Toddler Talk

So right now I'm 5 days overdue which is how many days I was overdue with Hayden when she was born.  Maybe he's following suit and tonight will be the night!!

I know I'm about to have a newborn on my hands and I fully understand the work that entails, but right at this very moment - that doesn't at all concern me.

Tonight Hayden and I were reading her bedtime stories as usual.  For some reason, on this particular night, she thought it would be absolutely hilarious to bite my hand as hard as she possibly could mid-story.  Before our bedtime story, it was limp noodle tooth-brushing.  Before that, it was limp noodle getting the jammies on.  We had a "limp noodle" day, to make a long story short.  Not "limp noodle" but complacent, I'm talking "limp noodle" accompanied by defiant laughter.  The best!

I have even less experience with toddlers than I did with babies when I had one.  At least when babies are present, they are always being passed around to be held and cooed at.  No one's ever like, "Do you want to hold my toddler?"  People (by 'people' I mean ME) don't willingly take turns minding the two-year-old.

I often forget that the "terrible (pardon my use of such a negative term) two's" is a phase and I wonder what I'm doing so wrong!  Most of the time I just take a breath and go with it with a sense of humour.  Sometimes I find that if I explain gently but seriously that I need her to cooperate, she will.  She'll actually say "OK Mama" and its the sweetest thing ever and my heart melts.  Other times I'm like, "Tyler! Get in here! You're doing jammies tonight!"  (That's what I say in my head but it comes out more like I'm pleading for my life).

Another example: I'm really hoping maltreatment of animals is typical toddler behavior and I don't have a sadistic animal abuser on my hands.  OK ok that's extreme - I can tell that she loves Rocky and really doesn't mean him any harm!  She just can't quite grasp the concept of leaving him alone when he doesn't want to "play" anymore.  Or be chased with the broom.  Or be sat on. 

Looking at the big picture, Hayden is the absolute sweetest little girl.  I appreciate and even welcome this stage because I know its just a tiny part of her life that will whip by if I let it!  So I try my very darndest to take something precious from every moment, even the challenging ones.

It actually feels so much better to vent and put everything in perspective!  I hope y'all don't mind!  Hopefully the next post will be introducing out baby boy! 

Liza xxooxx