Phases

This is the beginning of the documentation of Ruthie's 'phases'. Be they hilarious, hard, frustrating or downright bizarre, I think we're all in for a treat here. 

For the last month or so Ruthie will sometimes decide right before a meal (usually breakfast) or once she's in her chair that she is so upset (for no apparent reason) that she must cry uncontrollably and refuses to eat. I think she just wants to sit in my lap to eat, but I don't allow it cause I like to enjoy my eating experience, too! So one day I had enough of this crazy tantrum at the table and told her that until she was happy and calmed down she couldn't eat and I sent her to her 'reading corner' in her room to calm down. Well, surprise of all surprises, it worked! She cry/ran to her room, plopped down in her reading corner, cried it out a little bit, then came back smiling and ready to eat. 

This still happens probably a couple times a week, she is sent to 'calm down' and can come out to eat when she is happy. Sometimes she just runs down the hall crying and turns right around smiling. Then the rest of the meal goes off without a hitch. Every once in awhile if she has a really hard time calming down I will go in and talk with her or even hold her, but we don't resume meals until she's happy, whatever it takes. 

I think this is a toddler sign of her asserting some control over her own little life, emotions and actions. I'm sure the future solutions to these struggles won't all be this easy but for the time being we'll take it!