Independence

I have one question for you: How did you do it?

Tuf is now at the stage of independence. He does not need any help walking, eating, or playing.

He now knows the word, "No" or as he says it, "Na-Na!" In a sense it is hilarious hearing him say it. Josh will say, "Do you want to sit in your carseat?" and Tuf will reply, "Na-Na-Na." The other day I took Tuf to Tallahassee with me to shop for Josh a birthday gift. We went to Nu-berri to get yogurt and then walked along the sidewalk of the shopping center. I let him walk by himself so he could have fun and when he would get close to the outside, I would grab his hand and move him closer to the shops and he would shout, "Na! Na! Na! Na! Na!" It was so funny, I couldn't help but laugh.

My biggest struggle is with eating. He no longer is eating a lot because he insists on feeding himself with a spoon. I cannot hold a spoon nor get close to him while he is eating because he will pitch a fit thinking I am going to help him. I praise his efforts to make him think that he is doing a great job eating all the time thinking it will boost his self-esteem and back him down some, but it doesn't work. Every now and then I can correct the way he is holding his spoon/fork. If he thinks I am going to feed him, though, it is an all out water-works. Big crocodile tears come out and he is officially done. So do I just not help him at all? Do I let him pitch these fits or should I punish them? Time-out only makes things worse because it hurts his feelings. He is a sensitive little guy when it comes to his feelings. I'm sure I'll figure it out...I have to. So far I have just been sitting within a far distance (but close enough to reach him) and taking deep breaths. "Wooossaaahhh!" I just tell myself to breathe. "Breathe, Kamryn! You're not breathing! Breathe! Ahhhh..."

Maybe I'm just not ready for him to be independent. A good side, he does still cuddle at night and in the morning...for a minute or so.


A quick funny story: This morning, I went in Tuf's room to wake him up. Usually I rub his back and talk to him to get him up, but this morning, I started singing to him. I was singing, "Where is Tuf-man? Where is Tuf-man? Here he is! Here he is!" to the tune of "Where is Thumbkin?" He loves that song and will do some of the motions when he watches it on his Sing-A-Long DVD. Well, as I was singing it this morning to him to wake him up he started doing the motions. It was hilarious! He was laying down with his thumb in his mouth, eyes closed, and on the other hand, he was wiggling his pointer finger doing the motions. When he heard me laughing, he woke up smiling.

It's the little things, huh?

I love you.
Kam