Chemistry set... or rubber chicken?

Last week we went to Border's because I had a gift certificate (thanks Melissa!) and Quinn wanted to get a book, and we also wanted to get an enriching toy or game for Calvin.  The last time I went there was a Dr. Suess letters game (Dr. Seuss's ABC Game) that was kind of like twister, and there were Krinkles and all kinds of puzzles. 

So what was Calvin's highbrow choice? A totally nasty rubber chicken that poops out an egg! He actually pulled out all of the rubber chickens and played with them one by one, and played with it all the way to the cash register (we had to wrestle it out of his hands to buy it) and then it was non-stop giggling in the back seat of the car going home, and he slept with it too. 

NM Education Department is Using Driving to Keep Kids in School

NM Education Department is Using Driving to Keep Kids in School

Lesson #1

In the past few weeks I've been potty training Calvin. So far it's been.... messy, what can I say?

We tried a few months ago, with him standing up, but nothing came out. Then my friends told me that I'm supposed to teach him how to pee sitting down, and when he masters that he can try it standing.

So I bought two potty pods.  They're these soft cushy throne-like potty chairs.  The first time he tried it, he peed. I thought, awesome, this is going to be easy. And in a way it is.

I don't have to bribe him.  He likes stickers fine, but he doesn't see the connection between getting stickers and peeing. What really motivates him is being able to pick up the little pee pot and pour it into the toilet and flush. (I know, that's supposed to be my job, but he wants to do it.) So we were both in the bathroom.  I was sitting on the toilet and he was on his potty chair.

Then, quick as a flash, he said, "Good job, Calvin," stood up and poured the pee right on my lap! I couldn't get up fast enough!

This other time he finished and just flung the pee towards the toilet, like a monkey, and of course, it landed on my shirt.

So we're getting there. It's a couple notches messier than changing diapers. I welcome advice.

Incarceron

I know. I usually use this blog to review books for really little kids. But Incarceron, by Catherine Fisher is the kind of book that you buy for yourself and keep it around until your kids are old enough to read for themselves. 

Its a YA fantasy about a seventeen year old boy, Finn, who is trapped in a living, breathing, ever-watching prison.  The prison was created 150 years ago to contain all the unwanted members of society forever.  Finn is convinced that, unlike the other prisoners there, he wasn't born inside the prison, and he wants to escape.  This review explains the plot really well. 

Catherine Fisher describes this bizarre world in such a clear and vivid way.  Quinn and I both devoured it and are ready to check out all of Fisher's books. 

The Times named it the Children's Book of the Year.

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I am going! by Mo Willems

Gerald the gets a little distressed when Piggy announces that he's going.

It reminds me of Calvin's routine when I drop him off a preschool.

After a fair amount of drama, we realize that Piggy is just getting a little lunch, so it shows the difference between going away permanently and just stepping out for a minute.

Pigs Make Me Sneeze, by Mo Willems

We have read Mo Willems' pigeon books until they fell apart, so I decided to buy Pigs Make Me Sneeze.  The elephant has a cold and he thinks that his piggy friend is making him sneeze, and starts to worry that they won't be able to be friends anymore.

I like kids' books where one of the characters makes a mistake and has to go through all kinds of emotional angst before they realize that they were wrong. I mean, how can you get any perspective on how how much you like being around your friends unless you think you're allergic to them?