Not Your Average Ferris Wheel: Toddlerhood and Motherhood

I am so grateful to have this time with Cole. I know not every working mother can enjoy two months home with her child, so I thank my lucky stars I found a job in a profession where I can. Never did I realize though, that I'd be more exhausted at the end of a long day running after Cole than after a day of commuting and teaching. At least with teaching I have two free periods within which I can choose to lounge in my office. Even if I have to grade or send emails or make phone calls, at least I'm sitting. I rarely sit where Cole is concerned. I am constantly chasing after him as he explores the house, the yard, and, of course, his boundaries. He'll shake the floor lamp and I'll say, "NO! Don't shake that!" and I swear all he hears is "Shake that!" because he just keeps shaking it. Lately, I've been trying to reframe it to the positive. For example, I say: "Leave it alone" or "Leave it still" or "Leave it straight" (as opposed to shaking.) I also try very hard not to show anger at having to say the same thing 5 times. Because he thinks that's funny, giggles and shakes the floor lamp some more. Sometimes, when it concerns his safety I have to literally pick him up and move him from say, the stairs that lead to the pool deck. I have had to do this numerous times, all the while finding something else in those five seconds I have him in my arms to distract him so that when I set him down again he doesn't go running back to the pool deck stairs (for which we are planning on making a gate.)

I've also been trying to keep him socializing with other babies and children. I don't want him to be all weirded out when he returns to day care because he's been away from other kids for 2 months. So I've been connecting with mommies whom I met last summer at New Baby New Paltz and from my childbirth class. We've also been getting together with friends who have kids around Cole's age. (When I say "around" this can range from 8 months to 2 years. )

In lieu of a monthly update (Cole's 13 month birthday came and went), I'll just let you know periodically (Read:When I remember) how Cole is doing. So far, his naps have been changing daily. Sometimes he refuses to nap for days at a time. Other times he's begging for "Do Ta" (my boobs) or the "Baba" (the bottle) and conks out as soon as he gets his fill of milk. I still don't have a routine in place. I'm not sure how to do that with the vacation we have planned for this weekend (camping in the Adirondacks) or with other vacation days that Keith is taking around the following weekend. We're still not sure if we're going to go away that weekend or just take day trips. So with July being a month for vacation days, it's hard to create a routine. And it's hard to create a routine when his naps are so irregular. I know kids crave routine, so I try to have the same routine in the morning. Breakfast, play, nap.

Cole and I are also learning to communicate better with each other. His go to words are: "This, Dada, Do Ta, Baba, Do." Sometimes he imitates us and says new words. Sometimes he says "Yesh" for "Yes." He also now points at things regularly to let us know what he wants. I sometimes let him go into the refrigerator to pick out what he wants to eat, and when I take it out to feed him he actually eats it! He's tried lots of new food in the past few weeks and even though his tastes seem to change with the direction of the wind, his heart remains passionate for: peas, cheese, hummus, and dried cereal. He likes to feed himself with a spoon and he takes his daily vitamin on the spoon as well.

He continues to love the television and electronic devices. I try to limit the television, but it's hard to take away the remote control when it brings such joy to his face when he grips onto it. He has recently taking to holding objects while he is walking. He will often clutch two objects (one in each hand) and either drag them around the house or even try to go up the steps with them. Once he's found something he loves (the play guitar my father bought him, the silicone spatula we recently bought, the big wooden spoon we use for sauces, etc) he won't let go of it until he finds something else that catches his fancy even more. And if he thinks he's about to get some "Do Ta" he drops everything with glee for that. Like his tastes, his interests change with the direction of the wind. And I am sure most of you mommies of toddlers are probably nodding your head going, "That's exactly what ____________ does!" It's funny how these personality traits are so universal among children.

I also want to fill you in on Cole's nightly sleeping habits, but I seriously don't want to jinx anything, so I'll let you read between the lines. If you really want to know, you can email me.

Now here are some pics from the past week....