Lesson 72 From Elora: Baby Formula

Infant + Bouncy Seat = Sleep
Infant + Rocking = Sleep
Infant + Bassenette = Sleep
Infant + Grandma = Sleep

Infant + Daddy = Play time!
Infant + Mama = Lunch!

Big Changes in Deci Land

We are pleased to announce that Deci is no longer an only child! His sister Elora was born this past week and is a healthy and happy little girl. Hopefully I will resume posting here in a few days so you can look forward to more Lessons from Deci and maybe even a few from Sister!

Lesson 71: Sickness

Everyone likes to have their Mama when they're sick.

Lesson 70 From Baby: Walking

Mom was right - for some people walking slows labor. They should just sit on their bums all day and do nothing.

Lesson 69: Basketball Blocks

Playing basketball with your Mega Blocks doesn't work so well.

Lesson 68: Drills

Don't get your toddler a toy drill for Christmas. Once he figures out what it does he'll feel the need to "fix" everything in the house including the fridge, the door, the floor and your foot.

Lesson 67: Dancing

It's hard not to smile at the happy Blue's Clues dance. Perfect remedy to a bad day.

Lesson 66: Toys

Some toys are just more fun if they are sideways or upside down. Take T-Rex for example...

Lesson 65: Morning Bawl

The most effective way to wake up Mama is not to cry, or even call her name. It's to say "Bawl" over and over and over until she gets fed up and brings you one. Then you can throw it and say "bawl" again so she'll play with you.

Lesson 64: Beads for Books

Want to spend a few minutes perusing the books in a store? Wear beads on your shirt or a really sturdy bead necklace. The hunched over-reading a book pose is perfect to make the beads swing and entertain your toddler through at least a few pages of your favorite new book.

Lesson 56: Counting

Counting in order is over rated.

Lesson 63: M&Ms

They may "melt in your mouth, not in your hand" but if you don't swallow them afterwords, your chin will still turn blue.

Lesson 62: Bowls

While it is fun to wear your bowl upside down on your head, the resulting penut butter-in-hair effect is not so adorable.

Lesson 61: Mission Impossible

Never stop a toddler "on a mission." You never know what he's up to, but this mode sure does keep him busy! And he just might be trying to put away all of his blocks for a full fifteen minutes.

Lesson 60: Snuggeling

Notice to Toddlers Everywhere: When you don't feel good, and Mama doesn't feel good, you don't have to try to be sneaky about crawling up in her lap to snuggle all day. She'd be happy to anytime.

Lesson 59: Ornaments

Ornaments are not balls. Ornaments are not "bawls." Ornaments are not "bawl pees." Ornaments are not "bawl pees!" Ornaments are not "bawl pees!" before Christmas. Ornaments are not "bawl pees! after Christmas.

Ornaments break when thrown like a ball.

Lesson 58: Phones

Toddler-ese is often hard to understand, even for a mom who spends all day with the toddler. So when you and he are frustrated because you can't figure out what he wants, try having him call Daddy on the phone. Something about it makes his words much clearer. And if nothing else, he'll be happy for a chance to hijack your phone!

Lesson 57: Grandpas

Everyone says Grandmothers are there to spoil their grandchildren. They forget that Grandpa can be just as easily smoozed out of that "bawl" at Walgreens.

Lesson 55: Prayer Part II

Prayer Part I

While Christmas shopping several days ago, the three of us stopped for lunch at a buffet. We had forgotten to pray before the meal and so I said that we would pray after. This satisfied all parties, and let us finish our chicken and potatoes. However, when we went to leave and get in the car Deci was suddenly a very upset toddler. We figured it was just the in and out of the car after a full day of shopping that was making him irritated, until two streets later we realized that his toddler-ese whine was an actual word. "Pay!" in Deci means pray, and we had definitely forgotten to pray. But not my little elephant brain! He insisted, and so pray we did at the next stoplight. Cute-stuff folded his little hands, bowed his head in his car seat, and even said "Amen!" when we were all done. Suddenly the car was a much more pleasant place to be.

So today's lesson from Deci: Don't forget to pray!

Lesson 54: Hives Are Scary

Oatmeal baths are a life saver; They make hives go away almost as well as benadryl.