Tag Archives: toddler

Make the night wakings stop!

Posted on by

Last night was terrible. I kind of figured it would be because Charlotte barely napped yesterday. She had a delayed 40 minutes in the AM and then didn’t fall asleep for her PM nap until about 430. 

Then, she didn’t get to bed until a little after 8.

The stage was set.

Beginning around 5 am, she was on and off screaming/whining until Mark finally went in there after 6.

Of course I was up until 1 am (a time I didn’t know still existed) working on some stuff for my friend’s baby shower this afternoon.

Anyway, the crying and whining is so bizarre. Charlotte is literally asleep. When we actually go in there, it takes a bit of back rubbing to actually get her to wake up, which is always followed by sobbing.

It’s literally the worst.

Please make this phase end. I miss my great sleeper. 

On a positive note, at least she’s catching up. Baby girl is still sleeping currently (it’s nearly 930 am).

On a negative note, we were supposed to have our family pics this morning, but cancelled because there was a 70-90% chance of rain. Guess what? Not raining.

Ugh.

No Tears This AM!!!

Posted on by

Today marks Charlotte’s fourth week of school (she only attends on Thursday and Friday mornings). Last week I had noticed a huge difference. On Thursday when I picked her up, she was SO happy… not to be picked up, but just to be there. Her smile and adorable demeanor said that she had an amazing day.

Then, on Friday, after we dropped her coat off in her cubby, she started walking into her classroom by herself (normally she demands that I hold her). She made it halfway, but stopped because the teacher and administrator were standing in the doorway. Still… a HUGE milestone. Not to mention, that while she still cried when I left, it only lasted about a minute.

Then… today. She was adorably happy on the way to school, but kept yawning. When we arrived, she seemed excited, but by the time we got inside and put her coat down, it wasn’t looking great.

I asked Charlotte if she wanted to walk into the classroom herself and she kind of fell to the floor with her arms up. I grabbed her and we walked in. I pointed out some fun activities set up in the room and asked her if she wanted to play. She literally just stared blankly.

After about a minute, her teacher said to me, “I’m ready when you are.” I looked at Charlotte and said, “Okay…” and before I could even say that I was going to go, she turned to her teacher and stretched out her arms to go to her. Once in her teacher’s arms, I asked Charlotte for a kiss. She gave me my smooch and I turned to leave… totally dumbfounded and happy and excited and surprised.

I waved and told her I’d see her in a bit. Looking totally comfortable in her teacher’s arms, she waved back and just like that, she’s adjusted.

I literally had tears in my eyes. I think more because I was excited and just relieved and happy for Charlotte. She seems to really enjoy her time at school and the morning tears seemed to be the last little hangup.

When I got back to the car, Toby apparently wanted to share in the excitement, because as I opened the door, he peed all over my seat. A little grand finale. Thankfully C’s diaper bag was in the car so I had some wipes to use for clean up.

As a side note, I can’t help but feel – in the back of my mind – a little sad. Charlotte has been SUPER clingy with Daddy and not so much with me this past week or two. Like, demanding that he hold her or put her to sleep instead of me. HEARTBREAKING. So there is this slight part of me that is thinking, “is that why it was easier today??” I know, I know… whatever it was, it’s so good for her! I’ll just go cry in the corner.

Cheese Sticks

Posted on by

Have I mentioned Charlotte’s love for cheese sticks? She’s obsessed. 

We’ve tried everything to slow down the pace at which she mows down said cheese sticks and have found the most luck (which isn’t much) in cutting little coin sized slices.

This video perfectly sums up Charlotte’s feelings for cheese sticks. Can you tell she’s already a Wisconsin gal?

Enjoy…

The Daycare Search Begins

Posted on by

We have been so incredibly lucky that I have been able to bring my sweet Charlotte to work with me and thus, have avoided sending Charlotte to day care. That luck was taken to the next level in recent months, as my Milly (Mother-in-law) has been watching Charlotte in the mornings and then I take her in the afternoon (just in time for nap time!).

With that said, we’ve decided that Charlotte is getting to the age where she needs more interaction with kiddies her age, a bit more stimulation than we can manage in our house, and some more opportunities to grow, learn and be challenged.

Starting the search for daycare is overwhelming to say the least. I literally went through and wrote a list of all the centers in our area, then sought out reviews, perused websites, made calls and started eliminating some. Ultimately, I narrowed it down to three, which is now narrowed down to two.

I eliminated the most recent (one of my top threes) because the program did not accept children under two and honestly, I had a bad feeling. I read two reviews online… one was totally glowing, one was the opposite.

Anyway, the two left both seem to be pretty great options. We went for a tour of one last Friday and really fell in love with it. The program uses the Reggio Emilio Approach, which focuses on a child’s ability and desire to learn. The school seems to really empower children to become a part of the community, to be helpful little beings, to explore not only items and materials, but also concepts. Instead of telling the children what to do, they help them to uncover options and let the kiddies choose. Sounds pretty cool, right? The kids (yes, even the tiny 2 year olds), help to serve lunch and set the table! YES!! Let’s teach the little one to contribute!

We both have a really good feeling about the school, but have one more tour scheduled for next week before we’ll make up our mind.

Once enrolled, Charlotte will likely start at a couple of mornings a week and then transition to 4-5 mornings a week over the next several months. I’m excited. I think this will be really great for C… but I can’t help feel sad/apprehensive/nervous… this will be Charlotte’s first time having a life that’s independent of mommy and daddy. I mean, obviously Nana and her Grandparents babysit her or take her for overnights, but that’s still very much within the realm of mommy and daddy. This is different. Charlotte will have her own friends and her own activities. It’s SO, SO good for her and SO exciting, but it makes it REALLY feel like my little baby girl is growing up.

Happy 15 Months!

Posted on by

Wow does time just whiz on by. I can’t believe our tiny litle love is already 15 giant months old. The past month has been pretty huge in terms of development.

  • Miss thang walks when she wants to! Charlotte is now officially a walker. Now, don’t be confused, that does not mean that she is walking full-time, but it does mean that the tops and bottoms of her feet have equal opportunity to be coated with dirt by the end of the day (YES! My hard wood floors need a deep clean.)      
  • Miss Chatty Pants has many words: this “dis”, that “dat”, Maaaam – a – mom mom mom, DAAAAAD, BAMPA (or something like that… which translates to grandpa), doutdide (Outside), Nana, Yah (yes)
  • Little one has many tricks:
    • What does the puppy/dog/Toby say? “WOOF” which sounds a little bit like “Oooof”
    • What does the kitty/Ollie say: “Meeeeeeow”
    • What does the elephant say: “EEeeee” (any little noise) as she throws her arm (aka her trunk) in the air
    • What does the monkey say? “Ooo Ooooo Ooo” as she puts her little hands to her armpits
    • She can sign: more, water, milk, eat, help, thank you, hello/goodbye
    • She blows kisses, smooches on command and hugs on command
    • She fetches!! “Charlotte, can you pick that up for mommy and bring it back to mommy?” SO helpful!
    • My favorite is anytime I end a sentence/question with “Right?” Charlotte shakes her head dramatically to say, “YUP!” For example, “Charlie, Mommy is your favorite person in the world, right?” It’s such a sharp head nod. I need to remember to take a video.
    • She can climb up stairs/ledges/anything she can reach and knows to climb down by turning around and reaching one little foot back, then the other.
    • She high fives.
    • She polices herself. When Charlotte touches something she isn’t supposed to touch or does something she isn’t supposed to do, she simultaneously shakes her head “no” to let you know she’s doing something wrong.
    • “Ear muffs!” She doesn’t quite get it, but randomly or when she hears a noise, she’ll do ear “muff”… Singular… Only one muff.  
       
    • That’s all that I can remember for now…
  • Her schedule has been pretty regular, although I think I’m going to adjust it a bit in the coming days.
    •  Current:
      • 7ish wake up
      • 9:45/10 “rest time” for one hour, unless she falls asleep and then we let her sleep an hour from whenever she falls asleep
      • 12 lunch
      • 2-4/5 naptime
      • 7 bedtime
    • New that I’m going to try:
      • 7ish wake up
      • 9:45/10 “rest time” for 30 minutes
      • 11:45 lunch
      • 1-4 naptime
      • 630/7 bedtime
  • Favorite foods: FRUIT (berries… she can literally eat a pint in a sitting with no problem, grapes, peaches, mmm fruit for days), bread, pasta, tomatoes, veggie shakes, applesauce  
  • Favorite toys:
    • The Fischer Price TV Radio… omg how I wish this thing played more than just the Farmer-in-the-Dell. This damn thing is nonstop singing. She loves it.
      tv radio
    •  Her Sugar Bowl from the Play Circle Dishes Wishes Dinnerwear. I swear, she is contantly carrying this little toy around. Open. Close. Open. Close. So goofy. Out of all the toys out there…  
    • The Cozy Coupe – if she could play in this all day, every day, she’d be happy forever.  
  • Other “passions”: destroying the house, emptying out the cupboards, trying to type on mommy’s computer, trying to turn off mommy’s computer, shutting the refridgerator, shutting any and all doors/cabinets, going outside, throwing food, pulling the cat’s tail, petting/harrassing the dog, reaching things she shouldn’t be touching, using the car key remote, pushing anything and everything around the house, emptying containers and filling them back up, putting her hands in the pets’ bowls, knee walking, laughing, causing trouble, being my sweet little babes.                

A Weekend of Single Momming

Posted on by

This weekend (Friday-Monday morning), Mark was out of town for the unveiling of his grandfather (Pop) who passed away last year. That meant it was a weekend of just the little Miss and I.

Can you see why I was stressing and obsessing over C’s naps last week?

Regardless, we SURVIVED!!

On Friday, we went over to my parents’ house for dinner and the little one’s afternoon nap. We made it home for a 7/730ish bedtime. 

   

 On both Saturday and Sunday morning, the little one made peeps at around 5/6 am, but then went back to sleep until 8.

Saturday morning, we ate breakfast and then went for a 3.15 mile speedy walk to the park and back. 

   
    
 Then, it was time for rest. Charlotte rested like a good little nugget from around 10-11 am. It was cute. She laid in her crib and paged through books, played with toys, etc. At 11, I grabbed the little one, got her fed and then my parents picked us up to go visit Grandpa in the hospital.

   
    
 After a nice visit, we headed back home for a late nap. Oops. Didn’t get her in bed until 2:15/2:30ish and of course, she only slept for 1.5 hours. DANG!

Then, we went back to my parents house and met up with my sister and niece for dinner and playtime. Charlie was chasing her cousin Gabby around the house and actually let me hold her hands for some assisted walking! We had a nice time and my parents watched C for a little so I could work on a puzzle with my sis. I can’t even explain how nice that was. 15 minutes of peaceful mindlessness. Then home for bed!

   
    
   
Sunday, we ate breakfast, played, took a bath and it was rest time once again. No sleeping again, but after rest, Charlotte and I went for lunch at Einsteins (I LOVE BAGELS!) and then for a visit with Charlotte’s Grampie (Mark’s dad). We made it home in time for a nice 3 hour nap.

   

    
 I’m not going to lie, by the time last night hit, I was a zombie. My body felt flu-like… my hair was tired. I was SO happy when Charlie quielty got in bed because it meant I could do the same.

   
    
   
Needless to say, we were very happy to see Daddy this morning when he stopped by on his way into the office.

I literally do not know how single moms do it. I’m 100% stumpped. I would lose it. Charlotte was a literal angel this weekend. I loved our time together. She was fun and sweet and loving. But I am EXHAUSTED! No breaks is tough. Here’s to all the REAL single mommas out there. I’m in awe.

A Great Communication Day

Posted on by

For the past week, Charlie has been searching for opportunities to throw everything. Water cup? Overboard. Paci? See ya later! Food? Go fetch! 
It’s been non stop and super obnoxious. Every meal, we’ve been telling her, “if you don’t want it just hand it to mommy/daddy”… Usually, she confirms her understanding by chucking one more piece of food on the floor.

Anyway, this morning was the opposite. It was a glorious, wonderful, peaceful morning.

Charlie signed for more food. More food she got. Charlie signed for water, water she received. And then, like it was my birthday, she just held out the cup and patiently waited for me to collect it as I crossed the kitchen. When I reached for the cup, she just handed it to me… Gently… Instead of half throwing / half shoving it at me.

She ate a little more and then looked up as she signed all done. 

We cleared her plate, cleaned her up and she was off.

I literally just stood in the kitchen for a moment or two just soaking in the glory. No frustration, no bending over to pick things up, no ending mealtime early. Just a nice, peaceful meal.

What more can one ask for?

That Second Nap…

Posted on by

Charlotte has been having some big issues with her second nap the past two days. Both morning naps ended up at about 3+ hours, which is great! BUT, when it comes time for the afternoon nap, she fights sleep like a ninja. I know she’s tired… she’s yawning, rubbing her eyes like crazy, and acting… well, a little less than pleasant.

But for some reason, when I put her in bed, she’s just not going to sleep. She should have been sleeping 40 minutes ago, but instead, I’m hearing peeps.

Charlotte, PLEASE GO TO SLEEP! Please… pretty please… please.

Yesterday, after playing in her crib for nearly 2 hours, I finally gave up and took her out of her crib so we could go home.

It’s crazy because her morning schedule was perfectly on point.

Hmph.

Dare I Say She’s Back??

Posted on by

Charlotte has been… out of sorts this past week. Yes, that is my polite way of saying she’s been kind of a jerk all dang week.

I’m not 100% sure what the cause has been, but I’m sure it has to do with the fact that for the past 3-4 nights, she’s woken up in the middle of the night hollering like a banchee and not subsiding without a little love from mom and/or dad. And I’m talking 1-2 hours of hollering per night. I’m tired.

Beyond that, I believe she is working on more teeth… it could be the molars on her right side (she has the top and bottom on the left) or it could be some other set of teeth. Either way, the intense amounts of drool and jamming her fingers in her mouth (and down her throat) leads me to believe that teething is playing a role.

The last little smidge of fun is what I’ll call “toddlerhood.” Miss Charlotte has been exploring the art of whine crying and tantruming. Over the past few days, she’s literally transformed from our sweet babe who barely cries (except during diaper changes) to a little todd-monster who is loosing her shit over everything!

I’m bored playing with this toy… TANTRUM!

I want to eat this piece of food, not that one… <throw everything on the floor> TANTRUM!

Don’t touch me… TANTRUM!

This is fun… TANTRUM!

You’re so funny, momma! <Laughing>… TANTRUM!

Get the picture?

We literally ate dinner last night to the sweet hum of Charlotte’s hysterics. After 3-4 full days of whining and/or spazzing tantrums, we decided it was time to just ignore her. So we ate and chatted while she went from blank stares to tantrum and back again.

However, last night, instead of waking up around 2, the sweet princess slept until 5… whined like a goon and then settled after Mark wound up her music box. I’ll call that progress. We were awake for maybe 10 minutes.

Even bigger progress has been her mood. She has been SUCH a love today. Who knows if it’ll be Jeckyll or Hyde when she wakes up from this next nap, but at least we had half a day with our sweetie pie.

   
    
    
    

   

Cute stuff & updates

Posted on by

here are some random updates for you…

  • Charlotte is a chatterbox. Constantly talking (or screaming) about something.
  • Recently, she’s been shoving her dang fingers so far in her mouth, she’s making herself gag. The fingers go in the mouth because molars are the devil, but I think she keeps doing it because we tell her to stop. Defiant little one.
  • Charlotte officially signs “more” whenever she wants anything.
  • Charlotte loves chocolate chip cookies. Aside from her bday, we haven’t given Charlotte anything in terms of sweets… Until yesterday when we gave her a chocolate chip cookie. Needless to say, she was signing a lot.
  • Charlotte continues to be a total berry monster. She can easily eat a pint of raspberries at any given moment.
  • Charlotte’s sleep schedule has been a bit off this summer due to lots of running around, but she still seems to nap like an infant. She probably gets between 15-16 hours of sleep daily. 

That’s all for now!