Toddler Room

Folks, we have got a cranky baby on our hands. I don't know if it's his recent change of schedule, or all the chaos that we've been enduring with family in town, or teething, or maybe an ear infection? Thankfully he has his 1-year check up this afternoon, so hopefully we'll be able to rule out or confirm the last one or two. The schedule issue is a different story.

Aiden moved up to the next classroom at school on Tuesday. The teachers told Travis when he picked up Aiden on Thursday evening. The teachers had told me before that they would give us at least a week's notice so we could work on changing his schedule, but I guess they forgot. I didn't want to change his schedule the day before his big party, so we decided to wait until Sunday. Because of Independence Day, the daycare was closed on Monday. That meant we had two days to work on starting his transition.

It is pure hell, people. He has started to get tired and cranky just an hour or so after waking up in the morning. Then he is a fussy-butt right up until his nap at 11:30 am. He sleeps the entire two hours, then wakes up a much happier version of his self. But then again, about an hour before bedtime he brings out the cranky guns again.

I am also fumbling while trying to figure out his bottle/feeding schedule. He has to stick to the daycare's meal schedule, but we need to fit in some bottles still and I don't know when to put them. I don't think it's working the way we've been doing it, so we are going to change it today.

Fight #283: Transition to sippy cup. As I'm sure I've mentioned before, Aiden does not want to trade out his bottle for a sippy cup. He will drink out of his cup during meals, but when it comes time to one of his three bottle times, he absolutely refuses it. I've tried to stay firm, but it only ends in pain and horror. He won't drink that cup of milk, so then he is hungry, then he just cries and cries and cries. I can only take so much of that before I give in. A couple times, I have not given in, but then he doesn't get any fluids and doesn't have any wet diapers. That doesn't seem like a good thing either. I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO.

The actual class that Aiden is in now is really cute. He has to wear shoes everyday because they go outside a couple times to play. Once a day they have craft time, during which they focus on a letter, color or shape. This week they are focusing on the letter 'B' by coloring or painting the letter 'B' or objects that start with 'B'. I know that he is not actually doing the work by himself, but it is absolutely adorable that he is beginning this part of his life. I have kept every piece of art that he comes home with so far, but I know that has to stop. I won't have enough room to save this stuff after long.

Rachel came across a great idea a while back that I think I am going to try. Basically, it's just a photo album filled with pictures of the artwork. Of course we can keep current pieces on the fridge, or keep a few that are particularly special, but the bulk of it cannot be saved. The question is, "Will I be able to actually throw anything away?"

The other exciting parts of the toddler room are that they have play time and clean up time, and the best of all - they feed him!!! I no longer have to worry about bringing his food in. I also don't have to feed him breakfast in the mornings because he gets it at daycare. That equates to an additional 45 minutes of sleep every morning. Ho-ly-cow. It's amazing. Every morning I wake up in a panic that I have slept in and won't make it to work on time. Then I spend the next hour rushing around like a madman trying to get ready before Aiden wakes up, even though I have plenty of time. I think this will take some getting used to.

Is it bad that I am hoping Aiden has an ear infection? Because that would be an easy fix to this new found crankiness. If it's not, then I have no idea how much longer he will be like this and that really stresses me out.