Finn is amazing and astoundingly exhausting. Everyday with a toddler is a rollercoaster ride of ups ("He learned two new words today!" "He initiated hugs and kisses!" "He played nicely with bowls and spoons while I did some baking!") and downs ("He stuck the diaper sprayer in his mouth!" "He ripped the cover off my book!" "He threw a fit because I wouldn't give him any candy!"). I'm never sure what kind of day it will be. He might eat like a champ, using his utensils to shovel in all his food and gulping down his milk, or he might spit out the meal he once ate with gusto, throw it all over the floor, shove it down his chair, and rub it in his hair for good measure. One minute he's amusing himself pushing his school bus back and forth, the next he's biting my arm, because I'm checking my email. It's a brave new world for this mama.
[We interrupt this post to bring you a photo blitz]
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| wearing Grandma's shoes |
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| Helping Mama make muffins |
There are truly some wonderful things about Finnian easing out of babyhood. He learns so much everyday. His working vocabulary has skyrocketed from about ten words total to several new words everyday. He can point to body parts and name them, tell you what sound most animals make, and remembers new names for people and objects all the time. (This week's new words include: truck, belt, chin, cheeks, straw, box, and apple.) And he understands far more than he can say. Finn is learning to want to "help" Mama unload the dishwasher, do the laundry, clean the bathroom, and bake. Even though this usually complicates and prolongs these tasks, it certainly makes them much more enjoyable when he isn't just crying to be picked up. He is so friendly and so interested in everything he sees that taking him new places is definitely worth the hassle just to watch him interact with other people (saying "Hi hi hi hi hi hi" or "Buuuh byyyyye" to everyone he meets) and marvel at new things. (I've learned that shopping at the mall is much less stressful if you look at it as an outing for the toddler rather than for yourself. Granted, this doesn't work very well when you really need to get something and heaven help you if you need to try on clothes, but when you can't afford to buy much, ok anything, it's actually refreshing.)
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| Finn loves being in corners. But he doesn't love being stuck. |
To be honest, there are definitely things about toddlerhood that make me wish I could unwind with a glass of wine at the end of the night. I could do without the tantrums, the violent destruction of property, and the unpredictable nap schedule. I can't wait until Finn can really communicate what he wants so that he isn't so frustrated all the time. I hope we can reach the far-off horizons of potty-training, sleeping at other people's houses, not being carried down the stairs, and avoiding the temptations of pushing buttons. One day, he might actually listen when I say, "No!" Finn takes a lot of energy, a lot of work, and more patience than I usually have. How I will manage with a spitfire of a toddler and a newborn is a little beyond what I can understand right now. All that said, however, I wouldn't trade the wonder of discovery and the adorable affection of this time for the world. Finn will only have one toddler-hood, and I don't want to waste it wishing he was big enough to clean his room. I guess I will just have to buckle in, enjoy the ride, and indulge in a consolation ice cream every once in a while.
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| Angel face |
Today is: The Feast of St. Conrad
Finn is: 16 months and 12 days old
Mama just read: The Hero and the Crown by Robin McKinley
(I need to get to the library, but I have no car during the day. This is why I am re-reading all my favorite books from high school.)
Littlest One is: 28 weeks along!
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| Everything is a hat. |
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