You Know You're a Tired Mama when...

...it takes you three bites to realize you're using your toddler's spoon.

Nipple Confusion

You might think with a title like that, this post is going to be about my nursing infant. You'd be wrong! This is yet another post about my rambunctious toddler.

Caleb has this Cabbage Patch doll. Recently, he picked up the little fella' and held him, hugged him, then proceeded to stick him on the changing table. He announced, "diaper!" So, I figured I'd go along with his game of make-believe and said, "Caleb, your baby is hungry, what are you going to do?" He responds as I'd expect, "eat moke (rhymes with 'poke', means 'milk')!"  I nod in agreement, the baby needs some milk. I wonder what Caleb will do, put the baby to his own chest maybe or hand the baby to me to nurse?  Well, imagine my surprise when Caleb gently lays the doll on the couch, lifts the doll's shirt, leans down, places his mouth on the doll's chest, makes a loud slurping sound and excitedly repeats, "eat moke!" Hm..we're gonna have to work on that one!

 I should also probably explain the importance of not introducing
solid food until the baby is older.

Strange Love

My toddler becomes attached to weird things.  A few months ago it was a neti-pot. He even slept with the thing for a couple nights.  And if he hadn't slept with it, his first request in the morning was for "pot!"  

Caleb's 20-month shot with Neti-Bear or would it be a
Teddy-pot?

I'm hoping that in his teenage years, pot won't be the first thing on his mind in the morning or on his mind at all, ever...ah! I can't really go there right now or think about the "just say no to drugs" talk and possible experimentation we may have to deal with. Can I please put my kids in a cage around ten and not let them out until they're about nineteen?  I so don't want to deal with real-life, big-world issues with my babies!  I digress.

Anyway, on a recent trip to BJ's, Caleb decided a large jug of salsa was his new-found buddy.  He was clinging to it in the front of the cart so tightly and contentedly that Matt didn't see it to ring it up at self-checkout.  After scanning everything and getting it all back in the cart, Matt spotted Caleb with his new BFF and had to convince Caleb to give up "Sauce, Sauce, Sauce" long enough for a store clerk to ring it up.  Luckily, the guy was quick, so Caleb got his pal back before throwing an all-out tantrum.  

While loading the car, we semi-attempted to get it away from him before the drive home but then decided it wasn't worth the fight. So, our little man clung to his chunky, red companion the whole twenty minute drive home and then refused to let go to eat his lunch. So, they ate lunch together.  I opted not to let him nap with the salsa. Fortunately, he did not fight me on that decision.  I'm happy he's such a lover, even if the objects of his affection are a wee bit odd. 

Caleb and his bulk-sized bud.

The Rear Facing Car Seat: Protecting my Kids and my Appetite

My kid's a mooch. Maybe this is unique to him but more likely it's typical toddler behavior.  Anyway, if he sees someone eating something, he wants it. Even when he doesn't really want it (which is particularly sad when you're eating something you really like and offer it to him only for it to be tasted enough for him to decide he doesn't like it which happens to also be just enough for you not to want to eat it after him). Because of this I may or may not, on occasion (see: frequently), eat food out of his line of vision (I refuse to call this "hiding while eating"). Maybe this is typical mom behavior, but more likely I'm just super-stingy with my food.

So, I was having a difficult day- a combination of sleep deprivation, a tantruming toddler, and a fussy baby.  I decided the perfect distraction from all of this would be to get out of the house and hit up Target for a random smattering of things. I grabbed one item at Target and then the remaining list of items I had committed to memory completely escaped me. I became more frustrated at that point than I had been when I resolved that getting out of the house would be a good remedy for frustration.

I debated about then walking down to the other end of the strip mall to find some books for Caleb at Barnes and Noble. Being exhausted, I decided I'd rather put both kids back in the car and drive there. Immediately following getting both kids snugly in their car seats, Caleb starts urgently yelling something unintelligable.  I made sure I hadn't pinched him in the buckle or that he hadn't hurt himself in some way, then realized he was yelling for a plastic ring/link thingermajig that I found sitting inches from his foot. I promptly returned it to him.  He calmed down.

At this point, I was in no mood to drive down to the bookstore, schlep both kids into the store, and so forth. Instead?  I made a beeline for the Golden Arches.  Nothing like some fries and a hot fudge sundae to make it all better. I ordered, paid, collected my happiness-in-a-bag, parked the car in the lot, and ate away my troubles. All while my mooch of a toddler was none the wiser in his rear facing car seat. A big thank you goes out to car safety experts who advocate keeping your children rear facing for as long as possible, in turn allowing me to wallow in self-pity and high-fat foods on-the-go, without sharing.

addendum:  Unfortunately, this may not go on for much longer.  Caleb is getting better at identifying scents and when the fry-aroma wafted into the backseat, he did request to "eat lunch" more than once.  Of course this still didn't convince me to share. Though I did offer him a healthy snack when we returned home.  

Manipulation 101

I tend to take pictures of my boys in this pose:

Apparently, Caleb has caught on. 

Recently, on a morning like any other, the three of us were playing on the living room floor.

Caleb looks up and demands, "Hold!"

I'm pretty clueless at this point, "Hold what?"

"Hold baby!"

"You want to hold the baby?"

With a mysterious grin, Caleb replies, "Yes!"

Aw, my little guy wants to love on his brother. **warm fuzzies**

"OK, climb up on the couch and I'll let you hold the baby."

With Gideon in his lap, Caleb makes his next request.

"Cam-ra, cam-ra, pits-err."

"You want Mommy to take a picture?"

There's that sinister mysterious grin again, "Yes!"

So, of course I oblige because even though I know the kid is really only looking for an opportunity to swipe my  camera (which he makes glaringly obvious as he waits for the flash to go off and then nudges his brother off his lap and lunges toward me), it's still awfully cute.  Agreed?

Funny Photo

I find the expression on his face rather humorous myself. Here's hoping you enjoy it as well!