Letter to Mommy and Daddy

Dear mommy and daddy I don't know if you have been keeping track, but I am 28 months old and I have decided to be my own person, independent from you. So, here are my new rules:

1. For now on, I will dress myself because there is no such thing as putting something on inside out or backwards, I personally like my shoes on the wrong feet.

2. I will not wear clothing laid out for me, don't bother giving me a choice between two, I will choose something completely different.

3. I don't care if I don't own a "red" shirt, I want to wear a "red shirt!" See Rule #2.

4. I don't want to use the potty, in fact, I don't want my diaper changed either.

5. I will not sit down to eat as this doesn't fit into my playtime schedule. Occasionally I will stop by the table and maybe take a bite.

6. I don't like green beans, don't attempt to hide them or disguise them in things like mac and cheese.

7. Candy corn is too a vegetable.

8. If its mine, its mine. If its yours its mine.

9. If I see it, it is mine.

10. I am changing bedtime and naps, in fact, I will just skip it all together.

Love always,

Jelly-bean

Potty Time

Call it curious or trying to imitate mommy and daddy, but our little Jelly-Bean asked to use the potty, and actually peed too! This has been happening on and off for the past couple weeks.

Honestly, I am trying to contain my excitement, I do realize that potty-training your child can take a full year.

I finally broke down and bought a potty seat, not one of those stand-alone things you have to clean out, personally I find that offensive...don't get me wrong, I just don't want to clean it out myself. So the seat that I bought fits over our toilet seat. It seems to make sense, if you are out and about are you going to drag a port-a-pot with you? No, well at least I wouldn't.

Right now our daughter is in a classroom (at day care) that doesn't have the capability to potty-train, so we won't be pushing the issue too much. But I will keep you updated on our progress...

Do you have any potty-advice for our little Jelly-Bean?

Cheese with that Whine?

Ahhh, the sound of wine, it is so...unnerving! No, not wine, whine! But a little whine makes me want some wine!

My daughter has started this whining thing a couple weeks ago, but over the past couple days she has been sick and boy did it ever exacerbate! So, I am at my wits end and pulled out my "Everything about your toddler" book. Go to the index and find "whining." As I find the page I see at the top 24 months, silly me, if only I read that section a week ago!

They begin the chapter with whining sounds like nails on a chalk board, ahhh, yes, that is it! As I read on, it said whining is normal for toddlers and it is worsened with hunger, tiredness, sickness (bingo), boredom, and lack of attention. And when they aren't whining...that is the other 5% of the time. (sarcasm towards the book) It gave me a chuckle. Anyways, so you are wondering how it can be alleviated...

1. Feed the toddler
2. Help the toddler get rest
3. Coddle your toddler and help her/him feel better
4. Give them a game to play
5. Take a break from what you are doing and play with them.
6. Distract them
7. Help them find the right words
8. Make whining a game. (ex. Where is that sound coming from...(look under the couch, behind the tv, and then check inside their mouth...then proceed to ask if it needs a tune-up and tickle them.) Little strange, but hey I will try annnyyyythinnnggg!

By the way, this was a short summary of the 3 full pages on this subject. Sounds like something I can try...I will keep you updated on our progress.