Dawn's Diary Entries Diary Navigation: Choose A Diary Entry -------------------- Latest Entry: 7/31/04 -------------------- 6/20/04 5/5/04 4/25/04 3/28/04 3/13/04 2/20/04 2/3/04 1/15/04 12/7/03 10/31/03 10/26/03 10/17/03 10/11/03 9/22/03 9/15/03 9/1/03 8/19/03 7/30/03 7/14/03 7/11/03 7/3/03 6/27/03 6/23/03 6/12/03 6/3/03 6/2/03 5/26/03 5/1/03 4/26/03 4/14/03 3/31/03 3/21/03 3/12/03 2/28/03 2/19/03 2/15/03 2/9/03 1/28/03 -------------------- Dawn's Introduction

February 15, 2003

Well, William is days away from turning 17 months old and is as charming as ever. This weeks entry is a general mix of the goings on that have occurred in our household during the past week. Hope you enjoy.

*I can make my mess and clean it too!

For as long as I can remembered, William has taken great pleasure in assisting his father and me in the daily household chores. He loves to sweep, wash the floor, put clothes in the clothesbasket, water the plants (watching him carry the watering jug slowly toward the plants is quite entertaining), unload the dishwasher and of course vacuum, which is perhaps his most favoutite activity.

We have a central vacuum system so the hose is quite lightweight, and William has gone from just being able to hold it upright to now being able to pretty much vacuum the floor as I would (although he takes a lot longer doing so). He loves to plug it into the hole in the wall, and lately he sometimes helps to put the vacuum away (usually he screams in protest that his favourite chore is coming to an end).

This weekend when we were visiting with my parents I learned just how much William loves to vacuum. William and his nanny were busy vacuuming the livingroom floor. When they were done nanny said, "we have to turn the vacuum off now, there is no more dirt left". With that you could actually see the screws turning in his little mind. William took me byt he hand, lead me to the counter where his leftover Crispex were still sitting in a bowl and demamded "UP". Thinking that he was hungry I lifted him up to get his bowl at which point he reached in, grabbed a handful, ran to the livingroom and proceeded to crunch them up and spread them over the floor. Turning to his nan with a twinkle in his eye he pointed to the floor and said "mess". He then delighted in his ability to get his nan to turn the vacuum on once again.

*Happy Valentines Day*

Yesterday after suffering through my work day with too many hormone filled preteens on Valentine's Day, with a headcold on top of that, I came home and delighted in the fact that my husband and his father took Wiliam for a little ride while I lay down and rested my weary body.

A little while later I hear dad and baby return. I barely lifted my head from the pillow, but I could hear William with his little boots on toddling down the hallway to my room. I look up to see him come around the door with his little arms wrapped tightly around a bouquet of roses. He walked over to the bed handed them up to me and gave me a big kiss. Of course he then tore the paper off to reveal the flowers underneath. I am sure he will break a few hearts when he is older! He sure made this valentine's day the best one ever. I only wish I had captured the moment on camera!

*How much tv to watch*

I have been pondering this question for a long time now, that is how much tv is too much for a toddler of William's age. From what I have read only a half hour of tv per day is recommended, so I course I am filled with guilty feelings cause I know that William often watched more than this.

On the average day he asks for the "mote" in the morning, as I have often let him watch 15 minutes of children's music videos so I can linger in bed just a little longer (selfish perhaps but we both enjoy it, I sing along as he wiggles and shakes. Then later in the morning he may watch Dora the Explorer, the second half of Sesame street or Barney. Then sometimes in the evening around 7 he may watch another 20 minute program. On days when we don't go outdoors, or he seems to be much more difficult to please, another show may be added to this. However, there are also mnay days when the tv isn't turned on at all, like on weekends, or when we have visitors, etc. But I am fearful that when he is with the babysitter that the tv isn't turned off during the day.

So, the big question I am putting out there is how much tv is considered too much? I would love to hear other opinions on this. Sometimes I wonder if I am too quick to turn on the magical stop the baby crying box when nothing else seems to please him (though this doesn't often happen, as most tv watching periods are planned out in advance), so I would also like to hear suggestions for avticitives we can do together besides watch tv.

Thanks for reading.
Dawn