'A portrait a week of my children, once a week, every week, in 2013'
Soren Paul 26 months (2yrs. 2 mo.) Already he is looking older. And as usual, a mouth full of apple, having a fruit bowl on the table means easy access to some of Soren's favorites!
Where is winter?!!! I know I live in the Midwest, which is technically not the North or the Northeast, but hey - can we get some snow here??! eh??!
Well, since we won't be getting snow, it's time for my Spring cleaning routine! Which is kinda, totally... a fib. I almost always go through a 'purge' of sorts after the holidays, whether it snows or not. This year, it all started with the curtains. Soren's room used to have pocket doors, but our landlords took them out when they refinished the apartment (why?? I have no idea). So in place of doors, we have hung curtains. I felt like he needed more privacy, or, really - more quiet, so I replaced them with heavier, nicer, longer ones. Great timing with the sales. This meant that I could take the gnarly blinds down in our bedroom, clean the sills and windows really well (Soren helped, note the pic...) and hang some beautiful light colored panels. It completely transformed the bedroom - love it!
But then came the closets, which were filled to the brim with Soren's old things. This was a tough one. I have been keeping some things in case we were going to have another babe, who knows? But Rick and I had a long talk and with me going back to school and realizing that this next time we might do some things differently - it was time to gift Soren's old things away.... If a second is in our future, he/she would probably have different clothing, different sizes, smaller crib (since Soren didn't use it for long and they would be sharing a room most likely) and a smaller space saver that fits under our table. We even have two toddler seats and our Britax has an awesome infant insert (my back literally can't carry the pumpkin seat, thank you congenital birth defect...). So bye, bye Soren's old things - to new homes. So, if you need said gently used objects - let me know!!! They are yours, no strings attached.
But it feels good to purge, to move forward and start the year without cobwebs. Soren seems to think so as well!
This is not going to shed the most positive light on my parenting skills, but here it goes:
I yelled tonight (Soren's yelling gasp above is a positive one - kiddo LOVES his spinach smoothies after a nap!). It was my fault - but I did. And to top it off, it was over food. I know some of you might be gasping and others rolling their eyes, but either way - this is NOT the way we do things in this household. We talk, calm down before speaking with one another, we respect one another. We don't scream. Now, I know Soren is just a few months outside of turning 2 and his tantrums are pretty stellar, but we have been working on triggers to get him to communicate instead. Why this grown adult couldn't pull it together tonight? Is beyond me.
It started with dinner. The past couple days have been tough with food - when most haven't up to this point. I have posted, instagramed and enjoyed all the crazy, tasty - nutritous things Soren has devoured and now - he's 2. And he is opinionated. But my delisional self thought we would be different. I thought making his baby food, nursing and cooking avidly in the kitchen - with him by my side would askew any 'picky' qualities of a typical toddler. I was wrong. He is going to have his days - and tonight was one of them.
I made this fantastic kale and potato soup with Kroeger and Son's Italian chicken sausage (devine...really!). I thought for certain he would eat it up. But he wouldn't even try it - the salad, however? Three servings! Way to go almond slivers, spinach and feta cheese! Now, I don't believe in bartering so there is no 'eat your dinner or you don't get dessert' nonesense, but I did think, maybe - distraction? So I got the iPad and let him play 'trucks' as I tried to sneak a few bites in his mouth - just to get a taste. Soren finally got fed up with my 'please'ing and having a spoon in his peripheral, that he stood up on the chair, picked up the bowl, gave me a scowl and chucked the soup at me.
I lost it. 'Soren Paul, that is E-NOUGH!' I yelled (what does that even mean?!). I did it. And I knew, as soon as that scowl turned to fear what I had done. He ran to me and I picked him up and immediately started apologizing. I laid him in his bedroom to calm down while I cleaned up. I heard a light pitter patter and turned around. He looked at me sincerely and said very quietly 'sorry...'. I picked him up and gave him the biggest snuggle I could. I felt awful. Still do. But I learned my lesson and could afford to use that Daniel Tiger trigger on myself sometimes (in a singing voice, 'when you get so mad that you want to ROAR! Take a deep breath... and count to four: 1, 2, 3...4'). I don't think it's Soren being terrible at 2, it's me. This year is about working on my patience and respect. Loving my family unconditionally is easy. But respecting and being patient with one another is a different story.
The night wasn't all lost though (over our short lived 15 minute drama). Soren helped me make some homemade maple-vanilla frozen yogurt. Love that guy so much!
I read this blog post today from a momma I sincerely admire. Modern Megpie is a genuinely fashionable lady, from clothes to home and is an inspiration stylistically to craft and create being sure everything has that personal touch. After a wonderful playdate with one of Soren's new found buds, we came home and it finally felt like that - home. Nasty, old blinds had been taken down - tall drapes hung. Thick separating panels installed for Soren's 'room', furniture re-arranged (for yes, the millionth time...) - my sewing machine out and ready to go - and my favorite as of last, the apartment ready for crafting with ease! But this post, I needed to read - about being content with the way things ARE, in this moment. Because it does really prove daunting for the loved ones around our Type A personality types. Always searching for more, on a quest to make things that much more livable - lovable. More adventures - To create.
These are fun, insatiable traits, but exhausting too. For myself and the people I love. I cherish this post and relate to it. I hope you all enjoy - this is a great blog to follow! Here are some of the newer touches to the apartment. I would say final... but I am notorious for changing apartments every year - since I have a family now, I don't change apartments literally, just internally. In the one we have now!
'A portrait a week of my children, once a week, every week, in 2013'
I said there would be quite a few of these. But he's so cute with a camera!!! I couldn't help myself. I felt like this really captured his quest to mimic and learn this past week. He's really become a toddler - he follows, watches carefully and copies. Today he pulled an orange out of the fridge, said 'orange!', then grabbed the juicer from the cupboard and said 'juice...' and handed it to pappa saying 'pleeeeease!'. While pappa juiced, he grabbed his cup, lid and straw waiting for his pour. Love it! Here he is copying me looking over the camera, as I typically do, waiting for him to turn and smile at me.
03/52