Another week, another journal entry . . .
Grant has been sick this week with a nasty little cold. Poor little guy. Consequently, he has been extremely clingy and fussy. I have not been able to leave his side for even a moment before he notices and comes crying after me. A couple of times, he wouldn't even let Paul read him his 'goodnight' story. He seems to get upset quite easily, especially if whatever happens is a direct result of something I do. For example, I set him on the floor at the store a few days ago, so I could sign a receipt, he started crawling away from me with his head dragging on the ground, gushing out very sad tears. He's beginning to throw real tantrums these days. When I don't let him have something or go somewhere, he gets so upset that he tries to head-butt any hard surface (ie. the toilet, the wall, the door, the cupboard, the floor, me). I think I should just ignore his tantrums, but I'm so afraid that he will really hurt himself that I soften his blow with my hand or pull him away and that just seems to make him even angrier. Sometimes I can't catch him in time and he does really hurt himself, causing himself to have a real reason to cry. So, I bounce him and sing to him until he's better and has forgotten what it was that had gotten him so upset. In my many hours by his side this week, I discovered a little trick that Paul taught him. We were playing with the plastic bowling pins when Grant suddenly started hitting himself on the head with one. I tried to show him how to hit other things instead. However, he just kept on hitting himself. Later, I caught his naughty father doing the same thing. Now, the bowling pin is pretty soft and so I'm sure that it doesn't really hurt, but Grant (being the brilliant baby that he is) has taken the poor example of his father and demonstrates the same behavior toward other things. He now takes several toys and hits himself on the head - some that really hurt him. Paul says that he's helping our 10 month old baby to not become a wuss. Grant says one word (that not a real word but is the name for everything that he wants) it is, "bah-ow" (pronounced in one or two syllables). At first we thought he was saying 'ball', but now we know that it's just his way of getting something he wants. Well, okay - I think I'm done for today.
Love,
Kate, Paul, and Grant