Anya: Year 4

Well child visit stats: Weight: 34 pounds (50%), height 39.5 inches (50%), BMI 15.3 (50%), BP: 95/54, hearing: pass, vision R 20/40, L 20/40, pulse: 93
_____

Yesterday Anya turned 4 for the very first and likely the last time.  This is our annual report on her.  Her progress, her temperament, her likes and dislikes.

Anya is very energetic.  Why walk when you could run is her motto (still).  When she's not running, she literally hops up and down in place until the opportunity to run once again presents itself.

She loves to eat and she does so constantly.  We are very fortunate that she is not a picky eater, but she starts asking for food as soon as her current meal makes it down her throat. 

She's very empathetic, perhaps too much so.  She's always running to help the "hurt cats" or the "poor dog", which basically means she manhandles them endlessly and probably makes any matters far worse then if she just left everyone alone.  But she's awfully sweet.

She has a very literal and scientific mind, she's crazy about dinosaurs, loves to talk about animals, and seems to have no suspension of disbelief.  For example, the other day we were in Hawaii, and saw Mickey and Minnie Mouse.  She didn't say, "Wow, there's Mickey and Minnie," she said, "There's people in those costumes".  She's also started asking how Peter, the Elf on the Shelf, can see through door nobs, and walls.  


She can count to 100 with very little help (she gets stuck sometimes going from 59 to 60, and 69 to 70).  She can read three to four letter words with no tricky stuff in them (just like her dad!), she could doubtlessly read much better if she wasn't so stubborn when we try to explain things to her. She can also write her name and other short words.

Yes Anya is very strong-willed.  She really doesn't like taking instruction or directions from anyone, especially us.  This makes it very difficult for us to teach her how to swim for instance, or how to read, cut with scissors, ride a bike, or anything else that doesn't come naturally or can't be accomplished with brute force.  

She has a remarkable memory. She still remembers Barbara, the woman who did our color consultation two years ago.  She also remembered some specific details about Judith, her photographer, from two years earlier (she had a bubble gun, and two cats).

Here is a breif interview I just performed with Anya. (Mom and Dad's opinions added as well)

What do you want to be when your grow up?:
A Dentist, because I want to help people when they get a cavity. It's bad because cavities get really bigger.
Zoologist (mom)
Medical something or other (dad)


Who are your favorite friends:

• Eva
• Javier
• Eloise
• Riley
• Flynn
• Noelle (mom)

What are your favorite places?: 

• Hawaii, because Andrea is there.
• Seattle, because I like to see Byron and Susan there.
• Any beach (mom)
• Any place where there are animals, especially the zoo (mom)
• Any place she can climb or jump (mom)
• Burke Museum (dad)

What are your favorite things to do?:

• Go to the State Fair
• Go to the pool with Javier, Elloise and Eva
• Go to the jumpy house (dad)
• Go see Grandma and Grandpa (dad)
• Explore outside (mom)
• Arts and Crafts (mom)
• Dressing up (mom)
• Playing board games (mom)
• Harass the cats (dad)

What are your favorite things: 

• Elephant (her lovey)
• iPad
• Laika
• The cats
• Any trampoline (dad)
• Any creature-including bugs (mom)

What are your favorite foods:

• Pizza (Peperoni preferred)
• Bagels
• Indian
• Thai
• Sushi
• Fruit (mom)
• Deli Meats (dad)

Favorite Movies: 

• Tangled 
• Land Before Time (the whole dang series of 11 or so)
• Despicable Me (mom)
• Toy Story 3 (mom)

Best Qualities?:

• I have 100 energy
• I'm funny.
• Compassionate (mom)
• Strong willed (good and bad) (mom and dad)
• Questions things (mom and dad)
• Physically agile (mom) 

We look forward to what the next year brings. 

Happy birthday

Happy fourth birthday, Anya!

Ridiculous Arguments

One of the worst parts about having a child is the ridiculous arguments you’re forced to either have, or adjudicate. 

On a daily basis a parent comes face-to-face with issues so mind-numbingly trivial that you find you have long since lost the tools and techniques required to comprehend the issues at hand let alone resolve them with Solomonic wisdom.

Yesterday was one of the more memorable days in this regard.  Anya and her good buddy Eloise had both picked up leaves they found pretty.  At some point there was a disagreement over whose leaf was whose and both wound up shredded in a pile on the floor.  Much crying ensued.  All I could think to say was, “You guys do realized that, unlike anything else in this entire world, leave DO grow on trees and you could probably both find another if you looked really hard.”  But there went 10 minutes of my and Hank’s lives;  20 full adult minutes lost to an intractable argument over leaves.

But the argument that took the cake yesterday was a tantrum about who would get Anya some water.  She said, “Dad get me some water. ”  I thought about her lack of a “please”, the fact that I had just sat down on the couch, her uncanny ability to fill vessels with water food coloring and balance them precariously on the arms of chairs and in cupboards, and the fact that half the time when I fill her cup she wails at the injustice of my having deprived her of such an auspicious activity.  So I said, “You can get your own water, honey.” 

This instantly caused a flop-on-her-back-pound-her-heels-into-the-floor-squealing category 5 tantrum.

Once a kid has flipped out, it seems unwise to give in lest you encourage such horrid behavior in the future, so the “good” parent in me is then forced to dig in his heels while the rational adult who is looking for peace and quiet is yelling nearly as loud as the child into my brain, “Seriously?!  You can’t just go fill her firggin’ water?”  To which I say, “Shut up rational-self, you coward.  I’m trying to keep her in college and out of a life of crime, and drug abuse.”

This yelling screaming kicking and yes BITING extravaganza spanned 2 hours and even had time for a quick nap in the middle. 

Finally we came to a compromise: I put the cup next to the sink, she filled it, and I put the lid on. 

She took a sip and said, “How’s your leg where I bit you?  I’m sorry about that.” 

Take that rational adult-self.

Making Judith Work for Her Cash

 It's become a yearly tradition: As Anya's birthday approaches we head out to Issaquah to have Judith Fernstrom take our family photos.  Every year they come out great.  We wouldn't want you to think this is because Anya is easy or Judith lucky.  Oh no.  Anya makes Judith work for her dough, which makes us appreciate Judith's skill all the more. 



Mind you Anya has only been to Judith's twice before.  Once near her 2nd and once near her 3rd Birthdays. This morning Anya said the following:
Judith's house looks like a palace.  Fact.  It very large and beautiful.
Judith has two cats.  Fact: two felines do indeed inhabit said palatial abode. 
Where is the bubble gun?  Fact: Judith used to have a bubble gun which is now broken but which we used as we approached Anya's 2nd birthday. 
I think it's very funny that my Grandpa Lodwig never believes Uncle Brian and I when we claim to remember the most minute details of our young lives.  If we are anything like Anya I'd be more apt to believe Brian and I then Grandpa.

Grandpa Miller

Goodbye, Grandpa. I'm glad you are no longer in pain and are now at peace. And I know you will be watching over our family. I love you.