push and pull

We're staying warm around here... warm at heart and on the fingertips.  We are settling into a nice new routine with our new nanny and gymboree three times a week. The best part is that Aiden gets to go to Gymboree with Dad at least once a week.  I wish I had the flexibility to take him myself, but I'm so glad that he gets extra time to learn from his dad.  (Who BTW, just got his advanced contract on his book finalized with Princeton...toot, toot)  Ever since the holiday, Aiden has continued to be what we affectionately call "daddy clingy"... He goes to J for comfort and looks for him right when he leaves the room. I think finding so much comfort from dad has helped with his "self weaning" too. He continues to nurse in the morning and the evening (we won't talk about the extreme sucking that he does when he can't quite get the flow going - ouch!), but you can tell that he is so quick or easily distracted that he's getting enough nourishment from his big boy food. He eats fairly well lately, although sometimes he only wants a few types of food for a couple days (like right now broccoli pancakes are out and spinach pancakes are in).   If I had to guess, I bet he will completely self wean sometime this century... ok, my real guess is sometime in the next two months.

Our Babycenter email update this past week included this excerpt:

"Does it seem as if one minute your toddler's a shrinking violet clinging to your leg, and the next he's eagerly toddling toward the swing set without a backward glance? Those are classic examples of the push and pull your child will exhibit on the road to independence. There's not much to do but accept that sometimes he'll act needy and other times he'll ignore you. Give him the space he needs to explore (provided it's safe), but stay close by for the occasional hug of reassurance."

My philosophy right now is that kind of reassurance will help him build his sense of security and confidence.  And it's just great that he sometimes shares a hug at just the right time.

Up next from Babycenter: Playing side by side, and what toddlers and puppies have in common...