The Cooped Up Toddler

With the new baby I have found that my energy level and desire to leave the house is very very small. Unfortunately, with Liam around this can have crazy results. Not letting him out of the house for three days (we were all sick, there was no way you were getting me past the front door) led to a major screaming freak out on the 4th day.

Leaving the house entails checking diaper supplies, making sure there is a change of clothes for the baby, a blanket to change her on, food for Liam, warm water and formula and a clean bottle for Evie, my phone, camera, keys, wallet... the debate of will I need the 2 seat stroller or should I just bring the one for Evie?

Then we have to go through the mental breakdown of my dear son as he dawns on the realization that he gets to go outside. You would think that this would be a time for him to enthusiastically put his shoes on and cheerfully run to the door to be let loose on the world. But that would be too easy! The sight of shoes and socks send Liam into a screaming fit, the only thing I can imagine is that he does not want to take the time to be shod before tearing out the door.

Once outside, we then have to wrangle him into the car if we are going somewhere. He is so excited to be in the car that he will not sit still so getting him buckled can be a real challenge. On the flip side, he wants nothing else BUT the car when we are going to go for a walk around the neighborhood.

But in the end we get outside, Evie sleeps a lot outside so its a good thing to do when she is having a cranky time, and Liam gets to go crazy outside and wear himself out.

Don't even get me started on what happens when we have to go inside and he isn't done outside yet.... I've started bribing him with mini sized chocolates when those moments arrive.