You know that scene from Three Hundred where he kicks the enemy into their endless pit declaring "This Is SPARTA!" ? That pit is my two year old's mind and the flailing men wrapped in their own flowing robes are my child's erratic, uncontrollable emotions. I feel like I am watching all of those developing emotions swirling around in that pit as he cries in front of me because...well I don't know why. I could speculate, but that is exhausting at this point. It had to hit him at some point. The emotional milestone isn't one anyone wants to mention in their toddler timeline. They just want to label it as "terrible" or "narcissistic". I will let you figure out which one is age two and three. I get it. We are in for a ride. But isn't this the time to step up the patience and begin teaching our little man how to practice emotional competence? So every time I feel myself breaking down from the roller coaster of emotion, the ticking time bomb in my head that is about to yell "CHILL OUT!" and the mounting headache as I stare blankly at the umpteenth crying session that day over the unknown event I can't actually fix, I just remind myself " This Is SPARTA!!!".
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Silas is a busy boy these days. His napping varies more and sometimes can be as short as a half hour in a day. So that means lots of extra time for playing, eating and general toddler antics! TJ (Si's caretaker) has sent some great pictures of he and Dallis imagining their way through the day.
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| Pirates battling in the open seas! |
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| They will have an awesome band |
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| A train, plane and... |
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| pseudo sleepover |
Spring is FINALLY here and it's just in time for all this little boy's energy. We do have the swimming pool at the YMCA in our back pocket for a rainy day or at night when it seems like the thing to do (which is often!). But sun, blue skies and open windows has made life feel new all over again.
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| mid morning nap while mom runs |
Andrew found this kids four-wheeler at an auction for 30$. I won't mess with it, but he and Si definitely put in some time on it. Si has learned how to shift into forward and reverse and to use a gas pedal. A little part of me was terrified of the idea, but the more I watch them, the more excited I am that hopefully this means our boy will have a better handle on the limits of vehicles.
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Jumping on the couch is more fun
without cushions. |
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| An IPA please? |
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| Daddy cuddles |
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| My dog blockade |
Let's see…oh! we've been trying to begin incorporating some spanish into Silas's daily communication. Lucky for us (since neither of us speaks spanish….at all) most of his toys and books have a spanish counterpart. So we've taken full advantage of that. I've also picked up a free online learning tool for spanish. As I learn little phrases and words I use them around him along with the english version. Once he is a little older we will probably get a more formal learning program. Finally, almost all Disney movies will allow you to choose a variety of languages to listen to the movie in. The movies we have watched ten bazillion times I have taken up only playing in spanish, such as Frozen and the Lion King. He doesn't seem to mind at all so I think we have started early enough that emersion tactics like that won't frustrate him.
I leave you with my pets at school and hopes that the warm weather is here to stay for us all.
