Communication Tip: From JJ

So here is a communication tip from JJ (LOL!): Get a sign language book for toddlers. Teach them sign language using the book. Then, when mommy and daddy are tired and not being very smart, the toddler can get the book and point to the sign in addition to saying and signing the word to get his idea across.

JJ has done this before when he wants John to get me for "milk" but he reached a new high this weekend. He was signing "sick" at us, but we totally missed it (mostly because he never used that sign before). He goes and gets his book, brings it to us, flips to the page with the sick sign, points to it, signs it, says "sick, medsin" John asks him "Does something hurt? what hurts?" and JJ nods his head and signs "pain" and says "Hurt, head." Poor kid had a sinus headache and knew that some medicine (Tylenol) would help. He'd had a runny nose all weekend but it never even occurred to me he might have a headache.

Sometimes I just have to be grateful that at least one of us is on top of things - even if it's the toddler!

A Haiku for JJ

Little hands reaching
Wanting cookies, kisses, now
Your laugh in my heart

Cosleeping, Night Weaning and Other Parenting Choices

We're currently struggling with whether to continue night nursing with JJ.

Now I know that, at 18 months, there's a lot of folks who would be all freaked out that we're still nursing at all, let alone, on demand. But there's a strong body of evidence that suggests that allowing a child to 'self-wean' is a healthier (from an emotional attachment standpoint) way of weaning. The thought is that children who wean on their own suffer less abandonment issues/seperation anxiety/etc. than those who are cut off cold turkey as it were. Personally, I think the jury is out on the efficacy of studies in either camp (to wean or not to wean). However, it's clear that letting a child self-wean is not a BAD thing, so, in the interests of continued peace and harmony, we've chosen to go that route. I mean, honestly, it's way easier to just let him nurse than to turn him down. And it's a nice snuggly time for both of us.

BUT - the night time nursing is starting to be an issue. It's one thing if he woke up once and wanted to nurse a few minutes. But he's waking up multiple times a night and wanting to nurse anywhere from 10 minutes to an hour. And it's starting to take it's toll. So we're debating on how to best approach night weaning. We don't want to wean him completely until he's ready. Even with a little sister on the way, we can tandem nurse - I don't mind. But the night time stuff...I need more sleep. The question is how? There's a lot of information out there on how to go about night weaning, so we may just try a few things and see how it works. He's a pretty adaptable kid - chances are it'll be easier than I suspect.

Broccoli, Please

Hooray! Last night we had porkchops, rice, broccoli, and carrots. JJ has started that "picky eater" stage, so I figured he'd have some rice then start angling for a cookie. But he dived straight into the carrots, woofed down the rice, devoured the broccoli (giving the pork chops a miss, but hey, beggers can't be choosers).

Then he looked at me and said and signed "More broccoli please!" and proceeded to have 2 more servings of broccoli!

That's my boy :)

Baby in the belly

JJ definitely *knows* there is a baby in mommy's tummy. Every day, he comes up and gets in my lap, pulls down the bellaband and puts his ear to my belly and listens. Then he puts his mouth on my belly and says some things then puts his ear back and listens again with a big grin on his face then laughs. I have no idea what they're talking about, but apparently his little sister is quite the cut up :) It's so adorable! Reportedly, he has also been asking the folks at daycare to put a ball under his shirt, so he can pat it and say "baby". This kid cracks me up!

Recurring Nightmare

JJ woke up last night, very upset. And I do mean VERY upset. Crying, clearly frightened. I brought him to bed with us, and it got *worse* - the minute he realized I was trying to put him down on the bed, he started throwing himself around, pitching a fit. We finally got him calmed down enough to talk to us (well, communicate as well as an 18 month old can), and he told us that there was a man in the backyard looking in the bathroom window. This is the second time he's woken up with this dream (and it clearly is a dream - he hadn't even been in the bathroom to be able to see if anyone was looking in the window). He wouldn't go back to sleep until John took him outside and showed him the backyard and all the corners to prove there was no one back there! Even after that he slept very restlessly, waking up a lot. Poor little guy.

I feel so bad for him having these nightmares, and at the same time it gives me the shivers. I mean, where would he have gotten the image of a man in the back yard looking in the bathroom window and associated it with being a scary thing? Creepy.

18 month appointment

Ht: 33"

Wt: 24lbs

Got his first fluoride treatment today. And when they gave him his shot, he didn't cry or even get upset!!! What a little trooper :) Now, getting on the scale was a whole other matter (major meltdown). Go figure - what kid is terrified of the scale but doesn't bat an eye about a shot?