Spoons and Potties

This past week LS made some good progress on a couple fronts.

One was using a spoon. Probably through "practicing" with her stuffed animals, it seemed to click one day for her how to keep the spoon level when feeding herself. She's not perfect at it by any means, but she is eating her morning cereal more or less by herself. Once in a while the spoon gets tipped just as she's getting it to her mouth (so close!) and she gets a milky goatee. This morning we got her sitting forward, which have been the last major ingredient for spoon success. Of course we're still at the stage of reminding her almost every bite on all the points of success: "Hold the neck of the spoon", "keep it level", "sit forward".

The other was the beginning of some potty training. Too complicated to go into all the details here, but it's a combination of keeping a close eye on her for the signs that she has to go and also her letting us know. The last few days we've been able to just use the diapers for naps, overnight, and when traveling outside the house. Of course, there have been a couple "accidents", a fair share of wet underwear, but lots of happy success too.

On the failure side of the spectrum, LS and Mamãe tried to go out to a (free) movie last Wednesday, but LS couldn't handle it. They're showing free movies at the theater in town every Wednesday and this was the first attempt (it was "Horton Hears a Who"). I wasn't there, but apparently the combination of the dark theater and the loud flashing opening scenes were too much for her. After a couple attempts to sit and watch it was called off. From what I understand, LS and Mamãe had a nice time at the Café in town instead.

Now Even Surrealer

It's been almost a month between posts, and obviously things have just gotten more surreal around here! This picture (taken a few days ago at the beach) is thanks to our camera deciding that normal shots are just too boring. It's developed some type of problem that makes it lean to pink and also get streaky. Just too weird. So I guess we'll have to get a new camera soon! This one has lasted us about 6 or 7 years maybe, so it's done its job well enough.

Naturally a lot has gone on in the last month or so. Memére came for a long weekend to visit, which was very exciting. We also went to Maine for a weekend. Memére bought LS a new placemat which is a map of the whole world - very exciting! Now she no longer mistakes India for Florida.

She's taken to some songs, beyond our made-up ones. She can sing just about the whole "Row Your Boat" song. And a few days ago we started with the "ABC's" song (which she actually was calling the "ABCD's" at first). She can fill in some of it if you pause for her. And apparently "I" isn't distinguishable enough from "9" because part of the song usually goes "H9JK".

This is an early recording of the ABCD's a couple days after starting. Made all the more dramatic by our malfunctioning camera. It does have some sort of art house quality to it.



So much more to tell, hopefully we'll stay on top of it better.

A Message for Portugal after 2010 World Cup Loss

LS wanted to pass along a special message to Portugal after yesterday's World Cup loss. It's a lesson that she has learned well in her short life so far (she turns 20 months tomorrow!).



That's right: "Não vale a pena chorar" ("it's not worth crying about" - the subject of a couple posts ago).

The one goal scored against Portugal in the tournament was one goal too many. Playing world #1 Brazil to a draw the game before followed by losing to world #2 Spain the next game 1-0 has to be cause for some respect. But still.

Now with the US and Portugal both out of it, we're left to root for Brazil purely on language terms. Although we'd kind of prefer more of an underdog.

Palavras!

As I mentioned in the previous post, LS is fond of a game she calls "palavras!" ("words!").

This basically consists of making words up. Then laughing about it. Then exclaiming: Palavras!

Now, the never-before-seen footage.

States

There's too much time between posts, but certainly no lack of cuteness going on over here. LS has really been having fun experimenting with words. She like to make words up now and laugh about it. And then exclaim: "Palavras!" - which in Portuguese means "Words!".

I decided to grab some outtakes of LS practicing with the States on her placemat after lunch the other day. She's also starting to pretend to sound words out. But you have to catch on when she is "reading" the word California but saying the word "Massachusetts!" Nice try kid! :-)



I also wanted to share this clip that was the day before Father's Day. I guess LS wanted to give me presents early, so she kept bringing me raspberries (frambuesas) from our bushes in back while I laid on the lawn. She probably made about half a dozen trips. Usually with just one but sometimes with a handful (struggling not to drop them). Thanks LS!



You see she's in her "gardening boots" which she just loves to wear when she's outside gardening with Mamãe. She knows more about the plants out there than Papai does!

It's Not Worth Crying About

We tend to focus on the good stuff since it seems to be in the majority, but a few weeks ago LS really threw us for a loop. She suddenly decided that instead of falling asleep peacefully that she enjoyed being awake too much for that.

Nap times and bed time were suddenly occasions for crying and crying. She'd get herself so hysterical that you'd pretty much have to snap at her to snap her out of it (at least that was Papai's approach...). A couple times that's almost all it took. Once she came back to reality she could calm down and go to sleep.

We're pretty much past it now, and she mostly goes to sleep peacefully again. Sometimes she'll do some talking for a while, but the crying fits have definitely, and thankfully, subsided.

At the same time it really highlighted to us how lucky we are generally. Even during this time, it didn't create a problem with waking up in the middle of the night or getting up early. It pretty much meant about a half hour of crying (maybe more) during the time she should have been falling asleep. We're so glad that she doesn't make us sleep-deprived! (knock on wood)

During this time, LS got credit (from us) for saying her first sentence: "Não vale a pena chorar" which means "it's not worth crying about." It can also take on a meaning closer to "don't bother crying about it."

Like she would do previously (and still does) with "não choras" ("don't cry") she'll actually say this when she's in a situation where she might want to cry. It's really sweet to hear her in her crib when she's struggling to get to sleep and telling herself that it isn't worth crying about...

Last night at bedtime she decided to tack on a little extra to give it a little more zip. She decided to go with: "Papai disse, 'não vale a pena chorar'" - which means "Papai said, 'it's not worth crying about'". Too cute.

Driving Miss Surreal

As fate would have it, this weekend found us in an assisted living facility. LS had a grand old time. She really loved that there were all these adults roaming around with things that could give her rides!

As you can see here, one woman in particular immediately offered her a ride, and she didn't hesitate to accept.

Later on, other women were slightly baffled by why she was coming up to them and tapping the seat of their walkers. (maybe it didn't help that she was asking in Portuguese: "Faz favor" (please) and "para cima" (up))

We got the sense that it would be best to put the two ends of the age spectrum together and everyone else just stay out of the way.

Unfortunately I didn't capture much video footage of these low-speed rides (picture the Seinfeld episode with the Lark chase scenes). But I did get this exchange:



I had to stop filming and step in before it came to blows (kidding!). LS tried out the ride on a wheelchair on the lap, but she didn't like it as much. There's just nothing compared to being out in the open, sitting on your own seat, the still air in your face as you progress almost imperceptibly down the hall. Nothing but you, the road, and your senior companion providing the power.

It really seemed like a great experience for all. So much so that we're seriously considering randomly stopping at a senior living facility near us without even knowing anyone there. Just popping in and visiting whoever happens to be there, and just seeing where it goes.

In all seriousness, if you have a young one, we highly recommend it. It seems like a situation with only winners on all sides.