Shoes

M is trying ever so hard to do things himself. This means a lot of frustration, a lot of tears and a lot of angry "Mommy" yells. I try and let him figure things out on his own until he decides he wants to accept help. Usually when he is asked if he wants help he shakes his head or turns away with a stubborn little noise. He is quite independent and very determined. This also means he is extremely stubborn or maybe tenacious is a nicer way of saying that. Whatever word you use, that boy can dig in his heels until things are just the way he wants them. This applies to everything from his lunch to how he's playing with a toy.

We actually had a stare down today over a toy. I felt it was inappropriate to smash his toy on the coffee table. He felt this was the only way to play with it. I explained where and how he may play with the toy, he stood with the toy hovering over the table waiting to drop it when I wasn't looking. After 5 minutes of this I won simply because he finally tried to bang the toy on the table and I took it away. This led to a flop on the floor, kick his feet, cry like his heart was breaking, temper tantrum. Which I ignored. I figured since he kept checking to see if I was looking that he probably wasn't that heart broken.

After the toy meltdown he moved on to Daddy's shoes. M is quite fascinated with trying to put things on his feet or my feet or any feet he can find. This was evident a few weeks ago when he started trying to put on his socks. He has not successfully done this yet but every time he sees a pair of socks he tries to get them on his feet. Friday he stayed with his Grandma for a couple of hours and apparently he was putting her slippers on and off her feet. This great game has come home and morphed into where can M put Daddy's Croc's. Sometimes they are on his feet, sometimes they are on Daddy's feet. Sometimes his stuffed buddies are in the Croc's. Today it was my turn. I spent a lot of my day baking and as I was standing in the kitchen M came in with one Croc. He proceeded to babble to me until I lifted my foot so he could put it on. Then he left so I took the shoe off. You know what's coming.... he came back. He was very upset with me for taking the shoe off and put it back on my foot. I spent a large part of my afternoon walking around with Glenn's size 13 shoe on my right foot. I was not allowed to have one on each foot as the left shoe was occupied by Cookie Monster. When I sat down on the couch and took the shoe off, he came to em with the left shoe and put it on my left foot. (He took away the right shoe and put his stuffed dog in it) He then came back with another of daddy's shoes, another left foot which was going on my right foot. I was very glad for Glenn's big feet in that moment.

M sat at my feet for a very long time taking the shoes off and putting them back on. Periodically he would take a water break and then come back to my feet. I am amazed at how single minded he can be when he is learning something. I will be interested to see if he tries to wear the shoes himself tomorrow or if he goes back to our feet instead. Who knew shoes could create such magic.