Toddler tantrums- they are starting

Things have been getting a little interesting around here lately, Little 3 has begun to have mini tantrums and I can not help but giggle! He is not far off 13 months old and definitely trying to get his feelings and frustrations heard now. We have been having the stiff-as-a-board when I have been putting him in the pushchair for a couple of months but he gives in after a second or two as he knows I am going to wrestle him into his straps anyway, it is more a 'No, I don't want to, oh alright then' kind of manoeuvre and he doesn't kick up much of a fuss, he has never done it in the car seat though.

Tantrums- me?!

The first proper hint of tantrums started a few days ago when Little 3 wanted picking up. I had raw chicken on my hands from cooking tea so as he crawled to me I stepped over him to get to the sink to wash them, at that point he put his head on the floor between his hands in the crawling position and got cross, had a good shout and then a little cry at the end for a note of sympathy. He has done it several times since then always head down onto the floor with a shout, it really makes me want to giggle. He only does it for a few seconds and then gives up and starts to cry, he may only be little but he is already starting to get frustrated.

We have had a few other cross moments too where he has been in the highchair and his food isn't coming fast enough or he wants to get out of the pushchair when he throws his head back and shouts or clenches his fists beside his ears and has a little growl and shake kind of move. I understand that he is frustrated but I can not help but smile, after all it is pretty cute to see my little baby boy doing this! He has been shouting 'get down' which sounds a lot like 'geh dan' when he has finished his dinner or when he wants to get out of the pushchair for a week or two now. Having learnt this phrase, it usually means that he is released before he gets cross unless of course I leave him there for a moment so that I can finish unpacking the shopping without his 'help'.

Let me out NOW!

Having been through toddler tantrums with the other two, although neither of them really had much of a tantrum phase anyway, I know it lasts just a relatively short time and as his language and expression develop he will be able to communicate his wants and needs better without the need for getting overly cross. So for now I am taking the time to listen to what he is trying to tell me (his language is improving daily and he really is trying to tell me things) and read his body language as well as talk to him so that he knows what is coming and hopefully that way we can avoid a few major meltdowns. My little 3 is growing up.