Monthly Archives: March 2011
Luckily it was just leaves
This time. We were sitting outside (well I was sitting, Zach was running around) and I was trying to get some pictures of him in the natural light. And this is what happened:
Nothing but Love
Here is a video of Zach not being sick but being very, very bossy.
Don’t turn your back
St. Paddy’s Playdate
Last week my friend Beth hosted our weekly play date and suggested we make it St. Patrick’s day themed. Everyone showed up with some green on, Beth made green shamrock cookies, another mom brought lollipops and I made paper favors sewed closed with Cheez-Its inside. Ummmm one of these things is not like the other….
I got out of control. Again. When I saw these on one of my fav blogs, Prudent Baby, I thought – who would make those? So time consuming, so unnecessary. That is, until I got Beth’s email and I decided I could totally do this between work and the playdate. I had to manipulate the image from PB (which I did at work), add the names of the kiddos plus make some blank ones and then printed and sewed them at home with “help” from Zachary. I had to literally fight him for the Cheez-Its.
We loaded them into a huge leprechaun hat that my sweet Aunt Vickie sent Zach (don’t worry I sewed up the back to make it fit the 2 year olds) The kids were a little bit small for the bags, we moms had to open them for them, but they were super cute. And the toddlers running around with the hats on were especially funny. Beth popped it on her 2 month old and we found it hy-sterical. Needless to say, we most likely need to get out more.
There is SOME good
Looking back over my rants posts as of late I can see the frustration that is life with a 2 year old. I feel I should also mention the good because there is really a whole lot of good. And funny. Though I do have to say, when my sister and I were little and we would call for my dad (in a very non-annoying high pitched squeal of Daddy! Daddy!) he would more often than not reply “He ran away screaming”. I thought, oh ha ha, my Daddy is sooooo funny. Little did I know until having a toddler of my own how realistic that threat feels.
But that is not the point of this post – on to the positive! Here are some things that Zach is also doing this second that make me grab those cheeks and kiss them.
1. He runs to me when I get him from daycare. He still smiles with joy upon seeing me and runs (very mall-walker like) full speed toward me. This really is my favorite because no matter what type of day I have had or the type of evening we will have together, he is still my baby for just those few minutes.
2. He does not want Alex and I talking to each other in the car. On the way out to the Walls this past weekend I was having a conversation with my husband, and from the backseat comes the yell, “No Mommy! No talking to Daddy! Talk to me!”. Both Alex and I could not stop laughing. And he was serious. Anytime I directed any comments to Alex, Zach would yell again “No talking to Daddy! Talk to me!”. Those full sentences. Not just the word “No”, but full “No talking to Daddy!”
3. He can usually be calmed down by singing, usually. He knows the motions for Wheels on the Bus, sways to Row, Row, Row your Boat, sing/yells Jesus Loves Me and 5 Little Ducks and now sings Mary had a Little Lamb. Though it took me a while to figure out what the last one was. ‘Mary’ does not sound, coming out of Zach’s mouth, like it should…more like Aaaarrryyy. Puzzling.
4. Randomly he will say “MY Mommy”. Seriously he just says it whenever he pleases. Sometimes we are talking, sometimes we are driving, sometimes he just says it then continues on with whatever else he was talking about. And it is loud and much emphasis is placed on the “my”.
5. But he cries for his daddy when he is mad at me. “I want my Daddy (sobbing)” “Daddy hold me” I always tell him I would prefer his father be there too. Trust me, 2 adults to 1 toddler is a much better ratio.
6. He gets me stuff. I LOVE this. He will throw things away, hand me items to put into the fridge, sort his laundry, carry my cups to the sink. Love, love it. Granted, it takes about 3 times as long, but he gets so proud to help. “I need help my Mommy” is a common refrain at our house. Yesterday he picked up my empty Jello container and spoon and said “I put in the sink”. I think they both might have been thrown away, but guess which lazy preggers lady has plenty of spoons and doesn’t care? That’s right; this one.
7. He now says “I wuve you”. Melts my heart and makes me want to run away screaming just a little bit less. Just a little bit.
Don’t gross me out
Oh my baby boy, when did you get so gross? As Zach is growing in front of my eyes into a real live boy I am starting to realize I was totally right in 1st grade – boys really are gross. While this turn of events does not diminish my love for Zachary, it does diminish my desire to eat with him.
I felt like a good mother
Well for a minute at least. Zach and I went to Smashburger for dinner the other night and on the wall are huge ‘Z’s. He pointed to them and said “That’s a Z! Z for Zachary!” and I felt complete as a mother.
Each time I have to color I draw a ‘Z’ and say “Z is for Zachary” and ask him to tell me what the letter is. Every single time he has stared at me and said “Color Mommy”. Deflated.
But that night, that magical night, he recognized the first letter of his name! And it is not like you come across a ‘Z’ in everyday life, but there were two painted bright red up on the wall and he knew they were for him.
Of course the evening ended in a meltdown thereby stripping me of all good maternal feelings just as quickly as they came. Oh parenting, why are you such a fickle beast?
Have you heard I have a 2 year old?
Because I do. He turned 2 and turned into a holy terror. Overnight. One bright Monday morning a few weeks back, Zachary decided the best way to get what he wanted would be to scream/cry at his top pitch wail. Awesome. This coincided with a week that Alex had to work in the evening so it was just me dealing with a screaming, crying 2 year old. And let’s not forget that I am not at my top mothering speed either, what with being tired and pregnant myself.
It lasted for 3 days. There was a bunch of screaming, crying, feet stomping and hands flailing (from me) until I got my act together. I talked about the horror that was my life with no fewer than 7 people. In 2 days. Some of these people did not have children – you should feel especially sorry for them. But his behavior just monopolized my life as it monopolized our time together after work. Anything he did not get that he wanted (which is most things) would lead a to huge meltdown.
Here are some of my favorite and non-favorite quotes from outsiders:
“So this has been going for 3 days…I don’t think this is really defined as a behavioral issue necessary of excessive talking/reading. I think he is going to snap out of it.”
“Have you tried going into the closet again?”
“You can do this. He only weighs 28 lbs. You are his mother and are better than this.” (wait – that was my pep talk to myself)
“Ohhh just wait, it only gets worse!”
Ummm the last one is especially NOT HELPFUL. Please no one else look at me, tilt you head and say in a highly patronizing tone, “Just wait! The terrible twos are only starting!”. Unacceptable. Unless you have something HELPFUL to say like “it is just a short phase, he will be out of it soon” or “have a drink on me!” – I don’t want to hear it.
Anyway, the tantrums have NOT ended. What started out as a pleasant night last night (again with Alex in CA for work and me hormonal and preggers) ended up with basically the below happening: All. Night. Long.