Toddler Check-in (2/24)

[wifey]

Age: 15 months on Friday!

Milestones: I'm just really pleased with his listening skills right now. He follows commands like feet first, then does it when we don't remind him. He is doing really well at being patient while Mommy tries to figure out what he wants, and responds in various ways. He is trying to say Apple, currently says App.

Funny/ cute stories: I was loafing on the chair in his room yesterday and my ponytail was hanging over the arm so he took advantage of the opportunity to play with it. I was also filing my nails, and he would give me his hand to file his for a second, pull away, then come back to gently play with my ponytail, and get his nails filed again. It was sweet.

Challenges: None at the moment. Always trying to come up with fun age appropriate activities to keep him entertained and stimulated. Some days he is content to just pace....

QOTW: I loved Cliiford the Big Red Dog and bought him the set for when he's ready to not rip the page out.

@enchanted, Hang in there, Mama, you're doing the best you can. I worry about exactly the same thing if I have sucess while Tate is this young.

[honeylemon]

Age: 19 months tomorrow


Milestones: She finally said her brothers' name! Well, she said Bubba, but it's something. DS was so excited about it too.


Challenges: Food. My child who would once eat whatever you put in front of her now will only eat food if it is 1) on my plate 2) on the floor or 3) dipped in ketchup.


Funny/cute stories: She's in a phase where every picture/drawing/cartoon of a woman is "Mama." We got the 101 Dalmations on DVD and the other day she was walking around pointing at the picture of Cruella deVille saying mama. Thanks little girl.


How are you? Hanging in there.


QOTW: I asked about your little one's favorites a couple of weeks ago; what about you? What's your favorite children's book?

As a child it was Color Kittens



Now, I find it really annoying to read lol. My favorite books for my kids are the Baby Lit books.

[mrsbutton]

Age: 19mo+1w

Milestones: His 10th tooth broke through last night =P (He still has the random molar and canine here and there lol)

Challenges: He really favors Daddy (and has for a number of months) so I try to 1-keep patient when he ONLY wants daddy (and NOT me) and 2-get more really fun play-time in (because, I reason - maybe he likes daddy more because he throws him around? lol)

Funny/cute stories: DH went to pick up Button at daycare and said he walked in and saw him and his teacher sitting at their little table, like they were having a serious conversation =P

How are you? We re-arranged the nursery over the weekend as we bolted everything to the wall, and re-arranged according to how it would be with a toddler bed in the room... making me put more pressure on myself now that we're one cycle in for TFAS (diva, right? wanting to get KTFU immediately? got to remind myself of patience...)

QOTW: I asked about your little one's favorites a couple of weeks ago; what about you? What's your favorite children's book? While I love The Giving Tree, I cry every time I read it... I recently found a bunch of my old books - loved Mrs. Nelson Is Missing!


@enchanted I hope you and GT feel better soon! =\

[mrsbutton]

honeylemon lol I've discovered that ketchup would get Button to eat ANYTHING - so we've stocked up!

[honeylemon]

Hugs @enchanted. Trying to take care of a toddler when you feel like death is so hard and it's easy to beat ourselves up over it.

Have you seen this list of ways to entertain your kids while lying down? Some of them are for older kids, but maybe it will give you some ideas.

One thing I did with the kids when I was dealing with my never ending nausea was to stack Solo cups and let them throw a small ball at them to knock them over. Or I'd set a few on the ground and give the kids one of those little fuzzy pom poms and they would try to throw it in the cups. They usually ended up just throwing the cups everywhere, but at least it kept them entertained for a while.

[bethelgal42]

Age:
16 months

Milestones:
No major milestones. She discovered how to climb up on the dining chairs yesterday.

Challenges: Sleep still continues to be a challenge. She was sleeping for 5-7 hours in her crib before she got an ear infection in January. Now, she will sleep for 3-4 hours in her crib but then the rest of the night, she is in bed with us. Last night, she slept from 9pm to 1am in her crib, then from 1:30 to 8 in bed with us and that's pretty typical as of late. So, I know she knows how to sleep for 5-6 hours straight but she just won't do it in her crib. We have started weaning her from breastfeeding so I don't nurse at night anymore, only during the day if she asks for it. I don't know it's that has anything to do with the change.


Funny/cute stories: This week, Anne was "helping" me fold laundry. She removed a dress from the laundry basket and proceeded to play with it for a good 20 minutes. She tried putting it on her feet, then on her head, then she was carrying it around like a purse. It was cute to watch her imagination.


How are you? I'm doing well. I have no real complaints at the moment.  My temporary job might be coming to an end soon so that it is a bit stressful. It wasn't adding a ton to our monthly income but it was a nice boost. I guess, it will be a blessing to able to home with Anne more and be working.  This week, I'm trying to be more organized with meal planning so I can make our budget go farther.


QOTW: I asked about your little one's favorites a couple of weeks ago; what about you? What's your favorite children's book?

I loved The Three Little Kittens when I was a kid. As I got older, I loved the Berenstain Bears and the Babysitter's Club and Little Sister books.

[ksyknelvr73]

Age: 4 years old!


Milestones: Well, he had a really good 4 year well check yesterday. He is 42 lbs and 41.5 inches. He has been helping me write the thank you notes for his birthday presents which I am very proud of - all I am asking him to write is "thank you" and then sign his name, so nothing too crazy.


Challenges: The crying meltdown when he doesn't get his way. It's just a little out of control right now. Sometimes I think it's contributed to by him being tired, but it's just been excessive.


Funny/cute stories: Last night I was folding his clothes and putting them away while he was getting a bath, but he got out before I was finished, so he came into the room and said "Mommy you are so beautiful". I told him thank you and how sweet that was, and DH calls him to come back into our room and he goes "DADDY, I NEED TO TELL MOMMY SHE IS BEAUTIFUL!" lol


How are you? I posted in the infant check-in, but I'm okay. I wish I wasn't at work (we actually have snow for once, super rare for us), but I am looking forward to date night tonight with DH for his birthday.


QOTW: I asked about your little one's favorites a couple of weeks ago; what about you? What's your favorite children's book?

I'll Love You Forever.

Tears, always.

[threetexans]

Age:
 18 months this weekend. 




Milestones:
 She's in the midst of a big language explosion.  She added dada, yes, no, up, and milk this week.  Word count is up to 9 now!  She also starting to let go a little more when she is standing.  She is also starting to crawl a little more.   




Challenges:
 She has started mouthing, a poor attempt at biting, whenever she get frustrated or we take some something away she really wants (i.e. keys, remotes, phones).  I try to redirect her, and remind her we don't bite, but it isn't really helping.  I'm hoping with increased communication skills it will ease up some.  She is still lagging behind in some areas of gross motor development.  Most seem to be balance related, which relates to her vestibular sensitivity issues.  Currently there is no end in sight for PT.  Picky eating isn't improving either.  She also busted her lip on the coffee table this weekend.  She ended up with a fat ulcerated lip.  Poor baby girl.  It is starting to heal now though.   It's just a lot of little things going on. 




Funny/cute stories:
 Friday, my dad and nephew came to play.  M does not care for my dad, or any man that is not her daddy, but she is finally coming around.  She let my dad pick her up, and give her tickles, a few times.  There were no tears or screams! She's warming up to him slowly. 




How are you?
 Tired.  I can't seem to catch up on sleep.  I've been trying to go to bed earlier, but something always happens to thwart my plans.  




QOTW: I asked about your little one's favorites a couple of weeks ago; what about you? What's your favorite children's book?
I love The Giving Tree, Where the Wild Things Are, and Anne of Green Gables. 

[scimomma]

Sorry I have been MIA for a week or two. 

Age:
19 months

Milestones:
We have gone several days without crying at daycare drop off!

Challenges:
The new neighbors....our old ones moved out and they ended up turning around the apartment in less than 2 weeks. We slept so well up until that point. The new ones are a lot better than the old ones but the kids upstairs have a loud hour and it happens to start about 30 minutes after I get S to sleep. Her naps are wonky and she's waking up for at least an hour after I've put her down for the night. 

Funny/cute stories:
My husband became a citizen last week! At the ceremony I was asked to move the stroller outside of the room. I thought oh ok let's take a perfectly happy, well behaved child and move her. Great idea. I did and when I put her in the seat next to mine she saw DH. She got very excited and kept saying "Daddy! Daddy!" He said he could hear her the whole time. She was good but she was chatting with me. She wanted to give me kisses and kept pointing to my nose and saying "Nose". But the cutest part was when she kept saying "Daddy! Daddy!" 

How are you?
In general I am fine. Work is going well and we are planning our summer vacation. I'm getting ready to start some at home work and will soon talk to the boss about the possibility of going to part time next year. The only thing that's really tough is that there's a tension between my mom and DH right now. Neither wants to be the bigger person and make the first move towards reconciliation and I don't know if they really want to reconcile at all. It's a case of something getting blown out of proportion and I have tried to stay out of it, fearing I would make it worse, but it certainly has not helped. At any rate, I feel like I have two families and not one and I really, really want that to change but it won't until they are both ready.

QOTW: I asked about your little one's favorites a couple of weeks ago; what about you? What's your favorite children's book? As a kid I always loved The Very Hungry Caterpillar. However, now I love to read to her the book I Love You So...but I still tear up when I do. 

[lilmizsunshine68]

Age: 14.5 months


Milestones: Getting another tooth in...Not quite there, but I can see it!


Challenges: That tooth...and sleep again. It was nice while it lasted...


Funny/cute stories: I cant think of anything specific stories today, mainly bc I just think everything she does is cute. She has been trying to play fetch with Piper our 7 lb weiner dog and that has been absolutely adorable to watch.


How are you? I think I have a UTI so you know that's been just awesome. And of course the random snow today that we weren't supposed to get, also fun. Oh and my hubby spinning out 3 times in his car and hitting the concrete wall on his way to work...also great. Other than that, fantastic. In all honesty, I should count my blessings. It could be a lot worse, I'm just having a grump day.


QOTW: I asked about your little one's favorites a couple of weeks ago; what about you? What's your favorite children's book? I have so many. As a teacher, my favorite thing to do with my first graders and kindergarteners was read aloud time. I'll try and only name a couple. I love the Treasure Tree, Benjamin and Bumper to the Rescue, All of the Pigeon Books by Mo Willems, I love the If You Give... series by Laura Numeroff, Green Eggs and Ham, Press Here, The Crayon Box That Talked was a definite favorite, You are My I love you, and oh I better stop now or I'll never stop

[lilmizsunshine68]

Feb 24, 2015 14:32:45 GMT -5 threetexans said:

QOTW: I asked about your little one's favorites a couple of weeks ago; what about you? What's your favorite children's book?
I love The Giving Tree, Where the Wild Things Are, and Anne of Green Gables. 

My daughter is named after Anne of Green Gables...Avonlea ;-) You have good taste

[leopardgurl831]

Age: Turned 15 months this past Sunday


Milestones: I feel like he is a sponge lately and picking up things so quickly! threetexans he picked up the please sign in a day. This is the fastest he has ever learned something. Vocabulary has finally exploded and he knows words I had no clue he new. Like Bubbles, apparently DC is doing a great job.


Challenges: He won't sleep without me. I really need to work on it, but it takes so much effort.


Funny/cute stories: LM came home singing Row Row Row your boat. Well all of a sudden he would but his hand up to his mouth and scream. We thought he was just really excited. Nope, we didn't know the whole song. He is obsessed with screaming now.


How are you? Doing good right now, I think work keeps me sane and without it I would go crazy.


QOTW: I asked about your little one's favorites a couple of weeks ago; what about you? What's your favorite children's book?

I love Wherever you are my love will find you. I have it memorized.

[muirmaid]

Age: 20 months this Saturday

Milestones: He has figured out how to connect Legos! He used to hand me pieces, wait for me to put them together, and then either take them apart immediately or get frustrated at not being able to connect them himself. Now he'll sit there quietly by himself, spinning them around until they lock in. It's like a whole different world!

Challenges: He's back to having horrible bedtimes and waking up all night long unless he's bedsharing. This is pretty incompatible with tracking my BBT...

Funny/cute stories: He has started mimicking us when he thanks us and we say "you're welcome!" Now anytime we give him something, he says, "Tankoo uhECKum!"

How are you? Honestly, not great. I've been really pulling away from everyone lately, IRL and on the boards. I'm doing a maternity leave sub job at a school in a VERY poor area, which is super depressing...these kids break my heart, and their behavior is just atrocious. On top of that add a bedsharing, restless toddler, a loss anniversary coming up, and mounds upon mounds of financial and TTC stress. It's not good. But I know becoming a hermit makes it worse, so I'm trying to force myself to stick around here. Hope that's okay. Sorry to bring down the mood.

QOTW: I love, love, love On the Day You Were Born. I can hardly ever make it through the last line without my voice cracking, and DS loves pointing at all the animals, the sun, the moon, and the stars.

[muirmaid]

@enchanted, I'm sorry you're feeling like crap. Hope you're through this phase soon.

honeylemon, I love those BabyLit books! Do you have the Sherlock Holmes one? It's all about sounds, and it's so fun to read.

bethelgal42, your nights sound really familiar (in fact, that's how things went down for us last night). When I night weaned DS a few moths ago, things definitely got worse before they got better. I think he missed the extra cuddle time or something. Right now we're where you are, but we recently had a monthlong stretch where bedtime was easy and he STTN, too. I'm just trying to remind myself that these sleep patterns are constantly changing and it won't be like this forever. Feels like it sometimes, though.

scimomma, I'm sorry there's tension between your husband and your mom. What a tough position for you to be in. I hope they can find a way to move forward. (stranger hug)

[honeylemon]

muirmaid, I'm, um, slightly obsessed, and have all of the Baby Lit books except the Edgar one because I don't really get that one.

Unless the new ones have come out already.

Actually I just looked. The Secret Garden and Don Quixote are out! Must.buy.now.

[muirmaid]

Feb 26, 2015 9:42:06 GMT -5 honeylemon said:

muirmaid, I'm, um, slightly obsessed, and have all of the Baby Lit books except the Edgar one because I don't really get that one.

Unless the new ones have come out already.

Actually I just looked. The Secret Garden and Don Quixote are out! Must.buy.now.

Ooh! I've been waiting for Don Quixote! Thanks for the heads up.

[honeylemon]

Feb 26, 2015 9:44:58 GMT -5 muirmaid said:

Feb 26, 2015 9:42:06 GMT -5 honeylemon said:

muirmaid, I'm, um, slightly obsessed, and have all of the Baby Lit books except the Edgar one because I don't really get that one.

Unless the new ones have come out already.

Actually I just looked. The Secret Garden and Don Quixote are out! Must.buy.now.

Ooh! I've been waiting for Don Quixote! Thanks for the heads up.

Have you seen Goodnight, Mr. Darcy? It's one of the $16 ones. I hadn't heard of it until I looked at the others just now.

[muirmaid]

Feb 26, 2015 9:50:51 GMT -5 honeylemon said:

Feb 26, 2015 9:44:58 GMT -5 muirmaid said:

Ooh! I've been waiting for Don Quixote! Thanks for the heads up.

Have you seen Goodnight, Mr. Darcy? It's one of the $16 ones. I hadn't heard of it until I looked at the others just now.

I just looked at it--looks cute! I wonder if there will be more parodies coming out. I'm really trying to resist buying more books, though. We're on financial lockdown until next school year. Maybe I'll mention it to my mom...Grandma can't resist a book recommendation. 

[linzeeh80]

Hi ladies! I'd love to join you!

Age: 14 months 2 days

Milestones: Zaiden is getting so close to walking.  He is taking up to six steps at a time. He is holding on and walking all over the house  a lot more than he is crawling, too. He can say bath and ball now and if I tell him to get his bear he does. 

Challenges: Sleeping. The past 2  weeks he has been really restless (maybe tooth?) so I haven't slept much. I'm exhasted! (We co sleep) I need to find a way to get him to sleep independently, but it is so hard. :/

Funny/cute story: This morning he spilt some of his milk on the floor so he crawled into the kitchen, got the dish towel off the stove, crawled back to the livingroom and wiped it up! Then he put it in the laundry basket! (It was clean clothes lol)

How are you? I'm good. Just tired and so sick of the snow. This has been the worst winter ever. I've never seen so much snow! It's kept us couped up a lot, so I'm ready for some nice weather so we can get some fresh air.

QOTW: I asked about your littles one's favorites a couple weeks ago; what about you? What's your favorite children's book? My favorite children's book is I Love You Stinky Face and anything Winnie The Pooh. My son's is Little Pea. When i read it to him i point at the candy on one page and say the colors and he always opens it up to that page and points and pretends to read it. It's so cute lol

[mdharrisonCPO]

Age:
 16 months in a couple of days




Milestones:
She's talking up a storm and repeating absolutely everything we say.  Is becoming super picky a milestone?  Because we are there.  Hoooooly.  




Challenges: The pickiness?  It's so frustrating sometimes.  She'll also toss anything she is done with (food, cup, utensil) over her tray even though she knows that she shouldn't.  Basically mealtime sucks.  





Funny/cute stories:
She's started to say "Luh ya" back when you say "I love ya!" to her.  My heart melts.  That and her kissing and rocking her babydoll are my official faves .  




How are you?
 I'm alright.  I've found that now that I'm pg I have even less patience and that's weighed really heavily on me.  


QOTW: I asked about your little one's favorites a couple of weeks ago; what about you? What's your favorite children's book?  I really like "Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes" and the sappy ones like "On The Night You Were Born."  FI really likes "Goodnight Moon" and would read it every night if he could. 

[scimomma]

Feb 26, 2015 9:34:43 GMT -5 muirmaid said:

@enchanted, I'm sorry you're feeling like crap. Hope you're through this phase soon.

honeylemon, I love those BabyLit books! Do you have the Sherlock Holmes one? It's all about sounds, and it's so fun to read.

bethelgal42, your nights sound really familiar (in fact, that's how things went down for us last night). When I night weaned DS a few moths ago, things definitely got worse before they got better. I think he missed the extra cuddle time or something. Right now we're where you are, but we recently had a monthlong stretch where bedtime was easy and he STTN, too. I'm just trying to remind myself that these sleep patterns are constantly changing and it won't be like this forever. Feels like it sometimes, though.

scimomma, I'm sorry there's tension between your husband and your mom. What a tough position for you to be in. I hope they can find a way to move forward. (stranger hug)

muirmaid Thank you so much! I really thought it would have been smoothed over by now. I am not sure if it ever will be. They are actually very similar in the way they approach things and now I think it's kind of like a staring contest with each waiting for the other to blink. I'm trying not to think about it too much. I have told them both how I feel. At some point I'm going to lock them in a room together and not let them out until the figure it out....if I can get them in the same room, that is. lol