Man of Action

Well, another big week. Yesterday, David asked me what was in his LEFT hand. I asked him if he knew which was his left hand, and he thought and waved his left hand. I played the game. Then I asked him which was his right hand. He thought about it and waved his right hand. Later in the day, when we were reading books before bed, he picked up the toilet training book and said "This is called Stay Dry." I don't think that we have covered either of those things at home, so perhaps he has picked them up from Day Care. I was pretty impressed.

David got an Action Man yesterday. It was in the window at the Salvos store, and we passed it on the way to the post office. There were lots of desirable toys, but on being convinced that he could only have ONE, he chose Action Man. Pretty wonderful ("It's my favourite toy!"). You can see him giving Action Man a workout. He flies, he leaps does just about everything. David understands that a big boy has grown too big for Action Man, so he has given it to Salvos so that someone else (David) can buy it and play with it. No shoes or hat, but Action Man has tough feet, and head. David wanted to know what his other name was, presumably, his secret identity. After a few trial names, we think that his secret identity name is Jeffrey. Marcus or Carl came a close second. It has been a good week for Salvos. I picked up a bag of assorted old cars, earlier in the week, containing two more working rechargable cars, which goes with his racecar set. Absolutely magic, and useless unless you have the recharge "pitstops". We gave them a good workout on Wednesday night and Thursday morning.

We are trialling phasing out the afternoon nap. Yesterday he didn't have one, and was tired and fractious all day. We had a few small confrontations, and one major meltdown. It took 45 minutes to do a 5-10 minute return from the local park. After David tried to bite me and then threw his drink bottle at my head (he got me) I ran out of patience and frog marched him home to the naughty mat. He lay on the floor on the naughty mat and cried about a lot of things. It took a while to progress, because essentially he wasn't sorry for hitting me - he meant it, because he didn't want to come home. Anyway, that is being two going on three years old. He went to sleep at about 8.30pm, and slept until 4.15am when he came into bed with me and fell asleep until 7.00am.

Today we got up slowly because I was tired after yesterday and the broken sleep. After a shower and breakfast we went late to Playgroup. David dressed up as Spiderman and had a lovely time. It was a much better day, and we managed to negotiate putting the suit back in the cupboard without a tantrum, in fact it was fun because we moved on to the next thing which was stamps, a biscuit and playing on the other equipment. After we finally left (a bit problematic) we then went to the park. We cancelled the planned trip to buy bagels and fruit before the park, because he didn't want to go. We went home, got towelly and some lunch and then went to the park, and kicked the ball, ran, climbed and had a picnic. Lots of fun! This butcher bird came to the picnic, and David shared his sultanas. It came really close, and caught the sultanas out of the air. We came home at 2.45pm (after more than 4 hours out) and David had afternoon tea and watched Play School and a few other things while I made a cake and his dinner. David was helping with the cake, and then went back to sit down. He was fast asleep when I put his dinner out just before 5.00pm. So, we will see how he goes with sleeping through.

David is improving a lot with kicking the ball. He is very good and kicking it while he is running. He loves it. Stationary kicks require thought, and it is a real effort to kick with either foot. When running though, he just does it and with both feet. Lots of fun for us all, and particularly for Dad. We had a great afternoon at the park on Sunday, playing then kicking the ball, then using the bat and then running part of the way home. The photo is of David climbing the playground equipment, without any help from Dad.

We are still working on preliminary toilet training. Both at home and at Daycare. David is asked if he wants to sit on the toilet several times every day. Sometimes he does. He is still in nappies, and not really ready for underpants. (We tried last Sunday for a couple of hours). He has a chart and a couple of books, and he gets stickers for sitting on the toilet.

This week - what's been happening

Well, to start with a few things that have been happening. Today we went to a Playschool concert. There were a few of us there from Mothers Group and a room full of excited toddlers and (mostly) their mums. At 45 minutes it was just the right length. Lots of singing and toys and a few jokes. David was very excited all morning, particularly as Katie was going to the concert too. No breakfast, but toast in the pram. He sat or stood with us and sang and clapped etc for at least 25 minutes of the concert, and then we ran around, explored, climbed and jumped on chairs and steps for the last 20 minutes. For David, that is pretty good. A very good time had by all. Afterwards, we went to a coffee house with an outside play area. Because of the concert, there were lots of other kids there and they all played together very well - nine of them! There were two big groups, so the others knew some of the kids, but David played with and talked to them all.

Also, I attach a photo of David in his new robot pyjamas climbing on top of the couch. The robot pyjamas have been a huge hit. They are actually more summer pjs, and a bit big but David loved the robots so much that he had to wear them. As the quilt was warm, it didn't seem to worry him in bed. He wore the top to daycare, and cried because I wouldn't let him wear the shorts too (not warm enough). The top looks just like a t-shirt, with robots on the front. The Sunday morning after the first night, he wore the shorts over his trackpants and the top under his jacket up the road for his walk with Dad. On Monday, he wore the top to Daycare and cried on the floor when I wouldn't let him wear the shorts - not warm enough. I went back and bought another set of pjs exactly the same, so we could alternate.

It has been cold here in Sydney for the last week or so, and particularly so the last couple of nights. Eight celcius is cold for Sydney. So, the last two nights he has been in his new (too big) Thomas the Tank engine pjs. Again, very excited about them, and he had to wear the shirt to daycare. These look a bit more like pjs though!!!

Dad is back for the weekend, so we had a lot of fun this morning and the weekend will be excellent.

We went to the library last Sunday and took out books with David's own library card (NEW!!). He likes having his own card. David found a Curious George book with several stories and that has been a real favourite this week. I have taken it along and read one of the stories to him when I drop him off at Daycare and it is helping the separation process.