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Friday, June 4, 2010

What Do You Do With a Cling-On Toddler?

*Disclaimer: this is a totally random post. It probably does not make much sense, but my brain is mush today. Don't read it if you don't want to hear me vent about my week!*

I'd really love to know!  What do you do when your toddler won't let you walk two steps away? When she won't eat, or sleep, or play, or watch TV?

This past week has been insane over here!  Must be another regression of sorts.

Maybe it's her teeth. I don't know.  I honestly can't even think clearly anymore! When she's awake, 100% of my attention is devoted to her. Carrying her. Reading to her. Cuddling with her. Talking to her. Feeding her.  Yes.  Spoon feeding my 18 month old daughter. 

She's not sick. We just had her 18-month check up yesterday morning and she's totally fine.  She is teething.  She also just went through a growth spurt a week and a half ago. 





So, what do you do when your toddler turns into a cling-on? First off, you get really good at walking around stores with an extra 25 pounds trying to escape from your body.  Second, you find anything and everything to entertain them.  Today Addie got to try her hand at photography.

Not bad, right?

She's also been helping me cook.  A lot.  Spending time with her BFF (Best Friend Forever) has been a lifesaver, but now they are out of town for two whole weeks!

We're going to try some new crafts this afternoon.  I'm thinking home-made play-doh!  Anything to distract her from whatever it is that's bothering her.

We're also working on a new routine to hopefully make our days a bit easier.  So far it has definitely helped with her new strategy of fighting bed time (screaming and hollering to let me know she's angry). 

The thing is, I know there's nothing wrong with her.  Absolutely nothing.  She might be teething.  I know a lot of them have been moving under the surface recently, and I thought she cut at least one last week but it still hasn't come through!  She won't let me look in her mouth though, so I don't know what's going on in there.

Anyway, thanks for letting me vent.  If you read this, you're a saint!

4 comments:

  1. I could reply to this post with a NOVEL.

    Here's the bad news (don't kill me):
    It doesn't get better. McKenna is weeks away from being 3.5 and I don't see light at the end of the tunnel.

    I've heard that it gets better after 4, but honestly, with the way things have been recently, I'm not sure one or both of us will make it that long.

    McKenna isn't as clingy as she was at 18 months, but when she gave up clingy to be independent she also added in WHINEY and CRY-Y. Everything that comes out of her mouth is whiney. If you don't believe me, ask Jessica. She's been on the phone with me a few times after work and literally, every time McKenna is throwing a whine-fest slash cry fest about something. It's the smallest things that set her off. Like, if I open the fridge to get her juice? SHE WANTS TO OPEN ITTTTTTTTTT. If I reach for the remote to turn the TV off? SHE WANTS TO GET ITTTTTTTT.

    I'm not kidding.

    I hope it gets better for you, but in case it doesn't, find a way to cope now before you end up like me, with thin, THIN patience.

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  2. Thanks for being the bearer of really great news, haha.

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  3. I don't know. Baby C is 17 months and it's the same crap. Walk around with her following behind me whining or crying. Climbing on my back when I'm sitting on the sofa. Wanting, no, NEEDING all of my attention. She's crying right behind my laptop as I'm trying to type this now. If she's not being QUEEN NEEDY, she's frggin running out the back door of the house- which PISSES ME OFF. Make it stop, please.

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  4. I feel for ya. Jayden is 26 months and is super clingy some days. I think it's a phase they eventually grow out of.... and when I say eventually I'm hoping before they are 18 and moving out. lol. I too look for ways to make it stop. And so far I am unsuccessful. If you figure out the secret be sure to share!

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