Kicking the Winter Blues in the Butt

You know when you get to a certain part of winter, and you're bored. And all you want to do is sleep. And eat. And veg around with a good book? Well, I've hit that. However, when a toddler gets to that point, it's quite the opposite. :) LBB's been a tad more stubborn than his normal stubborn self (which, coincidentally, seemed impossible to me.) He always wants to go outside. Go for walks. And just has a general level of crankiness and stubborness that is sometimes a little difficult to contend with.

So, I said to myself:

"Self, stop being a lazy Mommy. You may want to cuddle up on the couch and wait for these winter blues to go away, but you can't. Suck it up."

And you know, there is a lot of resources out there for fun activities to do with little tots during the winter blues. So, today we implemented a few of them. :)

For LBB's lunch, I decided I'd try to outmanuever that finicky eater and trick him into eating something that had a little more nutritional value than a fruit strip. And here's what I came up with:

Yes, those are cut up pieces of fruit strips in one of the cups. :) But...he did eat about 1/2 of his puppy sandwich, so I'm not going to complain too much. (The cheerios, on the other hand, turned into small bombs that he launched at the cat.)

Then it was onto playing with his sensory bin. This seriously couldn't be an easier to put together...a trip to the store for a dish pan. Throw in some rice, dried beans, and a little glitter if you want (I avoided the glitter...Dear Sweet Hubby gets home from his business trip today and I'm sure the last thing he wants to see is his son covered in glitter. HA!) I picked up a 6 pack of cheap plastic cups, and LBB was entertained for at least 15 minutes. (Hey, it may not sound like a long time, but for a boy who generally has an attention span of 2 minutes with his toys, it seemed like an eternity.)

Cat #2 was also pretty enthralled with the concept of an "indoor sandbox" (I'm hoping she doesn't mistake it for a litter box) and even after she left, LBB would kindly bring a few beans to her. He shares so well it amazes me. (And this is a toy that requires FULL supervision for a tot like LBB...he'll put anything in his mouth. The other day he found piece of carpet fiber and tried to eat it. Ew.)

I got LBB down for his nap and read THIS wonderful article about how when you are raising a spirited child (feisty, impulsive, strong-willed, etc etc etc. In other words, LBB. If you read the second paragraph, she is not only describing her daughter, but my little guy as well) you can try all the "suggested" ways to try to get that little one to conform...but God's plan is a little different than that. Obviously you need to figure out what discipline works, but you also need to realize that the generaly personality isn't going to change. (Does that make sense? I don't want you all to think I'm ok with letting my kid run rampant!)

So, as I listened to my LBB yell in his room because I was making him take a nap in his bed, I chuckled to myself while I read the article. I had decided that I was going to see if letting him cry it out would put a stop to the bedtime issues we've been having the past few nights. And then, quiet. :) Sweet, sweet quiet that is so much more meaningful when you have a rambunctious little one running around. I went to go check on him (he bumped his head bigtime earlier today and I wanted to make sure he was ok), and as I go to open the door, I realize...

There's something blocking the door.

Let me rephrase that: There's SOMEONE blocking the door. :)

In the midst of his tantrum, LBB fell asleep in front of his door. I was finally able to get the door open just enough to fit my hand in, moved his legs, open the door a bit more, and transferred him to his bed. He is now soundly sleeping...in his bed, as most people would like, covered up with his blankie and snuggling with his bear.

Ah. Spirited. I think that hits the nail on the head. :)

15 Months...

...WHAT?!?!?!

OK. So I don't know how that happened! But then again, I suppose I've said that a lot on here, so it's probably old news to all of you. :) However, it still knocks my socks off how quickly time flies by with a child. Sigh...stop growing LBB!

But truthfully, I wouldn't trade this stage for anything. Newborn LBB was fun. 6 month LBB was a blast. 9 month LBB was exciting. 12 month LBB was amazing. But toddler LBB...well, that's a whole different scenario. There's never a dull moment with him (as I said in my last post), and there is not a day that passes that he doesn't learn something new. Or does something hilarious.

And that's not to say there haven't been some...issues. :) I read a quote tonight that said "Raising kids is part joy and part guerilla warfare." (Ed Asner.) Yeah, I'd say that sums it up pretty well.

Since I haven't done one of these in a while, here's an update of LBB at 15 months...I'd share his height, but I only have his weight due to a nice little ER visit on Friday night. LBB weighs 25.6, which means he didn't seem to gain a whole lot of weight, but, he also sprouted up a few inches in my opinion, so I think it all evens out. So here goes. At 15 months, LBB:

• can feed himself with a spoon. It's a tad messy, because, well, he tips the spoon upside EVERY time. Most of the time it's a gamble if it's going to make it in his mouth, or on his leg (which still makes it in his mouth...and he still uses the spoon. I really should start taking bets with Dear Sweet Hubby whether or not each spoonful will make it in. :) And he won't let us help him much anymore, either, so if we want him to eat anything...we have to let him do it himself. He's embracing this independence thing with arms wide open.
• And speaking of eating...he is the pickiest eater ever. I swear. (However, I'm sure my mom would disagree with this. LOL!) He only likes applesauce, mini-beef ravioli, corn, Gerber fruit snacks, and Chipotle. Yes, you read that last one right...bring him to Chipotle and he can put down a small quesadilla, a serving of pinto beans, a little rice, a whole container of chocolate milk, and some of their fresh salsa. Crazy kid (and he doesn't even flinch when he eats a bit of jalapeno, whereas I'm reaching for a drink as quick as possible!)
• Loves to dance. He's a big fan of music in general...he'll pretty much listen to anything and find a beat to dance to.
• Is running. And it scares the living daylights out of me.
• Can climb onto the couch. And bounce on it. And maniacally run across it despite all attempts by Mommy and Daddy to stop him. He's fallen off once, but it still hasn't fazed him.
• Is learning to say the word "Baby."
• Is doing great in his toddler bed, although we do have a few rough days here and there.
• Can help make bread. Sweeps the floor. Helps unload the dishwasher. And use his swiffer to "clean" after he's swept. He can also put things back where they belong, and sometimes we don't even need to ask him to.
• Loves going for walks.

Hmmm. I'm forgetting things. And I can't go look because his milestone calendar is hanging in his room, and he is finally asleep. :) So, I suppose it's off to work on his curtains for his new room! Have a great night!