Perry Family Updates: January 2011

It's been two months since my last update! And what a busy time we've had. Thanksgiving, Thomas' and Sophia's birthdays, a birthday party for Thomas, a visit from Utaka and Shauna, Christmas, New Years, outings to Disney with our friends Pam and Rose, first steps, potty training, the flu, five more teeth, .... And we're still driving our "new" minivan, which I LOVE, even though Matthew thinks it's too matronly and Thomas occasionally still asks after our "little car." So, here's what we've been doing!

Thomas:

He's potty training! We started during Christmas break with a few hours of "underwear time" after naptime almost every day. At first there were a lot of accidents, but he got the hang of it and started remaining dry for a few hours at a time. We made incremental progress (or not) until one day a few weeks ago, he announced for the first time EVER, "Mommy! I just went pee! Change me!" About a week after that, he made the miraculous announcement, "I have to go pee!" Wow! There was dancing in the streets that day, let me tell you. And now for the past week, he's been staying dry all day, and sometimes all night. Once we rest on our laurels a bit, it'll be time for the second half of potty training: number twos, or poos.

In life other than potty training, Thomas has developed a toddler's tongue. He loves hot dogs, hamburgers, ice cream, candy, pizza. And there was a time there for about three weeks straight that he would eat toast with Marmite AND jam on it. One day I gave him toast that hadn't quite toasted, and he observed, "Wait a minute! This is actually bread! It's quite warm." He still takes a nap on some days, but on the other days that he doesn't feel sleepy he still has about an hour of "quiet time" in his room, which is a lifesaver for his mommy. He's still going to Mom's Day Out program twice a week from nine to two in the afternoon. It was pretty hard for him, going back after a two-week Christmas break, but hopefully he'll regain his equilibrium soon when it comes to saying bye-bye. He has a good time once he gets there, playing with his friends, doing crafts, playing outside, and his favorite, painting! Since he's started preschool, his language has improved by leaps and bounds, counts up to twenty (leaving out fifteen), breaks out into song, can sing the alphabet (leaving out N), narrates stories and dialog between his trains, and voluntarily helps me here and there, praising himself modestly "I such a good helper." Or I'll say, "Thank you, Thomas! You're a really Useful Engine." He replies: "I not a engine. I just a boy." He's getting so funny! Today he sang to the tune of Old McDonald, "Diesel 10 (name of a Diesel engine with a "rooftop hydraulic grabber named 'Pinchy'", according to Wiki) had a farm, ... with a pinch-pinch here and a pinch-pinch there ...." or to the tune of The Muffin Man, "Do you know the pizza man, the pizza man, the pizza man ...?" He is adorable, and his personality is really coming out! It's so great to be able to see into his little mind and see him develop so quickly!

Sophia:

Has also dropped a nap. Now she's down to one nap a day! And SHE'S WALKING! She started toddling a few steps at a time at the beginning at the month, and now she's transitioned to all walking! She's getting so fast on her feet, and so opinionated about where to go. She still loves to hold fingers and pull people around, and her slight Godzilla posture and tendency to smash up Thomas' trains gave rise to her nickname "Sophiezilla." Either she has grown, or she has dropped her shoulders and settled into walking tall and confidently! And she's speaking some words: cuddle, shoe ("doo"), all done, more, no no, door, diaper, poo, spider (the itsy bitsy spider) to name a few. She used to babble animatedly, but now seems to be repeating specific words. We hear her "thinking sound" sometimes: a resonant, reverberating "aaaaaaa" that comes out when she is investigating a paperback book or a hole in her shoe. Sophia is starting to eat more, and perhaps I have been feeding a toddler for too long, but I am amazed that she eats "strange" things like raw mushrooms and tomatoes. She has also started pushing us a little by dropping food over the sides of the highchair. We say, "no, no, Sophia" and then she looks at us, holds her food over the side of the highchair, and says, "no, no?" And then nonchalantly tosses it over her shoulder onto the floor. Thomas did the same thing at that age, but I remember having to glue my eyes to him because he'd toss food over the second I looked away! Sophia is much more mellow. And did I tell you she has six teeth? The first one came out right when she turned 11 months, and it was the lone tooth for about 3 weeks. Then five more came out in the next month! She was a trooper! It looks like the next batch is on the way, according to the size of her gums and how much she doesn't want to nap. But she will always dance! Sophia loves music, and dancing. She loves any song from Blue's Clues, and loves to hold Thomas' musical train caboose in her hand, push the button and then sway from side to side like Ray Charles, with a huge smile on her face.