Erin hasn't been the most pleasant to be around the last few weeks. I'd say as soon as she turned 19 months, a lot of "strange" behavior started to develop. She's more sensitive than usual, which means she's been getting upset about practically everything. I'll find her crying for no reason at all. She gets upset if I try to help her at anything now. She thinks she's all grown up and doesn't require any help anymore. She's finally saying "No", so naturally, her answer to everything is No. But, the one thing that's been driving me the most crazy is the screaming. I'm sure this is just the beginning of her terrible two's, if that is what's really happening. She's more likely now to get frustrated and throw a tantrum, but must she scream so loud?! She throws her face to the floor when she's upset, she has mastered the pout and fake cry (Where does she learn this stuff?!). Goodness.

These changes in her behavior have definitely been testing my patience. I've often times lost my cool and raised my voice. But, I'm sure Erin is just as frustrated as I am. This is when I wish Erin could talk so we can have conversations and resolve the problem because I'm sure most of her meltdowns have been about her inability to communicate the things she wants to. Unfortunately, the timing of this couldn't be any worse. We leave for Italy in a week and I'm a tad bit concerned about how our trip might turn out. This is why I'll have to do my very best in preventing these meltdowns. It'd be wonderful if there was no screaming and no meltdowns of any kind the entire time we're there! *crossing fingers*

How to prevent it:

• I've heard and know very well about the "fearsome four": hunger, fatigue, boredom, and over-stimulation. Erin is one cranky and hangry child when she's tired and hungry. I'll have to make sure Erin is well-rested and well-fed. We will try avoiding over-scheduling, and I'm bringing lots of her favorite snacks to keep her tummy happy and full.
• Try to keep some sort of routine. I know napping will be a big concern while we're traveling, so we're going to try our very best to stick to some routine to reduce the risk of a meltdown (I fear the jet-lag). We'll also have to try our best to eat meals at reasonable/consistent times each day. 
• Don't lose my cool. I'm sure Erin feeds off my frustration. So I must be the adult and keep calm to keep my child calm. Keep calm and carry on.
• Try to talk it out. I underestimate how much Erin can understand. I need to be talking to her more and asking her questions. Talking to her might help in preventing any unnecessary meltdowns or might help to quickly remedy one.

Erin refusing to get in the car because we took away her raisins

So wish us luck on our trip. Hah, we're going to need it! This will be my last post till we return, but I'll be updating my Instagram while we're there. Here's to traveling with toddlers. Woohoo! Go us!

Lately

Snippets of life lately..

 I leave you with this. I'm so glad Erin still loves to dance.

DIY Project - Pom Pom Party Hats

I made dozens of these party hats for Erin’s 1st birthday. These party hats are fairly easy to make and they’re super cute. However, it is time consuming (I had friends come over and help). Here’s what you’ll need:

1. Paper Mache Cones 2. Yarn 3. Washi Tape 4. Elastic String 5. Hot Glue Gun 6. Paint Brushes 7. Paint

I started off by making the pom poms first. Those took the longest to make (You can find a simple how-to for the pom poms here ). Then I painted the cones (I bought 3X7 size cones). I used circle stickers and washi tape for helping with the designs. The washi tape works great because it comes off surfaces easily without causing any tears. After letting the paint dry, I used a hot glue gun to attach the pom poms on top of the cones. The final step is to punch holes on each side (I used a belt hole maker, but you can use a hole punch as well) and tie on the elastic cord.

I was very happy with how they turned out.