I have a toddler..AHHH!
I am not sure I am ready for having a toddler but with Anni's latest walking skills I think I must admit that she is no longer my little baby.
So what exactly does this mean... I feel I must get more of a grasp on this stage... so far I have observed in other moms that it means: 1. carrying goldfish crackers and animal crackers in every conceivable place (purse, car, stroller, diaper bag, secret sown in picket on clothes) for ANY emergency meltdowns, 2. using the word NO more than you thought humanly possible 3. studying up on discipline and creative ways to prevent your child from wreaking havoc in public 4. becoming an expert negotiator in getting your child to follow through on seemingly simple things (like eating, changing their diaper) As an aside before I had a baby I ridiculously thought that getting a 20 pound child to do something was not hard after all you are bigger, right? HA! If it were only that simple
So that is what I have discerned so far...any additional suggestions welcome.
Here are some examples of toddler-like current events in the life of Annikah:
*She is walking, still a bit drunken sailor but she can pretty much get wherever she wants to go (see video).
*She has many new communication skills. While she has been signing for a while she now has at least 7 recognizable signs (eat, milk, sleep, please, up, more, & help). She usually uses them when I ask her a question but recently has been doing them without any prodding. Yesterday she was playing and then scooted over to me and signed "sleep & please." I was not sure if she really meant it and asked her and she did it again. I quickly got up and put her in her crib where she was very happy to take an early nap! Pretty impressive if you ask me! We have come a long way from the early months of "convincing" her to sleep. Now, before anyone is too impressed I must say that while signing is supposed to allow children to communicate without frustration and fussing before they have verbal skills. Annikah's signing usually means "please (in 30 seconds I will scream and this is your warning to acquiesce to my requests)" but still she is quite the little communicator!
*Anni has started "talking." She says "Papa", "Mama", "Ball", and yesterday Jason and I both heard a barely coherent but recognizable "kitty cat" while she pointed at Bonita.
*She is playing like a litte girl. This one is harder to describe but instead of randomly banging things she seems to be opening and closing toys and placing the little weeble people inside and then taking them out. She also points to certain objects in books when I ask her "where is the dog?, etc"
*She has very strong preferences. From food to toys she is developing her favorites and has no problem letting us know what she prefers.
*Preferences lead to the next one: throwing tantrums. Yes, this is the not so exciting (for me) sign that she has reached "toddler-dom." After I told her "no" as she was turning the knobs on the stove for the third time in a 10 minute period she threw herself down on the kitchen floor and straight up acted the fool. I am sure there are more to come...
*She remembers people & places. She of course has always remembered us but recently she will see me turn down the street to the library and start getting excited. Once inside and out of her stroller she even walked over to the security guard that is always so amazingly sweet to her and hugged his leg! She even recognizes the park from 1/2 a block away!
That is a bit of catch up as to what Anni is up to these days and I present the above as evidence that my little baby is transitioning to the toddler phase.....so pray for me :)
So all this to say: toddle on Annikah, I am ready armed with goldfish and waiting for your new identity!
So what exactly does this mean... I feel I must get more of a grasp on this stage... so far I have observed in other moms that it means: 1. carrying goldfish crackers and animal crackers in every conceivable place (purse, car, stroller, diaper bag, secret sown in picket on clothes) for ANY emergency meltdowns, 2. using the word NO more than you thought humanly possible 3. studying up on discipline and creative ways to prevent your child from wreaking havoc in public 4. becoming an expert negotiator in getting your child to follow through on seemingly simple things (like eating, changing their diaper) As an aside before I had a baby I ridiculously thought that getting a 20 pound child to do something was not hard after all you are bigger, right? HA! If it were only that simple
So that is what I have discerned so far...any additional suggestions welcome.
Here are some examples of toddler-like current events in the life of Annikah:
*She is walking, still a bit drunken sailor but she can pretty much get wherever she wants to go (see video).
*She has many new communication skills. While she has been signing for a while she now has at least 7 recognizable signs (eat, milk, sleep, please, up, more, & help). She usually uses them when I ask her a question but recently has been doing them without any prodding. Yesterday she was playing and then scooted over to me and signed "sleep & please." I was not sure if she really meant it and asked her and she did it again. I quickly got up and put her in her crib where she was very happy to take an early nap! Pretty impressive if you ask me! We have come a long way from the early months of "convincing" her to sleep. Now, before anyone is too impressed I must say that while signing is supposed to allow children to communicate without frustration and fussing before they have verbal skills. Annikah's signing usually means "please (in 30 seconds I will scream and this is your warning to acquiesce to my requests)" but still she is quite the little communicator!
*Anni has started "talking." She says "Papa", "Mama", "Ball", and yesterday Jason and I both heard a barely coherent but recognizable "kitty cat" while she pointed at Bonita.
*She is playing like a litte girl. This one is harder to describe but instead of randomly banging things she seems to be opening and closing toys and placing the little weeble people inside and then taking them out. She also points to certain objects in books when I ask her "where is the dog?, etc"
*She has very strong preferences. From food to toys she is developing her favorites and has no problem letting us know what she prefers.
*Preferences lead to the next one: throwing tantrums. Yes, this is the not so exciting (for me) sign that she has reached "toddler-dom." After I told her "no" as she was turning the knobs on the stove for the third time in a 10 minute period she threw herself down on the kitchen floor and straight up acted the fool. I am sure there are more to come...
*She remembers people & places. She of course has always remembered us but recently she will see me turn down the street to the library and start getting excited. Once inside and out of her stroller she even walked over to the security guard that is always so amazingly sweet to her and hugged his leg! She even recognizes the park from 1/2 a block away!
That is a bit of catch up as to what Anni is up to these days and I present the above as evidence that my little baby is transitioning to the toddler phase.....so pray for me :)
So all this to say: toddle on Annikah, I am ready armed with goldfish and waiting for your new identity!
Comments
and yeah, i would babysit the anni monster if you don't mind that i haven't changed a diaper in, like, 12 years. or that i have no idea what to do with a crying baby. that is always when i hand them back to the mom =)
you are a rock star mom rox and i love you!
xox
Anni is definitely a walker! She's also slimming down! Go Annikah Go!
A fun game is to have a "word box". Put 3 or so small, everyday objects in a box (shoe, banana, brush). Bring out the box and review the things in the box!
My personal fav is to teach these little tots how to help. From thowing out their own diaper to giving their sibling a small toy. Fun! Welcome to the exhausting, hovering stage. In about 6 months she'll be more independant and you can "start" her on a project and then actually use the potty by yourself. Maybe sooner! She's such a lil monkey!