Tag Archives: toddler

I Am Toddler, Hear Me Roar

Sometimes, one or both of my boys have a rough day. Today seemed unusually difficult for Blake, and to make matters worse, whenever I tried to help him through an upset, disappointment, or other situation, he seemed to just get more upset. One time, he even got so worked up that he nearly made himself sick. When one of the boys has a rough day, I feel bad for both of them. Of course, whomever is freaking out must be attended to, and if there are only small amounts of time in between freak outs, the other guy gets only … Continue reading →

Oh Snap, He Took Another Nap

Ah, nap time. Most of the time, it is a relief when your toddler naps. After all, many kids need at least one nap a day until they are about five years old. Of course, my oldest son, Dylan, gave up regular naps around the age of two and a half. He naps maybe once a week, if that, on days when there is a conveniently timed car trip involved. Blake is 17 months old now, and has been napping only once a day since around his first birthday. When your child transitions from two naps a day down to … Continue reading →

Why Does My Toddler Rip His Clothes Off?

I know that it’s summer and all, but even on the hottest days around here, everyone is usually wearing at least some clothing. Well, almost everyone. Blake has decided that he does not like wearing clothes – or diapers, for that matter. Toddlers are notorious for their penchant for running around naked, much to their parents’ chagrin. Of course, not all toddlers go through a phase where they resist clothing and diapers. I do not remember Dylan doing that at all. I mean, he may have ripped his diaper off once or twice, but that was about it. He was … Continue reading →

Monkey See, Monkey Do

If you have more than one child, it can be very interesting to see just how much you toddler learns from his or her older brother or sister. Younger siblings often reach developmental milestones sooner than their peers who have no older siblings in their homes. The reason for this can probably be boiled down into a simple concept – monkey see, monkey do. Of course, we, as parents, think that much of our little ones’ learning comes from watching us do our thing. This is true, but when there is an older sibling in the home, a toddler sees … Continue reading →

Diaper Detective – The Toddler Edition

Before your little one was born, it is likely that no one told you that beginning on day one of your precious baby’s life outside of the womb, you would be investigating the contents of baby’s dirty diapers in addition to changing them. When your baby arrives, you quickly learn what to look for as far as frequency of wet and dirty diapers, color, consistency, and all that good stuff. Now that you have a toddler, the days of diapering are nearing an end. However, every child learns to use the toilet at his or her own pace. You may … Continue reading →

It Must Be Tough to be a Toddler

It must be very difficult to be a toddler. If you think about it, there are so many contradictions in the life of a toddler that must make things very, very confusing. This is what I repeatedly tell myself as I try to remain calm and compassionate with Blake as he navigates toddler territory. It has been only a little while since Dylan transitioned from being a toddler to being a preschooler, but apparently enough time has passed since the beginning of Dylan’s toddlerhood that I sort of forgot just how confusing life can be during that time. If it is … Continue reading →

Could Your Toddler be Teething?

One of the most difficult things about life with a young toddler is that because his vocabulary is so limited, he can’t always tell you in words what is wrong. Blake is almost sixteen months old, and he makes a ton of sounds but he says very few actual words. He’s got the basics – “Mama”, “Dada”, “uh oh”, “ball”, and “mm-mm” accompanied by a  head shake to indicate “no”, but not much else. For the past four to five days, my usually energetic and bubbly little guy has been rather fussy and clingy, he has not been eating much, and … Continue reading →

Do You Know an Independent Toddler?

In honor of Independence Day, I would like to talk a little about one of the most independent people that I know. My son Blake is only about sixteen months old, but he is already proving to be very independent. Even before he learned to walk (just after his first birthday), he liked to crawl into the playroom and play with the toys by himself whenever he felt like it. He loves to explore, especially in the yard, and can keep himself entertained for what I feel is an unusually long time for such a small fellow. Of course, that might be … Continue reading →

Anger Shows Us Where Change Is Needed

Lately, bedtime at my house has been more frustrating than it has been in months. Actually, frustrating is too mild of a word to describe what it has felt like. I have actually been feeling enraged. The two hours between dinner time and bed time have somehow morphed into three. It’s not the length of the time that is getting to me, although it is a contributing factor because my “me time” does not happen until the kids are asleep. The issue is more about what goes on during those three hours. At our house, the time in between dinner … Continue reading →

It’s Not Their Fault, It’s Mine

Today, our septic system backed up into the basement and there was yucky water all over the floor. I discovered the mess when I was getting the kids ready to go to the park. I went downstairs to get a pair of pants that I knew were in the dryer from a few days ago, and as soon as I opened the door to the basement and saw water at the bottom of the stairs, my heart sank. As my heart sank, I realized that I had two options for what to do next. One option was to tell the … Continue reading →