Throwing Tantrums

Lucas, at 16 months, is now seriously throwing tantrums.  He's been showing some not-so-cute behaviors for months now--climbing up the back rest of the couch or the sofa table (especially when he knows we're looking), throwing away stuff, screaming and crying when he doesn't get what he wants.  But lately, it has gotten a little worse and I feel that he actually knows what he's doing and he does it on purpose.

So sometimes, when he can't have this way, he would scream and cry and roll on the floor.  I don't know how he learned to do this, but when he does it we would not pick him up.  We'd let him cry and he eventually stands up and hugs our legs.  Other times, he would just want me and not his dad and when I go away, he would wail and cry so hard.  He wouldn't let anyone touch him and he would throw away anything he sees nearby that he can pick up.  And the wailing would actually last a good 20 minutes or so.

Some people at work told me that I should just let him be because it's normal and it's too early to enforce discipline.  I know this is normal at his age, but I don't think I should just let it be.  I don't think it's too early to discipline and I feel that something needs to be done about these behaviors.  I've got to stop them, maybe gradually, but somehow I've got to nip them in the bud.

Consistency I think is key.  If we were consistent about how we respond to these behaviors, then I think it will help him know right from wrong.  Question is--are we in synch?  I think the dad and I are in synch.  I'm not so sure about Nana.

Croup

I am afraid that what I'm afraid was going to happen is happening.  Does that even make sense?

The last time we were at my sister's, Nathan got sick.  He had croup--a respiratory disease very common in kids, characterized by harsh, barking cough.  What's different between this and a regular cough is that you don't continuously cough.  It gets better during the day and gets worse at night.  Nathan would be playing and active all day as if he wasn't sick at all, and would be miserably crying at night probably because his throat was hurting.

I was afraid Lucas would get it too, but it was too late to leave.  We were already there a day before Nathan got sick, so Lucas had already been exposed to the virus.  What made it worse is that Lucas kept chasing, hugging and kissing Nathan.  Also, we had to leave him there.  Both Charles and I needed to travel early that week and Lucas was going to stay with my sister and her family.

A week has passed since Lucas got home and he's fine.  I was happy.  I thought it's been long enough and he's not getting the disease.  But lately, I noticed that his voice is starting to get scratchy, his temperature would sometime rise and he would cough at night.  It's not as bad as how Nathan was but he is starting to display some symptoms.

I'm still hoping he didn't get the disease.  He's still very active and behaving just like he normally would.  If not for the slight change in his voice and the occasional coughing, I would not worry.

I really hope he gets spared.  When he's sick, we're all miserable!

***

Photo:  Nathan--not looking sick at all.  His hair was getting so long I decided to tie it.  He looked funny!

Good Baby

When Lucas misbehaves, he knows it.  Sometimes, before we could even react he would say, "Bad Baby!".  And he says it with a very earnest look that instead of getting mad, the dad and I would just quietly laugh, and we'd remind him, "no, you're a good baby!".

I don't know if I will ever really be mad at him.  One time I was changing his diapers and he wouldn't stay still.  So I gave him the look.  He didn't like it so he hit me in the arm, and then he hit me on the face.  I acted like I was so angry.  I said to him "you can't do that to mommy!" in a raised voice.  I just stood there and gave him a very angry look.  When he saw me mad, he stood up on his diaper changer, threw his arms around my neck, hugged me tight and said "Ma-ma"!

Well, what else can I do but hug him back?

Ugh, how can these kids be so adorable yet manipulative?  He's definitely got me and the dad wrapped around his little fingers!  But we at least try not to let him know.

Big Cousin Nathan

Lucas is so fond of his big cousin, Nathan.  When Nathan is around, Lucas gets super excited.  He would keep chasing Nathan and when he catches him, he would hug him and kiss him until Nathan gets annoyed and pushes him away.  Lucas doesn't mind getting pushed away, as long as it's cousin Nathan.

I don't know if it's because he doesn't often see other kids around.  He doesn't go to daycare, so most of the time he is with us, adults.  Maybe he gets overwhelmed with excitement when he's with other kids his age.  He is friendly with other kids too, but he is just way too clingy with Nathan.

Nathan, on the other hand, gets his revenge when Lucas is strapped to the high chair and can't chase him.  He would pull Lucas' leg, touch his head and pull his ears.  But Lucas enjoys it!

I think Lucas is going to want a brother someday, I don't know.  Or maybe he won't if Nathan stays close.  I'll worry about it later.  For now, I just want to enjoy them because they are just way too cute at this age!

Beyond Words

Lucas can also now express himself through actions.  He started doing so when he was about 9 months old.  He could already kiss then, but we were almost sure that at that time, he didn't really know what he was doing.

Now I think he understands and he's becoming more and more consistent in acting out what you ask him to do.

He can do "peek-a-boo".  He raises his arms when you say "Winner!" and does this when he finishes his meals.  He claps his hands when you say "clap" or "very good".  He waves his hands when you say "bye".  He can give a flying kiss and also kisses you when you ask him to.  He can give a high-five and touches his point finger with yours when you say "a line".  He hugs when you say "hug" or whenever he likes to hug.

He points to his nose when you say "where's your nose?" but he has yet to distinguish between his eyes, ears and mouth.  He gives you what he has in his hands when you ask for it, but he will take it back if it's something he likes.

He does not like it when people laugh.  He thinks we're laughing at him and he would start crying.  You'd have to tell him you're not laughing at him to make him stop crying.  He also cries over sad songs.  I don't know why but he would sob if you don't stop singing.  Just sing happy songs and he'll be fine.

But among other things, the sweetest thing he does is having me and his dad kiss each other.  When we are both close to him, he would push our heads together so we'd kiss.  When we kiss he'd smile and he does it again...and again...and again.

Words

I've been looking forward to the time when Lucas can talk.  Imagine how much easier it would be to just simply ask him what he wants or what's wrong instead of having to figure it out yourself?

Well, he's on his way to talking and he's learning fast.  He now has a few words.  He says them consistently and he knows when to say them so I'd like to think that he knows exactly what they mean.

His words are a good mix of English and Cebuano, which is expected since we speak Cebuano at home.  I'm not worried about English at all because I know he'll eventually learn it one way or another.

At 15 months, Lucas can now say the following words well (although some he has yet to properly pronounce):

Daddy
Papa
Mommy
Mama
Bad Dede (means "bad baby")
Pig
Dog
Bird
Guba (break - he says this when he breaks his toys)
Kuha (get)
Kakat ("katkat" or climb)
Uli (return)
Throw
Kiss
Cheers
Amen (he says this in church, following everybody else saying "amen")
Happy (the newest word he learned to speak and he loves saying it)

The last time we went to his pediatrician, she was amazed at how much Lucas can now say.  He's a small baby--smaller than most babies his age, but I think he will grow up a smart one like his dad.  I really hope so.