Sage Advice
A real exchange between Grandma and Logan today:
They were discussing Gymboree and Grandma told Logan that his buddy Michael, who will have a baby sister in April, needed Logan to teach him how to be a really good brother. Logan responded with, "Well I think someone should read him the big brother book. It help"
Question of the Day
Today just after bath and before bedtime Logan located Mommy in the kitchen bouncing his infant sister around trying to soothe her during a "I'm out of the tub and I don't want to be" infant tantrum.
"Cuse me, Mommy," he said sweetly, "Are you available to read?"
Prepping for the Holiday
Logan did some Christmas shopping today. First he hit up Toys R Us where he picked out a gift for Megan -
a Strawberry Nature Bearry with a small book because, as he reminded me "Megan was strawberry for Trick or Treat." He also picked out a gift for Papa.
Then we headed over to Hallmark where Logan found Grandma's and Daddy's gifts. At first he wanted to get Daddy a stuffed doll because "he'd like a girl." I encouraged him to make look at something like music CDs or a lighthouse. Logan located the
Harbour Lights display. Daddy, by the way, collects the New Jersey lighthouses produced by Harbour Lights so this was perfect except, of course, that they're pricey and Dad already has all of the NJ ones they've released. That did not stop Logan, however. He peered into the case and he found what he wanted - a small
Barnaget Lighthouse ornament
"I want that for Daddy!" he said excitely. "That Old Barney. Daddy take me there." And Daddy had once taken Logan there for one of the Saturday morning walks. First they had breakfast at the diner housed in an old train and then they hiked around "Old Barney."
Well the ornament was locked up in the case and so we had to find the clerk to help us. We walked to the counter and I told them what we needed. Logan put his fingers up on the counter and stood up on this tip-toes so that just his eyes peeked above the counter. "I need Little Old Barney for Daddy's Christmas present."
The woman followed us to the display and asked Logan which he wanted. He reached in carefully and picked the lighthouse he had his eye on and then carefully carried it to the counter where he put it up gently and said (as the woman had mentioned just moments ago) "I need box for that please."
He carried his box to the door and then announced that it was much too heavy for him so Mommy had to hold it for him. On our ride home we talked about why we were buying presents and how he could NOT tell anyone what he had gotten because they were to be a surprise. I told him that we would hide them and then later wrap them and put them under our tree so that each person would have them on Christmas morning. He agreed that this seemed like a great idea.
Then we got home.
Logan ran into the living room to find Daddy and said, very excitedly "Daddy I got you a surprise light house for Christmas!"
A boy's first letter to Santa
Dear Santa,
My name is Logan Daniel Potts. I was a very good boy this year. For Christmas I’d like the Polar Express North Pole set that has you and a Christmas tree. Does the Polar Express Train really come see you at the North Pole every year?
I also would like a train whistle, stuff for my Tommy trains, books to read, my very own telescope, and the Clock Tower for my Geo Tracks. I would be happy to have toys that help me learn to read because I like my stories.
This year my baby sister Megan came to live with us. She’s been a good baby and I love her very much. Megan would like presents too. Please bring her a doll and her own piano because she likes to borrow mine.
Vnbbnnbn bnbnbnbnbb mmmmeeggggggggaaaannnn ddddddd
I am going to leave some cookies out for you. What are you favorite kinds? Do the reindeer like carrots or should I leave them something else. My mommy got me a pack of special reindeer food with sparkles that I will sprinkle outside so you can find me.
B bmzzzzzzxxxxxxxczxcvvvvbbnnnnnnmmmmmmmm
Love ,
Logan
Zzzzzzzxxccccvvbbbnnqqqqwwe
Happy Thanksgiving
Dear Little Man,
On this Thanksgiving Day and on those that fell before and will fall after, we are thankful for you. We are thankful for the light you bring each day, for the love you offer us unabashedly and for the gift of being a part of your life.
We thank God that we get to watch that little mind of yours at work. We are thankful to be privvy to your wondeful sense of humor. We are thankful for each hug and sloppy wet kiss.
We are:
Thankful that we can watch your face light up with joy when your sister coos at you.
Thankful to watch your imagination at play.
Thankful to see you grow into your own little person that has yet to be hampered in experession and blunt replies.
Thankful to be gifted with items of your creative nature.
Thankful to share in your joys and to have the ability to hug you tight during your sorrows.
We are thankful for you, little man. Thankful every day.
Love,
Mom and Dad...and Megan too.
Anger Management
Logan can be your typical two-year old. All that talk about "terrible twos" can easily be personified in this cute little overall clad tyke. He throws tantrums with the best of them. He asserts his growing sense of self and independence grandly. And, he gets sent to his room for it often enough.
Its a simple parent/child dance really. He acts out. Mom says "That's it, you're going to your room and you will stay there till I come get you." Down to the room we go - typically boy plopped on his bed where he proceeds to stand and yell about it until I return to retrieve him. At that point in the dance he'll sniff out "I sorry. I be good now." And usually he is.
Friday night Logan was mad that I was not mixing cement on his command. Yes, I said cement. We were going to make the cement required for the stepping stone kit Uncle Stoo and Miss Betty sent as a gift for Megan. I had showed Logan the kid and talked about what we were going to do with it. I had offered to let him help sink deocrative stones into the mushiness. Then Megan woke up and wasn't pleased to be still in her swing and all bets were off.
And then Logan threw the Mother of all fits. . .and I offered him a trip to his room until he could calm down. He stopped yelling before we inched towards the hallway. He paused. He thought. Then he, almost happily, asked me to go down the hall with him and turn on his lights. First one lamp, then the other.
He climbed up on his bed. He stood in the center of it and he said, as he pointed to the door "Ok, you go away now."
Me - What?
Logan - Take Megan to the Living Room and watch the Tommy movie. I stay here.
Me - Umm, ok. Are you sure?
Logan - Nes. I stay here, you go to Living Room. I'm going to stand here and yell.
Me - Ok. Do you want me to come get you in a few minutes?
Logan - No tanks Mommy, that's ok. I'll just come down when I feel better.
And he did.
Movie Magic
Logan saw his first movie in the 'real' theatre today. He's hooked.
As the lights came up and the closing credits scrolled across the screen Logan reached out with either hand to his father and I and said "Let's stay here and watch another movie."
Of course if you ask him if he liked the movie he'll say "No. Its closed now." If you ask if he liked it while it was on and he was there he says he did. Apparently he's just miffed that it ended.
We took him to see The Polar Express and, at least as of bath time tonight, his favorite part of the movie was when they went to the very big Christmas tree. I had expected he'd have selected something more train related, but no, the tree was a hit. I'm hoping he doesn't expect something that grand in our sunroom this year!
As the film started I looked over at him perched on his blue plastic booster seat that made him tip slightly towards the back of the chair - it wasn't quite weighted enough in the front to keep the seat down flat. He seemed so big, so much more mature than he had just moments before. He sat with a hand on either arm rest - yes, he's a movie chair armrest hog. He kept his gaze fixed on the screen and was most interested in those previews. He kept asking "Wow! What next?" When the movie started he inhaled deeply and then sighed as he said "Ohhh, it my movie."
Bruce and I each half-execpted that we'd have to leave partway through the movie. We figured he'd chatter a whole lot. We expected him to loose interest and focus. He, however, remained smitten by the movie and barely moved - unless it was to lean into one of us and say softly "Ohh, it dark in here!" or, as he gazed up at the faint glowign light fixtres "Look! There lights in here! See, there lights."
Lighting aside, he actually did absorb the film. He was so intently watching it, in fact, that at one point when it looks as if one character is about to fall off the back of the caboose, Logan let out his breath sharply and cried out "Oh no!" The old couple behind us were most amused.
While making dinner tonight and attending to the youngest member of our family, we put on one of Logan's Thomas DVDs. He insisted we turn out all the lights in the living room so he watch it in the dark "just like Polar Express."
Tonight, as we snuggled on his bed surrounded by reading material before Logan was tucked in to sleep, we read his Polar Express book. He laid there quietly studing the pictures. He pointed to the image of the train chuggin up the curling moutain path saying, "They had that in my movie." When we were done reading he asked to see the cover and he confided that he liked his book and he liked his movie. "Some day we buy that DVD and I watch it all the time at home," he said smiling.
Spread the good word
Today as we walked into Gymboree I told Logan that his friend Michael was going to have a baby sister in the Spring.
"He doens't know how neat it can be to have a baby sister," I told Logan. "You'll have to tell him all about it."
When we got into the class Logan located his buddy, ran over to him and got his face within inches of Michael's. Then he, so very exicited and therefore speaking so very fast, imparted his brotherly wisdom.
"Michael, my baby sister loves me and kisses me and hugs me. She so cute. It neat to have a baby sister. I love her," he said.
The Christmas Story according to Logan
Sure it early, but why not settle yourself into a comfy position and listen closely to the Christmas Story:
Once upon a time the Mailcarrier left a book of joy in our mailbox. This book, also known as the Fisher Price Holiday Catalog, fascinated young Mr. Logan Daniel. He flipped through pages, made a list and checked it twice. On the back page he found a
Little People Nativity and he gleefully requested it make an appearance in his toy collection.
"But Logan," said his Mommy patiently, "you already
have that toy."
Logan said "I no have it. I want it."
And Mommy smiled back at him. "Logan come here, let me show you." She opened up the old blanket chest now working as a toy box and she dug beneath stuffed dogs and behind plastic trucks until she found a small plastic stable, squat little people, a handful of barn animals, one small angel and a tiny baby wrapped in swaddling clothes molded into a manager.
"See, here it is," she said, somewhat wishing she could say "See, I told you so!"
Well despite the fact that it was only November 5th, young Mr. Logan decided to put out his Little People Nativity for display - and why not, the same day Santa Claus showed up at the mall on a fire engine and now sits in his big plush chair amongst fake snow, teenage elves and a big old train at Centercourt.
"Mommy, what's this called?" he asked as he held up the stable. So Mommy told him its name and then added "See, that's where Baby Jesus was born."
"No," said Logan with complete sincerity. "Babies no born in stable. This Baby Jesus hob-it-bull." (also know as hospital because after all that's where baby sister Megan came from...its where all babies come from.)
"Ummm, well, ok Logan, but its really a stable...a barn."
"No," he said "Its a hobitbull barn." Then he held up a wiseman and asked "Who that?"
"That's one of the three kings that came to visit Baby Jesus," explained his Mommy.
"No Mommy! That silly. That not a king. That a queen," said Logan
"Well, ok, but its really a king or a wiseman." said Mommy. "Why do you think its a queen?"
"She wear a dress!" said Logan as if Mommy should know this. He held out the squat figure in his hand to prove his point.
"That's a robe Logan. When Baby Jesus was born long, long ago men didn't wear pants, they all wore robes."
"No," said Logan, "She's a queen. She bring Baby Jesus milk," he added as he pointed to the gold colored vessel in the figure's hand.
Satisfied he had won the debate, he turned back to his "Baby Jesus set" as he referred to the entire scene. He placed the golden haired angel on the top of the "hospital" and pressed down - an action that starts the music playing and lights up the star on the front facade of the little building.
"Ohhh," said Logan as if he finally got it all. He pointed to the glowing star and said, "That Baby Jesus nightlight."
"I want to read," he said
Actually he said, "Nes, Nes, I want to read. I want to learn to read."
Nes, by the way, is Logan's "I'm so attached to No it follows me over to the affirmative" way of saying Yes.
We were stretched out on his bed first thing this morning reading stories from what Logan referred to as "the biggest book I ever saw." He started pointing to various words in the story asking me "What that say?" After a few inquiries I closed the book slightly to help direct his attention to me and away from the page. "Logan, do you want to learn to read?" I asked him. He very (and I do mean very) excitedly replied with the above.
Now this isn't quite as far a stretch as it may seem for this 2 year old. I mean after all he's known his alphabet for well over a year now - not the song, we're talking about identifying the actual letters. He knows nearly half of his letter sounds now. He can spell his own name and recognize a few of words in print. He understands that letters go together to make words and words together to make up parts of his stories. He brings me all sorts of items lately (mail, ads, various products with labels) and says "What that say?" The next logical step is reading.
We spent some time this morning with his "Step 1" books working on sounding out words and identifying words that reappear often in the text. This afternoon we traveled to Hammet's Learning World and came home with a work book on early phonics through rhyme, Phonics cards and a CD of songs designed to teach phonics. He was so eager in that store. He even told the lady he was there because he wanted to learn to read. When we got back in the car he said to me "Mommy, go home now. I want to read my new book and learn to read."
We've been careful NOT to say things like "now you can read on your own" that would imply "you don't need us so we'll just be here to read to Megan and you're on your own kid." Instead we say "When learn to read you can read us a story at bedtime." The one thing though, that's he's most excited about is that he can read to Megan. Whenever we talk about him reading to us, he quickly adds "I can read to Megan!" He tries to do so now. He has a few of the short, more basic board books memorized. He'll sit next to her and "read" them from memory. What a lucky girl Megan is, so many people to read to her -- maybe even her big brother!
Halloween wrap up
Logan loves Halloween. We talked a lot about it prior to the actual 'big' day. He knew he'd go up to the neighbor's door and hold out his bucket saying "Trick or Treat!" He knew he'd get candy and he knew to say "Thank you." I'm not quite sure though that full scope of it all sunk in.
The big moment arrived finally and Logan, the boy who never met a cap he'd keep on for more than 5 minutes, kept his conductor hat on until he was done with his rounds having been told there was no trick or treating without it. Sans hat he looked more like hill-billy bandit than a train conductor.
At the first house he played a bit shy. He didn't talk much and he appeared interested in going to just one more house. After the second house he told us "Ok, just one more." After the third he was asking to go Grandma's house after just one more here (knowing Grandma had a whole entire bag of mini-peanut butter cups waiting for him. His favorite!) After the third, he wanted yet another. When we'd ring a bell of an empty house he'd say sadly "Hey Lady, I said Trick or Treat!" as if the home owner was merely hiding on him.
At one house Logan squatted down in front of the door and started to remove items from his pumpkin shaped bucket. The neighbor squatted down with him. "See all the candy I got, lady? Want to give me more?" he asked her. So she did. Another neighbor asked him how his baby sister was doing, to which he replied "Oh, she's ok. She's a Strawberry for Trick or Treat but she can't eat candy. She down there sleeping with Daddy."
He then trick or treated at Grandma's. He rang the bell, held up his bucket and yelled out Trick or Treat! Once inside he emptied his bucket of all its goodies and started to lump them into categories - MMs here (yes, at least according to one two year old there is no longer a &, just two "M's"), peanut butter cups there, crackers and the like over yonder. He'd count each grouping. He'd arrange them again and shove them deep into his bucket announcing he was ready to go get more.
At the last house we visited in Grandma's neighborhood Logan took pause on his way down the driveway to take inventory of his loot. It was something he had done before without stopping but this time he wanted a better view I suppose. We convinced him he could wait until we made our way back to Grandma's.
Luckily he's easily accepted that Trick or Treat is just one day of the year. He did ask to dress up today but was tantrum free when I explained that we couldn't go out and beg for more candy because no one had any left to give him. He's content now just getting token offerings from his stash now but I'm sure he's looking forward to next year.
