The Peculiar Mr. Shipley
Bedtime routine
I often call Thomas my "little old man," because if ever there was a poster child for "routine" it is my Thomas. But, he doesn't just have to keep things the same--he has to keep them EXACTLY the same, or he can't handle it.
First, under NO circumstances can a battery be low in seahorse or star player. If the two bedtime "friends" don't work, the world will end, but if they sound like the batteries are running down at all--you can forget about him sleeping.
Next, bedtime will NOT happen with out: Chewey, blankie, seahorse, binki, milk & star player. If you are missing even one of these items you are in for a very upset little boy.
Now, I am sure you are thinking "most kids like their routines, and their bedtime friends." But, I can assure you it is far more intense than that! We have to get ready for bed in a certain order. We have to start specifically at 7:00. And I am not joking! If I get behind I find a VERY fussy toddler starting to emerge by 7:05. Seriously!
And, bedtime isn't the only routine he must keep. Until a few months ago, he had to have a milk and a baby breakfast bar in order to start his day. Both of which he had with him on the sofa with Chewey and the Sunny Side Up Show.
I finally broke the breakfast bar habit, not just because they were expensive, but because he would eat one bite and waste the rest. He was out of sorts for days without this combo I tell you!
If you put shoes on his feet you better be ready to go. Do not go to the bathroom, look for your sunglasses, put your shoes on....open the door and go, or you will listen to him jump and holler and turn the knob--he is ready!
These are the most intense of his little old man habits, but I can assure you there are many more!
Lining Up His Toys
At first, it was just his vehicles, but now it is almost any toy he plays with. At some point during his play with them he will line them up in the most perfect row, one behind the other until he runs out of toys. I was sure Gracie had showed him this when I first found all of his toy vehicles lined this way in his room. She tells me she didn't show him, and he just started doing it while they were playing.
I have no idea what goes through that little mind that makes him want to do such a thing, and I will admit it unnerves me a little. Not sure why--but it does.
Socks
Thomas hates socks. He can say "sock" and if you manage to get a sock on his foot, you better stick a shoe on so it will stay there. Of course, if you put a shoe on his foot you will have to put him in the car because he is ready to go. And, if you put him in the car, you will have to turn on his CD, and your inside car lights...I could keep going...it's kind of like Giving a Mouse A Cookie!
But, unless that sock is securely in place it WILL come off in a matter of minutes, or nap time, which ever comes first.
Now, I am used to pulling dirty socks out of his crib (although they usually aren't that dirty, since they spend such a little time on his foot)! But, I had been noticing the last few weeks that there weren't socks in his bed anymore. And, when I asked Gracie to help me by getting his socks out of his bed since we were running low (I had been putting a new pair on him), she said she couldn't find any. I did figure she was being lazy and I went and checked myself. Sure enough--no socks--but I KNEW he had them on for nap. The next day I was moving his crib looking for a lost bink, and I found his unwanted sock stash. No wonder we were getting so low on baby socks! There had to be more than a weeks worth in that pile!
Calliou
There is something about that bratty Canadian character that mesmerizes my child. I will take hours of Barney over that kid! Although, I must admit, they have changed him a lot since Gracie watched it. I guess enough parents complained about what a bad role model he was for their kids.
Anyway, nothing happens while Calliou is on--nothing! I am not sure he even breathes. He stands there in front of the TV like a statue. He doesn't eat, he doesn't drink, and he can't hear you. I thought he was just ignoring me, but nope, he is so zoned in, he can't hear anything. When Calliou goes off, Thomas jumps right back in to "Thomas mode." He will eat some more, or find his cup. Of course, unfortunately for him, when Calliou is off--it is nap time.
All Things Liquid
My son won't eat. Well, he eats, but barely. He won't try new things, and he half the time won't eat anything but snack foods (crackers, fruities, etc). Of course all he really wants is JUNK FOOD and drinks.
Now the little man has always had a preference for the bottle/cup. When he was a baby all he wanted was his milk ALL THE TIME. We started him on baby food--nope, he wants his milk. He gets table food--a few nibbles, but he wants his milk. It got so bad that we were having to measure to the last drop to make sure he didn't get any more (or less!) than 24 ounces a day. The pediatrician told us that was a MUST since he didn't eat well.
Even today, I still have to be careful he doesn't go over 24 ounces of milk. But when he isn't drinking milk, he wants anything else in that cup.
While I try to stick with just juice, he wants it all. He LOVES gingerale, Gracie's Seirra Mist, and anything else colored or bubbly. If I am not careful he will take off with my can of Dt. Pepsi, or just crawl over and drink it out of my straw at a restaurant. Grandpa gives him Mountain Dew and anything else he wants! That child can drink, and I often worry about his college days.
But, the little old man has gotten worse in his old age. Regardless of what drink (besides milk) he gets in his cup--mommy waters it down. He gets 1/3 to 1/2 of the drink added to 2/3 or 1/2 water.
Well, lately he has been taking a sip, and he comes running to me "more! more!" while making the sign with his hands.
At first I found it frustrating and I was trying to convince him that I had just filled it up. When that got no where I would pour a very small amount in the cup (he only took a sip there wasn't much room) and he would run off. It took me awhile, but I realized he was unhappy with the percentage of actual "drink" in the cup! He was complaining about how much I was diluting it.
There are a million other peculiar little parts of his personality I could share, like how he will only eat a banana if you break it into 2 pieces and put on in each hand....but there isn't enough time or space on this blog.
I love him dearly, but there is some serious obsessive compulsive starting to show in his little toddler mannerisms. It's cute...for now.
I often call Thomas my "little old man," because if ever there was a poster child for "routine" it is my Thomas. But, he doesn't just have to keep things the same--he has to keep them EXACTLY the same, or he can't handle it.
First, under NO circumstances can a battery be low in seahorse or star player. If the two bedtime "friends" don't work, the world will end, but if they sound like the batteries are running down at all--you can forget about him sleeping.
Next, bedtime will NOT happen with out: Chewey, blankie, seahorse, binki, milk & star player. If you are missing even one of these items you are in for a very upset little boy.
Now, I am sure you are thinking "most kids like their routines, and their bedtime friends." But, I can assure you it is far more intense than that! We have to get ready for bed in a certain order. We have to start specifically at 7:00. And I am not joking! If I get behind I find a VERY fussy toddler starting to emerge by 7:05. Seriously!
And, bedtime isn't the only routine he must keep. Until a few months ago, he had to have a milk and a baby breakfast bar in order to start his day. Both of which he had with him on the sofa with Chewey and the Sunny Side Up Show.
I finally broke the breakfast bar habit, not just because they were expensive, but because he would eat one bite and waste the rest. He was out of sorts for days without this combo I tell you!
If you put shoes on his feet you better be ready to go. Do not go to the bathroom, look for your sunglasses, put your shoes on....open the door and go, or you will listen to him jump and holler and turn the knob--he is ready!
These are the most intense of his little old man habits, but I can assure you there are many more!
Lining Up His Toys
At first, it was just his vehicles, but now it is almost any toy he plays with. At some point during his play with them he will line them up in the most perfect row, one behind the other until he runs out of toys. I was sure Gracie had showed him this when I first found all of his toy vehicles lined this way in his room. She tells me she didn't show him, and he just started doing it while they were playing.
I have no idea what goes through that little mind that makes him want to do such a thing, and I will admit it unnerves me a little. Not sure why--but it does.
Socks
Thomas hates socks. He can say "sock" and if you manage to get a sock on his foot, you better stick a shoe on so it will stay there. Of course, if you put a shoe on his foot you will have to put him in the car because he is ready to go. And, if you put him in the car, you will have to turn on his CD, and your inside car lights...I could keep going...it's kind of like Giving a Mouse A Cookie!
But, unless that sock is securely in place it WILL come off in a matter of minutes, or nap time, which ever comes first.
Now, I am used to pulling dirty socks out of his crib (although they usually aren't that dirty, since they spend such a little time on his foot)! But, I had been noticing the last few weeks that there weren't socks in his bed anymore. And, when I asked Gracie to help me by getting his socks out of his bed since we were running low (I had been putting a new pair on him), she said she couldn't find any. I did figure she was being lazy and I went and checked myself. Sure enough--no socks--but I KNEW he had them on for nap. The next day I was moving his crib looking for a lost bink, and I found his unwanted sock stash. No wonder we were getting so low on baby socks! There had to be more than a weeks worth in that pile!
Calliou
There is something about that bratty Canadian character that mesmerizes my child. I will take hours of Barney over that kid! Although, I must admit, they have changed him a lot since Gracie watched it. I guess enough parents complained about what a bad role model he was for their kids.
Anyway, nothing happens while Calliou is on--nothing! I am not sure he even breathes. He stands there in front of the TV like a statue. He doesn't eat, he doesn't drink, and he can't hear you. I thought he was just ignoring me, but nope, he is so zoned in, he can't hear anything. When Calliou goes off, Thomas jumps right back in to "Thomas mode." He will eat some more, or find his cup. Of course, unfortunately for him, when Calliou is off--it is nap time.
All Things Liquid
My son won't eat. Well, he eats, but barely. He won't try new things, and he half the time won't eat anything but snack foods (crackers, fruities, etc). Of course all he really wants is JUNK FOOD and drinks.
Now the little man has always had a preference for the bottle/cup. When he was a baby all he wanted was his milk ALL THE TIME. We started him on baby food--nope, he wants his milk. He gets table food--a few nibbles, but he wants his milk. It got so bad that we were having to measure to the last drop to make sure he didn't get any more (or less!) than 24 ounces a day. The pediatrician told us that was a MUST since he didn't eat well.
Even today, I still have to be careful he doesn't go over 24 ounces of milk. But when he isn't drinking milk, he wants anything else in that cup.
While I try to stick with just juice, he wants it all. He LOVES gingerale, Gracie's Seirra Mist, and anything else colored or bubbly. If I am not careful he will take off with my can of Dt. Pepsi, or just crawl over and drink it out of my straw at a restaurant. Grandpa gives him Mountain Dew and anything else he wants! That child can drink, and I often worry about his college days.
But, the little old man has gotten worse in his old age. Regardless of what drink (besides milk) he gets in his cup--mommy waters it down. He gets 1/3 to 1/2 of the drink added to 2/3 or 1/2 water.
Well, lately he has been taking a sip, and he comes running to me "more! more!" while making the sign with his hands.
At first I found it frustrating and I was trying to convince him that I had just filled it up. When that got no where I would pour a very small amount in the cup (he only took a sip there wasn't much room) and he would run off. It took me awhile, but I realized he was unhappy with the percentage of actual "drink" in the cup! He was complaining about how much I was diluting it.
There are a million other peculiar little parts of his personality I could share, like how he will only eat a banana if you break it into 2 pieces and put on in each hand....but there isn't enough time or space on this blog.
I love him dearly, but there is some serious obsessive compulsive starting to show in his little toddler mannerisms. It's cute...for now.
I'm sorry, Thomas sounds more and more like "Grandpa" every day! Good luck! :)
ReplyDeleteI won't laugh. If I do, it will only come back to bite me in the butt.
ReplyDelete