I AM A BIG BOY NOW

In addition to this May's mark of Evan turning two, Evan is now potty trained. Success does come from hard work and persistence, but also from Evan's big sense of willingness to train himself. Evan is now able to hold it before he goes potty. What a big stepping milestone as Evan turned two just last week. I always wanted him to get potty trained before he turns two, but a little after is right on schedule for my satisfaction. As I always say when I buy a case of diapers, "This will be the last one we needed." This time, it is for real. We still have some left for use overnight. Other than that, Evan is now wearing his undies for good.

Potty training week 2 progress

So far, Evan can do potty #2 in the potty. I am still working on #1. It is more difficult than I thought. #2 is easy since Evan has a big expression and style when going #2. It takes a lot of praises and encouragement because he is so used to going in his diaper. It also helps since it is not that frequent as going #1. I am rushing to get him potty trained so we can help save the environment by disposing less diaper, and the big plus is saving money on diapers. I think I am a little too excited to get him potty trained when he was born that I bought a potty seat and stools when he was only a few weeks old. I am surprised that he is not potty trained when he turned one. I guess I was lazy. We also got the cloth diapers called Bamboozle, but that didn't work out too well. Evan got skin rashes from the urine, so we stop using them. Potty training takes a lot of patient and especially for boys. It gets messy too. I need to work on timing it at certain time of the day for #1. I welcome any tips from experienced moms.

smell like cici, eat like cici, drink like cici, walk like cici

It has come to the time where Evan is curious about the way all things Cici does. I have heard stories of kids attempting to eat dog food, but I didn't anticipate that it would be so soon for Evan. One day last week while I was taking Cici and Evan out for a walk, I noticed that Evan knelled down like Cici and smelled the spot of grass that Cici just smelled. I thought it was cute until that same night I was busy cleaning dishes and not watching him for several minutes. I heard a noise and went to find him standing on two hand and two legs eating Cici's left over rice and drinking the water bowl. His face had some rice and his shirt was all wet right in front of Cici's tray. I now know he is onto mission, but it didn't end there. Yesterday, he was getting Cici's chicken jerky and tried to bite on it. He just have to taste it. Later, we found a dog treat in Evan's mouth. I think Evan knew those are for dogs and he never attempted it again later, but he just had to know what it is like to be Cici.

Jan 12th, 2009 - The 20-month mark

This is a big month for Evan that I would like to document, especially the new words he is starting to say. I think now is the time I am the only one who truly understands exactly what he means. Most of the words are spoken in Cantonese. Here is a list of new words Evan is starting to speak and trying to communicate with me.
-throw (into the trashcan), lending mom a helping hand
-燈 light
-奶 milk (nai nai)
-qui (Thank you), when I gave him something he had asked for
-馬 horse (ma), pointing at the bouncing horse
-鴨 duck
-quack quack
-豬 pig, this word came as a surprise when he saw a piggy stuffed animal at a friend's home.
-car
-貓貓 cat (meow meow)
-開 open
-hello (wei wei) (when the phone rings)
-bye
-蕉 banana
-yai yai yai yai(Ni Hao Kai Lan show)
-gurt (yogurt)


However, for some words that he knows how to sign for, he wouldn't speak, like please. I am happy I didn't spent too much time teaching him sign language. For others words he is not yet known of, he is using hand gestures and expressions.

Also in this month, Evan is wearing his daddy's slippers and shoes and try to walk. Evan also helps out in the house like pick up trash and put them in the trashcan; and putting his clothes in the dirty laundry hamper. Now, he is trying to fix my broken glasses. I can't blame him for breaking a leg off since I wasn't too diligent to keep it away from him.

Transition back to normal schedule

Putting Evan to bed every night makes my job as a Mom more colorful with lots of variation and yet tiresome and some sleepless nights. After the trip to Las Vegas and other one day trips, Evan's night time has been pushed further past midnight due to him being napping later in the afternoon. When we were out, Evan was reluctant to take naps in his stroller, not until he couldn't take it anymore. I don't think headstrong is the word for it. Endurance and Tolerance would be better words for it. My baby can still be alert and go on even when he is long due for a nap. I have tried everything I could think of in the past two weeks. Everyday, a trial and error and process of eliminations. I felt like being back in school. Being a Mom is no easy job on top of working over 14 hours a day 24/7. I don't have anymore my time. If I do, I will have to compensate with my sleep time or chore times. Thank God that this job is so rewarding and yet flexible. Indeed the perfect job in the world with lots of responsibilities.
Tonight, I am very proud of my accomplishment for putting Evan down to bed at about 9:30pm. I have to give credit to Cici for waking Evan this morning at 7am. I usually am too tired or don't have the heart to wake him up knowing he won't have enough sleep. Tonight's special trick or finding is rocking Evan to sleep in my arms. He fell asleep with his head on my shoulder. I presume that he definitely misses the motions while riding in the car. All the things that were previously tried did not work because he only went to sleep only when he was really sleepy, which would be past midnight. I have tried singing, reading, playing, kissing his cheeks, pretending to sleep, ignoring him and let him cry to sleep. Finally, he figured how to climb the gate to get out. So all the above failed. He is very strong willed, but he has yet to be able to let me know what he wants. Evan can be such an easy child in many other ways, but yet can also be so difficult to tend to. Praises God for his gift to me. Being a Mother is the most wonderful thing I have ever experienced in my life.

Park Fun Day and Night

That is the best time of the year in Santa Clarita to be out in the sun. It is not so hot in the day and not so cool in the night. I feel sad that now we can't go out as much when the day is in the 40. Evan loves the stay at the park. He enjoys it more than any toddler class we have tried. The best part is Cici can come along.

Stopping to Smell the Flowers...or the tree

Today, I am taking Evan and Cici to the park. On our way to the park, Cici, as always, stop at every spot and sniff. Sometimes, I was so overwhelmed with the urge to get to the park, that I forgot about enjoying the road to it. Cici is a constant reminder that Life is a Journey. I am also reminded of another quote, "The past is history, the future is a mystery, and the present is a gift." This is why present is named present. I seem to dwell more on the past and live for the future, than enjoying and appreciating the present. As I look forward to the future, I will also be going to enjoy every second of now. In many ways, Cici is more than my girl, she is a great teacher. Today, The stay at the park is actually shorter than the journey of going to and from there. Before today, Evan would not have taken notice of the presence of the flowers, now Evan is fascinated in them and maybe a little soil and dirt.