We are off and running.
Up at 6:30 because I thought I heard something in the living room. Ended up being the dog.
Brock woke up because I was awake. We laid in bed together, quietly, enjoying the morning. His alarm went off, and I beat him to the shower… if I get up before Ronan, I get a real shower!
Got Ronan up – he had soaked through another diaper. I don’t now how many nights in a row this is. I’ve lost count. I’m tired of washing sheets. I was just at Target, and I didn’t think of buying some size 6 diapers for overnights… I guess I should go back.
Anyways. Got Ronan up, brought him down stairs where his breakfast was already waiting for him. Little known fact about Ronan: he is SO HUNGRY when he wakes up, he can’t wait for you to get something ready for him. He’s sort of shaky and wobbily, and desperate for something to eat. I get food ready before I head up the stairs; he’ll patiently wait in his room until I come get him, but once he’s up, he wants FOOD.
Ronan and I sat on the couch and enjoyed Peanut Butter and Eggo waffles. He’s naked at this point because I take off his soaked through diaper, but he wont let me put a new one on until he’s eaten something (see above.) Dad comes out from his shower, and Ronan wants up. Wraps his arms around Brock’s legs, and starts lifting his feet in the air. I swear, the kid will be able to climb up on his own soon. Brock picks him up and walks around with him for a few minutes. Hands him something he really wants… ends up being a cup of Queso from Moe’s last night. I let him play with it for a few minutes after Brock leaves, but he’s going to make a mess, and he wont eat it.
So I take it away.
And the MELTDOWN commences. These are the kinds of tantrums you see on TV. He screams, he throws himself around, he writhes on the floor. I got up to go to the kitchen to find something else to offer him for breakfast (assuming he was still hungry)… and he followed me. YES, totally like that kid that followed his parents with his tantrum as they walked away. When I came back into the living room, he followed me back and threw himself on the floor again.
I showed him what I had for him to eat (a granola bar, or raisins) and he walked over and tried to hit me.
The hitting. Oh please, please parents of children older than 5 – tell me your toddlers hit and then grew out of it. Tell me hitting is a natural form of frustration that he will learn to curb, and my child isn’t a monster that will continue to get worse and worse.
I sat him down, told him hitting was unacceptable, and that he could have the granola bar if he said please. He signed please while crying, and I opened it and handed it to him. Crisis averted, happy again. Talking, squealing, sitting on my lap and chatting. Do I dare take a trip to the grocery store?
Fifteen short minutes later, Ronan was dressed and content, and we were out the door. I dread trips to Target. I hate grocery shopping (even BEFORE I had to check all the labels.) We’re trying Ronan on a Dairy Free diet for 6 weeks to see if it helps clear up his Reflux, which has continually gotten worse. We walked up and down all of the aisles while I checked products I’ve never looked at before to see if they contain any dairy.
Ronan was sweet, calm, patient and so so good. He sat happily in the buggy the whole time. He chatted with me. He laughed when I did silly things. He gave me kisses, and asked to see products as I put them in the cart. He didn’t cry, whine or fuss even ONE TIME. As I walked towards the check out counter, he asked for some Raspberries – signed Please, and Eat. I opened the package and let him snack while I checked out (unwashed, I know! GASP!), and he waved to the check-out lady. I told him he was ‘so sweet’.
She said to me, “Do you know who has nice kids? Nice parents… he just takes after you.”
And it made my whole day.
