Frus-ter-ated: A little lesson from Blue's Clues

The other day during Luke's "rest", I was watching him on the video monitor. His entertainment de jour was sticking his fingers in his mouth until he gagged and then saying "I'm sick. I'm so sick". Repeat. I wanted to go in there to tell him to stop (he's not really sick and this was not the infant thing of trying to soothe a sore throat), but waited for a few minutes hoping he would stop on his own and take up a new task (reading books, throwing things out of his crib, pulling the blinds back to look out the window, standing on his head, etc.).

Then he started calling, "Mommy, I think we made a problem." I went into his room. He pointed at a little bit of throw-up on his pillow and repeated, "Uh-oh. I think we made a problem".

Me: Uh-oh. What happened? Why did you do that?

Luke: I was frus-ter-ated. I think my's needs to go to the doctor. I think my's need some medicine, so my's can feel better. (Note: Luke's Daddy is sick and went to the Dr. this morning).

Me: What hurts?

Luke: My tummy (pulls up his shirt to show me). I think my's needs to go to the doctor right now for some medicine.

Me: I think we'll take some medicine at home.

Luke: Ok.

Meanwhile I've pulled the pillowcase off his pillow and am checking the rest of the crib for throw-up (sheets, animals, blankets and bumpers are all clean ... hooray!) when I notice him standing with both feet on the side of his sippy cup of water (which is usually not in his crib).

Me: Please don't stand on that.

Luke: Oh, why not? ("Why not" is Luke's version of "why" and we hear it no less than 100 times a day!).

Me: Because it might break (said at the exact second that the sippy screw-top manages to separate from the bottom of the cup and all the water pours out onto the bed).

Me: Uuugh. Now that frustrates me.

Luke (and here's the lesson compliments of Steve on Blue's Clues): When you get frus-ter-ated, you need to stop and think.

OR, you just need a little comic relief from a toddler to make it all better!

It's Called a Mini-Van

Have I mentioned that we joined the mini-van club? I was initially very resistent to this movement, but have now fully embraced it and I LOVE it! Luke has told quite a few people, "It's called a mini-van".