Our 19 month old toddler asks to go to bed–at both nap time and bed time. There are the rare nap times where he will just crash on the floor while he is playing with his blocks or something but for the most part he lets us know he wants to go to bed. How does he do this you ask? Well he either says please when asked if he wants to go to bed or he will grab his binky, his juice and walk to the bottom of the stairs and say please. I know it is rather cute. In my conversations with other parents I have deduced and been told that this isn’t normal. I have to say I am shocked as Minnow is my first child. We didn’t do anything spectatcular to enduce this sort of sleep compliance other than we have always let him “decide” when it was bedtime. We never really created a bedtime routine. We did start putting him in bed awake when he was about 11 months old–so that he would learn to put himself to sleep. Maybe because we let him set his own sleep schedule naturally he finds going to bed a good thing and not something he is forced to do. I am of course hoping that this pattern continues, but I am sure that we will soon find that going to bed will be the last thing he wants to do. Until then…I will enjoy my little man who likes going to bed.
Parenting
Kids Are Fun or Day 2
Halloween was much more fun this year than it was last year when little Minnow could barely sit up. This year he as an awesome Halloween participant–even though he only tricked and treated from our candy bowl. He graciously helped mom answer the door, laughed at kids jokes (here in our little city kids have to tell a joke to get a piece of candy…we make them work for it). The best one I heard this year was
How many witches does it take to change a light-bulb?
How many?
Only one, but she changes it into a toad…
Minnow really liked that joke. The highlight of the evening for Minnow was putting candy into his jack-o-lantern that yes did have a candle burning in it. The below picture is his “Where did it go?” Face. Well it is next to the raging candle inferno, my sweet little lion. Why don’t you stick your flammable lion paw in there and try to get it. No I really didn’t tell him to do that last part, that he figured out completely on his own. But I put down the camera long enough to keep him from starting himself on fire.
He roared all night in his little lion costume. He was hilariously funny. These are the moments parents dream about and those who don’t have kids, totally miss out on. It is a nice reminder of what is really important in life and that it really is the little things that make life worth living. Thanks Minnow. You inspire me.
Parenting–A Powerful Weapon
Moving. Click here.
A reminder of the power we wield and the importance of realizing and respecting it.
How Do You Explain…
to your toddler that the dog cannot drink out of a sippy cup no matter how many times the cup is shoved in said dogs face? Minnow just follows the dog around shoving his sippy cup in her face saying “juze, juze, JUZE” It is terribly cute.
An Interlude
too hot to post much lately…feeling kind of lazy…here are some pictures…
At the science center
Trying to grab the spring that isn’t really there. Yeah I know not fair–but really fun to watch.
Reading with Grandpa Pete and Grandma Betty who were visiting from Texas
Sitting in my jazz fest chair listening to bluegrass at the Botanical Gardens on July 4th.
Best present ever from Grandma Anne…
Embracing Imperfection 