Toddler mania

Tobey this is for you so I can remember all of your little intricacies at 2 years of age and why I called this time in our life toddler mania.

My boy is getting very opinionated these days. He is finding his voice, HIS way. For one thing he has decided that he likes Daddy's truck much more than Mommy's car. Anytime we go somewhere with Daddy Tobey has to ride in the truck or else. It's really kind of cute and it always makes Daddy's day. He can say things like "my boy prefers trucks" with a man grunt. He has also gotten very opinionated about food. Well actually he has always been opinionated about food. But these days he goes into the pantry and looks around surveying his choices. He just stands there in the pantry and finally decides and points, usually to a bag of cookies. But sometimes to applesauce and that makes my day. He is also very opinionated about TV. This morning when I woke up,(actually it was noon but I worked last night) Tobey immediately started crying and pointing to the TV. His Daddy was watching some man channel about DIY techniques. I asked Tobey if he wanted to watch cartoons and he said Yeah! He had not had his morning fix yet and he was fine after about 30 minutes of Barney which was about all his Daddy could handle. He has also gotten very picky about HIS stuff. He does not like it when we use one of his toddler chairs to prop our feet up. He will come over and push our feet off the chair and place it back under his table where it belongs. He won't eat strawberries unless I sprinkle sugar on them first and he has become an avid vitamin consumer since we started the Flintstones Gummy Vitamins. Our new mantra around the house is "one a day, one a day, only one a day" as Tobey cries and points to his vitamins. He no longer appreciates my help at mealtimes and pushes my hand away with a frustrated cry. Without actually voicing it I know he is thinking "No Mommy, I can do it"! I am amazed at his independence and a bit daunted by it at times. I can't help but think this is only the beginning. Tobey has always been very cautious so I am also amazed by a very adventurous side that he has displayed recently such as leaping off of furniture and running from Mommy at the Toy-R-Us. He made it clear across the store and made it apparent that he wanted to do some shopping alone. He was tired of looking at clothes and just wanted to find some toys. Come on Mom, this IS a toy store. Yesterday we went for a swim and he jumped off the diving board. Did you hear me? He jumped off the diving board. I could not believe it. Thankfully I was underneath the diving board ready to catch him and Daddy was coming up fast behind us. I almost drowned but Tobey never went under. He only did it the one time. Thank goodness not all caution has left him. So yes we are in the midst of some toddler mania around this house but life has never been more fun and exhausting and wonderful and flustering all at once. Thanks to our little independent and adventurous maniac.




Can't you hear him laughing gleefully, "Ha!Ha!Ha! I've got you where I want you...You are mine! (Yes we are, sweetheart.)