Raising a Toddler

It is like almost yesterday I was in labour and Sanju was born 13 painful hours later. It is like yesterday that they showed me his little manhood right after he was born and took him away to clean him up. It is like yesterday the nurses passed Sanju into my arms minutes after delivery.

I can't believe how time flied, and Sanju has grown from a newborn, into a baby and now a toddler. And this toddler is very much into his Obnoxious One (a term I created for him) before he enters the Terrible Two.

I used to think taking care of a newborn and later a baby was the biggest challenge. Boy, was I wrong. Everyday is a revelation to how and what more can I expect from this tiny toddler who looks as innocent as an angel while he is sleeping. In Sanju's point of view, Obnoxious One means redefining pretty much everything in daily routines and challenging parents to come out with ways to work it out. Here is some of my experience:

• Diaper & outfit change is war time. He sometimes refuses to get any piece of clothes off or on him, and just walks away or shouts loudly like he is being kidnapped by mean villains. I counter this by playing 'here comes ma-monster to attack!' and he gives in by laughing
• Makan time means he needs to hold the spoon and play with his food, no cooperation in eating whatsoever. A dummy bowl of food with a spoon is needed to distract him while feeding him. Mind you, the end product gets pretty messy when he decides to swing the spoon around
• He can be on unexpected eating strikes on one day, and eat so well on another that i have to pinch myself. We just have to be patient and keep on feeding different types of food throughout the day hoping that this would click and make him eat more
• Taking medicine is fine as long as it is a game where ma and papa taste it as well
• While I am so concerned on him taking a warm shower, it is ok for him to play with the spray hose and wet himself throughout bath time.
• Toys are a thing of the past, household items rock his boat. He only plays and explores with the household item which can be fun to watch especially when he puts things apart and tries to fix them back together
• Any handheld item can be used as a phone, and even have a long conversation on it
• The OO is adorable beyond words, and I thought baby is the cutest stage!