Darlene's Blog 2011: February 2014-Cold weather & Building Autonomy

At age 28 months, you are no longer a toddler. Although a few months early, you seemed to have moved into the stage psychologist Erik Erikson calls Early Childhood with the Development Outcome of “Autonomy vs Shame” & the basic strengths “Self-control, courage & will…with the opportunity to build self-esteem and autonomy as you gain more control over your body, acquire new skills, and learn right from wrong.” Due to your wonderful parents and your school experiences you are well on your way to “achieve autonomy and reject shame”. On Monday this week your TaTa Nitza brought you home from an overnight at her house and I was there to meet you for your nap time. Due to your Dad being off for “snow days” I hadn’t seen you in over a week. When you entered the house you took charge and began unpacking your things and putting items where they belonged. You clearly like things to be where they belong! As I watched you “buzz around” I thought I was looking at a much older child. Since you had awakened at 4:30 am and already had lunch and used the potty, my goal was to get you to nap asap. You were very sweet and after books etc. you went to sleep. Nitza had asked me to let her know when you woke up so I gave you the phone to talk to her while you were still in your bed. You sound so cute on the phone. Now when I’m driving you to school I can let you take the phone and talk with your Mom without worrying about you hitting the wrong buttons and getting frustrated; another new skill. Before your nap you always like to hide and let me find you. You have always hidden behind the chair in your room and squeal with delight when I find you. One day I was stunned you were not behind the chair! I knew you had learned to open the doors inside the house so I frantically looked in closets etc. to find you. I was beginning to panic when you delightedly revealed you were behind the curtain in the kitchen! You spent a Saturday morning at our house playing with Maggie Rae who was spending the weekend with me & Papa Wayne. You had a great time and really played the piano & sang amazingly well! We rode the carousel at the mall two days this month. Your favourite animal is the frog with a “duck coming out his butt” (although I think he is sitting on the duck) but you prefer to ride other animals. One day you were confident Nitza was working at the mall and insisted I keep trying to find her...which we did. Maybe you have “grandmother radar”? You had a great first day back at school post-holidays and sang songs all the way home from school. January had some unusually cold days. One week an “Artic Vortex” and another week an unexpected significant snow on a very cold morning which resulted in your mom being “snowed in” at our house (where she was sleeping after working all night) and your babysitter Debbie being “snowed in” at your house and I was snowed in at work. But your heroic Dad made it home from Mt. Brook High School due to having the 4-wheel-drive “Rav 4” to be with you. Your Mom made it home the next day after the ice thawed some on our driveway and street. I picked you up at school Friday February 7 after your Mom had taken you to school. It is always a delight when I see your face light up when you see me after you have marched down the hall with your teacher and classmates. The first thing you said was “get it off” as your teacher had your coat zipped up and your back pack strapped on. We had a good ride home as you snacked and listened to songs. We ate Newks pizza & “raided” the fruit tray your Mom bought for Friday am “Doughnuts with Dad” (which you are VERY excited about) and then shared your sweet pre-nap routine...potty, hiding, books, songs, high-fives (& 4 & 3 & 2 &1 & none) and more songs. Then I listened to you sweetly chatting & singing on the monitor until you stretched out & fell asleep. I left you asleep after your Dad got home early because school closed due to snow flurries. I’m scheduled to see you again Wednesday morning while your Mom attends a meeting at UAB. That will be fun! You are definitely building self-control, courage & will. I’m enjoying watching you successfully move through this stage of development and look forward to many more.