Hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
That's what I have to do a lot these days. Laugh as hard as I can. Because there's a silly man in the house these days, and he likes to be encouraged. "Hey, Mom" he says with his grunts "Look at me with my sippy cup on my head! I'm wearing it like a hat!".
Okay - maybe he only says "Hat", but the rest is implied. Or sometimes instead of a sippy cup, it is a book. "Silly Brent," I tell him. "That's a BOOK, not a HAT!". And he giggles and laughs at his wonderful new sense of humor, with his nose stuck up in the air all squinty.
Then he usually does something bad and I have to put him in time-out. But we're getting there! There are moments of sanity and hints of the depth of his personality, in between the tantrums and fussing of course.
And I almost forgot to mention that we half-started potty training! Right now he likes to carry his "potty" around and use it as a step stool to try to reach dangerous objects. But he does understand part of it. I sit him on it and tell him to pee-pee. "Pee-pee?!" he repeats half a dozen times, pointing to the appropriate part of his body. And every so often he will go to it and repeat it. Right now we are just learning about it, so I'm not going through all the nakedness of the whole ordeal. Oh I tried, but then he just runs away, darting in and out of rooms at top speed in all his glory. The boy loves being naked, I guess.
So I thought I was doing pretty well. Later on, I watched unseen as he went to the potty and lifted the little plastic lid. I was so proud! Way to go, Brent!
Until I realized he was storing his sippy cup in it. He took it out, drank, and put it neatly back and shut the lid. Well, I guess it's a good thing it hasn't really been used yet. (sigh...)
4.25.2006
4.24.2006
Giggles
Brent had a great first week at his new "daycare". He seems to love the lady that is watching him, and I think he gets along okay with the other little girl. She's not quite used to him, yet, but I'm sure in time they will be best buddies :)
Every morning when I drop him off, she has his special blanket waiting in the living room in front of the big screen tv, which has seemingly life-size Wiggles dancing and singing and showing kids everywhere how to make fruit salad. He's in heaven! But I think he may be getting addicted, and I'm getting a little worried. A few times over the weekend he crawled up on the chair in front of the tv and angrily pointed at the blank screen. "Guh-gels", he says loudly, although it's not even really pronounced that well. But I know what he means, and in case I didn't, he will glady say it OVER and OVER and OVER again until I hop on his demands.
"Go get a book," I plead. "Let's read a book together." What a good mom I am! I'm so proud as he goes and gets a couple books, lays them in front of me, stomps on them with a dirty look as he heads to the chair and yells "Guh-gels" again. I just sigh...at least he knows what he wants!
But I actually do eventually convince him to sit with me, and I notice every day he gets better at recognizing things and trying new words. It's all in the details now - the way he will actually turn a puzzle piece to try a different angle before throwing it across the room. Or the way he gets what flowers or doggies or choo-choo's are, even though they don't look remotely the same in any of the book's drawings. He has a great memory, and he's really trying hard to say the things I am telling him. It may not sound like anything to someone else. But I know how hard he's trying, and soon he'll be enlightening me with his frustrations, his made up stories, his manipulations before bedtime. I can't wait to hear everything that is going on in that crazy head of his. And I'll be hanging on every word, even if it is "Guh-gels".
Every morning when I drop him off, she has his special blanket waiting in the living room in front of the big screen tv, which has seemingly life-size Wiggles dancing and singing and showing kids everywhere how to make fruit salad. He's in heaven! But I think he may be getting addicted, and I'm getting a little worried. A few times over the weekend he crawled up on the chair in front of the tv and angrily pointed at the blank screen. "Guh-gels", he says loudly, although it's not even really pronounced that well. But I know what he means, and in case I didn't, he will glady say it OVER and OVER and OVER again until I hop on his demands.
"Go get a book," I plead. "Let's read a book together." What a good mom I am! I'm so proud as he goes and gets a couple books, lays them in front of me, stomps on them with a dirty look as he heads to the chair and yells "Guh-gels" again. I just sigh...at least he knows what he wants!
But I actually do eventually convince him to sit with me, and I notice every day he gets better at recognizing things and trying new words. It's all in the details now - the way he will actually turn a puzzle piece to try a different angle before throwing it across the room. Or the way he gets what flowers or doggies or choo-choo's are, even though they don't look remotely the same in any of the book's drawings. He has a great memory, and he's really trying hard to say the things I am telling him. It may not sound like anything to someone else. But I know how hard he's trying, and soon he'll be enlightening me with his frustrations, his made up stories, his manipulations before bedtime. I can't wait to hear everything that is going on in that crazy head of his. And I'll be hanging on every word, even if it is "Guh-gels".
4.17.2006
Ch-ch-ch-ch Changes
I worried so much about this little munchkin for the last week. I made the decision to pull him out of the daycare he's been going to since he was 3 months old. Besides home, it's the only place he really understands and feels comfortable in. I've been filing complaints ever since they hired two new teacher for his room - neither of which are anywhere near friendly most days. He's been coming home with the worst diaper rashes I've seen on him. I would clear it up over the weekends, and by Tuesday it was just as bad. He screams every time you change his diaper. And I've actually brought him home to find actual poop still attached to him that appeared to be hours old. One day I found a bite mark on him, which no one bothered to inform me of. Anyhow...enough of that. Long story short, it wasn't getting any better. So when my manager (who I've known for years) told me her nanny was willing to watch him, I definitely looked into it. She already watched their 1 yr old daughter and has been doing a great job, evidently. Plus their daughter didn't really get to interact with other kids that much, so it helps them out too. And did I mention it is $50 less per week than I was paying. Didn't sound too bad!
So I took him over to meet everyone last week for an hour or so. He basically clung to my leg and whimpered most of the time. At the end, he started loosening up and playing with the toys a little. And this morning, we're trying a whole day to see how he does.
All my worrying...all my agonizing...and do you know that little bugger didn't even cry at all! I'm so grateful :) I pictured him pulling at my clothes...tears of horror wetting his lil red cheeks...yelling for his momma who was trying to leave him in this strange place. Instead, the nanny had turned on the Wiggles. I laid his special blanket on the floor and gave him his favorite sippy cup, sat for a few minutes on the couch while he watched the tv, and them kissed him and snuck out. And that was it! When my manager called this morning to see how they were doing, evidently her daughter is taking it worse than Brent. He's been fine! What a brave little sweetheart. I'm so proud of him!
That's all the big news lately. We had a great weekend. He's been much, much better about the hitting and tantrums. He's broken down and resorted to saying "please" when I ask (most of the time). Bedtime without the bottles has gone from a 90 minute ordeal to less than 30 minutes - and last night he didn't cry one bit. So for all my worrying, he's accepting these changes in life quite well. I don't know where he gets his strength, but I'm grateful for it. I know I'm supposed to be teaching him - but I learn just as much from him in the process.
And I know I need to get some new pictures! Hopefully it will be soon.
So I took him over to meet everyone last week for an hour or so. He basically clung to my leg and whimpered most of the time. At the end, he started loosening up and playing with the toys a little. And this morning, we're trying a whole day to see how he does.
All my worrying...all my agonizing...and do you know that little bugger didn't even cry at all! I'm so grateful :) I pictured him pulling at my clothes...tears of horror wetting his lil red cheeks...yelling for his momma who was trying to leave him in this strange place. Instead, the nanny had turned on the Wiggles. I laid his special blanket on the floor and gave him his favorite sippy cup, sat for a few minutes on the couch while he watched the tv, and them kissed him and snuck out. And that was it! When my manager called this morning to see how they were doing, evidently her daughter is taking it worse than Brent. He's been fine! What a brave little sweetheart. I'm so proud of him!
That's all the big news lately. We had a great weekend. He's been much, much better about the hitting and tantrums. He's broken down and resorted to saying "please" when I ask (most of the time). Bedtime without the bottles has gone from a 90 minute ordeal to less than 30 minutes - and last night he didn't cry one bit. So for all my worrying, he's accepting these changes in life quite well. I don't know where he gets his strength, but I'm grateful for it. I know I'm supposed to be teaching him - but I learn just as much from him in the process.
And I know I need to get some new pictures! Hopefully it will be soon.
4.10.2006
Give me strength
Give me the strength:
- to stand strong as the "One Who Craves Bottles" gives me dirty looks instead of loving glances as I sing him to bed (none since Friday morning, hooray!)
- to listen to the wails of a certain little person as he complains loudly from his crib during a time-out, but who must be punished for whacking his mother with a plastic golf club after being told he couldn't play in the paint daddy was using to paint the shed
- to always use time-outs instead of neck-strangulation in examples such as the previous one
- to greet my little precious angel with a smile each morning, no matter how un-godly early he wants to wake up
- to enjoy each moment of each day with my family, no matter how strained I may feel at any given moment, because they also have to put up with me
- to stand strong as the "One Who Craves Bottles" gives me dirty looks instead of loving glances as I sing him to bed (none since Friday morning, hooray!)
- to listen to the wails of a certain little person as he complains loudly from his crib during a time-out, but who must be punished for whacking his mother with a plastic golf club after being told he couldn't play in the paint daddy was using to paint the shed
- to always use time-outs instead of neck-strangulation in examples such as the previous one
- to greet my little precious angel with a smile each morning, no matter how un-godly early he wants to wake up
- to enjoy each moment of each day with my family, no matter how strained I may feel at any given moment, because they also have to put up with me
4.05.2006
Flowers and Sunshine
I know it's been a little while since I've updated. I've been in the process of changing jobs and it's been a little busy.
It's wonderful now that it's getting warmer and you can really feel the springtime around the corner. And now that we have more daylight at night, we usually go outside and walk around after dinner these days. Brent just adores going outside still. He loves playing with sticks, still...and blowing the dandelion seeds (I hate to think of how the yard will look after he's done). It is great watching him run around like he owns the place. He's so much more steady on his feet now, so there's no containing him. I can't wait to see what the summer holds for us. Before you know it, he'll be swimming, too! Maybe a few more weeks, though...
Every day I fall more in love with him. I wonder if there will be a point where it just takes over and there won't be any me left. But you know what...I think I grow with it. Sometimes I think someone designed this whole thing really well. But other days, I still wish it came with an instruction book.
It's wonderful now that it's getting warmer and you can really feel the springtime around the corner. And now that we have more daylight at night, we usually go outside and walk around after dinner these days. Brent just adores going outside still. He loves playing with sticks, still...and blowing the dandelion seeds (I hate to think of how the yard will look after he's done). It is great watching him run around like he owns the place. He's so much more steady on his feet now, so there's no containing him. I can't wait to see what the summer holds for us. Before you know it, he'll be swimming, too! Maybe a few more weeks, though...
Every day I fall more in love with him. I wonder if there will be a point where it just takes over and there won't be any me left. But you know what...I think I grow with it. Sometimes I think someone designed this whole thing really well. But other days, I still wish it came with an instruction book.
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