it's cute.  For now.  So, I thought it would be fun to share with you a few of Delaney's lyrics to some of our favorites.  Feel free to sing along in your head.  You know you can't help yourself.

The Alphabet Song: "...LMNOP, 2RS, TUV..."

Row Your Boat:  "Wo, Wo, Wo your boat, gently down the street..."  Poor girl--we don't have streams, here in this part of Texas.  Can you blame her for getting that one wrong?

Jingle Bells (I think I've mentioned this is a year-round favorite for her):  "Shingle Bells Shingle Bells, Shingle all the way.  Oh what fun it is to ride. HEY!"  That's the entirety of the song, as far as she is concerned.

This must be the early version of that e-card I keep seeing about that awkward moment when you are singing a song you've known since you were a kid and you suddenly understand the lyrics.  I love that she enjoys music so much.  She is constantly bobbing her head to whatever is on the radio and she's now taken to just putting our everyday phrases into song.  It definitely makes me more cognizant of what I'm saying.

And since I've been depriving everyone of pictures lately, and since we're on the subject of Delaney, here are a few recent pics of her.  Don't even talk to me about how grown up she looks.  I know and it's breaking my heart.

Playing dress up at G-Daddy's and Darla's

 

 Playground time!!

Wednesday's Winning Words

I am without children for a few days, but fortunately I have a two-fer for you in the way of Winning Words.

Monday night, after Taekwondo, we went out to dinner.  As we are sitting there getting everyone everything they needed, Justus blurts out, "Mom....tell me what you want, what you really, really want." a la Spice Girls, circa late 1990s.  After I collected myself from the laughter, I said "I want to know where you heard that."  He said a friend he had played with a Spring Break camp that day had shared it with him.  It was a friend he's had for years (literally, since he was 1), so I texted the mom the next morning so we could share the laugh.  She said her son heard it from a cousin and swore the cousin made it up.  Thankfully for iTunes, she was able to quickly demonstrate that the key phrase was made famous by a great little girl group from the other side of the pond. 

I love when our kids take an interest in music that was meaningful to us at some point in our lives before kids.  We had a similar experience when Justus was VERY into Disney's Cars.  If you have kids, you know that Life is a Highway is the theme song.  I heard the Tom Cochrane gem at summer camp years ago and knew it well.  All of the sudden, here was my son begging me to play it over and over again in the car as he belted it out.  Old memories revisited, all the while making new ones.


Originally, this post was going to stop there.  Then yesterday happened.  Justus was riding to Taekwondo with a friend, so I needed to grab Delaney and get her there to meet them before it was over.  As you can tell, we spend quite a bit of time there.  Twice a week to be exact.  So, Delaney and I pull up to the building, and she immediately starts yelling and pointing "Justus go Hi-ya in there, Hi-ya, Hi-ya..." while simultaneously, throwing front punches and kicking her legs.  She was getting into it!!  Aaahh, my little ninja in the making.  She may be out on that floor before we know it.  Daddy couldn't have been happier---a daughter as a black belt?  Go ahead and try to make a move on her.

22 months!

Could she look more grown up in these pics???

It's hard to believe that the next time I do an update on this one, she will be TWO YEARS OLD!  I feel like it has flown by in a heartbeat.  I look at her newborn pics and can hardly remember holding that tiny baby.

So, what's up with you, Miss Delaney?!

Height and Weight:  When you were sick last week, you weighed in at 25.5 pounds (50.09%), and this week you weighed in at 25 lbs, 14.1 oz.  Glad to see you're eating again...  Good for you for not letting it get you down.  They measured you today at Texas Children's and said you were 2 feet, 8.76 inches (39.58%).  I think you are a little taller though because you kind of squatted down a bit when she started lowering that plate onto your head.  You did NOT like that at all.  Can't say I would feel any different.

Clothes:  You can wear most of the 18 month clothes and all the 18-24 month stuff.  I bought mostly 2T for winter, but they say they are for 30-33 lb kids, so beef it up a bit, will ya?  We got some really cute stuff you need to fit into soon.  Shoes, oh the shoes--you can wear some 5s, but I am beginning to get you 6s.  We even have to send one pair of 6s back because they are too tight.  I think we have a width issue with those little piggies.  Not judging, just noting.


Food:   You have become more picky in your older age, and less interested in eating.  You will eat salad, which is more than I can say for your brother.  However, your favorites are scrambled egg, mandarin oranges, refried beans and cheese.  You are kind of over the bread thing, so grilled cheese sandwiches don't do it for you any more.  Good for you.  Bad for me.  Meat consumption is unpredictable and determined on a case by case situation.  You will and have eaten chicken, pork and beef, but you don't seem to "want" any of them regularly.  Your brother gobbled up those Gerber pre-packaged toddler meals.  You, my dear, seem to think you are too good for them and want no part. 


Play:  You are starting to branch out with what you will do to consume your time.  You like a few more toys, although now you have made it clear you have no interest in sharing once you get something, and you may or may not be inclined to just walk up to what someone else is playing with, point and shout "Mine!" whether it actually is or not.  You LOVE music.  You will jam out in the car with a little headbobbing action.  Super cute.  Oh, look, I happen to have a video.

Somebody loves 90's on 9 (thank you Sirius, and thank you daddy for bringing back some of mommy's favorites.)

It's so much fun when you and Justus both go to "dancing" in the back seat.  He is still your favorite play thing, but you have started to  bicker a bit (see earlier statement on "Mine!").  He is tolerant and still loves you very much.  He has learned the art of distracting you with something else.  Too bad for him you are about grown out of that stage.  You are also our little daredevil.  You have no fear and you try to climb everything.  This combination makes me nervous and I feel like I should start planning fastest routes to the ER in preparation of what may be to come.  Speaking of climbing, you are starting to climb on the couches and beds in the house, and have no problem asking for "Hewp" if you need assistance.  This is cute.  Until you go up and down about 15 times in a row.

Talking:  You have become quite a chatterbox!  I love it.  You have started adding on the name of the person you thank, so you will say "tank you, mommy" or "tank you, daddy" which is beyond adorable.  You are also a big fan of "I got it!" or "I did it!" when you have succeeded.  I love it and am so proud of you--even if you've just knocked over something I asked you to leave alone.  Your visible pride in yourself when you do something you have been wanting to do is inspiring.

We also went to Texas Children's for your annual ENT appointment yesterday, where they did your hearing test and we met with the good doctor V (not to be confused with the good doctor H, your pediatrician).  Dr. V was his usual barrel of laughs (great doc, but seriously the least enthusiastic person I've ever come across), and your hearing test came back fine.  They said your hearing in your right ear is in the normal range.  The testing wasn't as precise as the ABR we previously did, but at least you didn't have to have anesthesia this time.  They did some behavioral testing, and noted that it's possible that in some situations, you may have been ignoring them as opposed to just not being able to hear them.  No. Way.  An almost 2-year-old ignoring a grown up?  Shocking!  They acknowledged it's a pretty high liklihood that it happened that way from time to time during the testing, and they take that into account.  Well, that's good!  All in all, a good visit.  We just have to be vigilant about watching your speech development.  It's times like this that I am glad you are at daycare and are surrounded by other kiddos your age, so we can get a good comparison for your speech.  Know that we are doing everything we can to give you the best opportunities to succeed!

Delaney, you continue to be the light of our lives with your vivacious spirit and warm heart.  Despite your tendency to hit when frustrated (I suppose I prefer this to biting--the evidence doesn't last as long), you are a very kind child, but the less (hyper)sensitive of our two.  You are a tough cookie, and tolerate a lot of bumps and bruises in your effort to hang with your big brother.  You love to laugh and to make people laugh with you.  We are starting to see some of the frustrations of the "terrible twos" setting in, but are certain we will all survive.  You just keep being you and letting us love you.

Next order of business:  Plan your "Goody-TWO-Shoes" birthday party!

Wednesday's Winning Words

I love musicals.  Therefore, I obviously love showtunes.  Imagine my excitement when I started to realize that Justus happens to share this love with me.  Now, I know what you are thinking--Dad must be terrified that his son loves showtunes.  On the contrary, Kidd is okay with it.  For now.  In this child's short life, we have received repeated backseat requests for "One Short Day" from Wicked, "Masquerade" from Phantom of the Opera,  "Phantom of the Opera" from same, and just about any Disney song (yep, we'll count them too).  Lately, Lion King has been a big deal thanks to the release of the DVD and re-release of the movie in theaters (read as: Disney's genius method of regurgitating the new oldies). Justus has been singing Lion King songs around the house for a week or so now.

Monday, on the way to school, Justus asked if we could hear "Hakuna Matata."  Since I'd rather him walk into school singing that than the lastest Lady Gaga song he might hear over the radio, I willingly obliged.  Plus, as mentioned at the outset- I LOVE musicals, and what better way to start off a Monday morning than with a song that means "No Worries"?  We get the song going and Justus starts singing along...in the fun way any 4-year old does.  Although I'm not sure exactly what words he's singing, I happily chime in with the actual words.  It only took a few bars before Justus stops and says "Mommy, can we just listen?" 

Now, I know that I am not qualified to be a Broadway songstress, but really, am I that bad?

Heart. Break.

Putting back together the pieces of my fragile ego that was just shattered by a 4-year-old, I muster a "sure, buddy" and we *happily* listen to the stupid song that says it means "no worries."  Whatever.

I get over it by the time we arrive at school.  It is, after all, a charming song that really does put you in a good mood, even if you are prohibited from singing along.

I guess I'll just have to reserve my own sing-a-longs for when I'm alone in the car.  Maybe one day, his sister will appreciate the opportunity to duet with me...