Tuesday, November 2, 2010

Lessons from my toddler

When Beli was less than two years old she would wake up next to me and call my name in hopes that I would also wake up and get up from bed, "Mami? Mami!" She would bring me my shoes and tell me, "come on Mami , come on," then a few months later it was "Mama, Beli is thirsty or Beli has a dirty diaper" then months later she wouldn't wake me up, she would just come by my side and caress my hair, my arm, and quietly exit the room. This morning I saw the light on in the hallway and I wondered why hubby was awake so early in the morning, but then I heard little footsteps running down the hallway. It was Beli! I looked out the bedroom and I saw her in the living room, very content, playing with her toys. Can I say that my heart melted. How can this small child be so amazing? So considerate?

Yes, she is growing and developing her own personality. I know I have said this before, but I love this stage of parenthood. The part where she is thinking for herself and let's it be known when she is happy, upset or angry.

How she reacted when I mentioned that it was time to go take a nap. She screamed, "NO Mimis."
Then I told her I needed to change her diaper (yes still working on potty-training)  of course she runs a tantrum and screams and cries.

Getting out of the house is also a challenge. I have to plan hours ahead because she refuses to wear the outfit I picked out, so I choose two pieces of clothing and I let her decide, sometimes this works sometimes not.

"Beli, cual blusa quieres, la blanca o rosa?" She looks from the white shirt to the pink shirt and replies, "No blanca, no rosa." Neither one she replies.

Then she changes the topic and wants to know where I left the plastic cat she gave me earlier to hold in my right hand. (She is very specific which toy goes on which hand)

"Mami, donde esta gatito, Mami donde esta gatito?"

Here is the cat, now let's get dressed.

 And some days if it's not the shirt, it may be the pants. "Mami, caca je, estan sucios." Mommy the pants are poo-poo, they are dirty. ( of course since she is still wearing diapers,  the pants don't really have poo-poo on them)

Oh yeah, that's her new word. When she dislikes something she says CACA JE: a spanish-croatian word she made up: caca is Spanish for poo-poo and je in Croatian means is.

Another example: caca je blue pajamas! ( blue pajamas is poo-poo) or like today it was the socks.
So hubby asked her to go choose a different pair, and this is what she chose, a plain white sock and a red and white Dora sock.

This is her Fashion statement.

Still wondering how I was able to pull this outfit! 

She is actually wearing a dress! Ok, so I lied and told her it was a shirt, which she didn't buy and wanted to take it off then I layered it with a pink cardigan then I put on socks and her new red shoes and I told hubby, "please hurry and take her outside now before she starts undressing herself."

And you know what? Afterwards she didn't complain, she didn't even tug at her dress/shirt.

 I asked my Mom, "was I this picky with my clothes when I was Beli's age?" She replied that I wasn't. But  I do remember  that I didn't like wearing dresses, ha I still don't.  So I guess I can't really blame Beli, but  she looks so darn cute with dresses that I wish she would wear them more often.


21 comments:

  1. Ohhh that story about her going to play on her own melted me heart too! Its amazing how kid grow into themselves and understand other people needs. She is adorable
    Happy Tuesday,sweetie

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  2. My daughter was (is, and she's 24) the same way about clothes, down to the socks! Thank goodness that they eventually imposed a mandatory uniform by the time she got to third grade! Watch out, she's a fashionista!

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  3. I adore your blog, and I just can not wait to see Beli reading all of this when she grows up. SOme people have trouble with cloth some do not, that is just a game of outsmarting the kids. In couple of years the two of you will be doing this blog together. Just think!

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  4. Ha!Ha! The joys of motherhood!! :-) I don't have any children. And I don't envy you all of the give and take of food, clothes, and potty training, but...I don't think I'd mind a little girl like Beli. In fact, I know I wouldn't! :-)

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  5. Your pictures are adorable, what a cute little girl...and feisty!! I love her spanish-croatian word, that is awesome :)

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  6. Oh! How adorable that she doesn't wake up! Very thoughtful. :) And I used to babysit for a little girl who wanted to wear a different outfit about every two hours. Laundry was inSANE.

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  7. how cute--she really is developing her own little personality! i love the caca je phrase. its funny she hates dresses--I only wore them.

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  8. such a darling!
    Adore her fashion sense as well~

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  9. What a sweet post. I love reading about Beli. I was nodding about how she changed the morning routines as she grew up and saw a lot in common with my kids. Isn't it so wonderful when our kids get to the age they are independent enough to get entertained by their own toys? My younger girl still wakes me up asking me to feed her breakfast. She doesn't eat enough at night that she gets hungry in the morning. I am happy to feed her just not so early in the morning. I don't remember how I was when I was very young, but I do remember when I was in upper grade in elementary school, I liked wearing skirts. Kids get so funny about what they wear. I wonder how they develop their preferences. I love pants, so I often wear pants, but my girls still still like skirts and dresses. Pink is not in my favorite colors, but my girls still love pink. Interesting!! xo Kaho

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  10. what a cute name and a cute child! My daughter is almost 3 so it's nice to see we have some of the same issues! How sweet she got up and went off to play! (oh and the Clinton Kelly book is hilarious-a must read!)
    naina

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  11. @Diana, she can be very sweet and sometimes very 'mean' according to hubby. LOL sometimes she refuses to receive his kisses!

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  12. I.M. ha, you may be right, she is a fashionista..so early in her life.

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  13. Jelena, thank you, yes outsmarting her is the key. and I do look forward to that day when she will be old enough to blog with me, hmmm fun times ahead.

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  14. @Poetess oh you are too sweet. thank you, maybe one day you will be able to meet Beli (in person)

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  15. Krystal sometimes I still wonder if she is my daughter (she is so amazing and has long long eyelashes), doesn't take after me..maybe it's the mix of hubby's european roots with my Mexican blood??LOL

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  16. Meghan, Oh my goodness, that would be a ton of laundry!

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  17. Lauren, I'm still curious but not surprised of how she came up with that phrase, for thee longest time we are always saying, "ne usta caca". (don't put in your mouth, is yucky, dirty) she is one smart girl.

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  18. Kaho,
    thank you. I was reading about your second daughter finally leaving the diapers yipee! something I can look forward to in a few months? Beli is only a few months younger than your younger daughter!

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  19. Naina, another thing we have in common! Yes Beli is short for Isabela. although she refers to herself as Bela (in the third person). and guess what I'm watching right now? "what not to wear!" LOL

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  20. Mine took a loooong time to come out of diapers, but you know what? When kids are ready, they will decided to get potty trained. So, no rush!

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