The OCD Toddler

It’s been a while since I’ve posted.  Things have gotten so crazy! We are moving to a new state (only 30 minutes away though) and a new house, are home owners for the first time, my Etsy shop is keeping me busy and preparing for the Christmas season seems almost impossible!  What makes this all 1000 times worse is that my toddler is OCD.  I know it’s normal, but it really makes things inconvenient sometimes, especially when we are all stressed out!  Here are a few ways that Erin displays this normal toddler behavior:

1) Now that she can wash her hands without help, she INSISTS on getting off her chair HERSELF, walking to the bathroom HERSELF, turning on the water HERSELF, washing her hands HERSELF, and drying her hands HERSELF.  She also has decided that throwing the towel on the floor rather than giving it to us (she can’t reach the rack to hang it back up HERSELF).  If we mess up this procedure in the exact order described, it’s a major meltdown.  Did I mention that she likes to do all of this with the door closed!?! 

2) Bath time MUST be followed up with a dance party in the living room.  Mommy and Daddy are required to participate and Erin MUST have her towel still on.  If we don’t give her a countdown until jammies…..meltdown.

3) Taking food from mommy and daddy’s plate is perfectly okay to HER, but us taking ANYTHING from her plate is a DISASTER!  Last night, we had macaroni with a sweet potato sauce.  Daddy decided to doctor his up with some Sriracha sauce.  Erin insisted she have some too although we all knew she wouldn’t touch it (it’s really spicy).  Ping puts a SMALL dot on the corner of her plate.  She refuses to eat it when we ask. Towards the end of the meal, I ask Erin if she is going to eat her sauce.  She says no, so I just took a little off her plate for myself. (I wanted to see how it would taste with the macaroni)……MELTDOWN.  I had to laugh at this one because she just insisted that we put some more sauce back on her plate JUST SO SHE COULD HAVE SOME SAUCE ON HER PLATE LIKE DADDY!

4) Since we are packing boxes to move to the new house, Erin likes to help.  Is it helpful….in some ways, yes.  But what she INSISTS on happening is that EVERY box MUST be decorated with HER markers. Once a box is taped shut, she MUST color it!  I sure hope the movers can find the labels on each box!

5) If any one of Erin’s insisted routines is out of order or even starts to become how she DOESN’T want it, she INSISTS on starting it all over again.  This gets really old and frustrating when you are on a time crunch! 

Despite all of this, I do enjoy her independence and development of her own personality.  It’s fun to see her learning new things and wanting to control her own little world in a certain way.  I know this time will only be for a season and that’s okay with us.

   Here’s Erin on Halloween with her friend “Di di.”

For Those with Children Under 2

This one is for you.

As a young mom, you always hear about the “terrible two’s”.  The moment your child turns 2, they automatically become terrible.  But, just like the “You’re not going to sleep anymore after that baby is born” statement, the terrible two’s also are left to you with a sense of vagueness.  No one really tells you what they mean by that.  And if they try, there seems to be a lot of details left out.  So much so that it’s really hard for you to picture.  I’m going to attempt to draw that picture for you.

1. I’m always complimented on how well Erin is behaved.  Even as a tiny baby.  I always agreed that I do have it easy.  Now that she’s 2, when I’m complimented on her behavior, I smile and nod.  But what I’m really thinking is, THANK GOD she’s not the same around you!

2. Erin loves books.  She loves to be read to, read to herself (or attempt to), and look at them, for long periods of time, quietly, intently, it’s a joy to have that time of silence in your home.  Oh wait, that was Erin PRIOR to 2! She still loves books, but now when she picks a book to be read for bed time or nap time, she picks the LONGEST book in her shelf. When you try to suggest another one, you are met with complete disagreement. The book she picked MUST be read.

3. It has been fun to see Erin’s language develop.  Those first words are such a relief to your mommy and daddy ears.  Each new word is fun to hear from her too.  UNLESS, you slip up and all of a sudden, your two year old not only knows the word, but knows the meaning AND says it in the most inappropriate places! Seriously, you WILL be embarrassed when your 2 year old yells out “FART!” and laughs in the grocery aisle as someone passes them that just let a small rip.  Or calls your college age babysitter “GRANDMA!” Sorry Lisa Lee!

4. At the age of 2, your child is learning how to have a conversation.  Most 2 year olds can put words together 2, 3 or more to form a sentence.  It’s fun to have a small conversation with them.  But when they are asking “What is that?” ALL DAY LONG EVEN WHEN THEY KNOW WHAT THE OBJECT IS, don’t be surprised you want to jump up and down with joy when they are finally asleep.

5. Two year olds like to assert more independence.  “I do it!” or “Erin do it!” is often heard EVERY 5 MINUTES!  Parents, read carefully: To avoid a meltdown or tantrum, let them do it (within safe reason obviously) even if you know they can’t.  I’ve found that if I let Erin try herself she will often give up and ask for help if my hands are left off and away from the object when she wants to do it herself.

6. Don’t be surprised your 2 year old can perfectly say the word “concentrate” and not “spoon” or “water.” Some kids can even pronounce “flower” perfectly and not “ball.”  Yes, I’m baffled too.

7. Be forewarned, your what was then enthralled toddler that could concentrate on a task for a long time and found joy in helping out during bedtime or other tasks that involve their bodies now suddenly has the attention span of a ferret!

8. When your child is 2, you will discover hiding places in your home you never knew you had….that only THEY can fit into….and they have so wedged themselves in that only they can get themselves out.

9. When experienced parents tell you a two year old won’t stop talking.  IT’S THE TRUTH!  From the moment their eyes open in the morning, to the time they shut for a nap or bedtime, that little mouth is moving…CONSTANTLY!

10. Two year olds want to be heard.  When they start saying something, and repeating it, the only way to turn off the repeat button is to repeat it back to them.  I once told Erin we were going to see the doctor.  She got excited and for the next 3 hours, she kept saying “See doctor! See doctor! See doctor? See doctor!” And when the doctor finally walked in the room, she was confused the doctor didn’t have a white coat on, so “see doctor” continued.

11. Stock up on wine, beer, liquor, and chocolate for YOU.  Because once that child is alseep for the night, you’ll NEED it!

There’s more, but I’ll spare you and add to this list later.  🙂