Julia and her parents decided to get seafood after church one recent Sunday. It was a sunny day, so they took a nice long drive to a restaurant on the waterfront. Once there, Julia enjoyed the usual activities of coloring and talking to the people around her.
One by one, crayons hit the floor. "Colors!" Julia entreated, hoping that her Daddy would find her crayons and return them. "Please," Julia's Mommy reminded her. "Pease," Julia replied.
When she tired of coloring, Julia requested by exclamation, "Book!" Again, Julia's Mommy reminded her to say, "Please." "Pease," Julia sighed.
The server brought beverages to the table for everyone and took food orders. Julia was excited because her Daddy ordered soup. Julia loves sharing her Daddy's soup when they go out to eat. "Soup!" she declares, or, "Soupy!" if she is especially delighted with the selection.
Enticed by the smell, Julia's Mommy asked Daddy, "May I taste it?" Julia smile broadly and admonished her mother, "Please!"
Julia's Mommy had no choice but to smile and say, "Please."
Monday, March 26, 2007
Monday, March 12, 2007
Splish, splash
Julia likes taking baths almost as much as she likes to brush her teeth. In fact, after she's done with her toothbrush at the sink in the evenings, she will often turn around and say, "Tub. Bath."
When bathtime comes, Julia helps remove her clothes and fill the tub. She likes letting the water run over her fingers. In the tub, she enjoys her classic toys: a rubber duckie and small plastic toys that squirt water. Fortunately, she prefers to squirt the water in her own face and not her Mommy's or Daddy's. Special animal-shaped washcloths provide added incentive for Julia to wash herself in between splashing. The main event, of course, is the splashing.
Julia's Mommy and Daddy have learned that bathtime is about more than getting clean. Julia has become increasingly comfortable with water and is almost to a point of swimming in the tub. She should be ready for toddler classes this summer.
As with everything else that Julia enjoys, she hates to get out of the tub. She protests loudly, splashes the water that hasn't yet gone down the drain, and makes her Mommy or Daddy remove her from the tub, getting them wet in the process. Poetic justice comes in many forms for a toddler.
When bathtime comes, Julia helps remove her clothes and fill the tub. She likes letting the water run over her fingers. In the tub, she enjoys her classic toys: a rubber duckie and small plastic toys that squirt water. Fortunately, she prefers to squirt the water in her own face and not her Mommy's or Daddy's. Special animal-shaped washcloths provide added incentive for Julia to wash herself in between splashing. The main event, of course, is the splashing.
Julia's Mommy and Daddy have learned that bathtime is about more than getting clean. Julia has become increasingly comfortable with water and is almost to a point of swimming in the tub. She should be ready for toddler classes this summer.
As with everything else that Julia enjoys, she hates to get out of the tub. She protests loudly, splashes the water that hasn't yet gone down the drain, and makes her Mommy or Daddy remove her from the tub, getting them wet in the process. Poetic justice comes in many forms for a toddler.
Wednesday, March 7, 2007
Look out below...
Julia and her Mommy sit in the balcony at church most Sundays. That's so Julia can have access to her Daddy's office if she needs a nap or a diaper change. It's also so Julia won't distract her fellow congregants from service by making funny faces and talking to the people nearby.
Since few other people sit in the balcony, Julia's Mommy allows her to be fairly mobile. She can walk back and forth in the row, look over the top of the balcony to see her Daddy in the pulpit, and, lately, practice going up and down the couple of stairs between rows. Julia enjoys this freedom.
When she became tall enough to peer over the balcony, she realized she could see lots of people and things below. This led her to experiments in gravity and distance.
Julia's cousin Stephanie joined them in the balcony one Sunday. When Stephanie went downstairs to play drums with the choir, Julia's Mommy moved most of Stephanie's things so they wouldn't be transformed into toys by Julia's deft hands. Julia managed to find her Auntie Anne's Bible, however, and with both hands positioned it over the balcony. She was about ready to make her release when her Mommy caught her and put the book out of her reach.
Julia then distracted herself with other things, including a snack. At one point, the cup of milk became the object of her experiment. Her Mommy caught the cup and moved it out of reach.
Having been foiled twice, Julia took a little nap. Her pal Elmo joined her. When they awoke, Julia again took interest in what was happening below. Then, before her Mommy could catch her, she launched Elmo over the balcony. As though she were quite surprised, Julia turned to her Mommy and asked, "Elmo?"
Exasperated, her Mommy simply said, "Elmo went downstairs." "Downstairs," Julia repeated, resigned to have to wait until the end of service to retrieve him.
Fortunately, no one was crushed by the weight of the small stuffed toy that Sunday. Since then, pacifiers and teething rings have all been launched over the balcony without landing on anyone. Although her Mommy tries to pack activities to keep her occupied, Julia's natural curiosity takes over. So, if you ever sit below Julia in church, just look out.
Since few other people sit in the balcony, Julia's Mommy allows her to be fairly mobile. She can walk back and forth in the row, look over the top of the balcony to see her Daddy in the pulpit, and, lately, practice going up and down the couple of stairs between rows. Julia enjoys this freedom.
When she became tall enough to peer over the balcony, she realized she could see lots of people and things below. This led her to experiments in gravity and distance.
Julia's cousin Stephanie joined them in the balcony one Sunday. When Stephanie went downstairs to play drums with the choir, Julia's Mommy moved most of Stephanie's things so they wouldn't be transformed into toys by Julia's deft hands. Julia managed to find her Auntie Anne's Bible, however, and with both hands positioned it over the balcony. She was about ready to make her release when her Mommy caught her and put the book out of her reach.
Julia then distracted herself with other things, including a snack. At one point, the cup of milk became the object of her experiment. Her Mommy caught the cup and moved it out of reach.
Having been foiled twice, Julia took a little nap. Her pal Elmo joined her. When they awoke, Julia again took interest in what was happening below. Then, before her Mommy could catch her, she launched Elmo over the balcony. As though she were quite surprised, Julia turned to her Mommy and asked, "Elmo?"
Exasperated, her Mommy simply said, "Elmo went downstairs." "Downstairs," Julia repeated, resigned to have to wait until the end of service to retrieve him.
Fortunately, no one was crushed by the weight of the small stuffed toy that Sunday. Since then, pacifiers and teething rings have all been launched over the balcony without landing on anyone. Although her Mommy tries to pack activities to keep her occupied, Julia's natural curiosity takes over. So, if you ever sit below Julia in church, just look out.
Tuesday, March 6, 2007
Toothbrush!
Julia was a late bloomer when it comes to teeth. She didn’t get her first until days before her first birthday. Now she has about eight teeth, and her doctor said that she can start to learn to brush them.
Julia’s Mommy and Daddy took her to purchase her first toothbrush, and she was instantly excited. She wanted to brush right then and there—in the middle of Marc’s discount store. She held it lovingly as her parents continued to shop, then she had separation anxiety at the checkout counter.
“Noooo!” she screamed as her Daddy put it on the conveyor. “Toothbrush!” Then came the tears.
When Julia got home, she was ready to brush. “Toothbrush? Toothbrush?” she asked with great anticipation. Once she got it in her hands, she was in heaven. Who would have thought that so much joy would come from one tiny implement?
That first night, she chewed on it more than she brushed, but that didn’t matter much to Julia. She had a toothbrush of her very own. If her Mommy and Daddy would have let her, she would have slept with it.
When it was time to rinse it and leave it in its holder, she again produced tears. “Tooooth bruuuush!” she cried longingly until Mommy popped a pacifier in her mouth. The tears still ran, but the cries were more muffled.
The next morning, Julia greeted her Mommy and Daddy with a big smile and asked, “Toothbrush?” Yes, she was ready to get reacquainted with her new friend.
After Julia was bathed and dressed, it was tooth-brushing time again. This time, Julia’s Daddy brushed with Julia so she could better see how it’s done. She asked for some assistance then quickly grabbed the brush back to practice some more. After a little rinsing, Daddy coaxed Julia to move on to the rest of the day.
More tears, more paci.
That evening, Julia and her Mommy were playing on the couch. In the midst of a fit of giggles, Julia stood straight up, became very serious, and exclaimed, “Toothbrush! Upstairs!” She then took her Mommy’s finger and headed toward the stairs.
Julia climbed up the stairs and headed toward the bathroom. “Brush teeth,” she said. After she was done and rinsed, she felt much better about returning to her game downstairs.
Since those first early days, Julia has improved her tooth-brushing skills and actually makes pretty good contact between brush and teeth. She would brush several times daily if she could, but her Mommy and Daddy believe that twice is plenty for a toddler without a full set of teeth.
Julia’s Mommy and Daddy took her to purchase her first toothbrush, and she was instantly excited. She wanted to brush right then and there—in the middle of Marc’s discount store. She held it lovingly as her parents continued to shop, then she had separation anxiety at the checkout counter.
“Noooo!” she screamed as her Daddy put it on the conveyor. “Toothbrush!” Then came the tears.
When Julia got home, she was ready to brush. “Toothbrush? Toothbrush?” she asked with great anticipation. Once she got it in her hands, she was in heaven. Who would have thought that so much joy would come from one tiny implement?
That first night, she chewed on it more than she brushed, but that didn’t matter much to Julia. She had a toothbrush of her very own. If her Mommy and Daddy would have let her, she would have slept with it.
When it was time to rinse it and leave it in its holder, she again produced tears. “Tooooth bruuuush!” she cried longingly until Mommy popped a pacifier in her mouth. The tears still ran, but the cries were more muffled.
The next morning, Julia greeted her Mommy and Daddy with a big smile and asked, “Toothbrush?” Yes, she was ready to get reacquainted with her new friend.
After Julia was bathed and dressed, it was tooth-brushing time again. This time, Julia’s Daddy brushed with Julia so she could better see how it’s done. She asked for some assistance then quickly grabbed the brush back to practice some more. After a little rinsing, Daddy coaxed Julia to move on to the rest of the day.
More tears, more paci.
That evening, Julia and her Mommy were playing on the couch. In the midst of a fit of giggles, Julia stood straight up, became very serious, and exclaimed, “Toothbrush! Upstairs!” She then took her Mommy’s finger and headed toward the stairs.
Julia climbed up the stairs and headed toward the bathroom. “Brush teeth,” she said. After she was done and rinsed, she felt much better about returning to her game downstairs.
Since those first early days, Julia has improved her tooth-brushing skills and actually makes pretty good contact between brush and teeth. She would brush several times daily if she could, but her Mommy and Daddy believe that twice is plenty for a toddler without a full set of teeth.
A change in venue for The Julia Chronicles
It's a new year and a new phase for Julia Glynn. While we all have enjoyed her newsletter, it's time for a more flexible option for Julia's Mommy to share information about the Princess and her life. So for all of you who have been asking for the newest issues of the Julia Chronicles, you can check here regularly for updates and information. And you can share this blog with family and friends who might enjoy the stories. The goal is to create a new post once a week. There may be more, but for now we're keeping it simple.
You may still get a newsletter for special occasions, like Julia's birthday or Christmas. The bulk of her stories will be here in our little corner of cyberspace. We hope you enjoy them.
You may still get a newsletter for special occasions, like Julia's birthday or Christmas. The bulk of her stories will be here in our little corner of cyberspace. We hope you enjoy them.
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