Parenting Toddlers

For those of you who are new to our site, welcome!! Grab a snack, a cup of coffee, and, as my mother is fond of saying, “pull up a piece of floor and relax.”

My name is Jennifer, and my son Alex is just now delving into the world of toddlerhood at almost fourteen months old.
I live in Greenville, South Carolina, and I pretty much have an opinion on everything related to kids. That’s not to say that my ideas always work, or that they’re even always good. I just like sharing them with you IN CASE they might help somewhere along the line. Plus venting about random things keeps me from exploding!! SO … if you are new here, or if you’re a regular and you missed a few days, here’s a quick rundown of some of the high points we’ve hit so far.

We learned some tricks for keeping your pets and toddlers living happily together.

We heard of a neat way to try to keep your fussy eater eating during the day.

We got a couple new ideas on how to get your night-waking toddler back to sleep.

We also had a couple product reviews, got to see some adorable toddlers in our photo of the week contests, and even spent a little time on funny stuff.

Whew. That barely even scratches the surface, but wow, we’ve been busy! If you’d like to keep up with what’s going on here at Parenting Toddlers on a daily basis, check out the Bloglines button on the bottom right of the page. You can click on this button, set up a Bloglines subscription, and every day get an update as to what kind of trouble we’re getting into around here.

So go ahead, leave the kids with Alex and I, we’ll keep them occupied while you get another cup of coffee and settle back for a good read.

OUR THANKS TO COLE FOR BEING A GREAT TODDLER OF THE WEEK!

Child’s Name: Cole
Loves to: Throw balls and chase them/ walk & climb everywhere!
Hates to: Be out of Mommy’s sight for even a minute!!
Favorite toy: Little Tikes Basketball Goal
Best Toddler Tip From Mom: I finally moved my pots and pans to a higher cabinet and put Cole’s toys in the lower cabinets. Now I don’t have to worry about him pulling everything out onto the kitchen floor!

ABSOLUTELY FED UP

I am so far past fed up I don’t know what to do. Alex had a fever of 103 yesterday afternoon. This followed about a week’s worth of runny noses which I mistakenly thought were getting better. I am starting to think I should buy stock in Children’s Tylenol and Children’s Motrin.

Something has a hold of my son, and it won’t let go. Some virus, some infection, some … something. It grabbed my son shortly after we moved here to Greenville in August of last year. Since then it works it’s evil magic by making my son sick every two to three weeks. Runny nose, sometimes coughing, then BAM, high fever, and occasionally asthma issues. My son has been seen numerous times by two different pediatricians, been in the hospital once, and regularly sees an asthma and allergy specialist. He has been allergy tested and shows no allergies whatsoever. We’ve been told he “may” have “illness-induced-asthma”, but that “cannot be confirmed until he has another attack severe enough to land him in the hospital” (I’m not making that up, that is EXACTLY what the doctor told us). His blood has been tested and his counts are normal, he is not anemic. He has essentially not gained any weight in the last four months. He’s not lost any significant weight either. He eats well, and takes a daily multi-vitamin, yet his immune system seems to be on strike while this “thing” is in control. But whatever this “thing” might be, it has seriously underestimated Big Bad Mamma.

First thing today we have an appointment with Alex’s newest pediatrician, a man who has been extremely easy to talk to and very helpful. He has no idea what he’s in for. He is about to get the most detailed patient history ever, and he is also about to find out that Mamma is through taking this laying down. We are about to hunt this thing out of it’s hiding place and a la Will Smith in Men In Black, OBLITERATE it once and for all.

And once it’s dead, I’m going to dance on it’s metaphorical grave.

kids health, health issues, sickness in kids, pediatrician

COLE IS OUR TODDLER OF THE WEEK!!

Child’s Name: Cole
Loves to: Throw balls and chase them/ walk & climb everywhere!
Hates to: Be out of Mommy’s sight for even a minute!!
Favorite toy: Little Tikes Basketball Goal
Best Toddler Tip From Mom: I finally moved my pots and pans to a higher cabinet and put Cole’s toys in the lower cabinets. Now I don’t have to worry about him pulling everything out onto the kitchen floor!

As Gumby currently crawls around under, over, and around EVERY SINGLE TOY in the house, I find myself chasing around behind him cleaning a drippy nose that ever so quickly can end up on a sleeve, a cheek, or worse yet, a random, unsuspecting toy. My son has earned the nickname Gumby lately as he seems determined to twist, bend and stretch in every unconceivable direction, regardless of the limits of the human body. These feats of muscular and skeletal excellence come about because unagreeable toys and animals seem determined to find their way into the tiniest and most inconvenient places.

Meanwhile, Gumby is also “talking” to these wayward toys, giving them a thorough piece of his mind, which sounds suspiciously like something I once heard once on a Star Wars movie.

Getting him to eat during the course of this whole head cold issue is almost impossible. Breakfast still goes well, but any other food is generally tasted, then removed for inspection, suddenly found desperately lacking, and tossed happily to the floor. At which point the dogs gleefully step in (wanting only to help me with the housework, of course) and take over.

Luckily, Gumby still finds any type of drink acceptable, and at least I don’t have to worry about him getting dehydrated during his gymnastics routines.

COLE IS OUR TODDLER OF THE WEEK!!

Child’s Name: Cole
Loves to: Throw balls and chase them/ walk & climb everywhere!
Hates to: Be out of Mommy’s sight for even a minute!!
Favorite toy: Little Tikes Basketball Goal
Best Toddler Tip From Mom: I finally moved my pots and pans to a higher cabinet and put Cole’s toys in the lower cabinets. Now I don’t have to worry about him pulling everything out onto the kitchen floor!

DEALING WITH TODDLER TANTRUMS

We are starting to enter into a new phase in Alexville. Tantrums. The man knows what he wants, and he wants it NOW, regardless of whether it’s the stereo, a sippy cup, or the shower curtain. And when Mommy and Daddy, for the sake of keeping him safe and themselves sane, dare to tell him no, or remove him from the situation, a full scale meltdown is usually the result.
If you’ve never seen a toddler tantrum, it’s vaguely reminiscent of the end of the world as we know it. There is lots of screaming, screeching, flailing limbs and shaking heads. And that’s usually just me.

Okay, I’m kidding, but toddler tantrums are no fun for anyone. And when I went in search of ways to ease these tantrums, I found the exact opposite of what I was hoping for. Every pediatrician, every mother, even every behavioral expert I found declared emphatically that these tantrums are completely and totally normal. They are also to be expected as a toddler usually has not yet learned how to control extremes in emotion. This was NOT what I wanted to hear. I wanted the magic trick that would immediately calm my screeching son when I have to take him away from the VCR for the fifteenth time that day. But there is no magic trick. There is however, a greater likelihood that any toddler will have a meltdown if they are tired, hungry, stressed, or somehow frustrated. Knowing this gives us all a better chance of avoiding these tantrums at certain times.

Making sure Alex has eaten BEFORE we go out to a restaurant for instance, ensures that he’s not having to sit around the table, hungry and not understanding why he can’t eat right away (Though in truth I have to give proper credit for this idea to Grandma and Grandpa Remeta, who gave me that suggestion WAY before I read it in any book! Thanks guys!).

Redirection also works well. If your toddler always throws a tantrum in the middle of the grocery store, try figuring out just what is setting them off. If your little one is just too overstimulated at the store (all those choices, colors, and people can be a bit much for some kids), give your spouse grocery duty, or put them on babysitting duty so you can shop alone. If that’s not feasible, try redirecting your little one with specific questions. “Should we have meatloaf or chicken for dinner?” “Do you want noddles or broccoli to go with?” This often requires some quick thinking on your part, but the engaged toddler who feels a part of the decision making process is well worth the mental strain. Make sure however, to be specific in your questions, using an either or scenario, rather than “What should we have for dinner?” Open ended questions are too broad and can further frustrate your little one.

Stick to a schedule. No one can continuously stick to the same schedule, but make it a point to stick as close as you can whenever you can. Naptimes should be the same time every day whenever possible. Avoid running errands just before your toddler is due for a nap or right before mealtimes. Try to run errands around the same time every day so your toddler knows what to expect ahead of time.

All that being said, expect a tantrum every so often, just to keep you on your toes. There are a few simple and easy rules to follow when dealing with a tantrum, to prevent them escalating in the future.

- Stay calm.
- Don’t react with anger or shouting.
- Don’t give in to your toddlers demands.
- Do comfort your toddler as much as possible.
- Do express that you understand the problem.
- If possible, do remove your child from the situation.
- Afterwards, don’t punish a toddler for a tantrum. Instead, soothe them as much as possible and work on explaining that they will not always get what they want.

Armed with this new information, I am off to stand guard over the VCR!!

tantrums, behavior issues, toddler tantrums

COLE IS OUR TODDLER OF THE WEEK!!

Child’s Name: Cole
Loves to: Throw balls and chase them/ walk & climb everywhere!
Hates to: Be out of Mommy’s sight for even a minute!!
Favorite toy: Little Tikes Basketball Goal
Best Toddler Tip From Mom: I finally moved my pots and pans to a higher cabinet and put Cole’s toys in the lower cabinets. Now I don’t have to worry about him pulling everything out onto the kitchen floor!

ANGELS WALK AMONG US

I’d like to introduce everyone to Morgan Kathleen Ownby. Morgan was not really a little girl, but actually a beautiful angel, given to this earth for only a short time to bring joy and happiness to all who had the pleasure of knowing her. I never had the privelege to meet Morgan face to face, but I kept up with her Mom (a high school friend of mine) and enjoyed regular photos and updates.
Over the course of four years, I developed an attachment to this angel. Every time I saw her photo, regardless of what was going on in my own life, a smile would jump to my face. A warmth would spread through my heart. Whatever worries I had weighing me down would suddenly lift and I’d feel this amazing sense of calm. Unfortunately, God can only loan us his truest angels for a short time, and Morgan returned to her heavenly home on January 30, 2006. I often wonder if she hung on to send her silent love and support (through angelic channels of course) to my own son, Alex, who arrived January 21, 2006 after a somewhat complicated delivery.

Morgan has a beautiful website dedicated to her life and her memory. It’s called Heaven’s Brightest Star, a fitting name for such a bright moment in time.

I recently met another angel who walks among us. His name is Ben, and like Morgan, he has a soul of pure light. Also like Morgan, the physical body he was given to use while walking among us has a few flaws. It is simply a testament to his true character that he is strong enough to handle physical issues that most of us could not. Ben has a website as well, called A Work of Art, where he shows off his artwork, and occasionally let’s his dad post a story or two.

Over the course of my life I have met many angels. From the kids I used to work with in high school in the STAR (Students Teaching Art Resources) program, to exceptional children I meet everyday at the park or in the grocery store. I am humbled every day by their innocent spirits, and forgiving souls.

And I am ashamed of the rest of us.

Too many times I’ve seen people turn away from these special kids, averting their eyes or moving as far away as possible. Or the other extreme, people who display shock or revulsion clearly on their face with no thought to feelings. I cannot imagine the inner battles the parents of these precious angels must fight on a daily basis. All I can do is help remind the rest of us that these children are not “contagious”, or “evil” or “creepy”. They are beautiful, strong-willed, precious kids who live every day simply to make this world a better place.

You may not have seen it on her face, but Morgan knew every time someone avoided eye contact with her or her Mom. Ben knows every time someone crosses to the other side of the grocery aisle, or the sidewalk to avoid “accidentally” touching him. Looking at it in the third person, how would this make YOU feel? Because these children are different would you wrongfully assume they don’t enjoy a friendly smile, or a simple hello? On the contrary, I think we should be doing everything in our power to show these amazing children what breathtaking respect we have for their beautiful, selfless spirits. Despite all the extra hardships they have endured, they are still babies, and kids, and teenagers. They still find comfort in love, touch, and simple friendliness.

One would think we could all be clear headed enough to recognize angels when we see them.

*Side note: I have written this post from the inner workings of my heart, and have not (as I probably should have) discussed speaking of Morgan or Ben with either of their parents beforehand. I hope they will forgive my rudeness in this, and take this post as it was meant to be taken … as a symbol of my utter and unfailing respect for their absolutely amazing kids.

angels, special needs children, Heaven’s Brightest Star

WELCOME TO OUR TODDLER OF THE WEEK, COLE!!

Child’s Name: Cole
Loves to: Throw balls and chase them/ walk & climb everywhere!
Hates to: Be out of Mommy’s sight for even a minute!!
Favorite toy: Little Tikes Basketball Goal
Best Toddler Tip From Mom: I finally moved my pots and pans to a higher cabinet and put Cole’s toys in the lower cabinets. Now I don’t have to worry about him pulling everything out onto the kitchen floor!

FAMILY FUN

Yesterday, as I lay half-dying with the flu, I discovered something that I will treasure always. I found something that keeps Alex entertained for hours. That’s right, I said HOURS. What was this beacon of perfection to all of toddlerhood?

Our aerobed.

In an effort to get some type of rest and yet still be a part of the family yesterday, I pulled our aerobed out into the living room so I could relax and still be in the midst of things.

Obviously I didn’t get much relaxing done (what mom does?), but I did get to enjoy watching my son bounce, slide, and giggle himself half crazy playing on the aerobed. After about two or three tries, he also became very adept at the Dukes of Hazzard style slide off the side of the bed onto the carpet. This of course, also incited gales of laughter.

Later on we all watched the Daytona 500 as a family. Well, my husband and I watched, and Alex watched whenever he saw a particularly colorful car he liked. The race was great, and if you missed it, you can catch all the highlights over on Scott’s site, The PitStop Report. If you have no interest in the Daytona 500, then you are clearly not the Nascar obsessed fan that I am, and while I can commend you for that, I cannot claim that it makes any sort of sense to me.

Irregardless of the race, and in spite of me hacking, sneezing and coughing through most of the afternoon, it was still a very enjoyable family day.

As for the aerobed, it still sits in the living room, ready to enjoy a full round of bouncing after breakfast.

aerobed, fun with kids, toddlers

OUR TODDLER OF THE WEEK KARI AASLAND

Childs name: Kari Aasland
Loves to: Chase the dog with her toy stroller
Hates to: Have her teeth brushed
Favorite Toy: Anything Elmo
Best Toddler Tip From Mom: Go with the flow…know when to give a little and when to take a stand…in other words, choose your battles and you will both be happier.

TODDLER TEETHING PROBLEMS

First and foremost, for those of you who have children who cut teeth quicker and easier than Justin Timberlake changes girlfriends, I envy you. I also need you to pick out my next lottery numbers, because apparently you are one of the luckiest people on the planet. The rest of us are tired of feeling helpless when our little ones are uncomfortable, tired of trying to choose between thousands of “possible” teething medicines, and just plain tired overall.

The doctors, the books, and the experts say there is no direct correlation between teething and having a runny nose, diarrhea, or slight fever. As all knowing as I might be (sarcasm being the key to that statement), I can’t tell you who’s right. What I can tell you is that Alex is currently cutting two more teeth, and he has all the issues listed above. I don’t know if one caused the other or not, and frankly, I don’t care. All I want to know is how to fix it. We’ve all been there, (except those lucky punks we mentioned in the beginning) our normally vivacious, over-active, last-nerve straining toddler is suddenly a whimpering, pitiful baby who desperately needs Mommy or Daddy to make it better. Here’s how to do just that.

1) Let them chew. Teething rings, cold wet washcloths, anything they want to chew on, let them (provided it’s not your stereo equipment or your cat). Chewing will do the most to help the offending tooth cut through the gum, and cutting it through is our ultimate goal.

2) Let them drink cool, icy fluids. Cold milk, ice water, chilled juice. Keep the fluids flowing, the temperature not only helps to soothe enflamed gums, but if your toddler has diarrhea the extra fluids are always helpful. Avoid sugary sodas or sports drinks as these can make diarrhea worse, and aren’t good for those teeth we’re working so hard to get in the first place.

3) Ease the pain. If your toddler is having enough pain that they’re having trouble sleeping at night, a child’s tylenol or other pain reliever won’t hurt. Make sure and contact your doctor or pharmacist though, for the proper dosage and frequency.

4) Keep them clean AND comfortable. Babies and toddlers both tend to drool more when teething. As parents, we constantly wipe, clean, swipe, dry, etc. This extra attention and extra moisture is likely to cause some drying or redness on your child’s face. Use soft cloth’s (your baby washcloths are great for this) or kleenex for cleaning, and make sure to soothe irritated skin with a baby safe moisturizer. Aquaphor by Eucerin is a favorite in our house, and a regular size tube lasts forever.

And perhaps the best, and most fulfilling way to help …

5) Baby your toddler. Offer plenty of extra cuddles, or some extra rocking before bedtime. Love always seems to help the most when soothing the hurt.

teething, sleep issues, toddlers

OUR TODDLER OF THE WEEK KARI AASLAND

Childs name: Kari Aasland
Loves to: Chase the dog with her toy stroller
Hates to: Have her teeth brushed
Favorite Toy: Anything Elmo
Best Toddler Tip From Mom: Go with the flow…know when to give a little and when to take a stand…in other words, choose your battles and you will both be happier.

SHOTS = SLEEP ISSUES

Yesterday our doctor’s visit went fairly well. Alex loves his pediatrician, and he tolerated the shots fairly well. We had no real problems until last night.

It went something like this:

6pm - Alex is sound asleep on my lap - dogs barking, tv on, etc. doesn’t matter
6:15pm - I put Alex in the bed to catch a short nap (he doesn’t usually nap that late in the evening, as he goes to bed at 8 )
7:00pm - I get Alex up so he can eat dinner - he’s hungry, and eats well, but still sleepy
8:00 - Alex goes back to bed - but doesn’t lay right down like he usually does, so I rock him for a bit and he dozes off
8:30 - Hubby and I sit down with a glass of wine to celebrate Valentine’s
9:45 - Alex wakes up, whimpering as if he’s in pain, so we give him Tylenol to help with the muscle pain from the shots (3 in the legs, 1 in the arm)
10pm - Alex goes back to sleep, hubby and I curl up on the couch to enjoy Valentine’s

2am - Alex awakens again, again, seems to be muscle pain aggravating him, rocking calms him down and he dozes back off
4:30am - Guess who’s up again? More tylenol and rocking doesn’t seem to help, so we break a cardinal rule and give him a little milk to comfort him - little more rocking and by 5:30, everyone is finally asleep back in their own beds
7am - Alex is awake and grinning. Mom is … awake.

Alex has been through the getting shots routine before, and it’s never quite affected him this way. If anything he’s usually exhausted and sleeps a little longer. Do any of your little ones have trouble sleeping after getting shots? Is there anything you do extra special to help ease their discomfort a little? We have to do this again in three months, and I’d like to avoid as much pain for him as possible.

Throughout the night I even tried the tips I have found for getting little ones back to sleep, but nothing worked. My poor little guy was sore, and as he does tend to move around a bit when he’s sleeping, I think a large part was he was most likely rolling over on his “owwie’s” and waking himself up. At the moment however, he is laughing hysterically as he chases the cat around the living room. So at least one of us is feeling chipper this morning!

toddlers, shots, sleep issues

TODDLER OF THE WEEK KARI AASLAND

Childs name: Kari Aasland
Loves to: Chase the dog with her toy stroller
Hates to: Have her teeth brushed
Favorite Toy: Anything Elmo
Best Toddler Tip From Mom: Go with the flow…know when to give a little and when to take a stand…in other words, choose your battles and you will both be happier.

PREPARING FOR THE DOCTOR

I have to ruin Alex’s second Valentine’s day. More specifically, his doctor has to ruin it. Poor child has had a bad track record so far with Valentine’s, his first year he was in the hospital projectile vomiting and unable to eat anything. This year might be almost as bad. We’ll be headed in for a full tune-up, and Alex will have to tolerate the weight torture machine, the annoying tape measure head check, the pokey ear thing, the cold chest domajiggy, and worst of all, the owwy sharp sticky things at the end. Afterwards we’ll have stickers (like they REALLY make the owwy’s better, sha right), maybe even a lollipop. But the best cure all comes once we get home. A nice long nap and being pampered by the doggies, who are obsessed anytime we come in and Alex smells different.
Alex and His Lab Abby, Taken Last Year

I usually give Alex a dose of Tylenol about a half hour before his doctor’s appointment, as it seems to help with the pain from the shots. Nevertheless, the whole ordeal is always very wearing on him, and we make sure and plan for a nice afternoon of quietly cuddling under the blanket and watching Diego or the Backyardigans for endless hours on TV. We also set aside special Daddy time whenever we’re under the weather, because, well frankly, Daddy is the cuddling master. He has some sort of special pheromone that he apparently releases that can calm Alex and make him pass out asleep in a matter of minutes. I don’t know what pheromone it might be, or where it comes from, or how to get it myself, I just know my husband has it, and it works wonders.

Do you do anything in particular to make your toddler more comfortable after shots?

In hindsight, if I had realized ahead of time that Alex has had two icky Valentine’s I never would have made this appointment. But at this point, what’s done is done, and I suppose it’s better to get it over and done with. We’ll be having a loving, if a bit sore, Valentine’s Day around here. We wish you and yours a lovely Valentine’s as well.

toddlers, Valentine’s Day, toddler vaccines

Eli Jerozal, our Toddler of The Week!!!

Name: Eli John Jerozal
Loves to: run around the house and play with the dogs
Hates to: having his nose cleaned our or being told NO!
Favorite toy: The Bouncing Zebra by Fisher Price
Best Toddler Mom Tip: We never use baby talk and now Eli knows how to do a lot of things! Also be fun and make them laugh all the time!

GET YOUR TODDLER TALKING

I distinctly remember mentioning that Friday would be here before we knew it, and here it is. I think there was a week somewhere in between, but I must have missed it as I swear yesterday was Monday. Generally I love Fridays, but today has not started out well. I was awakened this morning by a very insistent (and very smart) cat who determined that cleaning my hair would be the best way to get me out of the bed. Her accomplice was a very large (and NOT very smart) Great Dane, who determined standing by the bed and panting in my face was the best way to rouse me. Either way, as soon as I get up, they get fed, which is what created this desperate need to wake me up in the first place. Apparently they are worried that should they miss a meal by a fraction of a minute, they might waste away into a malnourished, delusional state.

In addition to my wonderful wake up call, I have burned breakfast (and my thumb in the process), busted the bottom out of a trash bag as I tried to take it outside, and realized, somewhere in the midst of all this, that my house looks suspiciously like a war zone somewhere in the Middle East. Needless to say, I do not have the patience to listen to Dora the Explorer’s heinously high voice this morning. What I do have is a sweet, happy and adorable son who is most certainly a morning person. Every morning when I enter his room I am treated to a big smile, a pair of raised arms, and usually some sort of toddler babble. It never fails to bring a smile to my own face. Which is a good thing, because this morning I was running extremely short in the smiles department.

Lately our little man has been babbling, muttering and screeching his way into some sort of vocabulary. We have the standards of MaMa and Dada down pat, and we are working seriously on “Kitty Cat” and “Doggie”. Other than that, we are in serious mimic mode, so we’ve started doing the following things to help Alex learn his words:

1) Books!! Books!! And MORE books!! We keep Alex’s books everywhere these days. He has a large bookcase in his room (which his Grams hand painted and customized with his name) which is full of books, he keeps one or two heavier board books in his crib, and we keep a stack out in our living room so we can settle in for a good read almost anytime. We also pack one or two in his diaper bag, so if we should find ourselves waiting in line, or in the doctor’s office, we can grab a a good story there too.

2) Conversation. One thing I’ve never had any problems with is maintaining a conversation with my son. I talk to him constantly during the day, often asking him questions like “Do you see the Kitty Cat?” “Where did we leave Bob the monkey?” Alex recognizes that I’m asking him something, and he usually has the need to answer me in some way, whether it’s jibberish or mimicking one of the words I used, either way he’s exercising those vocal cords and learning along the way.

3) Name it all. These days I point out the name of everything, no matter how small. “That’s your BOOK. Can you say book?” We also make trips outside in our stroller or our wagon, and I name everything in sight. “See the HOUSE, Alex?” “This is called a FENCE.” Naturally, those without children stare at me like I’ve taken some sort of mind altering drug, but their time will come. And I will be sure to return the favor when it does.

4) Be consistent. Consistency is key with Alex, as it is with all toddlers. When we name something, we stick with the name. Thus our cat Pandora is Kitty Cat, not Pandora, not kitty, not pain in the — . You get the idea. Throwing a bunch of names out for the same object is just going to confuse a new talker, and delay the learning process along the way.

I’m constantly fascinated by the words that evoke the most reaction from kids though. Alex for instance, has a special passion for monkey’s. He loves watching them on tv, and almost always tries to mimic the noises they are making, or the actual word monkey. The word “cookie” however, though he knows exactly what that is, and certainly adores eating one, apparently deserves no attention whatsoever.

toddlers, talking, vocabulary, parenting

Toddler Of The Week Eli Jerozal

Name: Eli John Jerozal
Loves to: run around the house and play with the dogs
Hates to: having his nose cleaned our or being told NO!
Favorite toy: The Bouncing Zebra by Fisher Price
Best Toddler Mom Tip: We never use baby talk and now Eli knows how to do a lot of things! Also be fun and make them laugh all the time!

DEALING WITH THE STATIC CLING

How many of us have dealt with the static cling period? You know what I’m talking about, it’s the weeks, or even months when your toddler decides YOU are the only person in the world they need to be concerned with. This momentous decision is usually followed with incidences of whining, crying, and flailing temper tantrums whenever you are not holding said child. You have suddenly developed a severe case of static cling.

What should we do now? The war wages within our minds … soothe your child by giving them what they want - namely to be held by you 24/7 - or give them certain periods of adjustment, make a point to leave your child with your significant other, grandparents, friends, etc so they get a chance to realize that Mommy WILL come back. What did you do? I for one am just starting to step foot in this new arena. And I won’t lie, it’s HARD. Every instinct within me says to pick up Alex and calm him, even when the whining is just little whimpering noises. On the other hand, there are times when it’s just not feasible, or safe, to be holding my toddler. While I’m cooking dinner for instance. While I’m in the bathroom. You get the idea.

So off I went in search of answers from the “experts”. What I found was the same as what I always find. Some experts say one thing, some say another. In short, they don’t know any more than I do. What I HAVE found that works, (for me anyway) is when Alex starts to get clingy, I get down on the floor with him and pull him into my lap for a hug, or read one of his books. He is much happier, and believe it or not once he has that reassurance from me, he usually starts wiggling to get down and explore other things.

So lately I’ve been thinking about it pretty much non-stop. And I’ve come to the conclusion that he may not be wanting me to hold him all the time, he may simply be seeking regular reassurance from me in this time of new found independence. He wants to explore new things, but he wants to know I am there for security and love along the way. And yes, I do need to make it a point to get out of the house once a week, so he can spend one on one time with his father and start to understand that I WILL always come back. In the meantime, he simply needs love and reassurance.

I’m his mom. I can DO that.

toddlers, clingyness, separation anxiety

Toddler Of The Week Eli Jerozal

Name: Eli John Jerozal
Loves to: run around the house and play with the dogs
Hates to: having his nose cleaned our or being told NO!
Favorite toy: The Bouncing Zebra by Fisher Price
Best Toddler Mom Tip: We never use baby talk and now Eli knows how to do a lot of things! Also be fun and make them laugh all the time!

TODDLER BATH TIME TRICKS

As the curtain opens we are treated to a sweet domestic scene. New parents standing by the sink as they bath their infant in a padded little tub. The infant smiles and kicks his feet excitedly, perfectly content. The parents smile at each other and convince themselves there really is nothing to this bathing stuff.

The scene darkens, then lightens again on another section of the stage. The same parents are now seen, haggard and soaked, helplessly chasing a miniature person around the living room, that same person haphazardly dripping water and shampoo in their wake. Maybe this bath thing isn’t quite to easy after all.

Alex is currently going through a “I want to stand up in the tub” phase. One that we are very strict on not allowing as falling in the tub could cause any number of injuries. So, as soon as Alex grabs the side of the tub and tries to pull up, we redirect with one of about fifty gagillion toys. If that doesn’t work we turn the water on, just a trickle, but enough to keep a toddler entranced for the few moments we need to scrub the hot spots. So far, these two diversionary tactics work just fine, but I can easily forsee the day when they will no longer suffice. His Highness will soon be way to smart to fall for such meager attempts.

So what do perfect parents around the world do? (In case you were wondering, perfect parents around the world are YOU, and you garnered such a title just by checking in with me on a regular basis) How do you keep your slippery, wiggly little one occupied in the tub?

Meanwhile, if you’re looking to increase your bath toy numbers to an impressive fifty gagillion like us, you can find everything you ever wanted here.

bathtime, bath toys, bathing

Eli Jerozal, our Toddler of The Week!!!

Name: Eli John Jerozal
Loves to: run around the house and play with the dogs
Hates to: having his nose cleaned our or being told NO!
Favorite toy: The Bouncing Zebra by Fisher Price
Best Toddler Mom Tip: We never use baby talk and now Eli knows how to do a lot of things! Also be fun and make them laugh all the time!

UNDERSTANDING TODDLER MEDICINES

Last night as I pulled up what seemed like my umpteenth syringe of liquid medicine for my son, I thought (yet again), how upsetting it is to have to medicate my child on a daily basis. It is the infinite paradox of my life at this time, being an avid believer that America as a whole generally lives in one giant over-medicated haze, and yet wanting to do what is best for my son and thus following doctors orders to the letter. It’s also a constant feeding ground for the green-eyed monster. Why is MY son having these problems? Why do other kids have no problems? Why is my adorable, blue-eyed little gentleman having to choke down Flovent, Oratuss AND Zyrtec every day?

The answer chaps my motherly instincts even more than having to ask the question in the first place. They don’t know. THEY DON’T KNOW. All that money spent on years and years of expensive schooling and on the job doctor training, even specialist training, and my son continues to stump modern science. Oh well, at least I know he’s already an overachiever, right?

So, because of that, I went in search of a site that would provide me with the mecca of medical information I was seeking. I wanted something with lists and lists of every medicine out there, something that would validate every side effect I think my son might be having, something that would print in black and white “YES, YOUR DOCTOR DOES KNOW WHAT HE’S TALKING ABOUT.” What mother doesn’t want that reassurance? Only problem is, there wasn’t any site like that. Sure, I found some sites that had massive lists, but they were all in complete medical jargon, and none of them gave me the answers I was looking for. Maybe some of you will know of such a site and share it with the rest of us.

If not, so much for peace of mind.

toddler photos, toddler medicines, Flovent, Oratuss, Zyrtec

Name: Eli John Jerozal
Loves to: run around the house and play with the dogs
Hates to: having his nose cleaned our or being told NO!
Favorite toy: The Bouncing Zebra by Fisher Price
Best Toddler Mom Tip: We never use baby talk and now Eli knows how to do a lot of things! Also be fun and make them laugh all the time!

That’s right everyone, our Toddler of The Week Photo Contest has officially begun! Congrats to our first Toddler of the Week, Eli Jerozal!!

On a special note, I have been informed that certain people are having problems emailing me photos via the contact me link here on the page. If you have any difficulties with this, please feel free to email entries to me at jnremeta@yahoo.com. I will respond to everyone, as soon as I receive your email.

In keeping with our adorable photo theme for today, I found a great site on how to take perfect photos of your little one, who, let’s all face it, would much rather be contemplating the effect of the The Hoobs on the universe as a whole than posing for Mom and Dad’s silly flashy thing. This Parenting Picture Site covers absolutely everything to do with taking pictures of your kids.

And for a more humorous look at taking pictures of your precious offspring, check out Daddy Forever’s experience at Photo Shoot, Take 72. It’s a great laugh, with some adorably funny pictures to boot.

Have a great Monday everyone, and just think …. Friday should be here before you know it.

photos, toddler, kids, kid photo contest