"Helping" Mommy

Zach will be 17 months old on Friday. He has already started a mild version of the terrible twos (which lasts two years instead of the implied age of two) but he also is exploratory. He loves to read and check out things. When he was first born I made it a purpose to show him something new each day. In February, at 8 months when he started to crawl, I no longer had to think of something, it was up to him exploring the world and deciding what he wanted to experience, with me and Josh saying "yes" or "no" as needed.

He likes to have something for each hand. Sticks, rocks, leaves, bark, and acorns are among favorites. He's been walking since 14 months so that's about the time he ventured far from home in his explorations when we go outside to play. On nice days we go outside and Zach chooses where we go with mommy right behind him. One of the things he has discovered is garbage. Now in general we have a pretty clean area but he'll find the one piece of garbage on the ground and bring it to me. He's "helping" me clean up other people's trash.

He helps in other areas too. He'll take out my shoes and shirts for me "helping" me get dressed for the day. He is starting to be able to put things away but doesn't always understand where things go. No honey the books go on the bookshelf not in the toy chest. Here is where it gets tricky, I want to encourage him to be helpful since that's a good thing but like all toddlers help isn't always helpful.

Just the other day he "helped" me by getting a snack for himself. Meaning he took the tostitoes off the counter and made a mess on the rug. Luckily, that was an easy cleanup. I love that he wants to be so helpful. It's how we want to raise him and it's the example we try to set him. He's adorable on grocery day (he goes Saturday mornings with daddy). If he's awake when they get home he'll hand us the groceries to put away. He also likes to "help" with the laundry. He stands right next to me and sometimes hands me cloths that I've dropped.

This year maybe he can "help" with making Christmas cookies. He loves to watch me cook and I think when he's a little older he'll like to help (or "help" depending on the age). One thing he likes to do is help on Decorating Day. I'll explain decorating day in a later post.

He was a leaf pile for Halloween. Due to his desire to explore nature it seemed to be something he could move around in but still look costume like. Here is a picture.
He's "helping" me figure out he wants to swing by going to it. Actually, That's one way he is very helpful, he points to or goes to what he wants so I don't have to struggle so much to figure him out. Usually, he's pointing to something on a table or counter top he can't reach and the item is there for a reason. I think he is an adorable leaf pile. He enjoyed trick or treating (no candy just cash and Play Dough for my mom). We showed him off to friends in our complex, my in-law's neighborhood, and my parent's neighborhood including both sets of grandparents. We settled at my parent's since we don't get trick or treaters in the complex. He helped hand out candy saying "thank you" as he heard the other kids do. He was a big help simply by being so patient about the visits and not really having trouble trick or treating.

Here is a picture of him helping. Recently, Zach and I were both sick so we both had humidifiers (I have a low tolerance for medication so I'd rather go home remedy). Here is him "helping" by "not touching" the humidifiers since they are on the expensive side ($40 at BRU). I love my "helpful" son.