The Zoo!

Over Fall Break (yes, in the beginning of Oct.!) my little family went to the Zoo! Here are some pics...

Tell The Truthy....Does your child throw Tantrums?

So, ya'll know my rage against the Mommy Wars... but let's get serious... Do you always tell the truth about your little ones?

Does facebook or other blogs make you sometimes feel like your child must be the only one in the world who isn't perfect?  It sure does me!  I also feel a lot of times that when I talk to some Mommies they tell me how wonderful everything is, how easy it is if you have things well thought out and planned, and how children are so easy...

UMM, can I please live at your house and be your child?!?!? Yea, my kid was pretty easy during months 3-11...now let's get to toddlerhood!

Well, friends, Harper has come into the *possibly* full blown tantrums...and she's barely even 13 months old.  Is this normal?? If it's not, will you please tell me it is?!?!? :)

Tantrum 1-
When Harper is out and about with me running errands or out to eat she is not one to be ignored.  She enjoys full on attention and being spoken to, engaged, etc. the entire time.  If not - tears come.  Of course, you non-mommies may be thinking "why wouldn't you speak to your child" but let me tell you, sometimes it's hard to have a one-way convo out in public and sometimes you just want to be quiet!

But, I've learned, and have schooled my Hubby on the ways that IF you'd like a successful trip in public, the KEY is to ENGAGE, ENGAGE, ENGAGE!

Tantrum 2-
This one comes into full effect usually when Harper is sleepy or hungry.  Harper will bend down and squat (like only kids can do - you picture it?!) and begin whining/crying.  Then, she will turn her head to the side, peek out of one eye to see if you are looking.  If you are: she will continue and sometimes move her position to laying on her side OR lay her head right on down to the most difficult yoga pose you've ever done.  If you aren't looking, she will usually get over it, come around the corner and be like nothing every happened.

The KEY is to walk away and don't even let her see you watch...don't you let her peeking meet your eyes!!

Tantrum 3-
Similar to Tantrum 2, but this time it occurs when you've offered her a toy, a piece of food, water, etc.  You know, all those horrible things parents do... ?!?!  Well, our gal is pretty stuck on her independence and knowing what she wants when she wants in - read: her time.

So, when this begins, the KEY is to walk away, totally ignore, and begin talking/laughing/playing with something else.

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I was totally worried and nervous about this, but after calling Harper's doc, she said that this next year will be all about seeing what manipulation she can get away with (what?!?!) and beginning to learn what she can do for herself.  Am I worried? Yea, a little bit.  Would I wish her personality and her possible strong-willed-ness away? No, I don't think so.  Ask me again when she's a teen...or 2...but I think I'm okay with this side I'm seeing of her.

I want her to be a strong girl~woman.  I want her to know what she wants and doesn't want.  I think those are qualities that make a strong woman and one who can take care of her own.  My Mom tells me that I was the same way and that she's proud of the way I've turned out and that my personality has helped me get to where I am and what I said 'no' to in the past.  I like that.

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HOWEVER, after a wonderful suggestion from my Mom...we have now gotten down to some of the terrible tantrums Harper was having...yup...her milk.  We thought the transition to whole milk was fine, but it turns out, it wasn't.  The poor girl is still having issues with milk so we have switched her to Organic Soymilk.  It was like a different child in 2 days.  Honestly.  She still has maybe a few of the tantrums I mentioned above, but it is UNREAL the difference in her - all because of the milk! And really, I can tell you I haven't seen a tantrum in over a week - even a small one!

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And of course, if sweet Harper continues to come over and kiss your lips after any of these tantrums, and hug on her babies, and say thank you at the drop of a hat...I'm very okay with how my sweet baby girl is turning out to be!



*what are you ways in dealing and eliminating tantrums or small fits?

Go Vote!

I'm thankful I've got an extra day off with my cutie today!!

Regardless of who...be informed and GO VOTE!

{I'm sure my vote is not at all obvious...red and elephant hat....}

Tonight's Menu to handle the stress and polls coming through the TV:
Easy Cheesy Beer Cheese Soup & Buffalo Chicken Panini's!

Find the recipes in my recipes folder! :)

13 Months

No, no, no, I'm not going to be continuing my monthly posts...but there are a few major things I just have to jot down from this month! It's amazing how quickly she develops!!

*New Things*

~ We had to change Harper's whole milk to soy milk.  This was a change I was really hoping to not make, but since the change, things have just seemed to work out better.  She LOVES drinking the soy and will drink it more with meals and on her own than she was with the whole.  We also think the whole was hurting her belly - causing some unwanted cries and possibly causing some tantrums... Since the milk switch we haven't had nearly the outbursts we were seeing.  Not sure if this is correlated, but it sure does seem to go together.

~ Harper is such a sponge these days! It's just crazy what she picks up and repeats! Some newer things are: she can tell you where her shoes are and the word, where her socks go and point, follow multi-step directions (for the most part if she's heard those words before), and where her nose is. :) she can also high five!!

~When we ask Harper if she's ready for bed or a nap, she motions her head up and down and walks to the stairs.  It's so crazy! She does the same thing when we say it's bathtime.  *Side-note: I was not all about the CIO, but luckily we didn't have to for long, but it is SO nice to just tell her it's time for bed and put her in her crib without any fuss!! (i wrote a post about CIO somewhere!)

~Harper communicates a lot with head shakes of yes or no. We are still trying *really* hard to not use the word 'no' with her unless it's something urgent.  We use 'not for Harper' or 'uh-oh' - which she says over and over again when she's dropping things or falls.

~Tough girl! I mean, she is totally rough when she plays.  She plays hard and can fall hard, but she will randomly cry.  She totally doesn't get that from me!

~Loves going to the Church Nursery and loves those girls there!

~She still loves to kiss all the time and has gotten in the habit of kissing the faces that pop up on my phone if I'm on speaker phone.  She also SAYS 'LOVE YOU' which is just about the SWEETEST thing thus far.  :)

~Words that she uses in correct context:
uh-oh
Buh-bye (and waves)
Dada
Momma
shoe
duck
love you
peaches
baby
doggy (yes, still totally obsessed...we have no idea why or how)

~Tantrums (our Doctor calls them frustration/language tantrums)
I have a post on this...but...we have begun to see what people say are the normal toddler tantrums.  She can get very frustrated when she wants something and cannot get us to understand what it is she wants.  We are really working through these and like I said, I've got another post dedicated for this! :)

~We are officially OFF the paci....but I let her have it at night, don't tell our sitter!! Our sitter actually broke her of the paci in 3 days! We did not exactly want her to do this or were ready for her to get rid of the paci, but Harper has been talking a lot more...so I guess that's good!

~Eats everything in sight and a lot of it! ha!

~Loves to dance and will begin dancing whenever she hears music or little tunes.

~Moved up to the next carseat! She is back to liking the car now that she's not squished and she can see things!

~Has a total of 6 teeth with 2 more breaking through.