A few weeks ago I was reading a popular parenting-advice website hoping to garner some insight on how to deal with some particularly draining behavior when I came across something along the line of "...mothers of 1 year-olds sometimes make the mistake of thinking the hard part is over when they really need prepare themselves for the time between 14 and 18 months."

And how.

More on this later as my 14 month-old is as interested in playing with the keyboard as I am...

It's been a frustrating morning for the toddler and me but there were still a few cute moments. The first was at the park. Uly climbed up on a park bench and waved goodbye to every passing car for about 6 mintues. He also learned to play "talk on phone" this morning. Cute stuff.

Well it must be Tuesday and World of Warcraft is having it's weekly maintenance because here I am, updating :D.

Why is it that most of what I think about during the week seems to totally disappear when faced with an opportunity to write it down? I guess at least part of the reason must be because life with a young person is so different week-to-week that you hardly get a chance to recover from the last before you go about adjusting to the next. Here are a few highlights from last week that struck me as noteworthy:

Empowering behavior: This past week Uly seemed to grasp the idea that he is his very own person who is under no obligation to perform a task he doesn't agree to. I am not interested in violating this new level of independence so baths have become a rarity and the kid has been spending a lot more time running around sans diaper. This, I'm sure, is helping build an amicable relationship with my neighbors here in our somewhat uptight Southern community. Oh Well.

The high chair was also worthy of dismissal. For a week its' use was completely out of the question. Then yesterday he dragged me over to it and made an earnest attempt to climb in himself. I put him in and he ate a very hearty lunch during which he played "psych" with me for the first time. It made him so happy to deny me those few bits of avacado. I pretended to be very saddened by it and he laughed and laughed, then gave in and shared. What a delicious thing--a persons first taste of real power.

Daddy Love: Daddy took vacation time last week and he and Uly were able to really pal it up. Mommy got sidelined... Only Daddy had what it takes to make a sleepy baby, a well-fed baby, a diapered baby. Some vacation for Da! If it weren't that Uly still relies on me for milk I think I would have been removed to the playhouse.

Mad at Moe: Gramma Moe and popadopolous went on vacation this week too and when they came back four days later little Uly was not pleased with Moe. It took as many days for him to allow kisses and hugs from her. Note: Do NOT get on this kids bad side...

I'll take some pictures this week and post--I'll try to do it after a bath...

Teething. Again. Ugh.

What a rotten thing for a kid to have to go through. The little guy has just popped one on the bottom right and is also working on some molars. Mommy is currently a hot commodity. It would be very bad if Mommy weren't nearby at all times. Something might happen--like, something. Anything.

Since my last update it seems Uly has re-invented himself at least five times. It's amazing.

Twice-a-day naps are now a thing of the past and although that might seem like a scary thing it's actually had a tremendously positive impact on our daily lives. He tolerates longer outings, goes to bed earlier, sleeps harder and longer, and doesn't fuss hardly at all before falling asleep. Mama no longer dreads the 1 hour pre-nap/bedtime squalling and the mandatory bouncing, jostling, singing, and coddling getting him to sleep required. Although he takes only one nap during the day now it is nearly always a good, long one and it ISN'T ON ME.

*sigh*

The only real drawback to this schedule is that he sometimes wakes up around 1am and is ready to play... Oh well. At least I don't feel like I spent three hours bouncing around 2 12-pound bowling balls. That was getting mighty tiresome. :)

Another interesting and DELIGHTFUL change in our lives is that the Little General LOVES to go on a bye-bye. I now have the marvelous problem of trying to think up places for us to go. This is the best problem ever! When little Uly is ready to go someplace he goes and gets a shoe (any will do--especially if they're Daddy's) and hands it to you and puts his foot up so you can put it on him. It's super-cute.

Places we've been recently include the Knoxville Zoo, The Oak Ridge Museum of Science and Energy, the Children's Museum, various stores, parks, and our newest daily favorite, The Oak Ridge Community Pool.

Let me just say a few things about this pool. For starters, it is a full acre and a quarter. It has an Island. One whole side tapers up like a beach and has little fountains that spout up along almost the entire length. As if this wasn't enough, there is a toddler wadding pool with a large mushroom fountain that has just been built and will open in a few days. There is a nice grassy area, too. I'll be taking some pictures soon.

Speaking of pictures, here are a few random shots.