Toddlers and Tantrums

Hi all! Happy Monday!! 

This last week has definitely been an eventful one. Dan left for Dallas on Wednesday morning before anyone was awake and didn't get back until late Friday night. It was only a couple days, but they were tough ones. The girls plotted against me to throw their biggest tantrums I have ever seen in those three days he was gone. It usually takes a lot to rattle me, but I will be completely honest, I was almost in tears more than once. Usually around four or five pm, the girls have a bit of a meltdown, and it's nice to know that Dan will be home within an hour or two. Well, when you know he's not coming home then, the countdown starts to bedtime and it usually goes pretty slow. Don't get me wrong, for the most part are pretty laid back, but like all toddlers they have their moments. We had quite a few of those moments last week. I was so happy to have my rock, and my partner in this crazy world of parenting, finally home with me and our girls. 

Another cause of toddler (and mommy) meltdowns this week was bedtime. This is a new one for us because the girls have been great sleepers since they were about 3 months old. I know that it's common after a move, but we were lulled into a false sense of security when they went to sleep with no problem the first  week we were here. I'm not sure if it just hit them that they are really not going back to their old room, or if it was triggered by Dan not being there to tuck them in, but a flip switched on Wednesday and nap time and bedtime turned into a complete shit show. I got them all settled in their beds like I normally do, but the second I turned off the lights and shut the door, they panicked. I sat with them, read a few books, talked to them about how I was just downstairs or in our room right next to them, and gave it another try. Same result. I repeated that a couple more times with the same result, then finally gave up and tucked them in bed with me. Selfishly, I loved it, but knew that Dan wouldn't be too thrilled so we repeated the process the next night and had the same result. Shock. Night three we went through our bedtime routine again with a little twist that actually worked. When I went upstairs to check on the girls during their nap that day, they were both sleeping in the teepee they got for Christmas that's set up in their room. So Friday night I asked if they wanted to sleep in their tent and they hopped right it. I got them settled, read them a book, and left the room. There was a little whining, but no meltdown!! So this is our new normal. 

Absolutely adorable and they are happy, so mommy is too!! 

Saturday night Dan and I decided to sit down, pop a bottle of champagne, and toast to being settled in our new house. I got everything unpacked and organized while Dan was gone, so we finally got to relax together in what is starting to feel like home. About an hour into a movie, and hours past the girls bedtime, we heard the pitter patter of toddler feet trotting down the stairs. So all of a sudden, this:

Turned into this:

Again, selfishly I love the cuddles, but mentally, I need some mommy time. 

I know that I'm not the only one navigating the terrible two's, and I know that it will pass, but for now I feel like I'm going INSANE!! I thank God that I have a wonderful husband to help me along the way. At this age, the tantrums are the not so happy moments, but all of the new things they are doing still astound me everyday! They are understanding more, talking more, interacting with us and each other in more positive ways, voicing their opinions (which usually crack me up), telling us what they like and don't like (which makes meal time a lot less stressful), and are just growing up so fast.  The tantrum stage will eventually pass, and switch to something else equally aggravating I'm sure, but with each new stage will be even more amazing and wonderful milestones to go with it! 

Enjoy every moment with the precious little ones in your life! 

Xoxo

-Emily