Delia Distracted

I am currently involved in one my hardest parenting challenges yet: getting a very active toddler to take it easy and shun her monkey ways for a whole week (at least). Delia's injury requires that she be calm and safe and as still as possible. To prevent the constant "NO!" rebuke, Dave and I have always parented Delia with a "pick-your-battles" philosophy. Dancing on the coffee table: okay. Scaling the entertainment center shelves: not okay. Everything she is used to doing to burn off energy, from wrestling with Lily, to riding the scooter around the patio, to jumping on the couch is now off limits. The way I handle this is with non-stop supervision. I learned quickly that if I take even 5 minutes to answer the phone or put the laundry in the dryer, Delia will be on top of something (like the bathroom counter). And while I do love to play with my girls, ceaseless Little People, puzzles, baby doll, etc. are exhausting! The key is distraction-- for both of us. Today we took a nice long time baking some blueberry muffins (and Delia involved in the eating of our product is what is allowing me to type this now!). I do write this lightheartedly, I AM so thankful she seems to feel just like her normal self and have no pain at all.