Joel The Pickle

We are entering a new phase of babyhood at the moment where Joel is earning a new nickname of  'Pickle'.

He has decided to test his boundaries and is becoming more challenging by the day.

At the moment, he'll calmly look me in the eye during meals and toss his food over the side of his high chair.  I say 'no Joel' in a stern voice and he regards me, as though to say 'what are you going to do about it' as he just throws more food over.  He knows what no means, I'm sure of it.

I don't know what to do about it.  My Mum says take the food away and show him that I mean business.  But I don't want him to go hungry.  But I don't want him to think he can get his own way.

Today he was just throwing his eggy bread about, so I took it away and gave him a yoghurt for his pudding and that was it.  He hasn't asked for more food.  He's having quite a bit of milk so I guess he's having his nutrients from that.

He also yells a lot.  For no apparent reason other than the fact his Dad sometimes lets out yells, and roars (he thinks he's singing) so Joel too shouts a lot.  And screams.  He can be quite shrill at times.

He's been having his inductions at nursery, and this morning I dropped him off for an hour to leave him there on his own.  When I got back, he was red, he'd been crying and the nursery worker said that that he'd been playing and fine, and suddenly, just began yelling.  She put it nicely, but as she said 'he has a good set of lungs on him doesn't he' I knew he'd been loud.  Mind you, he's been loud since a tiny baby, and the Dr's have made the same comment, so I doubt that's the last time I'll hear it.  At the nursery he was munching a bread stick whilst sniffling so I don't think he was too upset, (if he's really cross then food won't placate him).

He's going to go back next week for lunch time so we'll have to see whether sitting with the other toddlers and babies helps distract him from the fact I'm not there, so he gets used to be dropped off.

But he's also so clever, and bright, and funny, and charming.  He takes time now over putting his Lamaze fish in their fish bowl.  He carefully takes them out, and puts them in again over and over.  This can occupy him for 20-30 minutes!.  I showed him that he could fit balls into some of his stacking cups, but not all, and he's delighting in copying and putting smaller things in the bigger cups.  He looks so pleased with himself and claps and beams when it's worked.

I've also shown him Timmy Time on CBeebies, and he loves the introduction and theme song and bounces and claps along to it.  The actual program doesn't hold his interest but we sing along to the song which is fun.

He's been napping now for a while.  I must admit I've left him longer than I should, as it's been peaceful but it's time to see whether I can wake him up and then it's play time again!