Spending time with his absolutely BF
Lunch tastes better when eaten in swimming goggles
Wanting to run just like Mommy
Mischievious
He was driving his scouter and decided that his car needed an extra bit of attention as he might have been lonely without him driving it. So he cuddled it and apologized.
Being cute. Simple
Playing telephone with Daddy
Photobombing my culinary shots
I'm in love. Toddlerhood is such an amazing time. Difficult and exhausting, for both of us, but so rewarding.
Terrible Twos, whoever invented this term didn't like his child. Here, in the Hundred Acre Woods, we prefer the term Terrific Twos. Yes, he screams, and lays on the floor, and try every possible thing to get his way but that's all part of learning process right?
He's like a toddler with PMS: he's moody, hormonal, temperamental, unpredictable (finally we, women can understand what our men have to go through with us). It must be so difficult for him. So many things he wants to try, see, learn, taste, get, express and he's surrounded by these giants who do not speak his language or don't have enough time to stop and listen to whatever he wants to say.
Imaging your own frustration when learning new language. You've seen an amazing movie or something incredible happened and you're so eager to tell someone all about it but you're lacking vocabulary. So you do your best to convey the message, your arms hurt from gesturing and your interlocutor just shrug his shoulders dismissing your story. Wouldn't you get just a tiny bit angry?
That's the story with toddlers. I try to respect this little man and give him as much of my attention as I can, repeating after him to ensure I understood well, exclaiming to show him I share his passion. And sometimes just letting him scream.
The other day we were cueing in the shop and he decided he HAD to leave the shop, coz, you know, cueing is BORING (like I don't know). I grabbed his hand firmly explaining we had to pay first. Oh, the tantrum. He gave us full package with screaming and kicking on the floor. I got that, but I was the parent there and he had to understand that. I couldn't care less for THE looks we got from the customers.
Yes, I have the toddler. And no, he does not misbehave so stop staring at us like that. I got to his eye level and told him we would leave as soon as we have paid so if he wanted us to be out the door faster he could help me pack the items into the bag or hold the money while I did that. And he did. He helped me and even smiled at the lady behind the cash register.
See? My baby is not that bad as you have thought.
It's not easy to cope with his tantrums or when he refuses to eat after I slaved all morning to prepare his favorite meal. But anger doesn't get me anywhere. He just wants a bit of control over his life and that's the only thing he can control.
But the positive sides of the toddlerhood are so amazing.
He's temperamental and emotional, yes, but that means he shows the emotions. When he runs towards me just to touch my legs, or stands in front of me asking "Mama, hands, want cuddle" and he finds that spot on my shoulder that fits his head perfectly. What can be better then that? Or he takes my hand and presses it against his cheek sighting with a delight "Ahhhhhhhh". Or when he says "hi. Mama. Me. I'm. Adam." the way it sounds like every words is a separate sentence. And he repeats that gazillion times per day. Or the way he wakes me up, coming to our bedroom and touching gently my cheek saying "Mama, mamaaaaaaa come" and extending his hand to take him down to the kitchen for b'fast. Or just jumping under the duvet and snuggling so close. His favorite expression these days must be "I don't know. Mama"
I try to cherish all these moments and remember them for later. For the imminent arrival of the adolescence. When I won't be his best friend anymore. He won't have time for cuddles, and stories.
So yes, despite the difficult moments or maybe even because of them I. Am. Absolutely. And. Totally. In. Love. With. My. Toddler
