My quick post on MaM’s “punishment stool” from 2006 still gets a lot of hits. Sometimes I can tell it’s a query about toddler discipline, sometimes it’s from something freaky (my favorite query? “diaper discipline for girlfriend).
I look back on the post and laugh-Jr is SUCH a different toddler than MaM was. I go to that post and think, “wow? did she really do that?” And then I think back to all the chairs I had to move into the bathroom (because she was standing on them), I think about the fact that we DID buy a new dishwasher because that knob she liked to turn was going to be the death of me, and that the following spring we had a whole debacle on Spring Break I now dub, “The Spring Break Nap Time Smack Down” (there was no smacking, but there was JUMPING off of dressers!!).
Jr is so different. Now granted, I’m probably different. I’m older. I know there’s a light at the end of the tunnel.
Jr listens when I say “no” the first time. If he doesn’t, he calmly ( and sadly) goes to the time out step. What happened to the stool?? Well, a few weeks after that first post, the stool was thrown. After that, I started putting her on a particular step.
Maybe it’s because we let him watch more TV. Maybe it’s because “the MaM show” distracts him. Maybe it’s because his more challenging time will come closer to age three. Maybe it’s because he still doesn’t sleep through the night and isn’t well rested enough to really put up a fight.
Maybe he’s just a different kid.
I don’t know, but I’m going to enjoy my fairly laid back toddler while I can!
We Are the Truth
By now you’ve probably heard of the horrific story involving a Russian boy being put on a plane and essentially returned to Russia by his adoptive mother. We did a special post about it at Grown in My Heart – want to read the opinions of EIGHT opinionated writers? Here’s the link: http://www.growninmyheart.com/russian-children-and-abandonment-current-news
Today (4/15/10) has been declared “An Adoption Blogger Day” by the Joint Council on International Children Services. It’s a day for families involved with adoption to tell their stories. Stories that talk about the day-to-day. Stories that talk about tough adoption issues. Stories that talk about love. Stories that speak the truth.
So here’s our story:
Almost five years ago we became parents through open, domestic adoption and we’ve never looked back. We’ve never regretted it. We had no idea how much our children would change us for the better. We had no idea how much we would love these children. How much we weren’t living until they arrived.
Oh the love……
I don’t know that there’s a McLinky for today’s event. But if you’re in the mood for some Adoption Truth, I’d start with the GIMH’s list of 101 best Adoption Blogs. And click here to learn more about We Are The Truth A Campaign and Call to Action EDITED TO ADD: Here’s a link to other We Are the Truth posts.
Almost Two
Somehow, this spring, the boy has gone from a toddling one year old to a boy who is so close to two he can taste it. So close to two he runs now, he runs and he says, “RUNNNNINNNNGGG!” And then he climbs up the swing set and says, “CCCLLLIIMMMBBB”
And his favorite color, based on language alone, is green.
And his favorite sound effect is “woo- woo”, which he does every time he sees sirens and lights.
He’s addicted to rice milk. He’s got a killer sweet tooth. He can open the drawer to the freezer and pull out a popsicle.
And his hair? It’s his crowning glory. I loved every minute of Spring Break with this boy, and am now counting down the school days til we are out for the summer! (33 more days to go)
