Crazy nuts

We received a package yesterday that was filled with those Styrofoam packing peanuts. C found the opened box. You know the result.

I don’t need to tell anyone who either is raising or has raised a toddler what a destructive force they can be. S remarked how he’s like a tornado, which is totally true. While we were working on dinner last night, we just stopped to watch him for a minute. He literally just goes from one thing to the next, stumbling, bouncing off of furniture, and tripping over his toys, stopping only to destroy something else, and leaving debris in his wake. Total whirlwind.

It’s exhausting, and trying to keep things in any semblance of cleanliness is a huge challenge, but it’s also fun to watch him. Although he does seem to be singularly intent on making as large a mess as possible, I know that a lot of what he does is just part of his development, which, when put into that perspective, is a joy to watch. Seeing him learn new things, and imitate us, and say new words is just plain fun, and worth the mess that comes with it.

(And that mess is fully intentional at times. While feeding him dinner the other night, he started throwing food onto the floor, so I told him no. His response was to look me straight in the eyes, grab a handful of his dinner, slowly move his hand over the side of his chair, and drop everything, never once breaking eye contact, and with a look that was a mix of feigned innocence and glare of contempt. I couldn’t help but laugh, which only encouraged him. That’s where they get you – you need to maintain some level of discipline, but they do something so rotten and so funny at the same time… and the stern facade goes right out the window. In any case, dinner was over at that point.)

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!