We spent Labor Day weekend visiting friends in Vermont. It was a good time, just laid-back, relaxed fun with friends who have kids and thus have a kid-friendly house and lifestyle. Mostly we just bummed around, took walks, blew bubbles, ate ice cream and Popsicles, and enjoyed the perfect weather.
PICK OF THE WEEKEND
We arrived on Saturday early afternoon, in time for Maddie and Riley to have lunch and be ready for a nap. Problem: only one Pack'n'Play available; the second one was awaiting pickup at my friend's sitster's house. Solution: Maddie slept in the P'n'P while Riley and I sacked out together on the spare bed. I was skeptical that the Ri-Man would fall asleep with me on a big bed like that, but it worked out great. I wrapped him in his blankie and we curled up together, facing each other. He patted my arm for about a minute then dozed right off. Bliss. We were both asleep for well over an hour.
ANNOYANCE OF THE WEEKEND
Getting pulled over for "making an unsafe lane change." Apparently I didn't use my signal? At least I didn't get a ticket, but it was still irritating.
SURPRISE OF THE WEEKEND
Apparently, Maddie turned two while we were in Vermont. Could someone please remind her that she's not even fifteen months old? She is suddenly extremely willful and throws the word "No!" around with wild, reckless abandon. A polite request of, "Maddie, please bring Mama your shoes," which last week was met with a smile and can-do attitude is now greeted with a shriek of "No!" and running in the opposite direction. She's quite spirited, this one. We went out for dinner on Saturday night and she threw a series of fits related to a) not being allowed to play with a metal knife, b) not being allowed to have her own pint glass of water, c) not being allowed to run into the restaurant's kitchen, and d) not being allowed to grab entire slices of steaming-hot pizza. Keep in mind that she had a host of toys to play with, her own cup of water to drink from (and was offered sips of mine, I just didn't let her hold the whole pint glass), and more than one adult willing to stroll around the restaurant with her (just not into the kitchen). She knows what she wants and she's not afraid to throw a fit to get it!
And now we're home to back-to-school levels of traffic, new kids at daycare, and leaves that are starting to turn. I'm not sad to see summer start to fade. Two more seasons left in 2007.
Moi
- Snickollet
- I'm a mother and a widow, and a whole lot of other things. Here, though, I tend to write about parenting, grief, and their intersection.
Subscribe To
Posts
Comments
9 comments:
Great post.
Maddie's antics make me feel better...I am not the only one with a willful 14-month-old. Someone recently told me that the "terrible twos" are really from age 1-7 years. Good luck to us all!
My oldest daughter will be 4 in a few months and has always been, uh, "spirited." With her months 13-23 were much harder than the actual twos. So maybe if she goes through this now, you'll have a bit of a break later on?
One day at a time, Snick. Some are better than others. Snuggling with the kids for naps is a sweet thing, indeed. After last night's fiasco at my house, I think I was more comforted by letting Boog sleep in bed with me than he was.
Maybe if Maddie is starting the terrible two's early, she might grow out of it earlier? We can dream, right? Try to keep reminding yourself that a strong personality is a good thing (even when you want to pinch her little head off). Little drama princess. ;-)
Go Maddie! I know it's not what you may want of her right now but I think it's adorable how independant and strong-willed she is already. :) Sounds like a lovely weekend. Yey to no ticket!
2007 needs to get off your back.
Maddie is clearly very advanced! Goes with the name, I guess.
I miss seasons! I just had lunch on a sunny street, 78 degrees, with green leaves everywhere. They had "Fall Festival" signs on the street banners, but that just felt like a cruel joke.
I love that Riley patted your arm. Very sweet and soothing image.
That's funny--my Maddie also decided she was two when we made the trip cross country to my Vermont hometown!!! I think she was 15 months....
Ay ay ay.
And now I hear there are tumultuous threes that are much worse than the terrible twos? Lord have mercy on us all!
Sounds like a good weekend away!
Umm...sorry about Maddie's willful behaviour, I'm afraid the terrible two's is horribly misnamed. Both my kids started similar antics well before the age of two. I know how hard it can be to live through this phase, I hope you can take small comfort in the knowledge that Maddie is obviously a strong, independent and confident girl as her behaviour indicates. So sweet that you and Riley had such a nice nap together.
Post a Comment