Toddler Tales Week 36: Phooey

phoo·ey interjection \ˈfü-ē\

—used to express disbelief, disappointment, or a strong dislike for something

This week (March 2-8), "phooey" was the word to best describe the week.  It started off okay and ended great, but the part in the middle left MUCH to be desired!  Sunday was when we first noticed signs of the problem, but didn't recognize the extent of the problem until then.  When Eric dropped off Asher at the church nursery that week, he cried for the second week in a row...this time bad enough that we found our number on the sign in church and had to go get him.  It was then, that we realized something was going on with our little boy...he was entering a new phase...

Asher hanging out under the table at home on Sunday...no idea why.

On Monday Asher cried when Eric dropped him off at daycare and then cried again when I came to pick him up.  He was so upset that I was making him stop playing to go home that he kicked and screamed from the moment we left her house until well after we arrived back at home.  This combined with a bit of hormonal crazy on my part was not good.  That night, everything we did with Asher resulted in a fit.  It got so bad that I actually took my dinner in the office to eat alone and allow myself some time to calm down.  My nerves were on edge.  I felt like my little boy hated me which is probably one of the worst stabs the heart can have.  Feeling like the boy you would do ANYTHING for, doesn't love you back.  I know it is not true, but as I said I was a bit crazy that night and my heart could not convince my brain what it knows to be true.  That night, I cried myself to sleep as Eric tried to console me and convince me that Asher had just had a bad day.

The next day, Asher was a little bit better, but only a little and my heart still ached.  By the time that evening came, I was terrified for the next day: My Day Off!  All I could think about was what I was going to do if Asher and I had another bad day.  I wasn't sure I could handle an entire day home alone with him and his screaming fits of toddler rage and frustration.  Thankfully though, Wednesday went great.  We had a perfect day together with only the normal amount of toddler tantrums...We played upstairs in his room for a bit and did his 20 month photo shoot (how do I almost have a 2 year old already?).  Asher was amazing cooperative, as he laid down on the calendar and even gave me a "cheese".

Cheese!

Asher wanted to play with the camera, so I helped him take this picture of one of his "Buddies", Eyore.

We also enjoyed a fun trip to Target (well at least until the end, when Asher had had enough), where I purchased some pipe cleaners to try a toddler fun time trick I'd seen on Pinterest.  That afternoon, I got out a strainer and let Asher play with it and the pipe cleaners.  We had a good time together, pushing the colorful pipes into the little holes.  He must have sat there and played with them for at least an hour, which for this little busy-body is truly amazing!

On Thursday, I was feeling better.  We had had a good day the day before and we were refreshed.  Unfortunately, when I picked him up that night from daycare, it all started up again.  He screamed and kicked and cried until we got home.  After being home for a little bit, he calmed down and then was thrilled that Daddy came home.  Unfortunately, Daddy was only home for about half an hour and then had to go to a meeting at church.  Again, he screamed and cried that Daddy was leaving, and it continued for basically the rest of the night until bedtime.  When bedtime came, I took my unhappy little guy upstairs, got him ready for bed and then had story time with him.  He refused to read with me, so I just held him tight in the rocking chair for a bit with tears streaming down my face.  Not our best night, but that only made me hold him tighter.  Then I put him to bed, went back downstairs to cry and ate a big bowl of ice cream!

When Friday came, Eric and I were both thrilled that the week was finally drawing to a close.  We were both unhappy with how the week had gone and very much looking forward to a new one.  At the same time though, we were both a bit scared of spending the weekend with our almost two-year-old terror.  Thankfully though, we all got a great night of rest that night and Saturday morning greeted us with a fresh day and a great weekend.  Asher was back to himself, and we couldn't have been happier.  We enjoyed a relaxing family day at home including some homemade Strawberry Belguim Waffles and then enjoyed a nice dinner with our friends Andy, Allison and their son Elias.  It was a perfect day to end a week that all we could really say about it was, "Phooey."

...and speaking of "phooey"...Eric actually taught Asher this word at the beginning of this week when he said and Asher, finding it an interesting word, immediately copied him.  Unfortunately, when Asher says the word, it sounds like "boobie".  :)