The Ordinary Moments / Living Arrows #8 / 52 - cuddles and tantrums

This past week, we've been through the two extremes; cuddles, all day long with little man who has been overloading the affection, then tantrums, for no reason at all or for silly things like giving him his dinner when he's been saying he's hungry. 

Shocking behaviour, huh?

We started last week off with little man feeling under the weather. He'd been quite tired in the Sunday afternoon and by Monday morning, he really wasn't right. He'd slept in our bed and was extremely hot to the touch and had a sniffly nose, so I stayed home with him. 

He was really feeling sorry for himself, and pretty much sat on my lap all day, under the blankets, bringing my arms around him for 'cuddle cuddle Mummy!'. If he did try to get down to play, thinking he felt better, he soon turned around again and need his mama.

He slept in our bed again as he couldn't settle and on Tuesday, hubs stayed with him as I had two places to be for work. I felt awful leaving him, but by all accounts, it wouldn't have made much difference as he slept most of the day on the sofa. Hubs brought his bedding down and he seemed to snooze it off, so by the time I came home that evening, he was full of beans and sporting oh so cute bed head hair.

He went back to nursery on Wednesday and seemed much better (thank heavens for Calpol, saviour for all parents) and whilst I was so pleased he was feeling better, I did miss having all those extra cuddles.

He's a very affectionate little boy generally but growing in his independence every day so it was rather lovely having him need me so much again, like when he was younger.

By the weekend, things were very much back to normal and back to his terms. He'd had two mornings when he had a complete meltdown from the moment we woke him to get him ready to dropping him at nursery. He loves nursery and is always happy within a couple of minutes leaving, but for some reason, he just doesn't get on with the start of the day and can make the whole process really difficult.

'No' is the word of the day and there's nothing that he cooperates with, which usually results in Daddy having to step in or us rushing him through brushing his teeth ourselves just to get us all out the door.

Aside from the upset at the morning drop off, he's also been quite contrary with us all weekend. Refusing to eat his dinner, and pushing things away then doing it again when he's told not to. Saying 'no' to everything. And generally whining for what seems like no good reason.

It's like a switch goes on just like that and he's not in a good mood and nothing you do is quite right. I've learnt that these spells pass quickly most times if he's just left to sulk and work it out for himself. At the start of writing this, we'd got into a debate when he was asking me to help him up and then, when I had helped him, he'd say 'no Mummy!' and slump back down again. Now, as I type this in my iPad, whilst Muppets Treasure Island plays on TV, he's come over to the sofa and sat next to be, of his own free will, and is hugging my arm.

Toddlers, eh? 

I see them as teenagers in training - having swift mood swings and keeping us on our toes.

I would rather skip the tantrums, but the cuddles make it all worth it.