The fun begins
Frankly, I'm not sure I believe Megan's claims. How can my Bubby be anything but absolutely precious all the time!?There are so many challenges that come with parenting, beginning from the moment the baby arrives. Most of those early challenges are related to the fact the baby can't talk, can't say what's going on. Is he hungry or hurt? Sick or sleepy?
Moms (and dads) muddle through the best they can, anxiously awaiting the day their little one can talk.
Little do they know that it's once their sweet snookums can talk that the real work fun begins.
Seems Megan is just now learning that.
Bubby is nearly 19 months old. And he's learned how to communicate -- sometimes in real words, sometimes in real whines, and sometimes in all-out, throw-myself-on-the-floor, I-want-what-I-want-and-I-want-it-now-dammit tantrums.
In other words, he's hitting the terrible twos.
"What happened to my sweet boy?" Megan asked me yesterday.
"Sounds like he's definitely his mama's son," I told her.
"Yeah, that's all I can think about," she replied.
She remembers the screaming, crying, whining, door-slamming, "I hate yous!" and running to her room. Wait ... those were the teen years.
No, it's the pictures she's thinking about, she says. All the pictures we have of her as a toddler and little girl, crying because life was so absolutely horrible when she didn't get her way. Or get all the attention -- from the dog, her mom, her dad, her little sister, her big sister, anyone daring enough to visit the house.
Full disclosure: In all honesty, Megan didn't cry and throw fits because she was a brat; she cried all the damn time because she was truly heartbroken, my hypersensitive little Meggie. She regularly handed over her heart to anyone within arm's length, then suffered utter devastation when they didn't accept -- or understand -- the gift they were being given.
And now, with Bubby using all his emotions and communication skills to his full advantage, all Megan can think about are the pictures.
All I can think about is that it's payback time.
(And that she's pretty darn lucky her first child is a boy because the hell fun will really begin when she has a hormone-raging, mama-testing little girl!)
Today's question from "If ... (Questions for the Game of Life)":
If you had to choose the worst song ever composed, which one would you pick?
I'm sure there are others but as of right now, just because it's still fresh in my mind with the recent holidays, it's that absolutely stupid, sickening, ear worm of a Christmas tune (if you can call it that) by Paul McCartney that goes ... "Sim-ply hav-ing a WONderful Christmas time." AACK! I hate that song and turned off the radio or changed the channel every time it came on.
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Reader Comments (8)
Okay, finally! Yes, I meant commenting from RSS. Good to know that I can't (wasn't just crazy me). Anyway, The Golden Child is also starting the terrible 2's. Seems a bit early, but there you go. He is getting very fussy, easily frustrated, and having tantrums lately. Not like him at all. Like I said in my blog, he through a fit wanting to go back out to play in the snow, screaming and crying and banging his head on the washing machine. Whew! Finally passed out in his mom's arms. I guess they all have to go through that phase while learning that you can't have everything you want. Poor babes!
Megan thinks she's got trouble and I know you've had your share of challenges with the three girls but, if you had memories of the seven-headed half girl/half boy that I have, each head screaming that the other six had ALWAYS been "my favorite" and telling me I NEVER understood, then you'd know WHY I'm as crazy as I am. I'm so crazy that I still LOVE all of you! And, I'm sure Miss Megan will survive, too.
:0) My father tells me that all the time, only mine are entering teenage mouthiness as I type.
Yay! Janie B.'s in the house! Glad you made it. Golden Child sounds SO much like Bubby (except Bubby can't play in the snow since he lives in the darn DESERT!).
Ann/Mom: That sounds more like the stuff of horror films than parenting blogs. Although I'm sure it WAS a horror quite often. I know I'd never make it with seven kids!
Tracey: You batter fasten your seatbelt -- the teen years are a WILD ride! Good luck!
I remember those days and don't miss them at all!
I really, really dislike I Shot the Sheriff by Bob Marley! I change the station every time it comes on. My son and his friend wrote a song which has a lot of foul language and talks about boy body parts that I think is revolting too, hahaha!
I have a suggestion for those of you who are dealing with a tantrum-throwing toddler who is not yet verbal. The daycare that Mikayla (my granddaughter) attended began teaching them basic sign language when they were very young. So before she could speak, she was able to say please (rubbing her palm in a circle on her chest) and more (making finger puppets of her two little hands and having them kiss). She could also say thank you (hand over her mouth and then down) and, while that was nice and polite, the other two were the best thing they taught her.
Her frustration level at being able to get across what she was wanting was SO much less. Not to say that she didn't have her share of tantrums...that child is NOTHING if not hard-headed, but she was living with us at the time and I saw a definite decrease in particularly dinner time tantrums...simply because she could express herself and get what she wanted.
Hey, it's worth a try!
Tammy: I don't like "I Shot the Sheriff" either. Goofy song with no redeeming qualities. Hmmm...wonder what the theme is of your son's song. :o)
Kathy: You're right. The baby sign language is pretty cool and does make a difference. Megan taught Bubby a couple things, such as "done" and "more" so the dining experience would be a little more pleasant. Of course, now he talks ... and doesn't hesitate to let her know when he's had enough (food or otherwise!).
What song do I think is the worst in the world? Any and all RAP! If one comes on TV or sneaks into my radio and I can't get to the control or remote fast enough, I'll snatch the cord out of the wall before I go into gagging convulsions!