My Geek Baby

Indie started calling us “Guys” recently. We’re having dinner and I tell her that the carrots on her plate look deslish. “I know, guys!” she said. What? Guys? We were Mama and Papa for a few months, which morphed into MaPa and sometimes Pommy, now we’re just guys.

Not knowing how quickly she’d pick up language, we started with sign language but by the time we all got the hang of it, she was saying the word “More” when and signaling when she wants more, so there’s no mistaking it. Now we’re in translation phase, and even sometimes I’m not sure what she’s saying.

We were topping dinner with shredded cheese one day and she started calling it “burgers” and we couldn’t figure it out. But last week when she said “I have burgers I need a nakin” I realized that she needed a tissue. Nakin=napkin in our house. Oh! I can only guess that someone at daycare was calling cheese boogers and they probably fell on the floor laughing as kids are prone to do when they think they made a naughty joke.

A friend at work remembered her early elementary school bus days when the kids were daring each other to say bad words and she said, “I know what the F word is!” And they gathered around and she whispered, “Fart” with pride that she knew something they didn’t. But of course, the kids erupted into laughter…at her.

Happy Anniversary Sesame Street! I’m now enjoying the show (that I watched as a kiddo) with my little girl. The show has changed over the years, added new characters, but the educational messages remain the foundation. Even with all the competing shows–we do love Yo Gabba Gabba and Jack’s Big Music Show–Sesame Street still stands out as one of the best children’s programs. No surprise that Indie’s favorite character is Elmo but I have a special place in my heart for Kermit.

Today there’s a whole website, Sesame Workshop, dedicated to all things related to those lovable monsters. Check it out!

All the baby’s tiny socks are matched and put away neatly

You might have a toddler if…

Mismatched Elmo socks also double at mittens that she wears around the house

You might be a new parent if…
You made sure the baby ate a variety of fruits and veggies daily

You might have a toddler if…
Shredded cheese is considered a side dish

You might be a new parent if…

You make smoothies in the bathroom with the door closed so not to wake the napping baby

You might have a toddler if…

You hide in the same bathroom nearly two years later to drown out whining with the hair dryer on full blast and start thinking of repackaging and selling it on Amazon as the WhineBlaster 3000

Getting Indie ready for her second Halloween brought back memories of great costumes I had growing up. One year my mom sewed a shark costume I was so proud of. We went Trick or Treating in those days and I also attended our church’s Halloween alternative, Harvest Party, but in both scenarios there were costumes and candy so it’s pretty much a win-win. In fact, I won Best Costume that year of the Shark, even though a few people mistook it for a nun. Another time, when I was too old to Trick or Treat, three friends and I dressed as the Fruit of the Loom guys. I was the green grapes, covered in green balloons. This is a picture I must dig up.

Readers may remember our little prisoner of ‘08, who stayed home and helped entertain trick or treaters, but this year we went out for the fun of going door-to-door. The neighborhood had a face-painting party outside, although Indie wouldn’t let the painters near her, and Jake ended up with an orange butterfly painted on his hand. We visited a few of the neighbors houses but Indie did some knocking and then running away scared of the people who answered the door. So, her fear of strangers is fully intact, that’s good. And she’s not eating much of the candy anyway.

Here’s our butterfly ballerina…