As usual, Faith hates other children. I keep hoping that today will be the day that she decides to give another kid a chance at being close to her (or make eye contact or something crazy like that), but today wasn't that day. However, she was happy to be pushed on the swings.
 |
| Why are you just standing there? Put me in already! |
 |
| This is boring. Push me higher! |
 |
| Too high! Too high! Wheeee! |
The 9am play date at the park turned into going next door to the air conditioned library for story time. As usual, Faith refused to participate in anything other than getting her hands stamped at the end.
 |
| This is the coolest thing that has ever happened to me. |
 |
| Mommy, there is a TEDDY BEAR on my HAND! |
We're on week 4 of the "Faith hates all other children" phase and it's exhausting for me. She refuses to break body contact with me in public and starts hyperventilating if another child gets in her "bubble". Using my 2 years of parenting expertise, I've decided to just act like nothing abnormal is going on and keep taking her places. She's breaking my back with insisting on being held all the time and pulling at my neck even when we are sitting in story time, but staying home with her all the time doesn't seem like a good idea, mostly because how will I know when the phase ends? Plus, she used to LOVE story time and do all the activities, so that gives me hope that we'll get back to that eventually.
When no one is around to suffer her whining, I will refuse to hold her and make her walk. It's like playing chicken, but so far I've been winning because she seems to believe my threats of leaving her to live at the library while I go home alone. She always stops fussing and decides to walk 5 paces behind me like a good Saudi wife.
Faith starts her "Mother's Day Out" program next month (1 day a week, 9am-2pm) and I have dreams of fixing this issue before then, but I do know enough to not actually expect her to function on my schedule. I foresee a lot of "Uh, you're going to have to come get your...child. We can't calm her down" calls from the teachers.
Ideally, I could just get one of these things for Faith like I did for Peanut:
 |
| I'm such a sucker for new products |
Peanut has thunderstorm anxiety, so I finally broke down and ordered this for her. We had storms tonight and so far, I'm a huge fan of this thing. Plus, it gives her some sweet neck muffin top:
 |
| It's a good thing she doesn't know that everyone laughs at her |
The "Thunder Shirt" works just like a swaddle for a baby and helps reduce anxiety. Normally Peanut wants to sit ON me and shake violently during storms, but right now it's thundering and she's just sleeping next to me, totally zen.
 |
| Is that thunde.....zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz |
Maybe if I could swaddle Faith for story time, she would be calmer about other kids getting close to her? I should test this out and come out with my best selling product: Toddler-ease! Takes the terrible out the twos! I should probably work on that name.
Since I didn't run outside at all, I did my whole run on the treadmill and I completed 6 miles. I actually only had to walk for a little bit today, so that made it easier to go that far on the treadmill. My attention span is time based, not distance based.
How long can you stay on the treadmill before you cry uncle?
That last Peanut picture is soooo cute. I did 16 miles on a treadmill once (WALKING!!) and it's a miracle I didn't try to hang myself with the emergency pull cord. That would have been ironic. I was "that kid" when I was little and I turned out ok. :) Just slightly weird and socially awkward.
ReplyDeleteI'm more than slightly weird, so that sounds pretty good to me. :)
Delete16 miles on the treadmill?? Did you lose a bet or something??
Yes! You got the thundershirt! I'm glad you don't regret it. Darby does a lot better with it too. Have you mastered the best way to get it on her? My husband just can't seem to figure it out. Though, he was great at swaddling a baby.
ReplyDeleteI can stay on a treadmill approximately 3 minutes before crying uncle.
They already do make swaddling shirts. They are called straight jackets. Sorry to burst your invention bubble.
ReplyDeleteMy sister claims the Thundershirt works as well. I don't believer her enough to break down and buy one though. Six miles is getting to my breaking point on the treadmill, low attention span.
ReplyDeleteNice bangs, Faith!
ReplyDeleteDon't worry, I won't pick on you this weekend (much).
Dangit this is my post for tomorrow I just pre wrote!
ReplyDeleteWhen I taught gymnastics I worked with lots of kids Faith's age and we had lots of ways to work with the parents and kids when they weren't thrilled with being separated/around other kids. I'm sure the people at the Mother's Day Out thing have seen it all too and have a lot of tricks. It will be alright!
ReplyDeleteI don't mind the treadmill at all. I've done up to 15 miles on mine, but would do more if needed. I don't even have a TV to watch, I just listen to music and ZTFU (Zone the Fuck Out)
Ok, I really don't understand the expression "cry uncle." Never have. Did someone's uncle just give up all the time? Anyone?
ReplyDeleteBecause I'm all about education and being helpful, here's a link that explains the origin of that phrase: http://www.worldwidewords.org/qa/qa-say1.htm
DeleteWe put the Thundershirt on my incredibly nervous dog and it made her WORSE. It completely freaked her the freak out. Though by comparison, she does seem much calmer now that we've stopped trying to put it on her.
ReplyDeleteHaha that's one way to see the bright side!
DeleteI can stay on my treadmill for a long time. A very long time. When I have to.
ReplyDeleteLBM has been a clingon since I stopped working. At first I thought it was just him getting used to me being there but enough is enough already. I mean a 3 year old should not know when you are having your period! ;-)
Haha, "clingon" made me think of Klingon and then I imagined him with the little ridges on his face :)
DeletePlease put Peanut's thundershirt on Faith and take video. Or better, bring her to the next meet in it.
ReplyDeleteThe club really needs to start with some indoor track meets for the summer. Think of the AC!
DeletePS: If you were really pregnant, you'd welcome any opportunity to go out in the heat, because that makes the baby bake faster so you get done sooner.
ReplyDeleteReally? Wow, you're so smart. I should hire you as my life coach.
DeleteThe longest I've spent on a treadmill was about 6 miles. I think I probably could have done more. I would just watch Chinese soaps. They're hilarious.
ReplyDeleteAre they are good as Spanish soaps??
DeleteProbably on the same level of craziness. :) There is a lot of crying and dramatic throwing of people and things around. Almost every soap has:
Delete1. Someone with an incurable disease that miraculously recovers
2. A cheating spouse that repents
3. A life threatening injury
4. A beautiful damsel in distress
5. Someone that throws dishes around (who has that many dishes?!)
Awww Peanut! She's so cute. I just want to hug her and make the thunderstorms go away. And steal the thundershirt. I love hugs, so I think a thundershirt for people would be awesome.
ReplyDelete12 or 13mi? I forget. But yeah, about 2 hours is my limit on the TM. I did 12 when Hurricane Irene hit.
Wow 2 hours is about an hour longer than my attention span :)
DeleteI am not sure. I think the longest I've ever stayed on a treadmill was for 6 miles, but that was long time ago before I started to run outdoors and training.
ReplyDeleteI love the doggy swaddle :)
ReplyDeleteThe morning of the Boston marathon this year, I ran 13.2 miles on the hotel treadmill. My husband was running the marathon and I had to get a run in before going down to the course. I was going to do half on the treadmill and half outside (I didn't know the area very well but had figured out a good 3 mile loop) but once I did half, I didn't want to leave the air conditioned gym. I was thankful for the TV or I would have hung myself with the cord.
Staying in the AC is the smart choice :)
DeleteWow. Training Faith sounds a lot like training Pippi. Pippi doesn't play nice with others either.
ReplyDeleteSo far my longest treadmill run is five miles. I have the same attention span problem.
At least Faith doesn't growl :)
DeleteMaybe you just need to branch out and introduce Faith to some cooler kids. She's obviously given the locals a try, and rejected them.
ReplyDeleteMy longest run was 8 miles and I still remember the horror. I shudder whenever I think of it.
Long runs on the treadmill are gross.
DeleteLately it's been cling-fest 2012 with Cameron. He's all Mommy all the time and it's nearly impossible to get dinner prepared after work and I can't imagine what it must be like while pregnant. They are heavy! He's somewhat particular about what kids he will associate with and so far they all seem to be girls. He pulls on my heart strings when I drop him off big time. But as soon as I'm gone, he mingles with the other kids. They still all kind of "parallel" play and not full on with each other but more beside each other doing similar things. Although I'm not there to see how it goes down, but that's my understanding. I just plan to smother him with as much love and attention as I can because the "working mom" guilt kicks in pretty hard and I always say, "how can you blame him for wanting UP on Mommy when he doesn't see me all day!" I'm pretty sure he would be that way even if I was a SAHM because it's always just been his temperment.
ReplyDeleteSome kids just like to stick to their mommies like glue!
Delete5 seconds. I hate the treadmill.
ReplyDeleteOur dogs like to howl at the thunder. It's especially pleasant when they do this at like...oh...2 in the morning.
Oh, silly hound dogs :)
Deletewow - i have to get that for hawk. last summer he was fine and this summer he's a nutcase about thunderstorms. he usually ends up laying on my chest!
ReplyDeletei hate the TM...although i have run up to 10 miles on it.
My niece is 2 and just stayed with me this past week. She is totally at the "I am shy only around kids my own age" stage. I took her to story time in the park and sat in my lap and my leg fell asleep. I took her to the park and the only time she didn't pout was in the swings. I did take her to the splash pad and she loved that and even played a little bit with the other kids. On another note, that dog swaddle is pretty cool. Think they make them for my St. Bernard mix?
ReplyDeleteI can't remember what my longest treadmill run has been, but not very long, I'm sure, since my treadmill has me staring at my garage wall.
ReplyDelete