Lucas at 27 months

If you have been following my blog, you will know that Lucas has been unwell the past 2.5 months, starting from a seemingly normal cough and cold which turned out to be bronchitis, to a persistent normal cold which then affected his right ear resulting in an ear infection, after which he passed me his cold and then I inadvertently passed it back to him together with a cough. The cold and cough ping ponged back and forth between Lucas and I and now seems to be gone already. Then Fred came down with a really bad bout of "gastro" - stomach flu which causes headaches, tummyaches, vomiting and diarrhea. Last Thursday my MIL was babysitting Lucas and on Thursday night she came down with gastro, and Fred started showing symptoms (i.e kept hording the toilet) on Saturday. At first it seemed like Lucas and I were OK, but Lucas started pooing soft stools which I thought was due to the pureed apples and pears I gave him. But he pooed 3 times on Saturday. But since his stools were just soft we decided to wait and see. Sunday morning Lucas woke up early because he pooed, and his papa put him in the shower to clean him off. But on that day, Lucas only pooed once.
Today, Lucas was fine so we sent him to creche while I went to school. But tonight after his milk and cookies he pooed twice, both watery. He was also irritable today at school and at home. I wonder if its because his tummy is aching? But he is still his active self and to take precautions I am giving him a lot of fluids. I am starting him on the BRATTY diet tomorrow - Banana (I need to mash it and hide it in his cereal), rice, applesauce, toast, tea (weak green tea or chamomile tea) and yoghurt. BRATTY is supposed to help when one has diarrhea.
Thank God that Lucas loves to drink water and loves his milk so I just need to increase the doses. For now that is all we can do for his gastro, since the doctor will also tell us to keep his fluids up and if the diarrhea doesn't stop, prescribe imodium...

Anyway in tha past week, Lucas has also been exhibiting terrible full on tantrums - screaming, back arching, throwing himself on the floor, arms and legs flaying while screaming at the top of his lungs. I have absolutely no idea where he learnt how to do that! He is now throwing his tantrums over the smallest thing. I have been ignoring his tantrums and walking away but Fred cannot stand his screaming. Fred also told me he showed Lucas "Super Nanny" and thinks Lucas learnt how to throw a full blown mother of a tantrum from watching Super Nanny!
Lucas hates the word "no" except when it comes from him! But on the other hand, he has also calmed down in many other ways. He can now sit quietly and eat his cookie or his breakfast (in front of the telly, watching Elmo...). Today he came to me and said "ka ka" because he pooed. He also took his "First book of Animals" and instead of pointing out the animals for me to read to him, read it back to me, much to my amazement! He even attempted to say "ladybird" and "peacock".
His favourite things to do these days is to push the chair to the kitchen sink, ask mama to fill up his drinking glass with water (he insists on drinking from a porcelain cup or a normal glass) and he practises fine tuning his motor skills by pouring water out from one glass to another without spilling. Lucas also insists on taking the DVD out from the DVD player himself and inserting a new DVD before asking us to switch on the DVD for him.
We have also managed to get Lucas to wear his beanie and his mittens when he goes out in the cold. Previously he hated it and would take them off inspite of the biting cold.
As much as he has progressed tho, Lucas is still not saying "mama". He says "papa" ALL the time....

Last week he took some brocolli out from the fridge and said "tree". :)
He says "please" when he wants something and then "merci" when he gets it. He says "more" when he wants another cookie or more cereal or water. He says "cookie". When he is about to throw his ball at me, he says "catch", when he is about to kick the ball he says "kick".
When we announce that we are going out, he brings his shoes for us to help him. He also says "shoes".
Lucas knows the difference between a circle, a triangle, an oval, a square and a star. He also recognises colors like yellow, green and blue - thanks to the colored stickers I bought for him to play with. Everytime he asks me for a colored sticker I tell him if its blue or red or green or yellow or pink.
He knows when its time for a diaper change or for clothes change - he starts running away and wants me to catch him. When its milk time, he wants me to carry him to the bean bag and lie him down.
He pretends to talk on the phone all the time, having imaginary conversations and then passing me the phone, looking bemused when I start having a conversation with his imaginary friend.
He says "bye" and "au revoir" and blows kisses when its time to leave or when his papa leaves for work.

He also smiles for the camera now :)