Children are the spice of life. Cameron has been keeping us on our toes as his terrible twos begin. He particularly had trouble the first week we were back home and especially without Tyler who we had been lucky enough to have as our constant companion for a whole month. He has discovered that he can lead us anywhere he wants by pulling our hands, something he learned from us. He spent the first week in constant efforts to pull me to the door (and hiding my hands made no difference, he would only then pull at my clothes or push me) and throwing his shoes at me, whining incessantly. It's not that I have any problem taking him outside to play, in fact I think it very good for a child to spend lots of time outdoors. However, as most of you know, this child is go, go, go! And he gets bored easily. In only a week he became tired of all the playgrounds near our house, the playgrounds not near our house, all the large grassy areas, and instead decided playing in the street and parking lots were the most fun and that the busiest streets were his favorite destinations. After three weeks, our walks now consist of him running down every possible street or pathway he kind find here in our complex (and there are a lot of them!), pausing to play briefly with abandoned toys, and all the while me trailing him with a stroller. (I have to take the stroller with us as a means to restrain him and cart him home with ease should the need arise.) Our walks are frequently interrupted with power struggles when I insist he hold my hand in a more busy road and then he protests by laying down then and there in the street. It's the ultimate face off of will. But he has a worthy opponent. After all, he inherited that stubbornness from me! So as we pass all the other mothers sitting peacefully watching their children play happily next to them, I wonder what we must look like.
It was during that troublesome first week that I got too close to my limit. Having a whining, crying child who won't touch his toys, watch any movie for more than 20 minutes, and only wants to go outside and do dangerous things, pull at me for days and days was more than I could handle. One evening I finally swept up Cameron and made for the car. We drove to Toys R Us where I paid their ridiculous mark up on the Playskool Ball Popping Cho Cho and then an additional $8 for batteries to power it. Being someone who shops relentlessly for deals and only buys used or small/inexpensive toys, I with this one purchase spent half what I had spent on toys for him over his entire life. When we got home I ripped open the packaging like it was Christmas and set the toy in front of Cameron. I had about 10 minutes of much needed relief. It was my first crazy purchase for sanity, though I am sure not the last!
But the good times still make the bad ones worthwhile. He still adds sparkle to Tyler's and my life and probably will forever. We were able to take him hiking on Labor Day. We told him, although he didn't understand, that the last time he had hiked that way was when he was still in mommy's tummy. We think he enjoyed it and we definitely enjoyed it. The mountains here are so beautiful! And Cameron provided us with some good laughs on the hike back when he insisted on holding all the way home the tub of Dorritos we had been munching.
He never ate a single chip that whole hour but still held on like a champion and kept watch over them. It was so funny and odd at the same time. Who know what kids are thinking? Especially when they can't tell you.
Speaking of not being able to talk, Cameron is still not saying much. In fact, he's not saying enough. At the recommendation of his doctor, we got his hearing tested. Fortunately his ears are fine. But unfortunately it just confirms that he still isn't interested in communicating which is getting to be hard on us both: hard on him as he has more specific needs and wants, and hard for me when I can't guess them. I have begun to pray that he will speak soon and already yesterday he learned to say "dog." I think it will still be a long road for us and I will have to double my efforts, but we'll get there. I am already teasing him that his 11 month cousin Sarah is already saying more than him. What a difference there is between girls and boys!
Children are the spice of life. Cameron has been keeping us on our toes as his terrible twos begin. He particularly had trouble the first week we were back home and especially without Tyler who we had been lucky enough to have as our constant companion for a whole month. He has discovered that he can lead us anywhere he wants by pulling our hands, something he learned from us. He spent the first week in constant efforts to pull me to the door (and hiding my hands made no difference, he would only then pull at my clothes or push me) and throwing his shoes at me, whining incessantly. It's not that I have any problem taking him outside to play, in fact I think it very good for a child to spend lots of time outdoors. However, as most of you know, this child is go, go, go! And he gets bored easily. In only a week he became tired of all the playgrounds near our house, the playgrounds not near our house, all the large grassy areas, and instead decided playing in the street and parking lots were the most fun and that the busiest streets were his favorite destinations. After three weeks, our walks now consist of him running down every possible street or pathway he kind find here in our complex (and there are a lot of them!), pausing to play briefly with abandoned toys, and all the while me trailing him with a stroller. (I have to take the stroller with us as a means to restrain him and cart him home with ease should the need arise.) Our walks are frequently interrupted with power struggles when I insist he hold my hand in a more busy road and then he protests by laying down then and there in the street. It's the ultimate face off of will. But he has a worthy opponent. After all, he inherited that stubbornness from me! So as we pass all the other mothers sitting peacefully watching their children play happily next to them, I wonder what we must look like.
It was during that troublesome first week that I got too close to my limit. Having a whining, crying child who won't touch his toys, watch any movie for more than 20 minutes, and only wants to go outside and do dangerous things, pull at me for days and days was more than I could handle. One evening I finally swept up Cameron and made for the car. We drove to Toys R Us where I paid their ridiculous mark up on the Playskool Ball Popping Cho Cho and then an additional $8 for batteries to power it. Being someone who shops relentlessly for deals and only buys used or small/inexpensive toys, I with this one purchase spent half what I had spent on toys for him over his entire life. When we got home I ripped open the packaging like it was Christmas and set the toy in front of Cameron. I had about 10 minutes of much needed relief. It was my first crazy purchase for sanity, though I am sure not the last!
But the good times still make the bad ones worthwhile. He still adds sparkle to Tyler's and my life and probably will forever. We were able to take him hiking on Labor Day. We told him, although he didn't understand, that the last time he had hiked that way was when he was still in mommy's tummy. We think he enjoyed it and we definitely enjoyed it. The mountains here are so beautiful! And Cameron provided us with some good laughs on the hike back when he insisted on holding all the way home the tub of Dorritos we had been munching.
He never ate a single chip that whole hour but still held on like a champion and kept watch over them. It was so funny and odd at the same time. Who know what kids are thinking? Especially when they can't tell you.
Speaking of not being able to talk, Cameron is still not saying much. In fact, he's not saying enough. At the recommendation of his doctor, we got his hearing tested. Fortunately his ears are fine. But unfortunately it just confirms that he still isn't interested in communicating which is getting to be hard on us both: hard on him as he has more specific needs and wants, and hard for me when I can't guess them. I have begun to pray that he will speak soon and already yesterday he learned to say "dog." I think it will still be a long road for us and I will have to double my efforts, but we'll get there. I am already teasing him that his 11 month cousin Sarah is already saying more than him. What a difference there is between girls and boys!
7 comments:
He's definitely a ball of energy! Hopefully he'll start speaking soon, that is the hardest challenge with Madi right now. The constant whining when they can't tell you what they want. It was so good to see you guys the other day!
He is a firecracker. Wow. It makes me tired just thinking of it. Whew!You two are good parents.Just keep praying for more patience. That helps too.
I love the stories. Makes me feel more in touch with you guys even though you are in Utah.
Oh Mindy- I'm so sorry. I feel for you. Why do we have to be such willfull people and then pass that will onto our children???
WHERE did you find that BOY bay doll? Two Christmases ago we looked at every store in town and they were all wearing pink, purple or yellow clothes!
yeah, don't worry about him not talking. He'll start talking soon enough. It took Jack til he was almost 3 to start talking in sentences we could understand. (: He'll be just fine. (:
That swanky cameron! you're an amazing mother to deal with him every day. Pay back is a biznatch isn't it Mindy? ;) j/k.
Cameron will talk soon...then you'll wish he couldn't because he'll start talking back :) Funny about the chips on the hike too! Kids are so funny sometimes. Once you have two kids, you'll be making more of those "sanity toys" as you so delicately put it! Just keep on keeping on. This stage will pass and you'll look back on it and smile.
That entire first section sounds like Tate to the "T"! So, although it seems all the other mothers in the park get to lazily watch their little ones play nicely, you're not alone! I'm here in WA with the exact same issue! I've even started swapping babysitting with my cousin just so I can go to the grocery in peace =) And the finding my hands to pull, or clothes, is driving me insane!! And he's still talking mostly jibber-jabber and he'll be two in about a week! Yes, it will be refreshing to know what they're saying! But then I'm sure I'll miss the jibber-jabber! Anyway, thanks for sharing and now I know that I'm not alone =)
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