Monday, June 18, 2007

A Sea of Change

Last week, Sharon has come visiting us with her mom for a couple of weeks. Joyce was all happy to see an another toddler in the house and was all game for any game. I was happy the way my little girl had no problems sharing her toys or even with any of us carrying Sharon. Joyce is a lot quieter with Sharon around and so no more threatening Ammachy of throwing off her utensils off the balcony or window. Between then and now, that is a week, things have changed a whole 180 degree.

A small cry from Sharon now has Joyce looking downwards pouting her lips and quivering with tears ready to drop. The moment Sharon screams a little louder..mostly for her mom's attention, Joyce starts crying out real loud. That ofcourse freaks out Sharon and then there is a who-cries-louder-and-longer marathon. She has also got possessive with her toys and books. We saw her carry all her toys away from Sharon's reach even when she doesn't plan to play with them. If I or mom is spotted carrying Sharon, she would make sure she is carried as well. If it looked like Sharon might crawl into my mom's lap, she will make it there first. She doesn't mind Sharon being carried as far as she is catered too. When the toddlers see each other after a hour long nap or after one returns from an outdoor trip, they both smile showing off their little teeth and blabbering to each other but all changes with one little scream or an unpleasant noise.

Sharon is still very much crawling and Joyce after all the walk & run is imitating Sharon and crawling around the house on all fours. She has re-discovered crawling. I guess the knees hurt and so she is crawling with her hands and feet.

This last week she has become all the more clingy, holding on to my leg and me literally dragging my leg and her along while doing the chores.Take her below for a walk in the park and she is running off all in the wrong directions(towards the road). She has also been whinning a lot of late (even before Sharon arrived). She makes that whinning noise for no rhyme or reason. When I ask her to shut up, she does promptly, only to start again and check my reaction. Once to amuse her, I blew a strand of my hair on to her face. Now I have her pulling my hair and trying to blow them. While going through where the nose is and where the eyes are I pointed at my eyes(foolish mumma), now everytime I have her poking my eye and pulling my nose when I ask her where the nose or eyes is.

Where is my harmless little sweet innocent child ..I want her back.

6 comments:

Usha said...

It is interesting to hear about all these behavioural changes as a result of the presence of another toddler in the house. Wonder what goes through their minds? Is J suddenly missing the phase S is now at? Looks like we start clinging to our past early in life...Made for interesting read. never had such experiences while bringing up my son.

Gauri said...

This post took me back to days when Abhay was a lot littler. I as much as touch another baby and it used to evoke pretty strong possessive reactions in him.

Joyce and Sharon - think this could be a mild form of sibling rivalry ?

About the whining part - general tendency among children - once they realise that any of their actions are capable of getting to you or irritating you - you had it !! And they are pretty good at picking up on these vibes !! I've been through this road two times over.

Just Like That said...

Have ben thru the whining and clinging and non-sharing of toys when The Terror came to visit.:-)
Funny thing is he will put up with Acha carrying another baby, but Amma is definitely off limits. "This is mys Amma!!"

Now am just longing for Sonny boy to get out of his irritating habit of making noises and pointing towards something he wants (which he picked up from the Terror)instead of opening his mouth and asking!!

NainaAshley said...

All kids go through the whinning, biting, hair pulling phases as they try to find out what they can get away with.
As for the reaction to Sharon, of course she does no want Sharon to take what is hers! "Mine" is the first favourite word for most kids .

Unknown said...

They go through phases these kids, that drive us round the bend...you need to look whether there's been a change in schedule or routine too....apart from the arrival of another kid

upsilamba said...

awwww....Sharon and Joyce had much fun, Suni!