10.31.2012

Failing (or not?)

Some days, I think I'm failing. I had all these ideals-
No screens before 2!
No Happy Meals!
Books, everywhere, all the time!
Egalitarian toys! Dolls and kitchens and trucks and blocks for BOTH boys and girls!
Home-cooked meals all the time!

And then reality hits. I hear my not-yet-2 year old asking
Watch Elmo? Watch Abby?
Watch Dora?
Watch Dee Tiger? (Daniel Tiger, the new Mr Rogers, rebooted)
Daddy's phone? Mommy's phone? (so he can open the PBS app and watch more videos)

He eats entire fast food kids meals, then asks, "More fries?"

We have dolls for him, but they stay at the store for the most part & don't come home. He mostly wants to play with cars and balls, and almost can name more types of vehicles than I can.
Dump truck!
Mail truck!
Police car!
Fire truck!
Cement truck!
Bus!
Tractor!

I'm not a total failure, though (and I do realize the things above aren't necessarily failures! Just reality.) He's talking well. He eats all sorts of foods beyond the typical toddler favorites. We *do* read to him, and he has his favorite books he requests at bedtime. The tantrums are few. He's happy, healthy, and active. He loves his Mommy, Daddy, Grammy, Poppy, Grandma, Pappaw, uncles and aunts. He sleeps all night in his own big-boy bed. He still slows down long enough to snuggle on occasion. He knows how to be nice to pets and babies.

That last one is especially important, since he'll have his very own baby brother here in 4 months, give or take a couple weeks. We get to do this 'toddler boy' thing all over again!

4 comments:

Meredith said...

Congratulations Joanna! Brothers are great.

The more children I have (4 now), the more I realize that they are who they are, distinct people with their own gifts, ideas, and struggles. This has been freeing to me on so many levels.

Katie said...

You are definitely not failing. You are a good mom. Remind yourself of that all the time. Sometimes we make poor decisions, but it's a speck in time, ya know? He is loved. And well cared for. You are good.

Anonymous said...

You guys are doing great!
Elliott is a well-loved, joyful, fun-loving toddler. In addition to all you listed, he loves creative play, dancing, spinning in circles, singing and running at full speed everywhere he goes.
As for trucks, I think they are in all boy DNA...you can't fight nature!
Poppy

Stacy said...

Definitely not failing momma! Because if you think you are - then lord have mercy on me lol - because definitely worse. :) I like Meredith's saying about children being who they are.

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