A little wheeling and dealing

A little toddler disciplinary triumph today worth recording - and am probably more motivated to do so since Duncan is away and I have no one to tell!

Duncan and I have been surprised that Eden suddenly would not let us brush his teeth and it has been like that for around a week. As you may remember - this used to be the draw card to get him upstairs, his favourite thing, his 'budda budda'. I had been wondering if he was getting his back molars but there was no sign of them.

Anyway, my thought was that perhaps I could do some kind of deal with him involving a new toothbrush as bribery - I mean motivation - he badly needed one anyway.

So, new toothbrush with ducks on it in hand (old toothbrush was a dinosaur) I explained to my newly 2 year old that he had a choice - either - he brushed with his old toothbrush (which just involves chewing and sucking at the bristles) or he could let mummy brush his teeth with the very attractive new brush.

Boy oh boy - what a reaction - he threw the toothpaste and both toothbrushes on the floor and stormed out the bathroom in a rage! (He has been a bit like this the past couple of days - my midwife reckons he has a bug brewing). He litterly threw himself down the stairs and when I caught up with him half way down where he had fallen - he had gone white as a sheet! He goes up and down the stairs by himself all the time and is usually only silly on them sometimes, jumping etc when we are holding on to him - he has not taken a tumble before so I think it scared him.

I think his 'B' was involved here somewhere while he collected himself and had a hug at the bottom of the stairs. (His 'B' is his own name for his sheety comforter thing - the old pyjama shirt).

So we went back upstairs and I wondered what would happen - I was pretty sure he understood the deal I was laying out. So I gently explained it again - adding a new part which was that I would brush his teeth counting to ten and then I would give him the brush for a little while.

He meekly let me brush his teeth for a count of ten and then I let him do his chewing bit for a count of ten. Deal done. I know you are supposed to brush for 2 minutes or something ridiculous like that but let's be real - this is a grumpy 2 year old!! It again took a little persuading this evening but we achieved the same result with a smile at the end - yay.

2 years old today

Happy Birthday Eden!

We have hit the so called 'terrible two' era. It's not so terrible so far. Still adorable as ever. Eden exhibits a grand display of terrible two behaviour when he is off colour - particularly when he has a cold. He suddenly becomes Mr Picky and expresses his opinion about every little thing - eg no not the red trousers - the blue trousers "blue blue!."

That said, with our recent bout of sickness he was either more subdued or full of beans! - Different kind of sickness.

We had a lovely time with the whole Babbage clan last Sunday afternoon, cake and presents for Eden. However, we also brought home a nasty tummy bug. I got it first on Monday night, then just as we had arranged for people to look after an asleep Eden while Duncan took me to the after hours med centre - little boy woke up and vomited all in his bed... Our dear friends Adrienne and Paul cleaned the mess up while we spent quite a long time out. Duncan started up (vomming) whilst in the doctor's room so that made 3 of us. From there we went to the delivery suite and the boys left me there around 2 in the morning!

I had no idea that this kind of thing can bring on premature labour... I was kept overnight in hospital on a drip for rehydration and bub monitored because he/she hadn't been moving as per normal and I was having a lot of mini contractions.

It's all fine now. Just took a few days to recover.

Back to the birthday! We did birthday things yesterday because today was going to be busy (ante natal combined birthday and Duncan heading off to Oz for a few days).

The day started off with a trip to Titahi Bay to borrow a video camera. Then since Eden had not been on one before, we caught a train from Porirua to Plimmerton and back - with a walk along the beach and icecream in the middle. "Prain" Eden would say - we think he enjoyed it. We then stopped off at the botanical gardens where the tulips were at the peak and attempted to relive some photographs of when we visited there when Eden was 6 days old. Eden was more interested in wandering around rather than stopping - particularly when there are ducks in the vicinity. Nevermind, time to take a tired boy home for lunch and a snooze.

After one of his mammoth afternoon sleeps, we videoed him opening his pressies including a new (nearly new) trike with pedals. "More?" he kept saying after each present. What a contrast to Christmas time when he just did not 'get' the present thing at all. Then, Daddy's yummy pizza (or "peets" as Eden puts it) for tea.

Speaking of Eden's mammoth afternoon sleeps, the past few days have seen a curious little pattern of behaviour.

Three out of the last 4 days, Eden has woken at around 3pm (I hear him come out of his bedroom) but I do not see him until much much later - the longest was 4:30. He can be found just outside my bedroom door, or half way up the stairs, half asleep or fully asleep on the floor. It's almost as if he changes his mind on his way to find me - "actually, I'd rather still be asleep" - but his body is ahead of him!! It suits me fine as generally I am having a kipper at that time too.

With regards to the mornings, we are wistfully rememering the 'cot' days when he would sleep in until 7:30am or 8:30am - but now - with his body ahead of him - as soon as consciousness hits - he's up the stairs - bright and early... We'll see if daylight savings does anything. Putting a duvet over his curtains to darken his room a bit more certainly did - he was just waking earlier and earlier with the change in light!

On that note, it is time for me to head to bed. I'd quite like some darkened curtains too as it happens...