Wilder Turns 2: And Reflections on Quarantine with a Toddler
Two years ago today, our lives were forever changed for the better and our family was made whole. Since then, a lot has happened. We sold our house in Maryland, and moved down the east coast a bit and into our current house in North Carolina. This past January when the kids went back to school after the holidays, Wilder started attending a program for toddlers two days a week. He blossomed in that program, and absolutely loved going to school with his bus backpack. He came home singing new songs, and started bringing home artwork as well. When we didn’t go to school, we went to a weekly playgroup, and went to the gym as well. I would venture to say he’s going to be an extrovert because he thrives from being around other people. Life was grand, and we were all cruising happily along and feeling like things were going in the right direction. Then the coronavirus happened and our lives drastically changed. For a toddler who can’t understand what’s happening in the world, all he knew was that he was no longer leaving the house for school, playgroup, or the gym, and no longer seeing other kids his age. This change of routine has been confusing for him, and he’s had his grumpy days for sure. Keeping a toddler entertained, happy, and secure at home is not an easy task, but the real truth is that Wilder is the absolute joy of our quarantine life.
I made a little video montage of some of my favorite moments with him over these past 6 weeks.
In the time that we’ve been safe at home, there have been moments where I’ve wanted to pull my hair out, of course. However, the good moments far outweigh the bad, and quarantine with a toddler is actually full of joy, laughter, silliness, and discovery even within these 4 walls.
The ways that Wilder has brought our family so much happiness throughout this stressful time are countless, but I will always remember how he…
- sings Into the Unknown from Frozen 2 back and forth with Emmy.
- laughs hysterically at Sawyer’s Spanish lessons (he finds other languages highly amusing!).
- snuggles in and rests a hand on my thigh to watch a movie.
- pretends to sleep with a soft snore, and then pops up.
- runs circles around the wall that divides our kitchen and living room every night before bed, like clockwork.
- when asked what kind of cake he wanted, every time he says, “bus moo choo choo puppy neigh Anna let it go.”
- dips anything and everything in peanut butter.
- sings E-I-E-I-O!
- plays trains with Sawyer.
- loves to read books with the family.
- flirts with teenage girls who walk or ride bikes by our house.
- snuggles with Snowball constantly, calling her “nah-ah.”
- does a great impression of Cookie Monster.
- calls for “Ma!” when he wakes up, and Chris and I always refer to the meatloaf scene in Wedding Crashers, because he sounds that demanding.
- asks me to draw pictures for him, so he can scribble over them.
- blows on dandelions.
- laughs hysterically with us when we are laughing at something way over his head.
- sings to me from his seat on my bike.
- sometimes says “cue me” when he burps.
- moves his head side to side when he is feeling the music.
- shouts letters at Wheel of Fortune when the contestants are calling out their picks.
I am grateful to this little guy who has proven to be the glue that is holding our family together during these times, and keeping us all laughing when we need it most.
By the way, this is the progress on his cake… just needs wheels. I did the best I could with what I had and made him a bus in Frozen blue. We’re thinking of setting it up with some farm animals. 😉
Wilder, you were an answer to a prayer the day you were born, and you continue to answer them each day of your life. We are gratefully yours.
