Man-Cub Mamas are Moving!

If you couldn't tell from some of the previous posts, us man-cub mamas (and our man-cubs) are moving! We'll be living it up in the midwest and east coast by next month. As such, you will be seeing a lot of posts related to moving and adjusting to new states/ homes. We are excited for this next chapter and hope you will enjoy the ride with us.

Toddler Obsessions

Toddlers go through phases of obsessions. Sometimes it's the usual things you'll hear about: cars, animals, tv show characters, etc. But sometimes, your toddler may become obsessed with something more unusual. Man-cub D is currently obsessed with identifying and touching eyebrows. He is also convinced that any sound that comes from the sky is a helicopter. Feeling that I needed some reassurance, I asked my friends to share stories of their toddler's weird or random obsessions. So here are my top 10 favorites:  

Toothpaste. He loves it! He carries it around. Brushes his teeth constantly! Chews on the tube. And even wasted an entire tube on brushing his dinosaurs' teeth.

My daughter was into singing on the toilet. Many times she wouldn't get off until she felt she was finished singing.

My kids liked to play in the dog kennel or the laundry basket.

Moles! I know it sounds so strange but my little boy searches for them.

My belly button. To this day, it is my four-year-old's comfort object. Any time he falls or is sad or is going to bed, he wants snuggles solely so he can have my "tummy button." It's been that way since he turned one. It's embarrassing when he's digging through my tucked in shirts to get to it in public. But he is soooooo obsessed with mommy' tummy button.

My son has been fixated on keys (everything becomes a key or a lock) and measuring tapes (he measures everything).

My daughter was and is obsessed with packing things into bags, containers etc. Still waiting for her to grow out of that.

Spoons. He used them for everything his imagination could come up with. We had to put the spoons up high in the cabinet and bought him his own plastic ones to lose around the house.

There was a time when my son would only eat hot dogs, canned mushrooms, and mandarine oranges.

Both of my girls have a thing about freckles. Whenever they find what they think might be a new one on their legs or arms they have to come running to show me and be reassured that its okay. They count the ones on my arms and get concerned that I have so many more on my left arm than my right arm.

What are your toddler's weird obsessions?

When Messes Drive Me Crazy

Sometimes I feel like Man-cub D and I have two different perspectives on the messes he makes.

My perspective: messy baby, messy counter

D's perspective: advanced artist and speller

So on days when D is making an absolute mess at the table or on the floor, I try to remember his creative perspective.  Photo credit: screenshots of Matilda.

Toddler Conversations: All Gone!

The scene: we are sitting at the table for breakfast and Man Cub D has just finished off the last of the blueberries.

D: More?

Me: There's no more left.

D *thinking I misunderstood*: Another?

Me: They're all gone.

D *why does she not understand?*: Another!

Me: We don't have anymore. All gone!

D *she's hiding them from me*: ANOTHER!

Me: You can't have another because they are all gone.

D: Another! Another! Another!

Me: Well this conversation is fruitless... *ba dum chhhhh*

Join us later today for a repeat of this conversation when D finishes off the last banana.

Would You Rather Have a Toddler Who...

Always wants to be held in public places or always wants to run away from you?

Sleeps through the night but is up for the day at 6am or wakes up twice but sleeps in until 9am?

Is constantly constipated or poops four times a day?

Gets a new tooth once a month or has four teeth come in at the same time?

Hates getting dirty or loves playing in the mud?

Insists on doing everything themselves or wants you to do everything for them?

Midnight Negotiators

It was the middle of the night, and our toddler woke up crying. After waiting several minutes, we both realized one of us would have to get up with him. And I didn't want to do it. So I started negotiating."If you go get him, I'll ______." My husband counter-offered and I ended up agreeing and getting up with Man-cub D.

So today I thought I'd share a few things my husband could say to get me to get up with the toddler instead of making him do it.

-A shoulder (or foot or back) massage redeemable immediately when I get back to bed

-A trade off where I get up in the middle of the night but my husband takes the early morning shift (sometimes starting at 6am)

-My husband agrees to watch Man cub D sometime the next day so I can take a nap (or do whatever else I wanted)

What would you negotiate for?

To Moms with Messy Homes

Papa M comes home at 7pm on Mondays and Wednesdays now, which is a lot harder for me since I'm used to having help to make dinner and get Man-cub D to bed. So when Papa M came home on Monday, he was greeted by a shirtless, exuberant Man-cub D who accidentally somersaulted off the couch in excitement. I was cleaning up after a very late dinner, and each room in our house had a different disaster on the floor. It was the worst the apartment has been in a long time.

I was feeling overwhelmed and defensive, and I mentally geared up for some kind of comment on my housekeeping abilities. Thankfully, Papa M is better than that. All he said as he surveyed the damage was, "You're a great mom."

Wow!

Looking at the various messes, you could definitely tell that Man-cub D had had the time of his life that evening. And he was thoroughly enjoying his shirtless condition bouncing on top of the couch. At that moment, Man-cub D probably would have agreed that I was an awesome mom.

So to the mamas who have messy houses, tell yourselves that you're a great mom. Because mothering is about your kids, not your house. A mother does not equal a housekeeper, although they often fill that role too. Often messes mean that instead of focusing on picking everything up, you focused your efforts on playing with your kids and getting other important tasks done.

And the messes eventually get picked up. Even if it's by Papa M when he comes home from work.