On rare occasions I can spend a full 20-30minutes doing something without being interrupted. Riley has discovered truly playing pretend with her toys. As long as I'm perched in my little corner keeping an eye on things and interjecting the occasional comment Riley’s independent for a bit. Yesterday, she was plying "boo boo." She plays this game with me a lot. She pretends to pinch her finger of bump her head and announces her fake injury so that I can react in melodramatic fashion and make her laugh. Yesterday it was different: she announced her fake boo boo and then picked up her stuffed hedgehog and made him pretend to kiss it. It was amazingly adorable. I said "Oh, what a nice friend to kiss your boo boo." Riley proceeded to thank him for being a nice friend and then bake him a pretend cake.
After that episode she reverted to some former stage of development and climbed into my lap and refused to get down. It was at least 45min of attempts to distract her before she scampered off. I thought it was odd for her to be so independent and then so clingy, but that's a toddlers purgative.
She built a tower from blocks, knocked them down and then cleaned them all up. She even put the lid back on the container. After that baby giraffe and Hedgie shared some cake it was time for both of then JUMP! JUMP! Jumping in Riley's recliner. It was funny. She made every stuffed animal and dolly in the living room use the potty at least once before it was her turn too.
After that as I was making my way to the bathroom (or course) she latched on to my leg. I managed to pry her loose, but she followed me in and as soon as I was seated climbed into my lap. When I explained that I was ready to get off the potty she cried for me to carry her. It's been months and several pounds since I could carry her even a few steps. We do a lot of hand holding and walking with backpack or lap sitting. She would not let me stand without her in my arms. When I set her down she followed me to the couch crying.
When that clingy spell passed she had rediscovered her little people airport runway. She was vrooming an invisible car around the road and over the bridge. It was going well until she stopped for gas and couldn't get the pump back in the little hole. I interceded and gave her a little people truck to use. She immediately filled it with gas and started vrooming again. I think her car obsessed buddy at daycare taught her that. I hope he teaches her to change a tire and check her oil too.
Anyway, it went that way all day long. Happy independently playing little girl periods followed by clingy grumpy periods of equal or greater length. Maybe she's just testing that if she plays by herself for a while she can still come cuddle Mommy. I hope it gets less manic in the future. That kind of flip flopping really gets to you. I started wondering “which one are you” every time she approached.
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