Toddler Inconsistencies (a Cori update)

When Cori was an infant, probably one of the hardest "lessons" for us to digest was that "learning" wasn't linear. It was more like a Texas two-step - few steps forward, few steps back, twists and turns, etc. For example, she'd be able to sleep really well for a few nights and we'd think we hit some sort of new plateau. Our child can sleep through the night well! Then we'd be bombarded with a few nights (or weeks) or restless sleeping and wakings. Same thing with physical milestones of crawling and walking and even eating. It was frustrating because we knew she could do it, but she didn't always do it. One of my friends put it best to say that babies do not follow linear progression in what they do, and it's something that I try to pass on to new moms (Kacey, Leslie - I'm thinking of you!)


Here we are again with the inconsitencies. Just when we think we've made progess, we hit a few road bumps. Cori has been doing really well sleeping in her "big girl bed". So much so that she doesn't want to be rocked anymore (this really makes me sad; where is my baby?!?). She just wants to lay in bed and fall asleep. Good right? Well, she will only fall asleep if her mommy and Um-ma (grand-ma) lay with her. So we have to sneak out once she is asleep. I KNOW KNOW KNOW that this is wrong - it goes against everything in the sleep bible I believe in (see book to the right. This book is THE ONE BOOK I'd recommend to any parent. We actually own 2 copies!)


I know that it would be much better for her to learn to fall asleep without us, because when she wakes and we aren't there, she'd be able to put herself back to sleep without any fussing. But instead we're teaching her that she "needs" us to fall asleep. When she wakes and we aren't there, she cries out for us. We have to come in and repeat the process. And lately, Cori has been waking a lot when she enters the light phase of sleep (about 3-4 hours into her sleep). The other night she slept 10 hours without as much as making a peep, and we made the mistake of thinking things changed. I guess we needed a reminder as the past few nights have been really rough.


And then there is potty training... Cori can clearly go on the potty when she wants to. And she knows when she has to go. But getting her to put those two together.... it's not all the time. I think we are partly to blame - again with the inconsistencies. Between 3 different caregivers during the week (4 if you count us!), she just doesn't get the consistent reinforcement to keep potty training going right now. Her daycare for example - Miss Donna at the in home place is too busy to really work with Cori on it. She has 5 other kids (2 of which are infants) and can't reinforce much. I understand, but can I again say how much I am looking forward to the new daycare Cori is going to be attending?? And with her Grandparents, Cori is often busy visiting and playing and out and about. It just isn't really practical.


We had a day this week where Cori was really agreeable and kept going on the potty. So much so that we put her in "big girl underwear". After explaining that she had to tell us when she had to go pee, and she can't pee in her underwear... we had 3 accidents in 4 hours. I know that is to be expected, but yet I thought she'd do better. I feel like a lot of it is that she was too busy playing to stop and go (even though we kept asking). Apparently the stubborn apple doesn't fall too far from the tree! But we've had to take a time out from PTing as Pop-Pop accidentially left the essential pink potty at his house yesterday. And then we're going to Kennywood, so that means another evening in diapers, etc. See - we can't be consistent!


Here is your "cuteness of the day" shot. This is Cori helping ME to brush my teeth in the midst of me helping her. God this kid makes my heart melt!