Toddler Tantrums

Tantrums...what's new? We've all done it and some of us still do!

I must admit I haven't found them as embarrassing as I thought I would. I honestly don't care about others opinions. Tantrums are a part of toddler life and I'd rather she got out all that frustration in one hit instead of holding it and being grumpy for hours.

I do try and ignore most of them. Amelia throws at least 4 tantrums a day. 2 of which are usually big ones. Right now the biggest is over having to come inside from the garden. Sometimes they get to the point where I sit her down on a chair and let her scream. Once she has everything out she'll move on.

I've read a few toddler tantrum tips like hug it out, talk it out. It may work for some but not for Amelia. Most of the time if she throws a HUGE fit I'll let her lie down on the floor and kick and scream it out. Most of the time I'll sit beside her and wait until she's finished. I don't want her to think there is something "wrong" with having a tantrum as such because right now that's how she's gets out her emotions.

I'll update when this stops working :)

MIA

Wow I really have been MIA!!

The time has flown! I've had NO time for blogging but I will try to get back into it. Spring so far has been super busy. Getting the back garden sorted for Amelia to play in. Planting flowers, cleaning up. All the usual!

I'm back in blog mode now

Blah blah blog

I was writing a long, meaningful and thought provoking blog but I've gotten distracted and annoyed. Now I'm too focused on being annoyed to write anything that makes sense so here are some fun pictures :D

Pepper

Friday will be a very sad day for us.

Our dog Pepper will be leaving us. We are heartbroken but she is no longer happy with us. We have never had problems between our two dogs but she has suddenly turned against our other dog. Our other dog, Fig, is a labrador and a VERY gentle dog. It's gotten to a point, over the last few days, where Fig will not fight back when Pepper starts at her. Fig will get hurt and we'll loose both dog then. Pepper is such a good dog I don't know what happened. She's perfect on walks/runs, really well trained and loves just being around you. Now she can't be near Fig for a few minutes without starting a fight. Pepper would NEVER hurt any of us but there is a huge risk of getting caught in the cross fire because once that switch goes off there is no stopping her. You really have to pick her up and carry her to be locked up.

I'll miss my baby. It's like a switch has gone off in her head. I want to keep her but I can't risk it with our other dog being there and of course with Amelia running around and Fig was there first so... She will be going to a dog rescue in Kilkenny. We know the old couple who run it and they are going to work with her and rehome her as an only dog. :( She's not happy here because of the way we have to keep them separate. It's not fair to Fig because she doesn't understand why they can't play and Pepper doesn't seem to "mean" to flip out. It's all very strange. :(

Daddy or learning?

Stumble, clink, bang, thud, thump!

The sound of my daughter moving around. Ever since the day she started walking, Amelia has had excellent balance. She never fell, danced in circles, ran, skipped and never fell over. God has that changed!

I was worried about this sudden tripping over everything but I have 2 theories.

First, I have read that when a toddler is working on a new skill the others become less interesting and so they don't work on them as much. For example, when Amelia was doing all the dancing and prancing around she hardly ever made a sound. Now that she's really working on all her sounds she seems to be ignoring her feet. She'll run towards animals, toys, on TV or signs making the sound of the animal...but she falls her way there! So I'm guessing when she's comfortable with some more words she'll start to put the two together!

Of course my other theory is... my husband is really really clumsy! He'll walk into things, trip up over nothing, drop things and yes he was in the army and was using weapons and yes he is a chef using very sharp knives everyday! Oi!

When I grow Up...

...I wanna be just like my Daddy!

Being a mother

I'm not sure I'll be able to put this into words but I'll try

Today is Mother's Day. (in Ireland anyway) So while my daughter is taking a nap, and I'm on my MUCH needed break I've decided to explore what I think about being a mother.

Well I suppose the obvious is I love it! It's not always easy. God knows Amelia can push my buttons when she wants to! She's cheeky, bossy, a totally Diva... and according to my Dad she's pretty much me when I was that age :D

I think for the first few weeks of Amelia's life the main things that came out of my mouth involved my astonishment of this little person. We made her. She was part me and part my husband. That's just SO amazing. To create something so beautiful with someone you love. She's my part of my husband when he's away working. (Which he is today because mother's day is busy busy at the restaurant) I always have a part of him here at home.

Some women find lack of sleep a problem. We don't have much trouble with that unless we have teeth pushing through. Me? I, sadly, find the mess one of the hardest things about being a mother. I am a neat freak and MY GOD that girl can make a mess! I don't know what she has done to the toy box, but the poor thing keeps throwing up all over the place! I don't know how many times I tidy, clean up spills, clean the spit marks off the windows in any one day, yet, as I type this I'm smiling because I can't think of a better way to spend my day!