Life with a toddler

It's something like this.

Tantrums
Shye throws at least a few tantrums everyday. If you haven't had the pleasure of witnessing one of Shye's tantrums then you are missing out on some first rate drama. It's really quite comical. She first gets down on the floor slowly and oh-so very carefully. Only after she is safely on the ground does she do any kicking and yelling. I'm telling you, they are the most thoughtful tantrums I ever did see.

General Defiance
 Obviously, I think that no means no. But Shye thinks the word no is an invitation to find a different way to do whatever it is that I've just told her not to do. For example: if she is tapping the computer with her finger and I tell her no, she will try touching the computer with her foot or her face. Or when I tell her "no hitting" after she hits someone she will then start tapping them ever so gently all while looking at me like, "well how about this, can I do this?" Or sometimes she will smack her own hand as if to say, "fine I'll just hit myself." Seriously, I don't even know what to think about that one.

Quirks

The older she gets the more I'm beginning think this kid is a bit of a neurotic. She is very obsessed with lining things up. Shoes, balls, toys. This freaked me out at first because I knew that was one of the signs of autism, but now I think that she is just OCD.

She is not ticklish, at least not in the normal way. I noticed this when she was a baby and I thought "whaaaat? what kind of a kid isn't ticklish?" My kid, that's who. But now she LOVES being tickled...but as a relaxation thing. Her feet, her legs, her palms, and her arms are her favorite spots. And at night she likes for me to tickle her face while she falls asleep. Sheesh kid.

She also loves getting into the kitchen cupboards. She spends a good chunk of her morning playtime rearranging them. Normally she just puts her little toys in there but every now and then I find my missing keys in with the tupperware and the tv remote with the sauce pans. 

 She is obsessed with toes, belly buttons, Dr. Suess, Angelina Ballerina, and Finding Nemo. Not sure how all those thing correlate but those are her obsessions.

 She is still the pickiest eater ever. I think she has a thing for white/beige food since her favorite things are pasta in white sauce, string cheese, french fries, potatoes, cheerios, bread, bean burritos (in white tortilla, of course). In fact, the only colorful thing she likes are strawberries and pizza. That's my girl.

Sweet

Shye has been very into helping. Picking things up, doing the dishes, stuff like that. Whenever we get home from the grocery store Shye always tries to carry the milk in. I'm not sure why, but it's just her thing. There is nothing funnier than watching a toddler trying to heft a gallon of milk on her own. I always have to step in and give her a hand and help her carry it to the fridge. She also loves to help me eat. She will literally stuff my face if I let her.

But we love our little Shye-shye, quirks and all!