The ME phase

MY toy!!

Remember a few months ago when I babysat our friend lil buddy?   And that I discovered that Mr. Gobbles was becoming quite the little bully?  Well, his world of mine all mine is definitely taking a front seat to anything else developmentally right now.  Toys, parents, even puppies are all present in this world for one thing, to serve my little boy.  At least that's what he thinks.

Daycare dropoffs have been going great.  Since Gobbles has gotten over his ear infection, he now willingly walks right into the room, no need for me to carry or drag him.  He immediately runs off to join the other kids for their morning discussions.  One day, the twins that he is moving up to the toddler room with were hanging out by the exersaucer, and Gobbles just walked over as if they were waiting for him, leaned an elbow on the ledge, and babbled something along the lines of what's up fellas?  snowy out there today, eh?  had a good poopy last night, not much else, what's new with you? 

The next day; however, one of these same boys was walking around the room with Gobble's favorite toy - a push walker- when we entered.  Within a minute, my son had gone up and shouldered him out of the way, walking away with his prize, leaving the poor child crying in his dust.  I tried to explain to my boy what sharing is, and brought the toy back to it's original player, but of course this set Gobbles off in a small tantrum.  One of the teachers found an even better push toy in another room and gave it to him, which set him off running through the infant room, wheeling and whipping the toy around obstacles such as teachers' legs, chairs, and babies sitting in their boppies.  He looked like godzilla wreaking havic- any fears I had about him moving up to the toddler room were replaced by fears that he was going to hurt some poor 4 month old in his quest for toy domination.  Time to move up little boy.

I want what I want and I want it now has also taken over our home.  Not so much in the sharing of toys, because unfortunately the little guy doesn't have any competition at home, but in other ways.  Over the past two weeks, I've noticed that any time I turn my attention to one of the puppies, Gobbles gets his tantrum face on and lets out a low pitched little roar Ahhhhggghhhhghghh  He drops whatever he is doing and runs over to me, waving his arms and eventually wedging himself between me and the dog.  After we are separated, he goes about his business like all is right with the world.  ...Aww, he wants his mommy all to himself... I thought.  Until last night, when I was continuously petting Spoons, and Gobbles started smacking my arm with his little hand.  Oh My God.  It's not "I'm jealous that the puppies are trying to take my mommy", it's "Those are MY puppies and you cannot pet them unless I say you can".  YIKES. I really don't know what to do at this point, I assume it's a phase and he'll get over it, and I'm a little embarrassed to say that I laugh every time he makes his tantrum roar, because it is so cute it's funny.



My Bed!!

And after watching all of my "kids" interact, I think I'll have to agree with Gobbles in that these puppies truly are his buddies.  He's even starting to fight with them over their toys.  Nothing says pals like mine mine mine, at least in this phase of life...

ps. If you wait around until second 48 or so of the video, Gobbles releases the tantrum roar that I talked about above.