Mister Destructo

Max and Ryann were NEVER this desctructive as toddlers.  Yes, they had their accidental toy breakings or incidental book tearings.  Adam....oh, Adam....he cannot be left alone with anything more fragile than a solid steel box.  Except you couldn't leave him alone with that either because he would use it to smash something.  He asks for a book (by whining "unh, unh, unh" and gesturing toward the bookshelf in the boy's room) every night after I come in to tuck Max in and Max begins to read.  I used to always oblige and hand him a tough to ruin baby board book.  However, more often than not, I would enter the boy's room in the morning to find the board book torn to pieces and tossed over the crib rail to the floor.  Passionate book lover (or book club whore, whichever you fancy) that I am, I cannot abide this book bashing.  So, although it made me sad, tonight when Adam began to whine, I handed him one of the new stuffed animals he got for Christmas, rubbed his back and told him he'd have to snuggle Eeyore tonight, no books for him.  I was worried he would cry (he also more often than not nowadays, cries when he doesn't get his way...as all 19 month olds seem wont to do) but he didn't tonight so that eased my guilt a little bit.  We'll try giving him books again in a few months if he can stop tearing, smashing, ripping, breaking, banging, pulling, pushing everything in sight.