Naked

When my toddler was born, I was given a cute bodysuit that said "I'd rather be naked". In three years that has not changed.

Why do toddlers feel the need to be naked all the time? I know it's not just boys because my mother once said she thought I would be a stripper.

Currently, my son is watching Dora, doing the mambo, in his birthday suit. He doesn't want to put underwear on as it hurts him. He wears it every day and yet today it hurts him. So instead he runs around the house naked.

This is one of those instances where if a roommate acted this way, they'd be kicked out!

-The Cooped up Mom

Gluten Free Banana Pancakes

I don't normally make breakfast for my kids because Cooper rarely eats it. Cooper is the biggest eater I've ever seen and yet in the last couple months he's become super picky. He turns his nose up at former favourites like steak, spaghetti, chicken, and even french fries. His ideal breakfast is a dry Eggo waffle or a dry bowl of cereal. So why spend the time making food that he'll just tell me is stinky. Is it good? "Uhhh no. Not good." Really, bud? Because I'm pretty sure you haven't even tried it!

Well, today I had a couple overly ripe bananas that I thought would be perfect for some pancakes. He didn't like the typical eggs and banana, so I added some oats and flax to bulk it up a bit and they were a hit with both kids! Plus even better it's super easy. I'm gluten free, so I made mine with gluten free oats but you could do just the flax or regular oats.

Gluten free Banana pancakes

2 - ripe bananas
3 - eggs
1/4 C - oats - ground in the blender
2 Tbsp - ground flax
2 tsp - vanilla

Mash banana and combine all ingredients (or add all ingredients into a blender).
Ladle batter onto hot lightly greased griddle or frying pan, using  roughly 1/4 cup of batter for each pancake. Cook on medium heat until bubbles begin to form on top, then flip to brown the other side.

Can't get much easier than that plus they're getting a healthy breakfast! Maybe I should make breakfast more often....

P.s. Cooper said he didn't like them, until he saw his little brother eating them!

Always has to be difficult.

-The Cooped up Mom

Kids have no filter but is it necessarily a bad thing?

Recently, I watched my girlfriends daughter, Lily*, while she had to work. Lily is the sweetest girl. She's three months older than Cooper and a good fit for him as they're totally different. 

So this particular afternoon while I was bending down to pick something up she said to me, "Auntie Nikki, you have a BIG bum." A lot of emphasis on big. 

I giggled and replied "Thanks, yes I do".

I'll be honest it caught me off guard. How does one reply to that? She's not being offensive. She's not being mean. She's being an observant 3 year old.

Her mom has apologized multiple timess but it's totally unnecessary. I'm glad she's observant. Luckily, kids don't see differences as a "bad thing." Whether it be my big butt or my own toddler talking about how I have extra boobs on my back and stomach, it's okay that they speak their minds.

So my question is when does our perception change? At what age is it not okay to comment about someone's differences like weight?

Until we find these answers, I'll be out walking off the pounds. Just kidding, I'm watching TV and eating ice cream. 

-The Cooped up mom

You will join me for dinner

How does one not laugh at the ridiculous things a child says? My 3 year old is hilarious. He just doesn't know it.

Just now he yelled at me from the bathroom. "You will join me for dinner". We've been working on potty training for what seems like forever. I'd like to say he's potty trained but we still have to remind him to go pee. This statement was his defiance to having to go to the bathroom.

This isn't the first time he's said it either. Took me months to figure out what he was meaning.

Clearly, dinner is a punishment or maybe it's just my cooking?

We don't force him to sit at the table, so it's not like we are yelling that at him. Where does this come from? He's always coming up with crazy things. Usually from his favourite show, Paw Patrol. This one I couldn't place. 

Finally, it clicked. My favourite Disney movie! Beauty and the Beast. The Beast says this to Belle when she first gets to the castle. Cooper picked up on the angry voice but not the actual words the Beast is saying. Maybe this just means he's watching this movie too often? Naw, it's a classic.

So, Cooper, I will gladly join you for dinner. Are you cooking? Because I'm beat.

-The Cooped up Mom