Monday, August 11, 2008

Tiny Talk Tuesday

I finally figured out why people have kids. It's that moment when they are on the toilet, finished with their business, and realize the person before them used up all the toilet paper without replacing the roll. And they really want someone to go fetch them a new roll.
Esmé (16 months) gets it! I called for her to bring me more toilet paper, and she brought back a piece the size of a quarter. I explained I needed the whole roll, and sure enough, it came back!

So all that fascination with toilet paper has finally paid off. Her knowledge of exactly where it is kept has proved very useful.

Her reward? A piece of toilet paper to eat. But she used it to wipe her fully dressed bottom instead. And she loved putting it in the toilet when done. Maybe she really is growing up, and it's time for potty training! Could it possibly be?
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Esmé has been watching our empregadas clean windows this week and has come up with another use for toilet paper - window cleaning. That stuff is incredibly versatile, I tell you. Almost as much fun as pulling scotch tape off the roll (and then crying for Mommy to come rescue you from the overwhelming stickiness).

We've moved the toilet paper from its traditional spot by the toilet, since that was too accessible to her. Now she can reach its present location on top of the sink. Not sure where we can put it next and still have it reachable by me at 5'1".
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A few new words this week, though I am fast running out of ability to keep up with the list. So this may be your last update.
  • Spot - as in "I'm putting spots on my giraffe!" (Check in on "G" crafts on Wednesday if you're curious.)
  • Rice - as in "I am eating RICE! It is on my spoon and going towards my mouth! Now the RICE is falling off my spoon onto my shirt! RICE! RICE! RICE!" (Emphasis as verbalized.)
  • Bread - As in "May I please have some of that bread, Mommy?" Or more often, "Bread NOW."
  • Mine - As in "That's mine, this is mine, that is mine, everything is mine!" My least favorite word of the week.
  • Byebye - She says this in the sweetest tone. I love it!
She is definitely counting now. Though in random order. Or maybe there is some pattern that my momnesia mind can't quite comprehend.
I was trying to get her to count while I held my fingers up. She kept insisting that "1" was "dee.'' No matter how much I told her it wasn't "3." Then I realized that I also go through the alphabet in sign language with her, and "1" looks an awful lot like "D" from her angle. How confusing life must be at her age!
This has been a big week for "reading." Her books have been up on a plastic table that was getting closer and closer to collapsing. So I moved them all on the ground, where it's harder to keep them tidy, but they're much more accessible to her. And she sits in the middle of them for 15-30 minutes at a time, pointing at pictures and repeating "cat," "dog," "ball," "baby," "mamma," etc. etc. It's beautiful to watch.
Of course, it takes a skilled listener such as myself to fully understand most of what she says. She still has lots of work to do on getting the last noun of the word out - she'll say the first syllable or first few letters only. And some sounds are more difficult. We've been working on "L" for lion.
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Esmé came inside where I was working and presented me with something that I at first glance thought was a dead flower. Until it jumped. Lucky grasshopper survived her stranglehold and lived to die another day.
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Baby has developed the sniffles again. We've been working on how to use a handkerchief and how to stuff it in your pocket when you're done. Basic essentials, those.

When she finished doing some art fun with Ms. Cathrine, her cheeks looked a little flushed, almost the color of her hot pink sweater. Maybe I need to check her temperature?

29 comments:

Mamajil said...

great post!! Looks like you have a little make up artist on your hands!!! :) very cute!!

Anonymous said...

Oh that photo is just too sweet!

just jamie said...

Too funny about the toilet paper. Kids do come in handy!

Pam said...

I am so glad we are not the only ones with the issue of where to put things. I used to put everything on top of the table. Now Riley can climb up and reach everything on the table. Now where should it go?

Danielle said...

It sounds like she is doing great! So adorable!

Putting the FUN in DysFUNctional said...

I have the opposite issue....big kids who consider themselves incapable of replacing the toilet paper roll! It drives me insane.
I love that picture!

dani said...

i love, love, love the picture, e's mum!!! and i continues thinking as i was reading... you cannot put the tp any higher!!! how would the beautiful esme be able to come to your rescue the next time you are on the potty tp'less??? ha!!! cute post:D
love,
dani

Sandra said...

LOL the picture is too funny.

Kelly said...

That is great the the toilet paper fetish finally paid off for you. My daughter used to load up the toilet to the point that it wouldn't flush. Many a time have I used the plunger to pull out wet soaking wads of TP. Potty training did stop it though. Good luck!

Genny said...

The part about the quarter sized piece of toilet paper had me laughing! Too funny.

Jackie said...

This cracked me up! Mostly because I know exactly what you are talking about...been there with my own little one. It's always a relief when they understand what you need and come running to bring it to you.

Restless Ink said...

Awwwww....she's so cute!!! Smart too!

Anonymous said...

What a cutie! She had fun didn't she. It is so fun to watch them learn and grow. I marvel every day at how much The Bean is changing. It's an amazing journey.

The Broken Man said...

Hehe, the toilet paper trick is great!

The Broken man

http://theblogofabrokenman.blogspot.com/

Anonymous said...

I love these posts of yours - silly snippets of what's going on in your life.

PS - Jacob (almost 7) still has trouble pronouncing the L sound. "Lion" would sound like "yion" if he were to say it.

Connie said...

Note to Self: Teach children to fetch toilet paper!

I also have a 16 month old and she is just starting to talk! We started doing a Letter of the Day a couple weeks ago and it has caused a vocabulary explosion.

Unknown said...

see, i knew it! having a child=having an instant servant!

adorable pic, by the way...

Marilyn - A Mixed Bouquet said...

Love the toilet paper story! She's a doll, for sure! Miss Esme is living a very interesting life. It's neat for you to chronicle it here for her and others.

Thanks for visiting my blog!

Munchkins and Music said...

Yea! Potty training is a great new world. I think our daughters would have fun together with painting their faces!

Wendi@EveryDayMiracles said...

I love it! Great post! :)
Isn't it great fun when your little one comes up with new words each day?? :) It is one of my favorite stages.

One Mom said...

Sounds like Esme is having a great week! And so many words! Before my grandson was two he was prone to starting many of his words with "d": dow (cow) duck (truck) and dib (crib).. Esme is making herself perfectly clear :)

Pregnantly Plump said...

I love the TP rescue! Little Elvis usually likes to take the roll as far away from me as possible.
That picture is great. Love how she's coordinating already!

Unknown said...

My son loves toilet paper too. And eating it, well that is his specialty. All paper, it must have a lovely taste!

Momisodes said...

TP fetcher is indeed one of the bonus features of having kids ;)

I totally see a makeup artist in the making!

Anonymous said...

This age is soooo fun. I used to try to keep track of Hailey's words too, but it just gets to be too much.

Hailey counts "1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8." Not sure what happened to to 4 and 5 but she laughs when I ask her.

And I love that picture! Too cute!

Mary@notbefore7 said...

Love Love that photo. HAHAHAHA!

Gotta love a toilet paper go getter :) That is so funny, especially her wiping herself fully dressed.

She is speaking well - go on girl!

Damselfly said...

I'm so impressed that Esme brought you TP *and* she caught a grasshopper! Amazing.

Anonymous said...

LOL! your toilet paper story reminds me of when my son was little and i asked him to bring me a roll of toilet paper and he did...and then proceeded to bring me a new roll every time i or anyone else went to the bathroom. i was so proud of him, i didn't mind that we had to take a roll back to the linen closet on every visit :-)

Missi said...

I laughing so hard at the toilet paper story because I have the same story with Lillian!!! She kept bringing me the teeniest tiniest pieces - and then she tried to help me wipe!! Silly toddlers!