Doorknobs and early wake-up calls

A few weeks ago, Brendan finally figured out how to open his bedroom door (mind you, he's been able to open other doors for a little bit now)...I was proud that he figured that out, but the pride quickly turned to annoyance!  With his newfound freedom, bedtime is now 10,000 times more difficult.  It's always taken him awhile to fall asleep, he'd toss and turn, talk, sing, and bang his feet against the wall...but now he does that AND tries to get out of his room.  Thank goodness for video monitors because we're able to see when he's about to make his escape, and we call through the door for him to get back into bed.  This means one of us needs to be on guard until he falls asleep.  I sure hope the novelty dies away quickly and that this is only a phase.  He thinks it's a hysterical game...we do not.

Which brings me to the morning...4:30 is the record so far.  I put him back to bed at 4:30, then he was up again at 5:00, then 5:15, then 5:30, and then 5:45...finally when he came padding down the hallway to my room at 6:00, I just tossed in the towel and got up.  Today he stayed in his room until 5:30, who would've thought I'd be happy that he slept until 5:30?!  That is ridiculous!  If he could sleep and/or stay in his room until 6:00 or even 6:30, I'd be one happy camper.  And Brendan is such a morning person, he wants to get right down to playing or having breakfast and he's so jolly about it.  He's so excited to start the day...good thing I'm a morning person (once I actually get out of bed and get going).  But then he's tired by mid morning and ready for a nap too early!  I have ordered from Amazon, one of those special clocks that tells the child when it's okay for them to leave the room.  It's my last hope.

And Brendan's behavior at 2 years 5.5 months...what happened to my good little boy and why was he replaced with the kid version of a dictator?!  Oh. My. Gosh.  Seriously, the hitting, the screaming, the tantrums, the talking back, the not listening, the smirking and laughing as we try to give time out or take away toys/privileges or talk with him about his behavior (boy oh boy, does that make me the most mad!).  He only reserves this behavior for mom and dad and sometimes the 4 grandparents and 2 uncles...other adults and children he acts like a perfect angel and no one believes me that he can be a holy terror!  I'm going to tell myself it's just a phase and when I look back at this blog entry a few years from now, I'll just laugh and say that was nothing, just a little phase.

Picky, picky!

I used to have to order a side of broccoli at any restaurant we went to, so Brendan would be happy.  Broccoli.  He loved broccoli.  Note the past tense.  As a baby and as an early toddler B would try everything and eat a majority of what he tried.  Today's diet:  milk, Trader Joe's cereal bars, scrambled egg (but only every other day at breakfast), sausage/bacon, pancakes/waffles/french toast, bananas (if the mood strikes him), clementines (when in season), applesauce, mixed fruit cup (has to be Del Monte brand, sorry Target brand), boiled hot dogs (can't be grilled or microwaved), PB & J (sometimes), pickles, chips, yogurt (only when sitting on the couch and watching Mickey), and Mickey Mouse chicken nuggets from Costco.  

I would've included pizza in this list a few weeks, but Brendan now refuses to eat frozen pizza, Little Caesars pizza, and the awesome pizza from the place in town.  Really?  He used to want to eat it 24/7.  But then I figured it out....he only wants to eat Bagel Bites pizza.  I'm at a loss.  There is a lack of veggies, grains, and a ton of other things.  He won't even try new things.  Not even one little bite.  I am certain this is fairly normal for his age group and perhaps older children as well, but it's so frustrating and worrisome!  And BORING!  He has been taking the calcium gummies (coated in granulated sugar) and likes those vitamins, but when I try introducing actual gummy multi-vitamins, heaven forbid.  He gagged on them and swallowed them whole, instead of chewing them, because they were weird and different.  He made a huge production of it and of course now he's fine with them, months later.  I would try spinach smoothies (green monsters), but he won't even try a regular smoothie, yet alone a green one.

Meal time is a constant battle.  I'm hoping that he gets better; well, at least I can dream.  Oh, and of course, cake, candy, cupcakes, donuts and cookies aren't an issue.

B has again made leaps and bounds since the last time I wrote.  He is very perceptive and makes so many connections (text to self, text to world, text to text--the reading teacher in me is so proud!); it's so fun to watch him.  And the things that come out of his mouth...he always has us cracking up.  Some of my favorites....

       When something is wrong- (putting his hands on both cheeks and shaking his head) "This is just terrible, just terrible."

        When asked if he'd like something or like to do something that we know he'll answer yes to- (thinks about it for a minute with a pondering look) "Well....um...of course!"

         

Of course, when he says something cute and/or funny I think to myself, I need to record that, but then I don't because the meaning will be lost when translated to the written word.  I can explain it to my parents or Charlie on the phone and they get it because they know him, but how to describe it so that he can look back and understand it and appreciate it.  I just don't want to forget a moment of how awesome he is...