Home PS Mommy thread with toddlers 12-36 months

[TravelingGal]

MG, Kyle looks like he''s about to catch a football...quarterback in the the making???

Hopefully he feels better now!

jackie, I lurve your twins! So funny. And yes, I can''t believe she''s 2 either. Or that any of our babies are toddlers!

puffy, can''t wait to see all your loot!

jas12, you''ve got a lot of things happening, that''s for sure. I''m not surprised Co hasn''t bitten again...your time out walk in the bitter tundra cold would have made an angel out of anyone, hehehe. Amelia hasn''t hit me again yet after that one instance where I whipped her into time out. Maybe the kids sent brainwave messages to each other that they better behave or their moms would go time-out happy?

Share any tips you can...I''m all ears. Amelia is getting more and more strong willed. At the play date, we were trying to get kids to learn to take turns on the slide. It was the screamer kid''s turn and Amelia cut in front. From the kitchen, I asked her to wait until screamer went. She said "No!" I said, Amelia, wait please. She stood there and stared at me and didn''t move. Screamers mom said, don''t worry about it, and at that point, screamer wasn''t interested in going up the slide anyway. Part of me just wanted to say, OK, fine. But she was now openly defying me and I really think at that point I needed to continue down that road. So I went over and quietly said, "Amelia, you need to let S go first please." I gently pushed her aside and let S go up the slide. She started to whinge and smacked her thighs in frustration. So I just said, "Amelia, do you want a time out?" She looked over at the time out cage and that was the end of it.

It''s hard to know when to pick the battle or not. Who wants to be overkill? But I really felt at that point, she was testing me...I was in the kitchen away at a distance and she was going to see if I was going to come out of the kitchen to deal with her. I''m sure the other moms thought I was OTT, but I always say it''s much easier to go from strict to loose than the other way around.

MrsS and Jas12, I love the idea of your low key #2, believe me! And Jas, oddly enough, there will be 30+ adults at this party and only about 4 or 5 kids (many of them are out of town and can''t make it). I''m sure as they get older, they will make more friends, so I am content to let things go as they are. Soon we will be wishing they would cull the list.

But yeah, party plans are coming along. This is what I get for not throwing her the big first birthday. My friends are giving me crap too...saying it''s about time I threw the poor kid a party. Hopefully she will enjoy it!

Burk, house dust for you!! Hope T feels better soon.

 

[Dreamer_D]

I think Hunter has officially started walking

It was 2 steps, then 3, then yesterday he took about 4 on his own. I am in trouble now.

 

[TravelingGal]

Date: 3/23/2010 2:49:16 PM
Author: dreamer_d

I think Hunter has officially started walking

It was 2 steps, then 3, then yesterday he took about 4 on his own. I am in trouble now.

Yay!

And you may not be in trouble. I found life much easier when Amelia got mobile (although granted, she was a bit slow.) But either way, it will be FUN!

 

[jas]

Date: 3/23/2010 2:49:16 PM
Author: dreamer_d

I think Hunter has officially started walking

It was 2 steps, then 3, then yesterday he took about 4 on his own. I am in trouble now.

How are your lasso skills?

 

[TravelingGal]

Date: 3/23/2010 2:52:33 PM
Author: jas

Date: 3/23/2010 2:49:16 PM
Author: dreamer_d

I think Hunter has officially started walking

It was 2 steps, then 3, then yesterday he took about 4 on his own. I am in trouble now.

How are your lasso skills?

Oh come on Jackie. Everyone knows you''re supposed to keep them leashed to a table!

 

[puffy]

mrsS i am also excited about disney...the xmas festivities are really pretty too!! i''m just getting a 3 stone setting with pears. it was my anni gift from DH this year along with my eternity ring. should be here in the next few weeks, hopefully.

dreamer YAY for your little guy!! it is so cute when they walk!!

tgal i''m sure amelia will have a wonderful time at her party...who doesn''t love those big jumpers?!?

burk poor T!! hope she gets better soon. and good luck with the house!

 

[jas]

Date: 3/23/2010 2:55:38 PM
Author: TravelingGal

Date: 3/23/2010 2:52:33 PM
Author: jas

Date: 3/23/2010 2:49:16 PM
Author: dreamer_d

I think Hunter has officially started walking

It was 2 steps, then 3, then yesterday he took about 4 on his own. I am in trouble now.

How are your lasso skills?

Oh come on Jackie. Everyone knows you''re supposed to keep them leashed to a table!

I''m trying what all the cool parents are doing here at the Ponderosa.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

I keep T on a dog run in the yard.

 

[janinegirly]

Date: 3/23/2010 2:55:38 PM
Author: TravelingGal

Date: 3/23/2010 2:52:33 PM
Author: jas

Date: 3/23/2010 2:49:16 PM
Author: dreamer_d

I think Hunter has officially started walking

It was 2 steps, then 3, then yesterday he took about 4 on his own. I am in trouble now.

How are your lasso skills?

Oh come on Jackie. Everyone knows you''re supposed to keep them leashed to a table!

I''m still chuckling over the reference to the "time out cage."

 

[TravelingGal]

Date: 3/23/2010 4:14:23 PM
Author: janinegirly

Date: 3/23/2010 2:55:38 PM
Author: TravelingGal

Date: 3/23/2010 2:52:33 PM
Author: jas

Date: 3/23/2010 2:49:16 PM
Author: dreamer_d

I think Hunter has officially started walking

It was 2 steps, then 3, then yesterday he took about 4 on his own. I am in trouble now.

How are your lasso skills?

Oh come on Jackie. Everyone knows you''re supposed to keep them leashed to a table!

I''m still chuckling over the reference to the ''time out cage.''

Janine, i''ll post a pic...we laugh about it over here, but it''s seriously effective.

 

[lili]

Tacori--
Have fun and we''ll miss you and your T updates.
Come back w/ tons of pictures!

TGal--
I wasn''t that bad w/ my MIA, was I?

MG--
Kyle is a handsome boy!
Love the outfit he''s got on.
Yay for finding a cup that works for him.

MrsS--
Spending time at home is always nice and relaxing.....especially when it means that you guys can splurge a little more later on your Disney trip.
Is it Orlando? Everyone including the 2 grown kids are going?

Jas12--
Haha...I hear you on the whining.
J''s doing your classic throwing herself w/ her face buried on the floor whining these days.

TGal--
I don''t believe you that A was being a bit defiant.
You''ll have to tape that for us to believe

Oh wow, can''t believe A is going to be 2!
Sounds like a fun party. I''m w/ Jas12 and MrsS. J''s 2nd party is going to be low key.
Just having my family over for lunch and cake and that''s it.
she''ll just live vicariously through A''s party.
If I have to make a big party, I''d probably do a bigger one for the second myself.
First party are usually more for the parents.
Second party is when the kid is old enough to enjoy the fun and know that it''s their special day.


DD--

for first steps!
I love those first wobbly walk

puffy--
Wow, Noah is 3 months already?
Where has the time gone?
So when are we getting to see recent pictures of your boys?
And while you are at it....I think you owe us some of your maternity pictures!
And throw in pictures of your bling as well

--------

J is doing well. She''s yapping non-stop these days.
Funny thing is that she''s only talkative when she''s in her comfort zone.
We had a parent and teacher conference w/ her caretaker a couple of weeks ago and found that she''s rather really shy/quiet in class.
They didn''t even know that she can say 3 words sentences.

I''m doing pretty good myself here.
Procedure went smoothly and will have a follow-up w/ the dr next month to discuss where we go from there.

 

[TravelingGal]

lili, here''s hoping things go well. If it''s not too personal, keep keep us posted.

And yes, I think J is an excellent talker! She is so cute. But I think most kids are shy and won''t say much in front of strangers. Mine is just extra kooky and is apparently hiding hold back with me!

Trust me, Amelia defies me. She''s at the stage where she''s trying to figure out what she can get away with and "no" is her favorite word, which is why I am trying to teach her how to say "no thank you" because hearing "NO" nonstop is getting on my nerves.

Speaking of pushin'' it, here is Amelia''s time out cage. It''s in the living room on the far side of the room. Always set up, visible and in view. She hates it. I don''t blame her...it''s boring in there. As you can see, a little walking toy is in there so you can get an idea of how big it is (for those with a Superyard, that''s what this is). It''s only used for certain "bad" behaviors - throwing, hitting (which she''s only done once), and now being openly defiant for bad behavior (she hasn''t had to go in for this yet because she gets a one warning). I don''t put her in for whinging or just having a bad day. It has to be a tangible moment. It right now, it''s 2 minutes, tops in it, but she has to calm down before I take her out.

I think it works well because it''s only used for time out. I know that others used the crib or play pens with great success, but I was a bit concerned that she would start to associate those things with time out and be wary of them. Probably unfounded, but I had this idea so we went with it.

 

[lili]

Tgal--

I''m looking at that cage and thinking there is no way that''s going contain J.
She''ll climb over it or just bust her way through.
We don''t have a caged area...but we do tell her to go in the corner and whine w/o us seeing her face.
We probably should have specified a corner w/o her toys because she''ll go there and do her whining and then get distracted w/ her toys

 

[janinegirly]

tgal: that''s tiny, but seems effective! Does she try to get out or is she able to see you during time outs? I also have a hard time picturing A being defiant! I need to start coming up with a good T.O. spot since C is getting to that age. No superyard yet though, so I need to find a non-penetrable corner.

 

[TravelingGal]

Date: 3/23/2010 4:36:59 PM
Author: lili
Tgal--

I''m looking at that cage and thinking there is no way that''s going contain J.
She''ll climb over it or just bust her way through.
We don''t have a caged area...but we do tell her to go in the corner and whine w/o us seeing her face.
We probably should have specified a corner w/o her toys because she''ll go there and do her whining and then get distracted w/ her toys

lili, see, there is probably no way Amelia would go stay in a corner, hence the cage. Remember that my kid is motor skills challenged. She can''t even jump yet and she''s nearly 2.

But my friend''s kid is like yours and yet she thinks it would contain him, even though he would try and climb out. I told her OneStepAhead has a taller one. And if that fails, make a lid to put over it.

Janine, she can absolutely see me, she''s taller than it by quite a bit. She doesn''t try to get out because she''s not a good climber. She''ll shake it a little though and just cry and scream. Next time she goes in, maybe I''ll take a vid for facebook, but I''d have to do it on the sly because I don''t want to taunt the poor kid.

I actually put her in and leave the room for a minute or two so she can get out her protests without seeing me hear it. I come back, get down on her level and tell her to stop crying (actually, I count to three, which for some reason seems to get her to calm down). I then tell her what I didn''t like (just a simple, "No throw, Amelia throw, Amelia time out. No throw, OK?") If she''s stopped crying, I take her out, give her a hug and kiss and tell her we can go play again.

For her it''s been very effective. Even though I believe in spanking (although not as a first line of defense because I''d really prefer not to do it), I haven''t had to spank her since this works so well. Even the threat of time out gets her attention (and I do use the threat sparingly as well.)

I''ll be interested in other techniques everyone uses...I like to have things in the "arsenal", so to speak.

And as for it being small...yeah, it is, kind of...because I want to put TGuy in it from time to time!!!

 

[MustangGal]

Tgal - I might have to make a "time-out" cage like yours soon, I even have the same superyard pieces. Kyle has been starting to test us, dropping his sippy cup off the high chair (while he stares me in the face and waits for a reaction), and "swimming" in the dog water. DH caught him dunking the box of powdered sugar in the dog dish the other day.

DD - woohoo for Hunter! It starts with 2 steps, and each day more and more. Kyle''s been walking for 4 weeks now, and getting good at it. For a while he would still crawl when he really wanted to go somewhere, now he hardly crawls at all. And I''ve discovered a baby shoe obsession

.

 

[TravelingGal]

Date: 3/23/2010 4:57:21 PM
Author: MustangGal
Tgal - I might have to make a 'time-out' cage like yours soon, I even have the same superyard pieces. Kyle has been starting to test us, dropping his sippy cup off the high chair (while he stares me in the face and waits for a reaction), and 'swimming' in the dog water. DH caught him dunking the box of powdered sugar in the dog dish the other day.

DD - woohoo for Hunter! It starts with 2 steps, and each day more and more. Kyle's been walking for 4 weeks now, and getting good at it. For a while he would still crawl when he really wanted to go somewhere, now he hardly crawls at all. And I've discovered a baby shoe obsession

.

One word for you MG: AMAZON.

Yeah...part of the challenge is what is just all in fun and discovery (like watching something fall from a distance) and what is behavior that should be nipped in the bud. Like throwing. I want her to learn how to throw. She likes to see things go flying. But I prefer that she doesn't go around chucking everything she feels like seeing hurtling through the air. So the compromise is that she can throw balls. Any kind of ball (which, incidently became problematic when she figured a hard wooden play food orange counted as a ball - that hurt!), but nothing else.

 

[curlygirl]

Just popping in quickly because I have to comment on the time out cage. AWESOME!!!!! What a great idea. We would just have Lily stand in a corner facing away from us but then she got used to it and when she'd get in trouble, she would automatically say, "corner?" So now we send her to her room where she throws herself face down on her bed and acts like a dramatic teenager. Surprisingly, Lucy hasn't needed any serious discipline yet--probably because she sees what her sister has to go through.

dd, yay for Hunter walking! Let the fun begin!!!

 

[TravelingGal]

Date: 3/23/2010 5:29:02 PM
Author: curlygirl
Just popping in quickly because I have to comment on the time out cage. AWESOME!!!!! What a great idea. We would just have Lily stand in a corner facing away from us but then she got used to it and when she''d get in trouble, she would automatically say, ''corner?'' So now we send her to her room where she throws herself face down on her bed and acts like a dramatic teenager. Surprisingly, Lucy hasn''t needed any serious discipline yet--probably because she sees what her sister has to go through.

dd, yay for Hunter walking! Let the fun begin!!!

She''s a quick one, that Lucy!

I really wanted to do the corner idea, but I just didn''t think she''d sit there. Kudos to you gals that have kids who are smart enough to know that (or, probably more correctly, are smart enough YOURSELF to know your kids are smart enough to stand in that corner). I have to send mine to captivity, lol.

TGuy will NOT send Amelia to her room. I never was really sent to my room so it seemed a perfectly acceptable solution, but he was made to stand in a corner in the living room. He HATED it and wished he could have been sent to his room where he could just sit and do what he wanted. So in hindsight, he thinks being sent to the room is a FUN thing for the kid and not punishment at all. I am a bit confused by all this, because I''m like...hello, if being forced to sit in a corner traumatized you, do you think it''s a good idea to do that to Amelia?

But hey, let''s just be really awful parents and put a CAGE in the corner...yeah, that will do the trick! Poor kid.

 

[TravelingGal]

Oh, and lili, there''s no way any kid can actually bust their way through...it''s cable tied shut!

 

[puffy]

oh my tgal...quite the corner you have going on there!! nice work. and i don''t think amelia is going to use it too much, she is such a well behaved toddler!!

lili i can''t believe that J is shy!! hope things go well at the follow up. these past 3 months kinda flew right by. but noah is growing like a freaking weed!! he is already in 12-18 month clothes, mostly for his length, but he''s got plenty of baby rolls too. haha.

DH and i decided to go to vegas for my birthday this year, since we didn''t make it last year because of B''s burn incident. now i''m kinda thinking that we''re nuts to take a 3.5 month baby and a 2 year old to vegas with us. but i''ll just be shopping so i can hang out with the boys while DH gambles.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

I used to use a "cage" which really was the corner of our family room since our sectional is at an angle. T HATED it. Now we use a timeout chair which she equally hates. She is older so I think important she learns to stay there on her own.

So I ALREADY miss her! I know silly. I can''t wait to lay by the pool. Eat slowly while the food is still hot. Listen to music other than her kids CD. Read. Sleep REALLY late. But still...I will miss her.

 

[lili]

Date: 3/23/2010 5:41:54 PM
Author: TravelingGal
Oh, and lili, there''s no way any kid can actually bust their way through...it''s cable tied shut!

Haha....but she can climb and topple over!
I think your friend (and my J of course) will need a trunk w/ a lock to contain them.
Kidding aside, I was much too lazy to fashion any type of cage for J. That and plus the house is already a mess w/ all her bulky toys and I really do not need another contraption taking up space. I figured I''d spend my time initially to get her to stay in her corner. She did run out of there the first couple of times, so we just pick her up and sit her back down and warned her that she''ll stay longer if she tries to come out. I admit that I don''t use the corner much, but the 2x that we did did teach her what the corner is. We''ve threatened her w/ the corner or a spanking a few times when she misbehaved and it did calm her down.

J is pretty good about throwing, but she does have her throwing fit where she''d throw her toys out of frustration or anger. She doesn''t direct them at people though.
When she does that, I just pick up the toys and said "ok, you want to throw them away, i''ll put them in the trash for you" and put them away for a while. When she asked for it later, I reminded her that she didn''t want them. I''ll bring them out a week later or something. Now my sister, she''s really strict...she''ll throw away for real.

 

[TravelingGal]

Date: 3/23/2010 6:01:13 PM
Author: Tacori E-ring
I used to use a ''cage'' which really was the corner of our family room since our sectional is at an angle. T HATED it. Now we use a timeout chair which she equally hates. She is older so I think important she learns to stay there on her own.

So I ALREADY miss her! I know silly. I can''t wait to lay by the pool. Eat slowly while the food is still hot. Listen to music other than her kids CD. Read. Sleep REALLY late. But still...I will miss her.

I remember that Tacori...the story of her head bobbing in and out. I think you''re right about learning to stay. Once Amelia understands the concept of time out better, we will use a chair too.

Well, how about I go on your trip for you? Sounds like heaaaaaaaaaaaven. But yeah, I know. The little ones are too cute not to miss.

Puffy, WOW, 12-18 month clothes on a 3.5 month old? That''s HUGE!

 

[TravelingGal]

Date: 3/23/2010 6:04:57 PM
Author: lili

Date: 3/23/2010 5:41:54 PM
Author: TravelingGal
Oh, and lili, there''s no way any kid can actually bust their way through...it''s cable tied shut!

Haha....but she can climb and topple over!
I think your friend (and my J of course) will need a trunk w/ a lock to contain them.
Kidding aside, I was much too lazy to fashion any type of cage for J. That and plus the house is already a mess w/ all her bulky toys and I really do not need another contraption taking up space. I figured I''d spend my time initially to get her to stay in her corner. She did run out of there the first couple of times, so we just pick her up and sit her back down and warned her that she''ll stay longer if she tries to come out. I admit that I don''t use the corner much, but the 2x that we did did teach her what the corner is. We''ve threatened her w/ the corner or a spanking a few times when she misbehaved and it did calm her down.

J is pretty good about throwing, but she does have her throwing fit where she''d throw her toys out of frustration or anger. She doesn''t direct them at people though.
When she does that, I just pick up the toys and said ''ok, you want to throw them away, i''ll put them in the trash for you'' and put them away for a while. When she asked for it later, I reminded her that she didn''t want them. I''ll bring them out a week later or something. Now my sister, she''s really strict...she''ll throw away for real.

LOL, that would be me, but I guess that''s why I won''t make that thread...I''d sadly have to throw them out for real!

I''ll suggest the trunk with a lock for my friend, thanks!

 

[lili]

TGal--
I get not talking much in front of strangers, but I thought that since she''s been w/ her class since sept 08 and the new teachers since sept 09, they are hardly strangers to her and she''d more incline to talk. I think her problem is not so much strangers, but more the number of people around...kind of like myself. I tend to be more quiet when there are more than 2 people in the mix.

Your A is funny though in withholding her skills from you.
I''m now wondering if she''s been practicing stand and walking when you left her in her crib before
That explains how she went from not taking a step to trotting around the room the next day.

 

[lili]

puffy--
wow, 12-18 months clothes.
i'll have you know that some of J's clothes are 12-18 months and she's going to be 2 in a couple of weeks.

Have fun in Vegas.
B is so helpful, he'll help you carry your bags as you shop!

 

[TravelingGal]

Date: 3/23/2010 6:15:56 PM
Author: lili
TGal--
I get not talking much in front of strangers, but I thought that since she''s been w/ her class since sept 08 and the new teachers since sept 09, they are hardly strangers to her and she''d more incline to talk. I think her problem is not so much strangers, but more the number of people around...kind of like myself. I tend to be more quiet when there are more than 2 people in the mix.

Your A is funny though in withholding her skills from you.
I''m now wondering if she''s been practicing stand and walking when you left her in her crib before
That explains how she went from not taking a step to trotting around the room the next day.

Yeah, she probably did! Makes sense, but I think kids can go from not walking to taking several steps at once. I remember coming down the stairs when my nanny called and being quite floored!

I think that''s a good trait...being a bit reserved. Amelia can''t say much but she jibber jabbers and talks out a lot, and will do so in a group (based on my experience in swim class yesterday). She''s going to be one of *those* children.

 

[qtiekiki]

DD - Yay for Hunter walking.

Tgal - I might just have to make a time-out cage. We have M stand against the wall or corner, but she doesn't stay there.
so funny that Amelia is hiding her verbal skill from you.

lili - Glad you are doing well.
I'm surprised that J is quiet in class. She seems like such an outgoing kid. It's normal to be shy outside their comfort zone though.

Tacori - Have a fun trip.

Puffy - can't wait to see your presents.

Wow Noah might be really long. Can't believe he is wearing 12-18 months clothes already.

It had been hard to read up on this thread since J wakes up every time I put him down. I don't remember this when M was a newborn, but apparently it happened since it was on the mommies thread (though at it happened a few weeks earlier and didn't last as long). The other thing is that he would doze off in our arm and then all of a sudden be wide awake. No break.

M is doing well. We finally got her to say thank you when we ask her to, but she likes to add a few sound after it like "tank you ar ba de" or something like that. Other than that, she is a single word girl who babbles a lot.

"Potty training" (in quotes b/c we really haven't done any actual training, IMO) is status quo. Sometimes she tells me "pee pee", most of the time I either ask her constantly if she needs to pee/poop or read her cues or she just pee/poop in her diaper. DH said he wants her potty trained before we start her in daycare, so I told him and MIL needs to help b/c a kid isn't going to train herself. MIL is expecting M to tell her when she needs to go b/c our nephew is telling his babysitter and SIL when he needs to go poop (not pee, he still pee in his diaper). But MIL doesn't understand that nephew is doing that b/c his babysitter had been training him. The expectation is just so unrealistic.

 

[puffy]

haha...yes my boy is BIG!!! B loves to point out all of noah''s rolls. he''ss even call them fat rolls...haha, crazy kid.

lili heehee, i did start awhile back training B to offer to help hold bags. sometimes he does but most of the time if he holds the bag he''ll just dig through it and toss everything on the floor to p;ay with. but he will pick it up when he''s done and put it all back in the bag and give the bag back to me.

qt when is M starting daycare? they change diapers in daycare? PTing is different for all kids so unless M is really ready, i personally wouldn''t push it. and if you feel like she is ready to be trained, you guys should be consistent with it and yes get your MIL involved since she helps with M. sorry you''re having a hard time with J. hope it gets better soon. is he sleeping for longer stretches?