Slightly Down & Very Up

Today we had a meltdown at CVS. It’s the second time I’ve taken M there, and each time, there’s been an issue. The first time, I put him in a cart without checking to see that it pushed alright – and when I discovered that it didn’t, I lifted him up to put him in a properly working cart and he freaked out at being lifted up, only calming down when placed in position again. Then, when we were leaving, he lost it again after I let him roam in the aisles and then picked him up to leave. This time, I checked out the cart to make sure it was working correctly, put M in it, and we were having a great time, until he reached for some medicine and I said no, and he lost his mind. Arms up, tears exploding. I had dealt with him crying before, of course, and obeying the dictums issued from Dr. Kaplan’s “The Happiest Toddler on the Block,” I began empathizing (“You’re mad! Mad!”) and speaking Toddlerese, telling him what he was feeling. He didn’t go into my arms as he usually does, he thrashed on the floor.

Five minutes went by of hysteria.

Ten.

These are very long minutes, but I wasn’t irritated with him, more confused that my usual tricks weren’t working, and a little embarrassed, to tell the truth. Finally, I swept him up and took him out of the store, our errands unfinished. Afterwards, I thought I should have left him in the aisle, finished my shopping, and collected him afterwards. Oh well. Thirty seconds into the car seat on the way home, and he was calm as a cucumber.

The rest of the day was fabulous. He’s been nervous about the pool, crying when he first was brought close to one, and then tentatively trying more and more, putting his feet in the water, splashing, sitting down on the highest step and walking on it. Today, no progress off the highest step, but he still enjoys it. I figured we do it every day and he'll get more and more comfortable ... and meanwhile, I get to soak in the pool.

Then, there’s bathing. He loved the bath on Day 1 we got him, and has hated it every day since. We’ve done everything. The temperature is tepid. The bath is full of suds and toys. Ian or I have gotten in the tub first. We’ve tried bringing him over to the shower. Everything turns to suspicion and then tears. Finally we brought out Baby J’s old baby tub, and M liked to play in it with the bath toys. Today, I filled it with warm/tepid water and carried it out to the back patio and filled it with suds. M played with his toys in the suds and then asked for help taking his shirt and his diapers off, and then got in. Turns out the little bugger likes bathing al fresco.

Then, there’s feeding. He’s got an appetite, but not for green stuff. We’ve played around with texture, trying to puree broccoli and green beans down to a mush, and still, it ends up down his chin when he tastes it. Today, I slipped spirulina in his banana yogurt. Now, if you haven’t had spirulina, also known as blue-green algae before, it’s full of beta-karotene and other vitamins and intensely green. That yogurt looked like acid guacamole. But he lapped it up and wanted more.
Not an up-and-down day. A slightly down and very up day.

Thursday, we’ll get more word from the social worker about the process of adopting this challenging and wonderful toddler.