A couple days ago Papai had a birthday, and got a great present. LS often comes in to the bedroom with Mamãe in the morning before I get up (being the later sleeper that I am). The great thing is that at LS's height she is barely taller than the mattress - so when she generally comes over to say "good morning" or often "levanta-te!" ("get up!") she is roughly at eye level (even a little lower!).
But it was a great birthday present for LS to come in and instead say "Happy Birthday Papai" (after some coaching from Mamãe naturally).
Hopefully it is seared into my memory well. It was very sweet.
We also got to spend the whole day together, which was great. We went for a long walk around the block after lunch (she walked half way then got a shoulder ride the rest of the way). Fun watching her explore the world around her.
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Não Choras!
LS had her 18 month checkup today. Yep, 18 already. 1/12th of the way to voting. The curse of this visit is that it was the first one where she could use words.
First, an introductory story.
There are a couple scenarios where we ask LS not to cry. The first is if she's fallen or startled and we just gently ask her not to cry ("não choras (shore-azh)") and that everything will be OK. She's really good about stopping and getting ahold of herself. And lately she'll even say "não choras" before we even have a chance to as she's gathering herself up.
The other scenario is if she's starting to whine to complain about something. This warrants a slightly stern "não choras", and again she generally calms herself and repeats it after us, or even says it before we have a chance to (she knows it's coming from Papai if he starts with "Querida.." ("darling..."))!
Fast forward to the Doctor's office.
The weighing was fine today for the first time. Maybe because we were able to explain to her that she just needed to sit there and she was OK with it. She's often stepping on the scale at home now anyway, so maybe it wasn't such a foreign concept this time.
She still doesn't like all the other stuff though, the stethescope, the peering into ears, and eyes and such. So this time around, when she starts to not like it and we're telling her it's ok, as she's stuggling to get away from it, she starts saying "não choras" - over and over again. At one point the Doctor has us lay her back to make it easier to see in her mouth (also made easy by her screaming with it wide open). At that point she's yelling "NÃO CHORAS! NÃO CHORAS! NÃO CHORAS!" It was somehow sad and sweet at the same time. One because mostly she wasn't crying - it's like she really was trying to not cry for us. And second because there she was, "using her words" as we often tell her to do ("querida, usa as palavras") and it wasn't doing any good.
At one point while she's trying to keep the Doctor at bay, trying to push him away with her hands she was also saying "não queres" over and over (which means "you don't want" - though she wanted to say "I don't want"; she's still getting the hang of saying "quero" in response to the question "queres?"). At a couple points there might have been a couple "não mais" ("no more") in there, but it was all a blur at that point.
We're sorry the words didn't work in your favor this time LS. We promise that usually they will. And we're proud of you for using them.
Once the Doctor was done the nurse then had to come in to administer some shots. LS was none to happy about those too, but it was fairly quick. And LS learned a new word today: "Band-Aid".
Stat check: 22 lbs 15.5 oz. Half an oz shy of 23 lbs. More than 4x what she was 18 months ago. Wow.
First, an introductory story.
There are a couple scenarios where we ask LS not to cry. The first is if she's fallen or startled and we just gently ask her not to cry ("não choras (shore-azh)") and that everything will be OK. She's really good about stopping and getting ahold of herself. And lately she'll even say "não choras" before we even have a chance to as she's gathering herself up.
The other scenario is if she's starting to whine to complain about something. This warrants a slightly stern "não choras", and again she generally calms herself and repeats it after us, or even says it before we have a chance to (she knows it's coming from Papai if he starts with "Querida.." ("darling..."))!
Fast forward to the Doctor's office.
The weighing was fine today for the first time. Maybe because we were able to explain to her that she just needed to sit there and she was OK with it. She's often stepping on the scale at home now anyway, so maybe it wasn't such a foreign concept this time.
She still doesn't like all the other stuff though, the stethescope, the peering into ears, and eyes and such. So this time around, when she starts to not like it and we're telling her it's ok, as she's stuggling to get away from it, she starts saying "não choras" - over and over again. At one point the Doctor has us lay her back to make it easier to see in her mouth (also made easy by her screaming with it wide open). At that point she's yelling "NÃO CHORAS! NÃO CHORAS! NÃO CHORAS!" It was somehow sad and sweet at the same time. One because mostly she wasn't crying - it's like she really was trying to not cry for us. And second because there she was, "using her words" as we often tell her to do ("querida, usa as palavras") and it wasn't doing any good.
At one point while she's trying to keep the Doctor at bay, trying to push him away with her hands she was also saying "não queres" over and over (which means "you don't want" - though she wanted to say "I don't want"; she's still getting the hang of saying "quero" in response to the question "queres?"). At a couple points there might have been a couple "não mais" ("no more") in there, but it was all a blur at that point.
We're sorry the words didn't work in your favor this time LS. We promise that usually they will. And we're proud of you for using them.
Once the Doctor was done the nurse then had to come in to administer some shots. LS was none to happy about those too, but it was fairly quick. And LS learned a new word today: "Band-Aid".
Stat check: 22 lbs 15.5 oz. Half an oz shy of 23 lbs. More than 4x what she was 18 months ago. Wow.
Friday, April 30, 2010
Little Helper
Last weekend we went to Maine to visit LS's Aunt Diane. She had a great time, not least of which was due to playing outside with Isabelle the dog.
While we were there everyone pitched in to help out with some gardening, even LS. We think she probably had the job that was the most fun.
Once the job was done, she didn't mind the ride back either...
She did a great job. I don't think there was one stray leaf that got away.
While we were there everyone pitched in to help out with some gardening, even LS. We think she probably had the job that was the most fun.
Once the job was done, she didn't mind the ride back either...
She did a great job. I don't think there was one stray leaf that got away.
Friday, April 23, 2010
Cardinality - Bonus Clip!
Just realized we had earlier video, 2 weeks ago (April 8), earlier in LS's counting career. You can see that this dislike she has to 2 and 4 is deeply rooted. Luckily she got over her dislike of 6, 7, and 8. We hope with time she may come to embrace all numbers as special in their own way.
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Cardinality
LS has been dabbling in set theory and wisely chose the set of positive Integers as her starting point. Mamãe took this clip today of her practicing. One of the first times really trying to connect the act of counting with physical things. Peas of all things (Memére hates those!).
For some reason in English she is holding a grudge against 2 and 4.
You may notice that LS has a scrape along her cheek and under her eye, and a little bit of bruising. She proved to us yesterday that she's decidedly better at counting than she is at running with a stick in her hand. She'll learn though.
She was really a trooper about it. When she got upstairs a little while later she wanted to come around the desk and show me. Tough little girl. She's probably getting used to that eye getting the worst of things. That's about the third time that area has been bruised, cut, and usually both. Our little scarface.
For some reason in English she is holding a grudge against 2 and 4.
You may notice that LS has a scrape along her cheek and under her eye, and a little bit of bruising. She proved to us yesterday that she's decidedly better at counting than she is at running with a stick in her hand. She'll learn though.
She was really a trooper about it. When she got upstairs a little while later she wanted to come around the desk and show me. Tough little girl. She's probably getting used to that eye getting the worst of things. That's about the third time that area has been bruised, cut, and usually both. Our little scarface.
Friday, April 9, 2010
Bicycle Built for 3
This past Sunday (also Easter) was really great weather, so we decided to get the bike out. And, for the first time, for LS to give it a spin.
LS wasn't *too* happy about putting the helmet on at first. But after a little explanation she trusted that it would be worth it (and since that ride, she now asks for it!).
We had a good time taking a little ride. Since it was the opening weekend of our local ice-cream stand, we decided that would be a great place to ride the bike to! LS didn't mind getting a few licks of ice-cream. I'm sure this will become a regularly scheduled event during these warm weather months.
LS also had another first, at the ice-cream stand: first skinned knee (if you look reeeeeally close you might see it in the picture). Not much of one really, we're not talking about a serious flaying or anything. She thought about crying for a couple seconds, but with some encouragement she decided that she could take it. Whew! Plenty more of those to come over the years...
For the years before LS when Mamãe and Papai would ride this bike around we would often hear kids say something along the lines of "cool! two person bike!". Now it's at least 50% cooler, being a three person bike.
Looking forward to lots more riding this summer.
LS wasn't *too* happy about putting the helmet on at first. But after a little explanation she trusted that it would be worth it (and since that ride, she now asks for it!).We had a good time taking a little ride. Since it was the opening weekend of our local ice-cream stand, we decided that would be a great place to ride the bike to! LS didn't mind getting a few licks of ice-cream. I'm sure this will become a regularly scheduled event during these warm weather months.
LS also had another first, at the ice-cream stand: first skinned knee (if you look reeeeeally close you might see it in the picture). Not much of one really, we're not talking about a serious flaying or anything. She thought about crying for a couple seconds, but with some encouragement she decided that she could take it. Whew! Plenty more of those to come over the years...
For the years before LS when Mamãe and Papai would ride this bike around we would often hear kids say something along the lines of "cool! two person bike!". Now it's at least 50% cooler, being a three person bike.
Looking forward to lots more riding this summer.
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Silence is Golden
It was Mamãe's idea that this video would be enhanced by leaving out the sound, and I have to agree.
I've always felt that silent family movies produced a special nostalgia. Heck, this video is barely 3 days old and I feel nostalgic watching it.
It always seems to me that those people in the movie are trying to communicate out to the future to me, but they can't. I think the missing audio really produces a particular feeling.
We can't communicate with those people from the past, and they can't communicate with us. Not having the audio prevents us from pretending otherwise.
It makes us not quite able to be in that moment. It's more like getting a secret glimpse that feels all the more fleeting.
I think it also forces us to concentrate on the visual aspect more. With the need for one of the senses removed, maybe the others are heightened slightly.
I'm sure experts of film know what is really going on here. Or maybe it's just my overactive imagination.
At any rate, this was LS this past Easter Sunday. She had a nice dress on that was a gift from her Tia Maria this past August. It was taken in the back yard at Avó and Grandpa's house.
Three minutes of beautiful silence.
I've always felt that silent family movies produced a special nostalgia. Heck, this video is barely 3 days old and I feel nostalgic watching it.
It always seems to me that those people in the movie are trying to communicate out to the future to me, but they can't. I think the missing audio really produces a particular feeling.
We can't communicate with those people from the past, and they can't communicate with us. Not having the audio prevents us from pretending otherwise.
It makes us not quite able to be in that moment. It's more like getting a secret glimpse that feels all the more fleeting.
I think it also forces us to concentrate on the visual aspect more. With the need for one of the senses removed, maybe the others are heightened slightly.
I'm sure experts of film know what is really going on here. Or maybe it's just my overactive imagination.
At any rate, this was LS this past Easter Sunday. She had a nice dress on that was a gift from her Tia Maria this past August. It was taken in the back yard at Avó and Grandpa's house.
Three minutes of beautiful silence.
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