Tuesday, 29 January 2008
Being resourceful
As I have said before, Maya has been insisting on wearing her "baby jammies" to bed every night, and sometimes during the day, often on top of a "tank". The problem is, we only have two pairs of baby jammies, and one of them is size 6-12 months with feet. As you might imagine, that basically puts Maya in a straitjacket and unable to walk. But she will not give them up. So I devised a solution. I cut off the feet! Now she can wear her baby jammies as much as she wants, indoors or out, and I don't have to worry about her total inability to walk or move (or worse yet, how putting my kiddo in 6-12 month straitjacket footie pajamas might make me look to other parents when we wear them to the park!)
Monday, 28 January 2008
Maya has a dream...
Maya has a dream. Every day before bedtime, when she wakes up in the middle of the night, when she gets out of bed in the morning, when we head off to the park, she always makes the same request.
"Mommy. Up-and-down class. I want up-and-down class! I get older. I can do it. Up-and-down class."
Any guesses as to what she wants? Well, if you can't figure it out, I'll tell you. She wants to take gymnastics class! She has been asking for "up-and-down class" multiple times a day for at least four months. And it is not just any up-and-down class, it is a specific one (though I doubt she's be choosy). She wants "up-and-down class, one with the ball, with the music". Translated, that means she wants the rhythmic gymnastics class, you know, the one where they dance with the ball.
You might be curious about how she knows about gymnastics. Well, at the Gezira club in Zamalek, the gym where gymnastics classes are is right next door to the toddler playground. So she gets to watch them when we go to the park. And she loves it. Unfortunately, kids cannot enroll in classes at the club until their third birthday (and even then I think the club prefers them to be a little older). So Maya has at least nine long more months before she will be able to take up-and-down class.
She is already practicing the moves though. She can do a somersault while holding a ball over her head. And she can do the splits, and she pretends to make dance moves like the girls in the class. She also saw a picture of a girl doing ballet in a book we have about kids around the world, and she has already decided she also wants to do ballet, and requested "shoes like ballet".
We have told her that she can take up-and-down class (or ballet) once two things happen. She has to turn three years old, and she has to be potty trained. Once those two things happen, we will put her in up-and-down class. She does however, have a backup in case up-and-down class doesn't work out. She also wants to take "basketball class".
"Mommy. Up-and-down class. I want up-and-down class! I get older. I can do it. Up-and-down class."
Any guesses as to what she wants? Well, if you can't figure it out, I'll tell you. She wants to take gymnastics class! She has been asking for "up-and-down class" multiple times a day for at least four months. And it is not just any up-and-down class, it is a specific one (though I doubt she's be choosy). She wants "up-and-down class, one with the ball, with the music". Translated, that means she wants the rhythmic gymnastics class, you know, the one where they dance with the ball.
You might be curious about how she knows about gymnastics. Well, at the Gezira club in Zamalek, the gym where gymnastics classes are is right next door to the toddler playground. So she gets to watch them when we go to the park. And she loves it. Unfortunately, kids cannot enroll in classes at the club until their third birthday (and even then I think the club prefers them to be a little older). So Maya has at least nine long more months before she will be able to take up-and-down class.
She is already practicing the moves though. She can do a somersault while holding a ball over her head. And she can do the splits, and she pretends to make dance moves like the girls in the class. She also saw a picture of a girl doing ballet in a book we have about kids around the world, and she has already decided she also wants to do ballet, and requested "shoes like ballet".
We have told her that she can take up-and-down class (or ballet) once two things happen. She has to turn three years old, and she has to be potty trained. Once those two things happen, we will put her in up-and-down class. She does however, have a backup in case up-and-down class doesn't work out. She also wants to take "basketball class".
Wednesday, 23 January 2008
Breaking the rules
Mike is travelling again, and I'm majorly stressed out. So I decided to let Maya break all the rules. Here she is sitting on the couch, sharing a Tupperware container of leftover Ethiopian spaghetti and watching her Barney video.
She thought it was really cool to have dinner with mommy on the sofa. She didn't even spill (thank God). Actually, she was very careful, and she had a super evening.
Tuesday, 22 January 2008
Book detention
Several of Maya's books are in book detention. Can you believe it! There are two categories of book detention: Scary books and annoying books (well some of the annoying books are books that are really cool but that have just been read too much recently).
The list of banished scary books are:
1) Llama Llama Red Pajama -- Now some of you might ask how such a wonderful and cute book could be scary. But you see, in the book, Mama Llama goes downstairs, and it takes her a dang long time to come up when little Llama calls. Maya used to love this book (and so did we), but now that she actually understands it, she is terrified of it. And Maya also relates a little too much to baby Llama. For example, when I try to leave her room at night, even when Mike is staying with her, she looks up at me in a pitiful way and solemnly says: "Llama Llama scared." So the book is in detention for a while.
2) Llama, Llama Mad at Mama -- Why? Because while this book is not scary, it reminds Maya of Llama Llama Red Pajama!
3) Corduroy -- Well, in this book, Corduroy goes upstairs alone and gets scared by the night watchman. Maya doesn't think Corduroy should go wandering around the department store, and she gets very upset when he does. And it scares her that poor little Corduroy is all alone at night.
4) Where the Wild Things Are -- Wow, we didn't even get past the first sentence in this book before Maya started totally freaking out. This book is way too scary for imaginative toddlers in my opinion! I think it will be in book detention for a long, long, long time.
OK, those books are in book detention for being scary. Other books are in temporary book detention for being annoying. They are:
1) If You Give A Mouse A Cookie -- Why? Well, because I have had to read this book to Maya every night for the past three months. I love the book, and it is currently Maya's FAVORITE!!! And it is not scary in the slightest! But let's be honest, there's only so much mouse a mommy can take. Oh yeah, and did I mention that our Mouse Cookie book came with a CD?? Yep, that's right! In addition to reading it, we also listen to it on the CD player, and sing along with it, and play little mouse cookie games, and dance to it. I could go on....
2) The Chocolate Covered Cookie Tantrum -- Why? I swear this book actually gave Maya the idea that if she wanted something and cried long enough, she would get it. The day after I first read her this book, she started having massive temper tantrums, and we are still to this day dealing with the repercussions. Can I just ask, why does the temper tantrummy toddler get her cookie just a couple short page flips after her temper tantrum. Oh yeah, it's supposedly after dinner by the end of the book. But what toddler is going to notice a slight technicality like that!
The list of banished scary books are:
1) Llama Llama Red Pajama -- Now some of you might ask how such a wonderful and cute book could be scary. But you see, in the book, Mama Llama goes downstairs, and it takes her a dang long time to come up when little Llama calls. Maya used to love this book (and so did we), but now that she actually understands it, she is terrified of it. And Maya also relates a little too much to baby Llama. For example, when I try to leave her room at night, even when Mike is staying with her, she looks up at me in a pitiful way and solemnly says: "Llama Llama scared." So the book is in detention for a while.
2) Llama, Llama Mad at Mama -- Why? Because while this book is not scary, it reminds Maya of Llama Llama Red Pajama!
3) Corduroy -- Well, in this book, Corduroy goes upstairs alone and gets scared by the night watchman. Maya doesn't think Corduroy should go wandering around the department store, and she gets very upset when he does. And it scares her that poor little Corduroy is all alone at night.
4) Where the Wild Things Are -- Wow, we didn't even get past the first sentence in this book before Maya started totally freaking out. This book is way too scary for imaginative toddlers in my opinion! I think it will be in book detention for a long, long, long time.
OK, those books are in book detention for being scary. Other books are in temporary book detention for being annoying. They are:
1) If You Give A Mouse A Cookie -- Why? Well, because I have had to read this book to Maya every night for the past three months. I love the book, and it is currently Maya's FAVORITE!!! And it is not scary in the slightest! But let's be honest, there's only so much mouse a mommy can take. Oh yeah, and did I mention that our Mouse Cookie book came with a CD?? Yep, that's right! In addition to reading it, we also listen to it on the CD player, and sing along with it, and play little mouse cookie games, and dance to it. I could go on....
2) The Chocolate Covered Cookie Tantrum -- Why? I swear this book actually gave Maya the idea that if she wanted something and cried long enough, she would get it. The day after I first read her this book, she started having massive temper tantrums, and we are still to this day dealing with the repercussions. Can I just ask, why does the temper tantrummy toddler get her cookie just a couple short page flips after her temper tantrum. Oh yeah, it's supposedly after dinner by the end of the book. But what toddler is going to notice a slight technicality like that!
Arabic, again
Did I mention that Maya is getting seriously scary good at Arabic? She is like a language sponge right now. Today we ordered pizza for dinner. When the pizza delivery man came with the pizza, Miss Maya shouted "Izzayak" (How are You?) at him.
Then he asked her: "Ismik Eh?"
She said: "Maya".
For those of you who haven't figured it out already, "Ismik Eh" means "What is your name?"
She answered his question without anyone translating for her. How does she know what it means? I don't get it.
OK, in all fairness, Maya's Amharic and English are both way stronger than her Arabic. She has words and phrases in Arabic, but I don't think she has anywhere near the level of comprehension. But still. We never made any effort to teach her a single word of Arabic. I know she hears it at the park every day, and she hears me speak it on the phone. But no one that I know of actually speaks Arabic directly to her. I am really surprised by how much she is picking up.
Oh yeah, did I mention that when she wants a kiss, she asks for a "Bousa" (the Arabic word). She knows both the Amharic word (Samie) and the English word, but she is a little rebel and she prefers to ask in Arabic.
Then he asked her: "Ismik Eh?"
She said: "Maya".
For those of you who haven't figured it out already, "Ismik Eh" means "What is your name?"
She answered his question without anyone translating for her. How does she know what it means? I don't get it.
OK, in all fairness, Maya's Amharic and English are both way stronger than her Arabic. She has words and phrases in Arabic, but I don't think she has anywhere near the level of comprehension. But still. We never made any effort to teach her a single word of Arabic. I know she hears it at the park every day, and she hears me speak it on the phone. But no one that I know of actually speaks Arabic directly to her. I am really surprised by how much she is picking up.
Oh yeah, did I mention that when she wants a kiss, she asks for a "Bousa" (the Arabic word). She knows both the Amharic word (Samie) and the English word, but she is a little rebel and she prefers to ask in Arabic.
Monday, 21 January 2008
Pajamarama
Maya is in a major retrobaby stage. This week she wants to do everything that babies do. So far, that has meant lots of being cradled in mommy's arms, an obsession with footie pajamas (or one-piece pajamas), and a request to break back out the crib so she can sleep in it.
The pajama thing has been strange because for months on end Maya has been obsessed with wearing a tank top to bed, as she puts it "like mommy". That has been regardless of how cold her room gets at night. And she had also refused to wear one-piece, or even long-sleeved, pajamas at all for months.
But now all she wants is what she calls "baby pajamas", preferably worn over a "tank", as she still wants to be a little like mommy, even when she is being a retrobaby. The problem is we don't actually have many one-piece baby pajamas that fit, since she had refused to wear them in months. So every night she is either fitting into a 6-12 month size footie sleeper -- which has to seriously stretch to fit on her 27-month-old body -- or an 18-month one-piece sleeper with no feet that fits pretty well. Of course, she prefers the 6-12 month sleeper, go figure...
Anyway, on Sunday when I came home from work Maya fell into a huge temper tantrum. After about 20 minutes of irrational screams, Tibby and I were able to slowly piece together why she was upset. It turns out that she had wanted to wear her 18-month sleeper to the park, but Tibby had quite sensibly refused. Maya had then chosen to forego the park in favor of remaining in her sleeper after her nap. And she was upset about it. So we told her she could go to the park today in her pajamas, so long as she would sleep in something else overnight so I could wash them.
So today while I was at work, Maya went to the park in her pajamas. (She was wearing them over a pair of jeans and a shirt) According to Tiberh, the first thing she did was walk up to all her friends at the park and show them her jammies. The jammies stayed on until bedtime today, when I threw them in the washing machine. And yes, she is currently sleeping in the 6-12 month sleeper.
The pajama thing has been strange because for months on end Maya has been obsessed with wearing a tank top to bed, as she puts it "like mommy". That has been regardless of how cold her room gets at night. And she had also refused to wear one-piece, or even long-sleeved, pajamas at all for months.
But now all she wants is what she calls "baby pajamas", preferably worn over a "tank", as she still wants to be a little like mommy, even when she is being a retrobaby. The problem is we don't actually have many one-piece baby pajamas that fit, since she had refused to wear them in months. So every night she is either fitting into a 6-12 month size footie sleeper -- which has to seriously stretch to fit on her 27-month-old body -- or an 18-month one-piece sleeper with no feet that fits pretty well. Of course, she prefers the 6-12 month sleeper, go figure...
Anyway, on Sunday when I came home from work Maya fell into a huge temper tantrum. After about 20 minutes of irrational screams, Tibby and I were able to slowly piece together why she was upset. It turns out that she had wanted to wear her 18-month sleeper to the park, but Tibby had quite sensibly refused. Maya had then chosen to forego the park in favor of remaining in her sleeper after her nap. And she was upset about it. So we told her she could go to the park today in her pajamas, so long as she would sleep in something else overnight so I could wash them.
So today while I was at work, Maya went to the park in her pajamas. (She was wearing them over a pair of jeans and a shirt) According to Tiberh, the first thing she did was walk up to all her friends at the park and show them her jammies. The jammies stayed on until bedtime today, when I threw them in the washing machine. And yes, she is currently sleeping in the 6-12 month sleeper.
Painting again
The other day at the bookstore, we spied a Dora painting kit and bought it for Maya. She had a blast! OK, we used all the paint in the kit in one go, but oh well. At least we had a good time!
We had tried to check out another painting place I had heard about in Zamalek, about a 20-minute walk from our house. It was a cafe called Arabica. So while Maya was napping on Saturday, I called them to double check that they actually had painting for children. On the phone, they said: "Yes".
So when Maya woke up from her nap, I promised her painting. And she got SOOOO excited about it. So we broke out the stroller and walked on over to the cafe. But what did we find? Not painting! Basically they just covered each table with a large sheet of paper and a cup with about 5 broken crayons in it and based on that they had told me they had painting for children. Maya was not fooled! And she was not happy to be presented with a couple broken crayons!
Plus we were the only family there. The cafe was actually popular with young professionals using the cafe's Wifi to get some work done. So we felt we coulnd't let Maya run around or be too loud! It looked like at some point in their past, they might have had painting, based on the children's painting they had hanging on the walls. But not any more! Oh well.
Anyway, to avert a massive tantrum, we took a walk to the bookstore and got this Dora paint kit. And Maya painted at home before bed instead!
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