The Baylor Family Blog

More and more, we are realizing we are entering a new phase of life with our little boy. Though he’s been toddling around for about seven months now, we are noticing his independence and desire to make his own choices increase! He wants to choose his socks and shoes and will throw a fit if we choose for him. He wants to choose what he eats and when he is finished. He wants to choose the book. He wants to choose the jacket he wears outside. He wants to choose who and want and where and when he is playing. Basically, this kid doesn’t like to be told what to do and thrives off of choices. Its been interesting figuring out the balance of “I’m the parent, you are the kid and you do what I say,” setting boundaries, and adjusting our parenting style to help Eli thrive.

Well, the picture above made me smile. Eli has been pretty sick with a nasty cold for the past several days. Yesterday was a pretty rough day as he was super clingy and fussy. Well, at one point in the day, he sat on the stairs with his boots (that is his way of asking for his shoes to be put on). Going with the flow, I put his boots on. I ran upstairs to grab something, and came downstairs to find he put on a baseball cap. Then he walked over and picked out a coat. Then he walked over to the door leading outside and knocked (his peaceful way of asking to go outside). So maybe this combination of outerwear would not have been my first choice (though to give him credit, his choices were not all that bad!), but I had to laugh as I watched him running around outside wearing his choices!

Yesterday when we were sitting on the floor, I also noticed that Eli figured out the Indian style position of sitting. And the other day, Matt and I called Eli up from the basement. We peaked down the stairs only to watch him walk up, only using the wall to balance (he usually crawls up or walks holding onto our hand for balance). These may be small things, but they are everyday reminders that Eli is no longer a baby and is rapidly growing up!