This has been a difficult week for David. My schedule got changed at work, so now I'm working 2nd shift, 3 - 11. He likes that we don't have to rush off anywhere in the morning, but at the same time, it's been hard on him because his routine has been completely interrupted and reset. Monday was a great day for us, because we worked out in the yard after spending an hour or two watching educational TV on PBS. He is familiar with all the major characters such as from Sesame Street, but also from non-educational programs like Sponge Bob, and Mickey Mouse. What's made this so hard is that I'm having to readjust myself, too. Breakfast, lunch, naps...all different with me than with Dot. She tells me that she has no trouble getting him to eat, or settle down for naps, but part of me thinks that she's lying, just to make me feel better, or that she's been doing this for 30 years or more, and so Knows What To Do (TM). She's asked that I keep to her schedule, but I find that making him take a nap just keeps him up later at night. But then, not taking a nap makes him whiney, clingy, easier to bring to tears when he's told "no" -- harder to deal with. He now goes to her house about 2 PM or so, sometimes a bit earlier, or a bit later. I wake him up at about 11:15 PM, and put him in his bed. He makes the transition very well. It's hard, too, when my schedule changed because Wednesday, I had to go in at 12:00 PM, and get off at 8:00 PM, and that threw him off again. He was really upset (as upset as I've ever seen him) when he found out he had to go to Dot's later in the day on Thursday. It's been like that all week. If he has enough time to transition, then he's okay. Monday was OK, Tuesday was OK, Wednesday and Thursday, not so much. I'm off on Fridays, and on Saturdays I've asked my neighbor's daughter to take care of him, since I know that she keeps a little girl on Saturdays (and other days), and she works with kids as her job, which is good...
This coming week I have a 'regular' schedule, so that will be easier, I think, because there won't be the switching back and forth, and because I'm going to impose more schedule on him. He really enjoys being outside, and it's a good thing for me, too, because I end up doing yard work, or other house maintenance outside. He plays, and I work. And take lots of breaks to play with him. So we can play, and still do things like have a good breakfast, and a decent lunch before he goes to Dot's. I'm still wondering about the naps, though, because I want him to go to sleep easier at night, when Dot has him, and the three nights a week that I will have him.
But because I'm spending the days with him, I have him more of his awake hours. And I have more time that I can take with him to do things. So we do more stuff, and I'm getting to know him in a different way than before. He doesn't have to have me get him out of bed, dressed, and off; and get him home, play for an hour, eat, bathe, bed...
So, during the day...David's favorite toys include: a toy 'car' that he can push around, or that he can ride on when his daddy pushes him. Another thing he likes a an orange 'pin toy', where you put your hand and it shows the pattern of your hand in the raised pins. And then there's the dinosaurs. He got a couple of plastic ones, and the likes to make them roar at each other. When I play with him (me on one dino, and him on the other), he thinks they're tickling each other! It's very cute.
David is working on the concept of "more" vs 'another one'. Having breakfast, I'm feeding him eggs, and he keeps asking for 'one more', rather than asking for 'another bite' or 'another one', though he does say 'another one' from time to time. I'm finding that I'm writing about David's language development a lot. Are you curious about how else he's developing or changing? He counts, he says his letters, he goes through books, he walks, and talks, and repeats, and interacts with the TV. He will soon need his hair cut.
The other day I had my mother on the phone, and she started talking to him about his mommy, and he got really excited. I think he does miss her. David will be going up to see her in the 2nd half of April for two weeks.
This has been a tough week, but I'm sure next week will be better. Hope you have a good week, too.
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