Waiting Around for Something to Change

Meal time has changed. It used to be the most dreaded part of our day. Not anymore! I don’t know what did it but Cooper is eating great, not throwing and also sitting with us during mealtime. LIFE CHANGING!

And as quickly as one behavior gets better another gets worse. Meal time is better and now he has taken throwing to an all new level. Awesome.

If I was to describe Cooper’s life to people I would say that ‘something’ is always off. I remember sitting with girlfriends or parents or whatever when Cooper was a baby and being worn down and exhausted. A fellow mother would say something like, “my did doesn’t eat or my kid doesn’t sleep.” And another would say, “my kid is constipated all the time.” And another one would be like, “my kid isn’t sitting up yet…I’m nervous.” And I’d sit there and internalize how I had ALL of those worries. Not just one. I had every single one of them. And if I brought it up it would always be brushed aside because they could relate to ‘one’ of the problems.

Cooper’s throwing habit is getting a bit out of control. Just yesterday he threw my iPad and my phone. If he get’s ahold of something that you want and you take a step towards him…it’s a goner. If you are dressing him he throws the clothes. If you are changing his diaper he throws the wipes and the dirty diaper. That kid is quick. And his ALWAYS laughing and having fun with the throwing. I assume since most playing does make sense to him that throwing seems to feel right. And he’s having fun. But unfortunately its dangerous and destructive.

I am going to throw it out there that we will have a broken window within a month.

On another note, last night I hid from Cooper. We keep his Leap Pad charging when it’s not in use. Well, due to the craziness of our lives that damn thing didn’t get charged yesterday. And Cooper saw it. He doesn’t understand the concept of being charged. Really, what kid would? But the key is that he doesn’t understand ‘no’ or ‘you have to wait.’ He stood at the counter and whined. And screamed. And hit the fridge. And knocked the magnets off the fridge. I tried to redirect him. Nope. I offered a snack. Nope.

I looked at him and told him I’d be right back. He calmed and waited. I walked through the living room and turned his cartoons on and then went and sat on my bed. It took a few minutes but eventually Cooper wandered in and started watching cartoons. And just like that, as life crushing as it was to him…it was over.

The understanding just isn’t there. The language and the communication just isn’t there. And the more I get into this I don’t think it ever will be. And as an amazing commenter put on one of my posts…that isn’t me being negative. It’s me being real. Cooper’s brain is different. It’s different than mine and different from Sawyer’s. I can’t compare them.

I think my biggest fear right now is that his brain isn’t going to develop past a 24 month old. Last night at bedtime Cooper wanted me to brush his teeth with him. But I was exhausted so Jamie picked him up and carried him to the bathroom. I heard Jamie say to Cooper, “How am I going to carry you when you are 10 dude? This just isn’t going to work.”

I forget sometimes that I am not the only one who is scared about this.