These days Henry is extremely curious about everything I’m doing. He’s always been interested in new things, but now he wants to do what I’m doing. Sometimes it’s great, like when he wants to help me put things in the dryer, but other times it’s not so awesome. It’s not good when he wants to help me cook on the stove, or opening and shutting a hot oven. These are the times where I pull out my trusty friend, the iPad! The iPad is the most coveted and valuable thing in Mr. Henry’s life right now. He loves it so much that I have to hide it from him so he doesn’t spend all day on it! Finding the right balance with technology is key. Henry is very engaged with the ABC and 123 games, loves the Curious George App where he builds trains, rockets, and dinosaurs, and loves the animal flashcards. I’m actually impressed with how quickly he catches on to things and how well he can operate the iPad! Try taking it away….not a happy camper!

They call them the Terrible Twos, but we’ve already entered this phase way before the 2nd birthday. With Henry’s newfound independence comes some strong opinions. What Henry wants to do is not always the safest, cleanest, or healthiest thing. Telling Henry that he can’t do something makes him very unhappy. I am a believer in positive discipline, but it’s hard to always remain calm and patient when your toddler throws a tantrum. I’ve found that it’s just better for me to walk away and let him sort it out! You can’t reason with a child who doesn’t know the concept. To him it is the end of the world that I put his goldfish crackers in the wrong cup. When he calms down, he goes about eating the crackers like there was nothing wrong in the first place! I don’t try to understand it!

All these things are just part of the phase Henry is in. I love all the talking and think his little voice is the sweetest sound i’ve ever heard. I’m impressed with his knowledge of technology and how quickly he’s able to figure things out. And despite his tantrums, I still think he’s the most amazing, lovable, and funny kid I’ve ever met!

-Maureen

Welcome to Toddlerville! That pretty much sums up my recent conversations with my 19 month old. I should have seen it coming when we went to the doctor and they labeled their milestone sheet as “Mr. No.”—On the one hand the days are busier, crazier, messier, and keep you on your toes, but on the other hand seeing your kid “get it” and explore on their own and navigate their way (with supervision, of course) is pretty awesome. Having a baby is great and there are certainly amazing milestones they hit, but I wasn’t prepared for how fantastic it would be to hear your kid speaking to you (I didn’t say I could understand it all!), learn their animal sounds, sort their toys by color (rare, but it happened!), or run up to you with a huge smile and say, “Mama!” I can’t get enough of the hugs, funny faces, or dance parties.

What I notice the most about this age is Henry’s need for independence. He will walk into his bedroom, sit down on the floor, and read a book or zoom his cars. If an adult walks in there, he will get up and walk away! What a stinker! Luckily we live in a small condo in Chicago, so we can easily watch him on the monitor so he doesn’t end up climbing his bookshelf (also a favorite activity!). I love this side of him. I love watching as he tries to “read” a book aloud in his classic Henry gibberish. You can see the wheels inside his head turning and his desire to figure it all out on his own. It hit me the other day that I have a little boy, not a baby.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Caring for an infant is challenging because they are completely dependent on you for almost all of their needs. Having a toddler brings its own challenges. You can’t reason with a child who isn’t old enough to get the dangers that surround them. How can I explain to Henry that a fireplace lighter is not a safe toy. Well, you can’t. I have to weather the tantrums that are sprouting up far more often lately, and try to redirect him. Somehow the blocks aren’t as fun as the knife I just used to cut his sandwich. Add in the fact that he can move and stack furniture to get on the counters! I’m half horrified and half proud that he figured that out!

Sure, I miss having a little baby to snuggle with, who naps frequently during the day, and that baby smell–I’ll get enough. However, my Henry is a pretty cool kid now and he wants to be my friend. What is better than that?

-Maureen is a Sitter2Mom, our Chicago City Coordinator, and mother of Henry! 

We were never worried about Henry’s mobility, as he walked at 8 1/2 months, but for the longest time he just babbled to himself and didn’t say any “real” words. I wasn’t worried, per say, but I yearned for him to say, “mama.” Well….he hasn’t mastered that word yet, unless he’s crying, but all of the sudden he is throwing out new words, animal sounds, and phrases like, “Uh-oh!” This is by far the best age because he’s very curious, responsive, and adventurous. He can stay up for longer periods of time and is engaged in music, zooming cars and airplanes around the house, and enjoys free time at the park. He loves to explore, finds himself to be very, very funny, and loves giving hugs to his family and the dog. It’s amazing how you can give him directions or show him how to do something and he immediately mimics you. With that, however, comes the urgency to watch what we say and do so we don’t have a kid running around repeating all the “grown up” words we use! We are loving life with our little boy.

The other big change in our life is….a new address! (Nope, not a baby!!!!)—As our child grew bigger, our condo started to shrink! Our super chic, urban condo in the sky has been replaced by a bigger, kid-friendly condo in a much more family friendly neighborhood. While we are beyond excited for this change, surviving a move with a toddler was a tad chaotic (that’s putting it nicely!). My husband and I spent hours packing up all our belongings only to turn around and see that Henry had unpacked two boxes while we weren’t looking! Henry just loved climbing all over the boxes marked, “Fragile–crystal wine glasses”—Luckily both sets of grandparents helped entertain him while we packed without interruption.

We already love our new neighborhood! The North Center area is full of activities for kids! Change is good!

 

How do I help my child become more independent without abandoning them? How do I support them without becoming a helicopter parent? How many books a day should I be reading them? Is that broccoli organic? Wait, your kid eats broccoli? Mine only eats granola bars or whatever else I can find at the bottom of my purse! Even when I appear to have my act together, my mind is constantly wondering and worrying about so many things. My goal at the end of each day is to get to dinnertime without opening (and finishing) a bottle of wine!

Comparing myself to other mothers reminds me of the Dove commercial where women are asked to describe themselves to an artist. Then they compare their view with the view of other women around them. We’re always our toughest critics. I often find myself wondering how I could have made Henry’s day better–should I have done more arts and crafts with him? Should I have let him watch t.v.? Is it strange that he can maneuver an iPad better than his Granny? (no comment there…) Should I have not gone back to work? When is the last time he took a bath? (sniff under his armpit). Going to the grocery store has turned into an Olympic event. Have you ever tried to cook dinner, clean the house, wipe fingerprints off of every surface, and sing a song at the same time? The answer is probably YES!

There are so many things I could find that I don’t do. What is most important is what I do for him each and every day. I love him. I make him laugh. I feed him better food than I feed myself. I dance with him. I’m there for him when he comes running up to give me a hug. I cheer him on while he tries to spoon feed himself. I wipe his tears when he’s hurt. I give him extra cuddles when he’s sick. At the end of the day, there’s only one opinion that matters, and that’s Henry’s. It appears that I’m doing an okay job because he still wants to hang out with me! (Check back in 13 years…)

 

-Maureen is a sitter2mom, our Chicago City Coordinator, and proud mother of Henry!

Henry surprisingly adjusted to the time difference with no problems. I think he knew that he had a fun day at the pool planned and didn’t want to miss it. Traveling with a child definitely changes the dynamic of a vacation, but it’s an entirely different kind of fun. Watching him splash around in the pool and play in the sand was awesome. He had a blast and never wanted to get out of the pool. The most challenging part was getting him to sit still long enough to lather him up with sunscreen! We visited the Maui Aquarium, took long walks on the beach, and went to some really cool parts of Maui–Henry loved it all! Especially all the whales jumping out of the water.

Thanks to the concierge in Maui, we were hooked up with the Lucky Lil Darlings of Maui called The Nanny Connection. They provided us with two amazing sitters for our time in Hawaii. I was so thankful for Andrea and Audrey so that we could go out for dinner and have some child-free adult time! My uncle Bill came from Oahu to visit us in Maui. It was so great to see him after 3 years! Henry immediately bonded with him and the two formed a fast friendship. We can’t wait to go back and visit him again soon! Everyone in Hawaii was so friendly and accommodating to us. We LOVED it there and can’t believe the trip is over!

Getting back to Chicago in the middle of the “Polar Vortex” was challenging. Our flight from LA to Chicago was cancelled on Sunday and we had to find a hotel room in LA for the night. I’ve never been so thankful for having such a “chill” child. He handled the travel delays and change of plans/airlines like a champ. My husband wanted to get home but I enjoyed the extra day in the sun. We were able to meet up with an old friend in Manhattan Beach for lunch and enjoyed the unavoidable travel delay. Despite not having a good rest in over 15 hours, Henry enjoyed himself too! I’m so proud and thankful for his calm, happy demeanor. He made a really stressful, chaotic situation tolerable.

We’re back in cold Chicago and getting back into our regular routine! Aloha!

-Maureen is a sitter2mom, our Chicago City Coordinator, and proud mother of Henry!

P.S. Post-it Notes are an awesome quiet activity for a toddler. Henry stuck those things ALL OVER! (Mahalo, Cosette and all those who provided us with entertainment).