Troublesome Toddler.

First let me say that I don't feel that my daughter is trouble. She is curious Abbot EVERYTHING! It seems like trouble but it is her way of learning. My son was the same way at 18 months. He had 3 things he loved to do...

1. Bang on the glass at the bottom of the TV stand we had.
2. Bang our floor lamp on the wall to hear it ding and see the lights move.
3. Pick up his little dog by the tail.

It felt like he was spending most of his days doing the 3 but it wasn't really. Anyway, I did my best to keep up with him and guide him away from the trouble. I remember feeling like this phase was lasting forever. Then it just all went away. It was quick (looking back now).

Back to the story about my daughter. She is 18 months old. Her favorite things are to

1. pull the ornaments off the tree and yell ball then toss them across the house. She doesn't know that the pretty shinny balls on the tree are NOT toys for her (we only used plastic shatter proof ones this year).
2. She likes to toss food. She isn't much of an eater she would rather see how far she can toss the food across the room.
3. She likes to run on the couch and stand on the table. All of this I am trying to keep patient and guide her along. I do well with this on most days. When I get very tired I sometimes cry because I feel that this running on the furniture is something she isn't going to outgrow fast enough. I am afraid she is going to get hurt! But for the most part I know this will pass quick it just FEELS like it has gone on forever!

NOW if you look at her list of fun things to do (the things I am trying to help her learn). you will easily see WHY I don't go out much nowadays! I had to take her out yesterday and I think my nerves STILL are frazzled today! She slept at first in my arms (my neck and shoulder hurt today from that). Once she woke up she wanted the balls on the tree! OH NO!!! She was OUT OF CONTROL!!! I know she wasn't try to be BAD! I just stayed to long (she had to much time to warm up and feel comfortable). I got tired of chasing her down and decided I should go home. I was very embarrassed at how I had to RUN around like a mad woman catching her before she touched anything. Lots of children were at the party. NO problems with any EXCEPT my little one! I know most of the children are a LOT older than her and they grew out of this phase YEARS ago. Two girls are younger than her and they didn't touch anything!! I keep telling myself that Demi didn't touch anything at that age either and I try to reassure myself by saying the little girls will be like my Demi in just a few months. I have to say that doesn't make me FEEL any better about it!

To top it off a toy got BROKE in the playroom! 9 children in a house playing I guess 1 toy getting stepped on is expected but I FEEL AWFUL about it!!! My children aren't attached to toys so if a toy got broke in my house it wouldn't be any big deal. We only have baby toys downstairs and they are almost impossible to break (I don't think we have broke one yet). My sons toys are in his room and we don't let his sister play in his room. Because of that it would be hard to break a toy in our house and if it did I am sure my children would not care. I keep thinking what if that toy was a favorite? I wonder why didn't I take a close look at it to see what kind of toy it was. If I knew what kind of superhero it was I could go buy a new one and I would feel so much better!

WHY can't I get over this??? Maybe I need a nap! Maybe I need to stay home for a few months until my little one grows out of this phase in her life. Has anyone ever felt like this? I don't think I am going nuts but I guess I wouldn't know if I was! LOL!

The up side of this crazy ramble.... Looking back at my sons 6 almost 7 years. I have the BEST memories of teaching him at 18 months old. My daughter is giving me the same memories right now she is learning SO MUCH and she is LOTS OF FUN to have around. Most of our days are full of reading books, learning to talk, dancing, singing, puzzles animal noises and lots of other fun things. EXCEPT for her 3 naughty (curious) habits. Does anyone have any words of wisdom?????