Apples are a big thing in Owen's world right now. Ever since we went apple-picking this fall and he decided he can eat the peel if eating a whole apple (slices must be peeled!), he would prefer to spend life with an apple constantly in his hand, munching on it in between the other tasks of his day. Combine this obsession with nearing 2.5 years and becoming *extremely* independent about figuring out how to carry out any and every idea that comes into his mind, and what you get is a boy constantly opening the fridge door, fishing around for an apple, eating part of it and then abandoning it when he gets distracted playing. And repeat. I routinely find this scene around the house:
How can his mother let him get away with this?!, you ask, shocked and horrified. Well, it's only been happening for about a week and I just hadn't decided to put the kibosh on it yet (with Owen, you really have to count the cost before putting down a law, because enforcing it adds a great deal of work and stress all around). Also, I always thought I was a mom who was watching her kid pretty closely and keeping him from getting into too many destructive shenanigans, but with a new baby in tow, Owen spends a LOT more time on his own than he used to. The fact that he is 'entertaining' himself and not whining for me is actually a really big step for him. So maybe I'm a little soft on this because I'm just glad he's not coming in and screeching in Asher's ear while I'm trying to nap him, or yelling 'Mommy! Mommy! Mommy!' every 80 seconds, and I figure I should be grateful for the independence and not hinder it by smothering him with restrictions. But having sticky apple residue on every surface is starting to get to me so I have enacted some legislation.
In other apple news, a conversation...
Me: [reading a book] "...I like to munch on a crisp apple."
Owen: I like to munch on a crisp apple! I love crisp, delicious apples!
Me: Oh yes you do. You eat a lot of apples Owen.
Owen: Mmm! [pause] And I love to eat crisp Swedish Fish!
The Lists brought Owen an awesome bag of Halloween gifts--pez, glow bracelets, a bouncy ball, temporary tattoos, and...Swedish Fish! He had temporarily forgotten about them, but now they are looming large in his mind again. :)
I found Owen with Asher in the kitchen after I ran upstairs to grab something...luckily Asher still had two eyeballs intact.
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1 comment:
We routinely find the same scene in our house. I have just decided it is easiest to wash the apples off and slice them up to eat later. Apple residue, however, is another story. Just tell yourself that it's a lot neater than banana residue. ;)
BTW,I found Swedish fish in a Halloween pumpkin, but I didn't get to try any. I thought of Owen, though. lsm
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