Weekend in review

Ah, the world of an eighteen month old. My neighbor recently said something about the "terrible twos" and how they actually start at a year and a half. Our pediatrician alluded to the same thing. Random knowledge from my degree in child development runs through my head eighteen times a day. More specifically, Erikson's stage of autonomy versus shame and doubt is like a broken record in my thoughts. Sorry to get all developmental on you, but sometimes I feel like if I don't think it over and over I won't be patient enough to try and understand my child.  Erikson was one of many child development theorists who identified stages children go through. This particular stage lasts from one to three years of age. Children quickly learn that they can make choices...that they have some control. The idea is that the parent needs to find the fine line between fostering the autonomy while keeping the child safe AND not becoming too overbearing. If you are a parent and you walked that fine line with grace (especially in public) please contact me.

Anyway, we had a nice family weekend. Friday night was uneventful. Saturday was equally as uneventful until we headed to the Wise Family Santa party. I was SURE that Lila would love Santa. She met him at my grandparent's house already AND Saturday morning she met the Santa cow at Chick-Fil-A. On both occasions she wasn't overly impressed, but she was not afraid in the least. Of course, she gets all dolled up and adorable to meet him and clings to me like I am passing her off to the boogie man as I tried to put her on his lap. She wouldn't even sit so that we could attempt to at least get the obligatory "screaming child on Santa's lap" picture.  Therefore, please stay tuned for pictures of Lila later in the week in said adorable outfit/getup that I plan to take at our house.

Today was slated to be the big day of the weekend. We made the decision to try out the aquarium this morning. Bright and early we headed downtown. This is where the developmental stage mentioned above was on exhibit. Lila does one thing in big open spaces. She runs. She has no fear of leaving us or us leaving her. She takes off and doesn't look back (unless she is looking back to give you a sweet, yet devilish little grin that I have seen many times on a certain someone else's face). She liked the areas where the windows into the "ocean world" were at her level. However, if she had to be picked up to see something she became the rag doll, screaming banshee. She throws her head back, her face turns eight shades of red, and she hollers in a way that makes others stare and wonder what you are doing to your child. It was exhausting. We tried not picking her up...we tried putting her in the stroller....we tried running to keep up with her...I even got her to hold on to the side of the stroller for a while. We had been practicing holding hands outside and at stores and she had done so well. Unfortunately, we spent over $50 to chase our own child around.

I will say she LOVED the penguins, and so did we. That was really the highlight of the trip. They are so playful! One little girl was dancing around and it was almost as if they were dancing with her. Lila was mesmerized. She sweetly called them ducks and/or birds as they played in front of her.  Needless to say, you never know unless you give it a shot right? Now we know that we won't go back until she is at least two (and probably even older than that).

We came home, put her down for her nap, and got ready for our very long date. Seth's cousin, Jessica, had asked him a few weeks ago when she could babysit again. We are not the type to turn down eager babysitters! We planned to go to the mall to finish Christmas shopping, go to dinner, and then go to a movie. It was a glorious half day of togetherness and childless running around. I love my daughter more than I have ever loved anything in my entire life...but, nothing recharges you as a parent like not actively parenting for seven hours.

Christmas shopping is done and I am contemplating taking Lila to the Children's museum tomorrow...wish me luck! Happy Monday ya'll :-)