13 Months – Play

Keeping Langdon entertained is busy work  + it’s exhausting coming up with new ideas, but at the same time it’s surprisingly simple!  Toddlerhood is no joke though.

At 13 (almost 14!) months Langdon has already begun with the temper tantrums, outbursts, constant whining + gets super frustrated quicker than a jackalope running on hot sand!!!  Here’s an example:

When he’s frustrated (which is often these days) he makes constipated facial expressions. To deal with a cranky toddler all day can really grate on your nerves like fingers raking across a chalkboard.  So here’s some activities we do to sweep those dark storm clouds out of the weather forecast that is his brain.  Did that make sense?  To me it did.

GO OUTSIDE!!!!!  EVEN WHEN IT’S RAINING!  LAYER UP!

I was like “How do Canuck babies let off steam???”.  Put on a rain suit + get out there, kimosabe.  But let me tell you, getting a baby into a rain suit is no easy feat.  It’s like wrestlin’ a three piece suit onto a greased pig.

Dirt.  Scooping.  Dirt.

Plant ugly cheap carnations + watch with delight as your baby delicately pets them for a good long while.

More.  Dirt.  Dirty.  Let those kids get crazy dirty!!!!!!  Who cares!!!!  Get primitive!!!!!

Jeff + I found Langdon an old corn husk broom at a vintage show.  I think the ladies thought we were going to put it in a glass case + look at it.  They were kind of horrified when they saw Langdon sweeping.  Hah!  We go outside, I sweep a little pile for him to swish around.

We frequent the park alla time like gamblers frequent casinos.  Super into rocks right now!

My buddy M at Planq Studio made Langdon an activity box filled with awesome hand made games for learning + motor skills!  Langdon is obsessed with the pom poms + he can scoop them back + forth between containers, la dee da as happy as a clam.

Speaking of scooping, one morning he was having a fit in the kitchen so I panicked + poured corn meal in a container + gave him tools.  Well, let’s just say it occupied him long enough for me to organize the kitchen cabinets, but there was a real corn-y cleanup left behind!  It was all so worth it.

Stickers from the dollar store.

Tonight I stuck him in the sink with water, a bowl, spoon + leftover steamed peas.  You do what you gotta do.

Gymnastics on Fridays.  He naps like a champ on Fridays.

In Canada the community centers are wonderful resources for moms with babies + toddlers.  Like, so impressive.  On Mondays we go to a family resource drop in for $2.  There’s books, toys galore, a snack table, arts + crafts, circle time, + let’s not forget really strong coffee fuel for all the weary, strung out looking moms who clutch onto their coffee mugs as if their lives depended on it.

Jeff made a house for Langdon that he loves to pop in + out of with lots of smiles + giggles.

Speaking of Jeff – one weekend I asked him to take Langdon outside while I made dinner.  When dinner was ready I went out back to look for them + the first thing I saw was this:

A tiny little speck of a human in a large, large world.  I was like, “WTF, Jeff!!!!”.  He was all, “He’s fine!  I could see him from where I was!”.  Oh, fathers.

And sometimes, Langdon likes to stare very intently at Jamie Foxx.  Don’t ask.

Basically I keep Langdon really physically active, out in the fresh air + occupied with whatever’s at hand.  But most importantly, even at 13 months old, I still wear him.  A LOT.

Especially when I’m prepping + cooking dinner – safely.  Then the whining + crying + tugging instantly stops.  Content, quiet baby.  Feeling safe + secure.  Poor thing’s brain is exploding from learning so many new things + new skills that he still needs the close physical comfort of familiar ol’ mom.  There you have it.  Hope everyone’s having a great weekend!