Speaking of that trip, I am in full detox mode after binging on gastropub food, French baguettes, cheese, cheese and more cheese, and of course plenty of vino and spirits. I think I still have traces of foie gras and escargot in my system from our indulgent dinner at the famous Chez L'Ami Louis. (Thank you Marc and Bill for surprising us with that amazing trip!)
And while it was refreshing and incredibly fun to get away – I have to admit – I really missed my babies. OK, they are definitely not babies anymore. Honestly, they are huge and I could swear they grew in the 5 days while we were away. And yes, they were in the expert hands of our lovely nanny Meghan, but still, it was a long time to be away from them.
My big reward was picking them up the morning after we got home and snuggling with them in bed. Their giggles and squeals were music to my ears. But let’s be honest. That perfection lasted for about 30 minutes – and then full toddlerhood was upon me X’s 3!
Yes, the terrible twos are here. My sweet, sweet Emerson now has quite a temper. His younger brother Atticus not so much, but he loves to swipe everything and in the process land a few jabs here and there on his brother and sister. Don’t feel bad for Em or Nola Grace though. They give it right back to him in the form of tiny toy airplanes and cars crash landing on his head. And then the crocodile tears come flooding in after that.
And that was just in the first hour or so after our sweet snuggle time. Throw in the mix our 6-month-old puppy Blue, and I had quite a long first day home. Let’s just say a glass of red wine was in order after I fed all four of them dinner that night.
How is it that their personalities change overnight? “Sweet Emerson” turning into “Stubborn Emerson.” I really don’t want to be one of those moms dragging their toddler out of a store because they are in full tantrum mode. I mean, Em is not even close to that, but he’s showing signs. He’s showing his independence. We have this book, “The Happiest Toddler on the Block” that I pick up every once in a while, and in it, they have quite a section devoted to dealing with tantrums.
First off, they say tantrums are “normal but avoidable.” Tantrums “push our buttons” (yes they do!). And they say to stop a tantrum in under a minute, “connect with respect” (get down on their level), and if that doesn’t work, use “kind ignoring.”
Now, I am brand new at all of this. I have no idea if any of that will work on my kiddos. I will definitely try and see if these things will help. But, what do other moms out there think? Any tips to tame tantrums? I would love to hear them.
Honestly, I think this is just the universe (via my mom and dad) getting back at me for all of the shenanigans I pulled when I was little. I’ve been told I was quite a terror. Oh the stories my parents could tell you. But look at how good I turned out!
I guess it all works out in the end.
And in between all the tantrums and craziness, you take some much needed adult time, drink some really good wine and indulge in some delicious food. At least that’s my plan for now.
Until next time, here are some of the beautiful photos my photographer friend, Susan Baker, took at the beginning of the summer.
