Conversations with Charlotte #43267

This weekend Charlotte and I were walking along the boulevard on West River Road which was fun for a lot of reasons.  We spent about 30 minutes at one of the boulders they have strewn along the boulevard.  In that time, Charlotte decided the boulder was a couch, an oven, a dog, and a bed, and she treated it accordingly.  Well, except for when she said she wanted to sleep on the bed because "it's nice and warm.  So comfortable."  I told her she would regret trying to night night on a boulder.

Finally we made our way back home.  Charlotte wanted to linger among the trees.  I wanted to get home because a lunch and a nap were in her near future.

ME: We walk in the grass or check it out, we can walk on the cow path.

CHARLOTTE: Let's go on a cow path.

ME: Okay it's over here.

CHARLOTTE: Mooooo.  It a cow path.  There's milk down there.

ME: Where?

CHARLOTTE (points to the ground):  It's under there.  The milk is under there.  Moooo.

Sometimes I have no idea what Charlotte is talking about.

Pen Pals

Little Nacho (nee Toonces) is fast becoming good friends with Charlotte.  Emily would even have to begrudgingly agree that Little Nacho is extremely patient and gentle with Charlotte.  In fact, both Nachos are, as is Pancho.  And Charlotte gets credit too, as she takes care to be pet each animal softly.  So far, only once have I had to get on her case about being too rough with a cat.  Normally she'll pet one of our animals and say, "soft and gentle" a few times.

Little Nacho has lately been very insistent about getting into the crib with Charlotte when Charlotte wakes up from her night of sleep or her nap.  And Charlotte is super happy to have Little Nacho in the crib with her.  One of them is always gently trying to snuggle up with the other.  It is very sweet to see.

Overheard, Exhibit I

Charlotte has been on a roll lately.

Yesterday as we were walking home from the playground, but were still within earshot of the playground, we could hear a toddler crying loudly.

Charlotte: It's a firetruck.  [imitates fire truck noise]

Overheard Exhibit H

Last night we went to Rusty Taco for dinner.  When I told Charlotte we were going to a restaurant for dinner she got excited, as per usual.  She responded by saying that we were going to get pizza, as if it were God's truth.  Wishful thinking.  

I told her we were getting tacos instead and she was totally fine with that as well... kind of.

As we were driving there, Charlotte was doing usual her stream of consciousness narrative from the back seat.  Most, but not all of it centered around Rusty Taco.  Just put this following paragraph on endless loop and you have our 15 minute drive to Rusty Taco with Charlotte summarized:

Go to a restaurant.  Mommy go to a restaurant.  Daddy go to a restaurant.  Charlotte go to a restaurant. I see a airplane.  Go to Rusty Taco together.  I see birdie.  Red light stop.  Go to Rusty Taco.  Eat a chicken.  Hi doggie.  Go to Rusty Pizza.

That's right.  About every 8th reference she made to Rusty Taco she changed to Rusty Pizza.  Way to keep the dream alive Charlotte.  But I think she moved on just fine.  Once we got there she completely devoured her taco and strawberries she brought (as an aside, only Charlotte can devour a meal and at the same time need 45 minutes to do so).    

Overheard Exhibit G

Today Charlotte and I were driving home from work/daycare.  A pick-up was in front of us as were driving down our alley and turned into its garage.  As it was turning Charlotte said, "That truck is hiding.  Peak a boo truck."

Booklearning

Suze sent Charlotte some books today.   She liked both books so much she asked me to read them to her right after Emily read them to her.

Here she is reading a book about being a big sibling with me.  As you can hear Charlotte say in the video, she knows that Emily has a baby "in her belly button," but who knows what that means.  When we were done reading, I asked Charlotte if it would be fun to have a baby to play with and she said, "yeah" and then went to find her doll to play with.  So I think she is in for a surprise when Emily comes home with a real baby.

Boomtown

Over the past month Charlotte has become more and more expressive with her music.  I don't know much about toddler music development. or much about music at all.  But her music boon seems exactly the same as the language jump all toddlers make.  Right before our eyes, and almost out of the blue to my amateur ears, Charlotte is making up tunes and singing songs to us she learned at Montessori or even pulling out songs she remembers from months ago at her Music Together class.  And now instead of babbling away about who knows what, she is often singing away about who knows what.

A week ago the most she would do is finish a word or two from the line of a familiar song I would sing to her.  And now, over the last two days, she started singing whole, multiple lines of songs on her own, like the one about the spider and the water spout and You Are My Sunshine.  It's all very fun and she gets pretty excited when she starts a song up on her own and I can figure it out and sing along with her.

Here is kind of a weird video from bedtime five days ago where she is making up one her songs from scratch.  She did this routine where she would sing with the blanket over her head, let it slowly fall off, and then ask me to throw it on her head again.  This cycle went on for about five minutes and would have kept going on if she had her way, but it was time for bed.

Easter Otter

I meant to post this video at Easter when Charlotte got this package.  It is an Easter gift from Suze.  Here she is opening it.

Spring Wonderland

I don't know what is more tiresome in Minnesota: the endless winter or the endless whining about the endless winter.  To be totally honest, I have done my share of complaining but at some point you just have to acknowledge that this is how my wife's state operates and deal with it.  I made my deal with this state years ago and have moved on.  I allow myself one major public complaint a year.  I used mine earlier this winter during a run with Nathan but I can't remember the context beyond that I knew I was burning my rant on one person at 5 a.m. who may or may not be listening to my rambling.

Or, you could be like Charlotte and think this weather is awesome.  We went to the zoo today and her eyes were half open on the drive home, she was that tired.  But once we hit the backyard, she perked up instantly.  She was having so much fun playing in the ice and sleet that I let her stay out there for 15 to 20 minutes, playing, before putting her to bed for her nap.  Charlotte certainly has her moments.  Below is a snippet of how to embrace whatever is in front of you.

Conversation With Emily #1209374126

Me (coming upstairs to go to bed, referencing the weather): Something wicked this way comes.

Emily (already in bed, having no context for this statement, other than me walking up stairs to the bedroom): What, are you super gassy or something?

As an aside, we presently have heavy wind, freezing rain, snow, and thunder all at once.  Spring is the most overrated season.  It is either still winter, or muddy and wet.  People only celebrate because it sucks less than another month of extreme winter.  That is a stupid reason to like a season.  I actually like winter better than spring.  

Overheard, Exhibit F

Charlotte was babbling away as per usual in her car seat during some errands today.  Usually I can figure out what she is talking about.  During this particular spurt, I could not.

"Choo Choo Bobs, go to Choo Choo Bobs.  Get undies and put a undies on.  Nice and warm.  Mommy daddy go to work."

The only context I provide you is Choo Choo Bobs is a train store she, like all toddlers, enjoys going to.  Other than that you are on your own in terms of piecing this one together.

Honors Graduate

She can run.  She can jump.  She can climb steps without pulling on a railing or hand.  She is a physical therapy graduate.  Friday was Charlotte's last session.  I was not sad to be done, and Charlotte certainly is just fine being done as well.  But I do appreciate all the work and patience our Physical Therapist brought to each session in working with Charlotte.  Knowledge and expertise is one thing, applying it to your work with a two year old is an entirely different animal all together.  Charlotte was very fortunate to have the physical therapist she had.  

So Charlotte is nowhere near at age level with all her skills, but her physical therapist felt she had enough core skills and strength in place that she will catch up on her own with a home program and some music therapy (hopefully we'll start that this month.  I am hammering out the schedule with the potential music therapist).  And then in six months we go back to the clinic for a physical therapy check-in/re-assessment to make sure Charlotte's gross motor skills are still on track.

Anyway, here is Charlotte a day after her graduation, squatting and getting up using only her legs, running, and climbing steps.  These are all things she could not do when she started physical therapy.

This is What it Sounds Like

Last month, I went too see Princess, Maya Rudolph's Prince tribute band, at First Avenue.  I went with the biggest Prince fan I know, my friend Miriam, and my sister, Jessica.

Me, Miriam, and Jessica at First Ave

Princess on stage

Before you laugh, Princess is not a comedy act, but a genuine tribute to the Purple One (by the way, my friend, Rachel, says that sincerity is the new irony).  For a couple weeks before the concert I was listening to some classic 80's Prince in the car - Controversy, Purple Rain, Sign of the Times.  I was looking forward to the concert and I figured listening to loud Prince music in the car is good for babies.   I need to indoctrinate Charlotte and her future baby sister.  Of course, listening to loud Prince music in the car goes hand in hand with singing really loud in the car.   Fun for me, and hopefully setting a good example for Charlotte - don't be afraid to let go and be yourself!  So, yesterday we were driving to Easter dinner at our friend's house and Purple Rain was playing in the car while Mike and I were busy talking about something.  We could hear Charlotte singing in the back, and Mike asked if I knew what she was singing.  I listened carefully and she was singing the chorus of Purple Rain in a cute little voice.  I felt a surge of motherly pride.  Then on the way home she was singing again and I said, "oh!  I think I know what she is singing!"  She was singing The Beautiful Ones, a song that is particularly fun to sing in the car.  Here is a video of Princess singing The Beautiful Ones, fast forward to about 1:49 and watch to the end, you will see why it feels so good to belt this one out. You also will see what a bad ass Maya Rudolph as a pregnant performer.  It was inspiring.

Overheard

Scene: Charlotte and Arthur playing together at Nancy and Brian's. Enter, Lewis.

Charlotte: there's an other Arthur.

Sent from my iPhone