Funny LOOKING Lunch Box

Tonight I put some eyes on L's kindergarten lunch box. I bet she'll be surprised tomorrow. I hate making lunch bags. So I guess this is to motivate myself as well and put a smile on my face in the mornings...

Special Moment: Daddy said...

(...when leaving after Daddy weekend)
Daddy: "Good bye, baby, I love you."
L goes: "Yeah, that's what Mommy keeps saying."

Kindergarten Mädchen

I have a Kindergarten girl now. On Monday we went for the first time. I stayed the entire time. We had a rough bitchy morning before we went. I was quite nervous to "through" her in the new Kindergarten situation right after. She was all shy and attached to me, most of the time. But she seemed interested in everything. Wouldn't try things on her own though. I was a bit surprised and started worrying, if the transition would go as smooth as I had hoped.

The teacher asked me to bring her the next morning and leave right away. I should pick her up after lunch break. I remained friendly and calm - on the outside. I was quite a bit shocked on the inside. I thought we would take it more slowly and I would have a chance to make sure, L feels comfortable - and also I get to trust the teachers a bit more, before leaving her on her own.

In the evening I wasn't feeling well. I felt so unsure what to do. Trust the teacher about the method of "throwing her right out there on her own"? I see the advantages. As long as Mommy is there, there might not be a need to trust someone else or join the group. On the other hand, I was positive, L wouldn't let the teachers know when she needed to pee, felt uncomfortable or needed help with zipping her coat... She had barely talked a word on her first day! I was sooo confused. I really wanted to choose the responsible easiest way for her, but I didn't know what it was. Like many mothers, who have to let go their 3-year-olds... I cried big tears that night. I had planned to be that one cool responsible mother that knows exactly what to do and feel good about it. But I wasn't.

Since Lenara had clearly understood that she would go there on her own the next day - and didn't seem to be very nervous about it, I decided to go with the teacher's suggestion. God, I was thankful she didn't cry. I was almost about to cry while waving and heading back to the car. When I picked her up 2.5 hrs later, she seemed so proud. She walked by the teacher's hand and fit right in the group. She didn't even want to leave the ground and headed back toward the other children. Even though she also told me that she had cried a little in the beginning, but now she would like it. Wow.

You can tell, I was relieved. Today she didn't go, because we had a little accident last night (different story, L hurt herself in the back of her throat with a sharp platic thing - we went to see an emergency doctor, pharmacy and had a really horrible night, but now she seems fine again) - so today I wanted her to regain some energy. When I told her, she would't go to Kindergarten today, she said: But I do want to go, Mommy, why can't I?!

Very good. I'm looking forward to tomorrow... we'll stick to 2.5 hrs this week and extend the time next week. I'm sure American Moms will be laughing at me. It seems like all US Moms just through their kids in some daycare shortly after they have given birth and not worry as much (ok, ok, I know I'm being very general here, sorry). But I think it's true, that for many it's not such a big deal. Anyway...

Sucker Fairy was here!!!

Boy, am I excited!!!! This is one of the most special posts I ever blogged. Or maybe just one of the most special moments I had with my girl.

Some time ago - I think it was before Christmas (how come I don't exactly recall the date?!) - Lenara was ready to send 3 of her 4 suckers ("Shnoolie" = Schnulli in German) to the sucker fairy. She had the idea to put them in a gift box, with a bow and a cookie and then set in outside of the door (it was Daddy's weekend at the time). I had called the sucker fairy on her cell phone the previous morning to let her know Lenara was hoping for a yellow wrapped gift. I had told her she could wish for something. I thought it was funny, that all that mattered to her was the yellow wrapping! Anyway, she was all excited that the sucker fairy brought her a gift - which meant, the sucker fairy exists and this is not a trick or something. So I told her, whenever she was ready to give up her last sucker, she should let me know and I would call the fairy again.

But she wasn't ready. By the time most of her friends had given up their Schnullis. I tried to be patient, yet the moments when I was fed up with searching for this holy one and only sucker at least once a day. I told her that I thought she could do it without. Trying not to put any pressure on her, but rather encouraging her and believing in her.

During our vacation in January we couldn't find her Schnulli one day. We seriously thought she had lost it somewhere outside. I thought to myself, ok, if that's the way it goes... we'll take this chance. But she was crying and crying. "I can't go to sleep without my Schnulli, I need my Schnulli"... it was heartbreaking. Grandma Astrid luckily kept on searching and finally found the Schnulli under the waste bag. (whatever)

Her friend's Schnulli went on vacation to Africa recently. It even sent back postcards to let little Sam know that it was doing well, but didn't know if it would come back, because he loved the adventures. He'd rather continue sending postcards. And after a couple rough nights - he accepted the Schnulli being on vacation and doesn't miss it anymore. Lenara was pretty impressed, when I told her, Sam can now sleep without it. Next time we saw him, she told him "I'm sleeping without my Schnulli as well." She sounded really convincing, but I thought... hey, it's such a lie!

During the past weeks, she brought it up a couple of times. But always added "once I'm older, I can also sleep without my Schnulli. But I'm still quite little". Sigh. Trying to continue being patient.

SOOOOOOOOO, today, out of the BLUE, she suddenly said this morning "Mommy, I will wrap my Schnulli today, please call the sucker fairy. I want a blue gift this time." What??? I wasn't sure, if she was being serious. I asked her a couple of times to be sure, before I called the fairy. But she insisted and seemed very confident in her decision. So after taking a bath tonight, she wanted to suck it a last time and then she wrapped it. I could tell, she was rethinking it all. She said, we can only bring the box outside after having read the goodnight story. Two stories. She needed just a little bit more time. I was nervous, she would want it back. And I was nervous about how to react then. We had come so far this time!

But, she surprised me. She put it outside our door and went straight to bed. We talked for a little bit in the dark. I kept reassuring her that she can do it, and I'd be there to help her. I was nervous, it would take forever for her to fall asleep and I was ready for having some rough nights ahead. I had sprayed some "sleep well scent" on her pillow (just in case... hehe) and I talked to her some sentences to start relaxing (like for hypnosis), something like "your eyes get real heavy and tired, now your arms want to go to sleep etc." - I think it rather worked for me to stay calm. And she fell asleep WITHIN MINUTES!!!! My girl who would never go to sleep without her Schnulli and even than often took half an hour or longer to fall asleep.

I'm impressed. Simply impressed. What a girl! What a good good way of ending this era! I would have never thought this would work. But I'm soooo extremely glad I chose this way and tried to be patient with this f*** sucker all this time. It was definitely worth it! I'm so thankful. Sooo thankful. And also a bit relieved to be honest.

I'm still a little nervous, what happens, if she wakes up tonight. Or about tomorrow night when there won't be a gift the next morning... but hey, I'm optimistic. I'm using the secret once again.

The proudest mother ever!

What...?!

Listen to this: Lenara (my TWO-year-old) and I were sitting at the dinner table just recently.

Lenara: Mommy....
Mommy: What is it, honey?
Lenara: Mommy, I think, you have a weight problem.
Mommy: What????!???

So 4 people within 3 weeks either asked, if I'm pregnant or I'd be having weight problems. Something's going real wrong here... (and honestly, I think that's why Lenara mentioned it, bc she had heard me angrily quote the earlier stories.). My...

Jumping Jack

Mommy-Daughter-Pics

It's so awesome to have a boyfriend (finally) so I get more pictures of myself and my daughter (finally). Plus, he has a really good camera. ;))

Diaper free

For almost 2 weeks we've only been using diapers at night. It works so well. I think we've made it! ;))

Grateful

Today we sat down for lunch. We just had leftovers. Nothing special. Lenara didn't eat tons as usual, but looked at me and said: Thank you for cooking, Mommy.

You don't know how shocked I was! After all my efforts of getting meals together that she would like and eat in the past 2 years... WOW!

And probably since she liked my positive reaction, tonight she said: Thanks for making dinner, Mommy.

Have I mentioned yet, how much I love her?

Friends

Hairy Challenge

After 2 yrs and 3 months and 9 months prior to that of looking forward to this... she finally let me do her hair!

Purzelbaum - Somersault

I have no idea, who taught her this. I don't think I've even mentioned the word before. Must have been Daddy, cousins or kids at the nanny's. I was so suprised when I looked over to her and she was doing a really good one. The ones I videotaped weren't as perfect - but still funny. ;)

Don't, Mommy!

I get to hear a lot of DONT's from my 2-year-old lately.
--
Don't chew on that pencil, Mommy.

Don't get up from the table before I'm finished, Mommy.

Don't walk in the living room with your shoes on, Mommy.
--
At times it's getting quite annoying. But it does show that she actually understood the rules that we have. So yeah! And I have to admit, she is right sometimes. It's funny how it makes you realize how important Mommies are as rolemodels.

Yet today, I got to hear a new one. Soooo funny. We were sitting at the lunch table. Eating, talking. Like usually. Nothing special. I must have been drifting away in my thoughts and suddenly she got very angry:

Don't look at my pacifier, Mommy!!!

Ewwww, what???? My face must have been turned toward the pacifier lying on the table, while I was dreaming. And it made her really really angry. I thought it was too funny. So later on I kept teasing her: Lala, I'm looking at your pacifier!!! Look! Look! I'm looking... And it became a really good joke. We cracked down laughing. I think it's one of our first running gags.

First time Potty!!!

Lenara peed in the potty for the very first time today!!!! Wohooooo!

(And yes, I took a picture of it! LOL)

Fleck!

Lenara has this habit of rubbing moles (on my or Daddy's neck) whenever she's tired. Also while falling asleep. While Daddy is cool with it, it drives me crazy. CRAZY! And the moles on my neck hurt already due to all the rubbing.

So today I had an idea:


Good luck, Annabel! Your turn!

P.S. One more proof of how crazy motherhood can be. If someone would have told me I would be sewing a mole on a doll 3 years earlier... LOL

Killer Lady

She shot them all!

I will be a grandma!!!

Big News!!!! Lenara is pregnant! She has told me twice within the past week that she has a baby in her belly. Me: Are you sure? She: Yes, yes, real baby! Alllllright. I didn't know kids grow up THIS fast these days.

(I'm pretty sure, my 8-months-pregnant friend whom we met last week left some major impression on her).

Happy Birthday!

Out of nowhere Lenara started singing Happy Birthday (in English!) today after her nap. It took me a while to realize what it was she was singing. But once I got the point, it sounded so clear and cute!

See, I knew she realized it was her birthday. People kept asking me about whether she realized it was her birthday at all. Are you kidding?!!!

I / ICH

Since her birthday Lenara is using sentences with "I" and more and more complete sentences are coming out. I'm so amazed by this. One of those developments which happen so suddenly and very noticable. It's not "Lala Puppe" (Lenara's doll) anymore, but "Meine Puppe" (my doll). On her birthday she said "Ich brauche mehr Sahne, bitte" (I need more whipped cream, please) and everyone else stopped talking and just starred at her.

Just some examples. It's such a miracle.

I also notice that she's getting a sense of time. She uses words like today, tomorrow or yesterday, or "not today, but tomorrow". I'm not sure, if I have shared this on the blog, but she also missed her Dad very much, when he was on vacation for 4 weeks. She asked about him all the time. First thing after she woke up (every morning!): "Papa kommt heute." (Daddy is coming today). At dinner "Papa auch essen jetzt?" (Daddy also eating now?) It was really hard for me to respond - both being annoyed after some point and sad at the same time bc now she's starting to feel the facts of having separated parents. I kept explaining and explaining, telling her that Daddy misses her too, but he went on vacation with an airplane and he will come back to see her after a while.

Then I had an idea: I drew a picture of a caterpillar, with different circles as the body. One circle for each day we had to wait - 21 days from that day. Every morning we colored one of the circles and counted the days until her Dad would come and pick her up again. Of course, she didn't get the whole meaning, but I had a feeling it helped her and she stopped asking several times a day. We paid attention to the issue and her feelings every day, which was important. And I'm hoping, if we keep using this "Daddy calendar", she'll eventually get a better sense of time.

It was also one of the very noticable changes lately. So far she has been happy, when Daddy showed up. But she never really asked about him, when he wasn't around.

I have more to write and to share, but I'm too tired now... will have to wait. P.S. The mooncup has arrived, but my period not yet... to be continued. ;)

Breakfast in a box - not to go

Lenara just recently made herself breakfast in the flipped over cardboard house. I watched her being very fascinated by all the new ideas she comes up with.