Wednesday, January 11, 2006
Full-On Toddler
Kira chose today to exhibit the full range of toddlerhood -- TANTRUMS! Oh my. And, of course, they were over the most inane things: getting behind the computer chair, getting to the tub in the bathroom, and then naptime.
The computer chair one is something we've never allowed. We have a computer that I work on during the day in the living room, where I can keep an eye on the kids, and quickly switch from work mode to play mode at the drop of a hat. It is in the corner next to a window. The chair, therefore sits next to the wall. Kira likes to squeeze, while screaming from frustration and/or pain, between the chair and wall, towards the computer tower, which she has been known to turn off in the middle of a project (thus, constant saving). I always immediately pick her up and move her, and get her engaged in something else, or take it as my cue to have a break from the computer. Well, she will NOT be discouraged for ANYthing if I'm sitting here. But, if I move away to play with her, she isn't interested. So, I go back to the computer. Repeat ad nauseum.
Now the tub one was just -- infuriating. When I'm here with the kids, I normally run to the bathroom, do my business, and come back out, without worrying about closing the door all the way (it is quick, it allows me to keep an ear out, and Kira can come find me if need be -- I'm done by the time she gets to me). Probably TMI, but there it is. Well, today, in her super-fast toddler-mode, she got to the bathroom, and proceeded to the tub. I removed her from trying to flip into it, and she LOST it. I mean LOST it. Oh, it was horrible. Midnight, our cat, even came over to make sure that she was okay. I mean, went over to her face and sniffed (and then ran back to a safe distance when she still screamed, right in her face).
She finally calmed down when we left the bathroom and I nursed her. And it was one of those shuddering nursings -- where you can tell that they feel the world has wronged them and they just can't calm down. She finally fell asleep, and when I got up to take her to her crib, she woke up screaming yet again. I just put her in her crib, closed the door and finally got myself some breakfast. I ate it, with no great speed, and she went from being somewhat entertained in her crib to screaming in the span of a few minutes.
"Kira's awake, Mama," Parker said, somewhat concerned. I acknowledged the information and told him that she's okay and I'll get her in a minute. I knew that I still needed to calm down a little more. So, I went and got her, much to her relief, and sat her down in the living room, at which time she started patting her knees and saying, "Pah-Pah" for "pat-pat". I knew what I needed to do. Get Little Einsteins and put it on the TV. And I did. And she's watching it with Parker now. And they both just did the "pat-pat-pat-pat" to get Rocket to go faster for Blast Off. It was cute. I'm calm. Please let the tantrums for the day be over. For all of us.
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