A,B,C,D...

Drew has begun repeating just about everything. It's really amazing - and it seems a wonderful time to teach him new words, sounds, and letters! A few weeks ago he demonstrated that he really understood the concept of counting. This thrilled me endlessly; and convinced me he would be a mathematical genuis. While he can't actually say all the numbers, he tries to say them as we count stairs, fingers, blocks, animals, balls... I don't know if it's the "teacher" in me or if all moms do this, but I do see everything as a learning opportunity. Anyway, I've recently begun teaching Drew the alphabet. Of course there is the alphabet song...the letter of the day on Sesame...the alphabet books...the letters that stick to the side of the tub...and the magnetic letters on the fridge. But I've begun speaking the alphabet and having him repeat each letter (to the best of his ability). He is able to say the following letters clearly: a,b,c,d,e,h,i,n,o,p,s,t, and y. Impressive, right? I'm focusing on A-B-C-D for now but we still practice them all daily. I'm trying to help him make the connection between the actual letter (in written form) with the spoken letter. At the moment, he'll hold up a few letters and say "A" or "P" for all of them. What excites me is that I believe he understands the concept of letters, even if he can't yet speak or identify them all. To me, the concept is more important at this stage. I'm not trying to pressure him to learn, nor am I upset when he says "A,B,C, P,P,P,P." And while some think it's "too early" for this kind of teaching/learning, we've decided that if he's interested, he's ready. And he seems to enjoy the game of the alphabet!

A full sentence?!?

Ok, there's no denying that Drew likes cars. They've been his favorite toy for quite some time and "car" was one of his first words. Well, in case anyone doubted his car passion...he said,

"I LIKE CARS!"

over and over and over again this weekend. You can imagine our delight at his first sentence ~ even if it had nothing to do with liking mommy or daddy.

Battle of wills

Drew and I are both stubborn. A Leo and a Virgo, what do you expect? But the bottom line is that I will win. Sorry kiddo.

So Drew has taken to not eating vegetables. For a while I guess I didn't realize it, or care, because he eats an overwhelming amount of fruit. Some of my energy was focused on protein as I worried that might be lacking. Now we're doing pretty good with protein: cheese, peanut butter, turkey, fish, chicken, yogurt, tofu, eggs; but vegetables, on the other hand, have been nearly absent from his diet. He would throw them on the floor - or take minimal bites and refuse more. I decided to get serious and crack down on the veggie issue. And, I think I'm winning.

I began by trying the easy veggies: peas, corn, edamame, spinach. And most were denied. I turned to Gerber for support...recalling the days when Drew would eat any jar I opened. No luck there either. So I cut out fruit. I offered only vegetables and protein. First Drew wanted to deny himself food all together, until he realized there would be no second round...of fruit. What you see is what you get. He would reach out for the veggies and eat! I cheered, sang, made airplane noises...whatever it took to get him excited! I continued to limit fruit (served at breakfast and after dinner only) and offer one/two veggies for lunch and dinner.

My thinking is: kids don't really like vegetables. This will not change in a few weeks...or even a few years. So, I'd better deal with it now. One part of the plan is to encourage veggies when his belly is empty and offer no other option, and the other is to make veggies more appetizing! So, back to the baby cookbooks. I don't care if the carrots are candied, or the spinach is in an omelet, or the squash has cinnamon and brown sugar. I'll steam vegetables and mix them with cheddar cheese and I'll make veggie lasagnas. Whatever it takes. Point is, I do have to do my part in order for this to work. I realize that. But the bottom line is: drew IS eating vegetables.

I guess I'm the more stubborn Kardos.

Back to the YMCA

Big step for Mommy and for Drew! We went back to the Y this morning :) I was concerned that Drew would have a hard time and feel abandoned by Mommy. Who wants that for their child? Needless to say, that's been my "reason" for not going to the gym for the past FIVE MONTHS! So, I decided to return today and take it slowly. I still have stitches in my left leg so I can't really be working out anyway, but with labor & delivery looming just four months away, I feel I need to gain some strength and energy! Today was all about acclimating Drew to the people and the space. When we first got in we played together. They have an indoor slide which he loved, lots of cars & trucks, and little animals. I spent some time talking to the care-givers, most of whom I already knew from months ago when we were regulars at the Y. It was fun catching up - they were amazed at the big, 18-month old Drew. Meanwhile, Drew began to play on his own! I stayed in the room for 45 minutes before saying goodbye and venturing off to the fitness room. I heard him whining as I left, but he soon recovered and continued playing (I was spying from the window on the door!). I walked on the treadmill for 15 minutes and returned to a son who was smiling - happy to see Mommy.

He did SO well and I was SO proud. Hopefully we'll go back a few more times this week. I'll start slow and build up my time away. By next week maybe I'll be walking for 30 - 45 minutes! I think it's great that he did so well...and I really feel that he's matured over the last several weeks. He's more independent. It makes both of our lives easier! Go Drew!

Drew's Friends!

Drew is a very social guy who really enjoys all his friends! We wanted to give them a little blog shout-out and introduce them to you...
Here is Drew with two lady friends, Alex and baby Isabella. Both Alex and Drew did very well with the baby...maybe Drew's preparing to be a big brother?!?





Here is Drew sharing some raisins with pals, Trent (left) and Max (right). He spends a lot of time with these guys...and both will be big brother this summer too!



Drew pushes Maeve around the kitchen - she seems to enjoy the ride. Maeve is also about to have a baby sibling!

The secret

I watched an episode of Oprah from last week which was all about The Secret. Basically the idea is that what you put out into the universe is what you'll receive. It's about changing your thinking, your feeling, and your actions...in order to change your life. The teachers of this philosophy stated that you must first start by being grateful for what you already have. The only way to gain is to be appreciative. "Gain" is used loosely...it's about improving relationships, finding inner peace and strength, setting goals, being happy. The idea of it is relatively simple and does make sense. It reminds me a little of the self-fulfilling prophecy. If I say I won't be successful at this job, then I won't be. The thinking is if I say I WILL be...then I will. It's about having a more positive outlook, appreciating what one already has, and embracing the good around us. I found it somewhat inspiring and thought maybe you would too. It's always nice to "stop and smell the roses" so why not do it today?

18 month well-visit

Our well visit went....well! Drew is saying over 15 words and making 6 animal sounds. Dr. Spaight was happy with his developemental progress (me too!). He got his last shot til he is 5! I have found these shots to be overwhelming - enough is enough. We talked a lot about the new baby transition...when to go to a toddler bed...potty training...pre school. Another 1 hour visit!

We finally got some SNOW today!! Drew wasn't sure what to make of it. I'm not sure if it was really the mittens that annoyed him or his inability to walk with ease, but he was frustrated. I took off the mittens and we enjoyed some shoveling, snow balls, and outdoor fun!