Today after school we got the crazy notion to explore one of the bazillion local hair salons (we walked past at least five on the way to the one we wanted). This is how short I asked for it to be cut last time, and finally someone took me seriously!
We all think she looks great, and if she wants to keep it this length, I think I'll have to talk her into a Flapper costume for next Halloween.
Friday, December 11, 2009
Much better
Today we employed the snowsuit and the hood of her coat instead of additional pants and itchy hat, so there was much less fussing on the way to school. The new scarf worked perfectly, keeping her face nice and covered, and keeping her legs warmer made her less upset about everything else. It also helps that the windchill is dramatically less than it was yesterday.
Live and learn. I ran into our neighbor on my way home this morning, and she said that they had trouble getting to school yesterday too (they go to the elementary school we walk past to get to our little school), so I feel less like a moron.
Yesterday as we made our way home, Gaz asked if I could pick her up today with the stroller instead of her having to walk. In light of the nap she took yesterday (and this kid hasn't had an afternoon nap, apart from days when she was really sick, for about two years) I think this is a good plan. I just hope her legs aren't so long now that her feet will be dragging!
Live and learn. I ran into our neighbor on my way home this morning, and she said that they had trouble getting to school yesterday too (they go to the elementary school we walk past to get to our little school), so I feel less like a moron.
Yesterday as we made our way home, Gaz asked if I could pick her up today with the stroller instead of her having to walk. In light of the nap she took yesterday (and this kid hasn't had an afternoon nap, apart from days when she was really sick, for about two years) I think this is a good plan. I just hope her legs aren't so long now that her feet will be dragging!
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Not entirely arctic, it turns out
Today it is cold. It's Chicago cold. There's the coldness (1 degree, according to the news this morning) and then there's the windiness. Weather.com is reporting the winds now as 19mph, but I think it was a little worse this morning. It's definitely gusting somewhat harder than that at times.
I got Gaz bundled up for school--way more bundled than she likes. I explained that it's horribly cold and that this was the reason for the multiple pairs of pants and socks and the reason for the horrible itchy wool scarf that mom crocheted being put to use. All was well as we made our way down our street. There's plenty of snow for Gaz to stomp in and kick around, and this is always fun. Yesterday on our way home from school Gaz threw herself onto the sidewalk to make a sudden snow angel, much to the amusement of the lady walking just behind us down the sidewalk. Snow is our friend and so much fun to play in that I have to remind her constantly to keep walking.
Then we turn the corner.
Within seconds of being face-first into the driving wind (most of our walk is due west, right into the wind) she is hysterical. No matter how I try to explain that crying just makes her face colder, she says she can't help herself. She wails all the way to school, but at least I don't have to remind her to keep walking very often. A lady who is walking her son to school gives me this horrified look and asks me what's wrong. I explain for the first of many times this morning that this is the first time she's had to walk to school in the horrible cold and then spend the rest of the time waiting for the traffic light to change trying to cuddle my distraught girl.
We get to school and she has mostly stopped crying, but she refuses to look at any of the teachers because she doesn't want anyone to see her crying. Eventually I get her stripped of her outer layers--not the extra pants, though; she wanted to keep those on--and carry her to the bathroom. She's so upset by the cold that she clings to me for another five minutes (while ignoring her best friend, who came by expressing concern) before I talk her into a potty break and she manages to calm herself down the rest of the way. I explain what a ski mask is, and she says she would like one.
Now I've been to the thrift store where there were no ski masks, but I did find a nice soft purple scarf that at least won't be scratchy. I did find a ski mask, black of course, in a nearby shop, but I forgot my cash when I left the house. What are the odds of finding such a thing in pink and covered with flowers?
At least on the way home we'll have the wind at our backs. My poor not-quite-arctic child. She'll get used to it, but it's not going to be easy on either of us.
(Edited to add: I did find a floral polar fleece balaclava thing on Amazon, and it's now on it's way to us. I hope the new scarf will do the job until it gets here.)
I got Gaz bundled up for school--way more bundled than she likes. I explained that it's horribly cold and that this was the reason for the multiple pairs of pants and socks and the reason for the horrible itchy wool scarf that mom crocheted being put to use. All was well as we made our way down our street. There's plenty of snow for Gaz to stomp in and kick around, and this is always fun. Yesterday on our way home from school Gaz threw herself onto the sidewalk to make a sudden snow angel, much to the amusement of the lady walking just behind us down the sidewalk. Snow is our friend and so much fun to play in that I have to remind her constantly to keep walking.
Then we turn the corner.
Within seconds of being face-first into the driving wind (most of our walk is due west, right into the wind) she is hysterical. No matter how I try to explain that crying just makes her face colder, she says she can't help herself. She wails all the way to school, but at least I don't have to remind her to keep walking very often. A lady who is walking her son to school gives me this horrified look and asks me what's wrong. I explain for the first of many times this morning that this is the first time she's had to walk to school in the horrible cold and then spend the rest of the time waiting for the traffic light to change trying to cuddle my distraught girl.
We get to school and she has mostly stopped crying, but she refuses to look at any of the teachers because she doesn't want anyone to see her crying. Eventually I get her stripped of her outer layers--not the extra pants, though; she wanted to keep those on--and carry her to the bathroom. She's so upset by the cold that she clings to me for another five minutes (while ignoring her best friend, who came by expressing concern) before I talk her into a potty break and she manages to calm herself down the rest of the way. I explain what a ski mask is, and she says she would like one.
Now I've been to the thrift store where there were no ski masks, but I did find a nice soft purple scarf that at least won't be scratchy. I did find a ski mask, black of course, in a nearby shop, but I forgot my cash when I left the house. What are the odds of finding such a thing in pink and covered with flowers?
At least on the way home we'll have the wind at our backs. My poor not-quite-arctic child. She'll get used to it, but it's not going to be easy on either of us.
(Edited to add: I did find a floral polar fleece balaclava thing on Amazon, and it's now on it's way to us. I hope the new scarf will do the job until it gets here.)
Sunday, November 22, 2009
essential media
Well, any child of ours.
Now that she's four, it's time to start her on Daddy's favorite things: comic books and Star Trek.
Her first two comic books, which she picked out herself at our usual comic shop, are Super Girl #8 and Scooby-Doo #143. Super Girl was the last half of a two-parter, so it was confusing for all of us coming into a new series with nothing but half a middle and an end of a story, plus, it features Mister Mxyzptlk, which I tell you is a sheer joy to have to read to your kid over and over and over again.
Scooby-Doo was suitably Scoobish, and the first adventure in the ish took place at the White House. There was some cryptozoology bit in there too which was actually interesting and not insane. Overall, I think Gaz picked some winners. Now we just have to teach her about the virtues of mylar sleeves and acid-free cardboard. Oh, and she'll need her own box. For the moment the books are (gasp!) on the coffee table.
For Star Trek, Mark started her off yesterday on "The Enemy Within," which would not have been my first choice, but Gaz seemed to enjoy it. Now they're watching "The Corbomite Maneuver" and she's asking a million questions about every possible plot element you could imagine. It's cute if you aren't trying to actually watch the episode (for instance, if you're blogging in another room). But she really digs aliens, and the spinning cube thing was a big hit.
Now that she's four, it's time to start her on Daddy's favorite things: comic books and Star Trek.
Her first two comic books, which she picked out herself at our usual comic shop, are Super Girl #8 and Scooby-Doo #143. Super Girl was the last half of a two-parter, so it was confusing for all of us coming into a new series with nothing but half a middle and an end of a story, plus, it features Mister Mxyzptlk, which I tell you is a sheer joy to have to read to your kid over and over and over again.
Scooby-Doo was suitably Scoobish, and the first adventure in the ish took place at the White House. There was some cryptozoology bit in there too which was actually interesting and not insane. Overall, I think Gaz picked some winners. Now we just have to teach her about the virtues of mylar sleeves and acid-free cardboard. Oh, and she'll need her own box. For the moment the books are (gasp!) on the coffee table.
For Star Trek, Mark started her off yesterday on "The Enemy Within," which would not have been my first choice, but Gaz seemed to enjoy it. Now they're watching "The Corbomite Maneuver" and she's asking a million questions about every possible plot element you could imagine. It's cute if you aren't trying to actually watch the episode (for instance, if you're blogging in another room). But she really digs aliens, and the spinning cube thing was a big hit.
school and vaccines
Gaz's second week of school was marred by an evil, evil chest cold (what is it with this kid and chest colds?!). On Tuesday as we walked home, she complained that she didn't feel well, and also that she wasn't looking forward to the fire drill the next day at school. I assumed the two were related until she developed the cough and fever that evening. Friday we went to the doctor to get an official opinion on the cold and get Gaz on the list for the H1N1 vaccine, which our doctor assured us they keep getting more of, but they only do the vaccines by appointment.
This past week Gaz made it through a whole week of school again, but we had a little meltdown on Thursday. I thought the week would get easier for her as the days wore on, but I hadn't allowed for the cumulative exhaustion of each day building up quite so much. It was picturesque and memorable, and I hope next week we can completely skip any sort of tantrum. She's been insisting on an earlier bedtime this past week, so I think if we just roll our schedule back a little that will fix most of our problems. At least, I hope that works, as she refuses to nap even while sick.
This weekend we had a nice but all-too-short visit from the Grandparents Mitchell. While everyone else was out having a good time, I went to check out the free city-sponsored H1N1 vaccine clinic at a conveniently-located city college. Since I'm in the high risk group (asthma--don't get any funny ideas, youse), I thought I should take advantage of the opportunity. I was surprised to find that they had the flumist as well as the injection, so I may bypass the annoyance of dragging her down to the pediatrician's office and just take her to the next clinic day. I hope Gaz being generally healthy as a horse will qualify her for the flumist. I can't avoid the needles, but it would be nice if she could. If not, they do have a Blue Bunny ice cream vending machine in the lobby.
This past week Gaz made it through a whole week of school again, but we had a little meltdown on Thursday. I thought the week would get easier for her as the days wore on, but I hadn't allowed for the cumulative exhaustion of each day building up quite so much. It was picturesque and memorable, and I hope next week we can completely skip any sort of tantrum. She's been insisting on an earlier bedtime this past week, so I think if we just roll our schedule back a little that will fix most of our problems. At least, I hope that works, as she refuses to nap even while sick.
This weekend we had a nice but all-too-short visit from the Grandparents Mitchell. While everyone else was out having a good time, I went to check out the free city-sponsored H1N1 vaccine clinic at a conveniently-located city college. Since I'm in the high risk group (asthma--don't get any funny ideas, youse), I thought I should take advantage of the opportunity. I was surprised to find that they had the flumist as well as the injection, so I may bypass the annoyance of dragging her down to the pediatrician's office and just take her to the next clinic day. I hope Gaz being generally healthy as a horse will qualify her for the flumist. I can't avoid the needles, but it would be nice if she could. If not, they do have a Blue Bunny ice cream vending machine in the lobby.
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