Betweener

I think Matthew is entering a new developmental phase.  I lovingly call this the "betweener" phase, that between being a baby and being a toddler.  The key features of this phase are (a) wanting to do things on your own and (b) not being able to.  

I think that is why we are having such a hard time feeding Matthew right now.  He wants to feed himself, but he isn't yet proficient enough to get all his nourishment without our assistance.  If we put him in his high chair to eat, half of the time he'll throw a fit. Same with the car seat.  He doesn't want to be in the car seat.  It is too confining.  He wants to be moving and more part of the action.  Oh how I remember that phase with Alyssa.  She would scream her lungs out on the way home from daycare just because she disliked being in the car seat.  

I have to say, on one hand I'm excited to see Matthew's progression, but on the other hand, I'm dreading the fact that it seems that Matthew stays in a phase 2 to 3 times longer than typical kids.  All the developmental phases have joys and challenges, and given we'll be in each phase for so long, I just hope the joys even out the rough edges of the challenges!