I feel like I'm starting to get really good at counting.
That'll happen when a person decides to go and have two kids rather than just
one. Now, instead of simply having to look after one kid, we have to keep tabs
on two. While that seems rather obvious, one never really knows how things will
change until the time comes.
I feel that this is a good opportunity for me to brag on
Ethan for being the easiest baby ever. Despite our little ER adventure, he's
basically been a dream. In fact, the only time he ever cries or shows any kind
of distress is during diaper changes. I guess there's also occasional cries when
he's ready to be fed but that's really pretty common. It's a long ways from the
days of keeping earplugs readily available in every room of our house for
Ellie.
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| Good baby. Nice baby. |
Speaking of Ellie, she has actually been the biggest cause
of stress in our lives since Ethan was born. I don't say that to be mean but
that doesn't make it any less true. I've long written of Ellie's unyielding
love for her mother or if I haven't, I always meant to. Basically what it all
boils down to is that if Bethany is home, Ellie wants her nonstop attention.
It really doesn't matter what Bethany is doing. Just know
that Ellie has to be right alongside her. This includes times such as feeding
Ethan or taking a bathroom break. Believe it or not, Ellie has even morphed
into Bethany's own personal alarm clock as she wakes up each day to the sight
of two blue eyes staring her in the face.
The real difficulty with Ellie though has been in managing
the tantrums that have become commonplace over the last couple of weeks. I'm
not sure if it's due to her sleep quality being diminished due to Ethan's presence
or something else but tantrums from Ellie have now become a daily part of our
life.
It's weird because there is no rhyme or reason to what's
going to set her off. For example, one of Ellie's tantrums from today was a
direct result of me telling her to stop licking a blanket. Yes, I had to tell
my two-year-old that it is not socially acceptable behavior to lick a blanket.
Never mind the fact that it was my
blanket and I really didn't want unnecessary amounts of Ellie's slobber all
over it. Those simple words led to my sweet girl throwing herself down on the
floor and kicking and screaming until she finally wore herself out.
The biggest fight we've had lately revolves around Ellie's
naps. For whatever reason, if Bethany is in the house, Ellie refuses to go down
for a nap like she will when it's just me. Under normal circumstances, I help
Ellie change into her pajamas and she hops straight into bed after giving me a
hug, kiss, fist bump, high five, and "E.T." With Bethany around,
things are much, much different though.
The initial call for a nap is met by the frantic screams of
our daughter insisting we set a timer. I'm not sure where that originated from
but she basically wants the timer to tell her when it is time to nap, not us. Once
the timer goes off, we head upstairs where Ellie will begin to ask us for a
bath and will eventually become angry at our refusal to bathe her at 12:00 in
the afternoon. Once that argument ends and she is dressed, we'll head to her
bedroom.
As soon as we arrive in her room, Ellie will begin
requesting that we rock her. While we have no qualms with doing so at bedtime,
that has never been the case at nap time and Ellie knows it. For the record,
even if she is rocked, more fights ensue whether it be over the volume of her music
or how she wants us to turn her nightlight on and off several times.
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| The nightlight in question. |
Finally, the time will come to leave the room with her
tucked in bed and all bedtime protocol having been followed. Before we even
make it down the hall, Ellie is out of bed and screaming like a banshee for
Bethany to watch her sleep. At this point, no amount of talking can calm her.
Generally, what ends up happening is I have to go in and lay down on top of
Ellie (not too hard) while she is kicking and screaming on the floor until she
gives up and agrees to go back to bed.
Honestly, we're just really hoping that Ellie gets back in
some kind of routine soon. Otherwise it's going to be a long 10 weeks until Bethany
goes back to work. Ugh, it's painful just thinking about it! #DaddyWrite
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| I'm not sure what Ellie's doing to her brother. |
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