Monday, January 3, 2011

Crackers, Popcorn and Chicken...Recipe for a Meltdown


Let me just say upfront that I have the sweetest little boy in the whole wide world. He is my heart. I looked in on him a few moments ago and he looks like such a little angel....fast asleep. The operative word there is "asleep." My sweet, easy to handle child morphed into, well, a 2 year old seemingly overnight. (I think 2 year old should be a four letter word). Cameron discovered the freedom that lay beyond the confines of his pack 'n' play while we were at the beach over New Years. The 1st night he crawled out and came upstairs after we put him to bed, we proceeded to everything you aren't supposed to do. We asked if he was hungry. We told him "no" in a firm voice. We put him back to bed. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. By now I am exasperated. My tone of voice became stressed (in toddler reasoning, this means we have succeeded in getting Mommy's attention!!!). So I put him back in bed...again....and made the quintissential mistake of laying down on the twin bed and watching him. We have a major staring contest and I find myself wondering who taught him the "I can go longer than you without blinking" game??? He begins to stand up in the pack 'n' play and I immediately say "No! Lay down!"...re-emphasizing that he has gotten my attention. I pretend to be asleep. (cause that always worked when we were kids, right??) Maybe if the thinks I am asleep he'll go to sleep. *sigh* Fast forward to Raleigh. Home sweet home....and ANOTHER bed to conquer. Our first night home we put him back in bed almost 10 times. Tonight was just as bad - worse, even, cause he also had a meltdown after we wouldn't let him have crackers and popcorn for dinner. Bad parents we are, we wanted him to eat chicken. (the cows would be proud!). But now he's asleep. And I had a meltdown on Facebook. And guess what? I am not alone. Apparently my toddler isn't the only one who like to test their boundaries. I am not the only mother who found herself sitting on the floor in the kitchen crying because her child wanted to eat crackers and then refused to go to sleep. Let me remember..."This too shall pass...."