Cycles and Phases

Daigoro goes through cycles, much like other children. His cycles can be somewhat strange, however. For example, when he was very young (0-6 months or so), he enjoyed getting his diaper changed so much that we actually changed him to calm him down even if he didn't need changing (on occasion, when we had reached a mental breaking point). Later, he began to dislike getting changed (6-18 months), mostly on account of wanting to be able to squirm about. Then, for a brief period, he seemed to be fairly lukewarm to the idea (18-22 months). For the last two months or so, however, he's become resistant again, to the point of clamping shut his legs every other day or so and protesting "no, no, stop!". For any other parents who may have not had this experience, it's surprisingly difficult to change a baby who is actively resisting you by tucking his knees and legs together and drawing them in against his body. Then when you go to wipe his bottom, he puts down his legs, then you go to wipe his groin and he tucks them up again. Smart cookie, Daigoro. Sometimes it's related to diaper rash (which, thankfully, he doesn't get very often at all), but sometimes it just seems to be his mood to put up resistance.

For a while there, he seemed to want nothing but YouTube clips of trucks. Now he wants "games" - computer games like Dora the Explorer, Diego and other delightful diversions at www.nickjr.com. We're limiting his play time, of course, but it's interesting (and somewhat disturbing) to hear a child want something (aside from a cookie) as the very first thing when he wakes up in the morning, and that something to be a computer game. (Well, to be honest, the very first thing he asks for is "Mom" or "Dad", so we've got that portion of his affections locked down).

We've recently begun reading him bedtime stories more often. When he was younger, he seemed somewhat uninterested - usually losing attention about three pages in, but now he's pretty keen. Last night, for the first time, he wanted to take his book to bed with him and read it (well, flip through the pages and stare at the pictures). He's taken the book to bed with him before, as a sort of security blanket; he's also taken dolls, trucks and various other toys with him to clutch while falling asleep. Last night, though, he sat in bed reading after we put him down. Marli commented, "We may as well have been robots, for all he needed us to be there." It was kind of cute to look at him, lying on his back reading, completely oblivious to his adoring parents.

Cycles and phases. Some things he returns to; some he never will.