A little bit of this and that

I have a whole bunch of little things to write about today.

1. Toilet training. I have tried every single suggestion in every single potty training book, with the exception of getting rid of all of the diapers. Should I do it???? Or do you think it will backfire? He's been doing great lately at home. Still refuses to poop on the toilet but will now sit on the toilet with his diaper on to "practice". And, still no progress at daycare. I'm so frustrated I could spit!

2. Coming out of his shell. Everyone at the park is amazed at how much the little guy has changed since the fall. He's now super outgoing and talkative. Instead of playing shy for 10 to 15 minutes when we arrive at the park, he goes over to kids (even the ones he doesn't knows) and starts playing with them and chatting away. It's great to see him overcoming his shyness.

3. Table talk. I remember a time not so long ago when our table and floor were a disaster zone after every meal. And the laundry that meals generated was astounding! Now, the little guy is neat and tidy as can be, barely ever dripping or spilling anything. You can tell that he actually takes pride in keeping his place mat clean and tidy.

Speaking of meals, he's also turned over a new leaf and is much more open minded when it comes to trying new things. Up until a few weeks ago he would never even touch something with sauce. Now he's asking for macaroni with cheese sauce. Just this week he tried sausages for the first time and loved them (getting him to eat meat has always been a big struggle). And, he's starting to "dip" his food, something he's never done before. I'm hoping to introduce him to hummus and other dips this week.

4. Shamed. Earlier this week, the father of one of his friends yelled at him. For some unknown reason, he pushed his friend off of a climber at the park (which totally isn't like him at all). It wasn't a far fall and his friend wasn't hurt (or even phased for that matter) but her father got really upset and scolded him in a deep, booming voice. When we asked the little guy to apologize to the little girl, he was absolutely silent. He just hung his head, looking sad and terrified all at once. I actually felt kind of sorry for him, knowing that he is usually such a peaceful little guy. For more than half an hour he wouldn't look at anybody. He just hung his head in shame. I think he really felt truly sorry about what he had done.

5. Hide and seek. This is his new favourite game, even if he's lousy at it. The little guy usually says, "Mom, you count to ten and I'm going to hide behind that tree." And he never gives me enough time to find him. The second I've finished counting to 10 he jumps out of his hiding spot to "scare" me.

This morning he hid under the blankets on the bed with his legs sticking out. I guess he figures that if he can't see me that I can't see him either. Kids are so funny!