There's no doubt about it: my daughter is growing up. Day by day she takes a few steps forward, and the occasional step back, on her way to full toddlerdom. But these steps are so small, so subtle, that it can be hard to recognize on any given day just how far Mimi has come. I decided to take a look at an average day now to see just how far my little girl has come since we left New York and came to San Francisco.
Mimi normally wakes up sometime between 7:30 and 8:30. The time isn't so different from 8 months ago, but the way she welcomes the morning certainly is. In the past, Mimi would just cry when she woke up. She still does that from time to time now, but most mornings Sumie and I will hear giggles coming from her room. We'll call out Mimi's name and get even more giggles. As soon as I enter the room, Mimi will present me with her baby doll and kitty, both by name. The she'll hand me her blanket (Ba!) and lastly lift up her arms and yell out "Mimi! Mimi!" One unfortunate change, though, has been the massive amount of milk Mimi can take in before bed and the limitations of even the most robust modern diapers. This morning I woke to find a very damp, very smelly, but still very happy little girl. Laundry day came early.
After a quick change, it's usually time for breakfast. But sometimes Mimi likes to take the morning a bit more slowly, and jumps back into bed - this time, Mama and Papa's.
Once breakfast time does come, it's no longer a bottle and dry Cheerios. I try to cook for Mimi whenever I can, and at the very least provide her with fresh fruit each morning. Strawberries, blueberries, and grapes, in particular, have been favorites. Usually Mimi will tell me it's time to eat by pointing to her plate or pulling out her high chair.
The other day I went beyond the usual cereal or scrambled eggs and made french toast.
Unfortunately, with increased age has come increased pickiness. The french toast intrigued Mimi not so much as a breakfast item but as a sticky slab that makes excellent "thunking" sounds on kitchen tile. Argh.
Mimi's newfound independence really shows after breakfast. She's getting better and better when it comes to playing on her own. This is great for me because I can finally get the occasional chore done when she's still in sight. Some of this new independent spirit must come from her Mimi's developing language skills. Rather than just waiting for things to happen, or screaming until what she wants occurs, Mimi can usually get what she wants with a few key words. For instance, if her father forgets that she's thirsty in the morning, rather than yelling, she'll just ask for juice.
If Mimi wants a story, she knows to bring me a book.
When it comes to reading, it's not just Mimi's choice of books that has changed. Back in New York we were lucky to get through one book without Mimi abandoning ship, but now she'll often bring me two or three and sit through them all. She's also starting to interact with the stories, calling out character names and pointing out objects. I'm very proud that Mimi loves books and is still almost completely uninterested in TV (except for Thomas and Top Gear).
Of course, Mimi likes to play with her toys during the day. As I mentioned before, she's getting better and better at independent play, but she still likes having a playmate around. On non-daycare days, that's me. Mimi can be rather demanding at times, which puts me in the occasional compromising position. Being a stay-at-home dad definitely has its dangers.
Perhaps the biggest change we've seen in Mimi's daily routine has been her approach to daycare. As I've shared before, Mimi never really took to daycare in NYC, so it's with tremendous relief that Sumie and I see Mimi loving her daycare now. On daycare days we tell Mimi, shortly after she wakes up, that she's going to see Maya (one of her daycare providers). Mimi will then yell out "Mai!" and run for the safety gate blocking the stairs where she'll jump up and down shouting "Go! Go!" I cannot begin to explain just how relieved Sumie and I are that Mimi's found confidence and comfort away from home.
When it comes time to pick Mimi up from daycare she's still glad to see me. I'm happy for that. But sometimes the full day with friends makes her a bit cranky. And very stubborn. Mimi's taken to carrying her own daycare bag. It's part of her new independent spirit. Sometimes, though, her bag's a bit much for her to carry. It takes about 3 or 4 minutes of serious struggle for Mimi to finally relent and hand the bag over to Papa.
Dinner time has also changed; not so much for Mimi but definitely for me and Sumie. In NYC we'd eat out or order in two to three nights a week. Here in SF, we cook at home almost every day. It's helped with the finances and it's been healthier for Mimi. Still, we do need to get out every once in a while. Tired from a long week, Mimi, Sumie, and I hit Mel's Diner over on Geary for burgers and fish and chips. Not the healthiest dinner, but well deserved. I even topped the meal off with a milkshake, which was served traditionally with both the glass and tin mixing cup. I got the glass, Mimi the tin cup.
She loved it. And this was no ordinary milkshake Mimi enjoyed. It was a malt. I've always been a malt guy, but it's getting harder and harder to find a good one these days. So, I'm very proud to report that it looks like Mimi is a malt fan. Learning to enjoy a good malt: yet another sign that Mimi is on the right track... at least in my mind.
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