+
And then there’s this guy.
I kind of like him too.
And I wanna remember him just how he is.
Here are some of his milestones and characteristics this year.
Potty trained in January.
Next to 0 accidents since!!
Big boy bed (bottom of M’s bunk) shortly after.
Nearly killed us cuz he got out of bed 90. million. times. a night. (before we went to bed and after)
And he was not shaken by any type of punishment or threatening.
And I mean any.
(trust me, I tried them all)
In an attempt to get creative I put him in the dark closet and told him that was his timeout if he didn’t’ stay in bed.
He cried and cried and then the next night, asked for his timeout.
I took him to the
dark basement and put him in the dark guest bedroom if he didn’t stay in bed.
Same response.
Turned off the night light, shut his door, put child proof handle on his door (he disassembled it and handed it to me).
Took him back to the crib (which he liked), yelled til I was hoarse, laid by him.
Was at my wit’s end until one day, a light went off in my own head and I put him on the top bunk and took down his ladder.
He quit getting out of bed and begs me to leave the ladder up every night.
So I do, as long as he stays in bed.
Although he still comes to visit often in the night and says “Mommy, I scaywee.”
In which case we make him a bed on the floor except the nights he makes himself a bed on the floor and we can’t find him cuz he’s buried in blankets and throw pillows!
And “I scaywee” sort of became a theme as he decided he was afraid of everything from movie theaters, to fountains, to fireworks.
When he began putting sentences together, he would shake his head to indicate a negative.
(“like it” (head shake) meant that he did not like it)
(“want it” (head shake) meant did not want it.)
He also started saying “I lub it cake!” or “I lub it _____,” (fill in the blank).
It was the cutest thing and he still tells me he loves things like tv shows all the time.
And he would say “Daddy do this,” or “____ do this” as he imitated what someone did or said.
One day he walked by the fire in our fireplace and said “The four (fire) do this,” as he wiggled and swayed to imitate the fire.
That was a new one for me!
Although he showed no interest in learning his shapes and colors, the boy could pick out a star, a heart, or a butterfly anywhere.
(must have an older sister)
In fact we had to teach him to stop calling his Tom’s with skulls on them his “butterfly shoes.”
They are now referred to as his “pirates.”
Loves dressing as a princess with his sister.
Loves dressing as a super hero with his brother.
Fascinated with “tigas,” just like his big bro was.
And also “witchees.” He could stare at the book “Sleeping Beauty” all day on the page with the picture of the witch.
Still told me/ tells me twice daily that he went on “elephant wide” and sometimes added/ adds “It fun.”
Sometimes he even tells me I’m too big to ride on it.
Walked with his hands behind his back everywhere he went, like a goof.
When I told him to do something or stop doing something, he would say “Fine.”
Walked on the back of his toes- still does sometimes.
Hence the name, “Twinkle toes.”
Bugged the heck out of any girl who hated to be bugged, namely his cousin Morgan and his sister!
Teased them incessantly!!
Obsessed with water and always getting into it!
Told people his name was “Mickey” (Emeki- his Hawaiian name)
Also told people he was four (his sister’s age).
Stopped calling water “Alco.” :( which I was hoping would never happen.
Turned it into “wa wa” and now calls it “wogga.”
LOVED Papa’s boat and tubing and now tells me daily about those as well.
Also LOVED four wheeling and every time he heard an engine start up at the cabin, he came running and crying because he wanted on!!
Loves Lagoon and “Goona beach” and asks to go there all. day. long.
Calls his drink “dink.”
Decided he LOVERS peanut butter n honey samiches!!
LOVES singing and dancing!
Looks up to guys and has a special bond with his dad, grandpas and uncles.
Doesn’t like pop because it’s “spicy.”
Asks if I am sick before he will give me a kiss (because of the one week that I was).
Says “I wanna sit on yours lap.”
Now uses “Me” incorrectly.
(“Look what me did!”)
Saw his brother and sister put on socks and tennis shoes for school and insisted he do the same every day.
We had to go buy him some new ones cuz his Converses were too small!
Boy was he excited about his “new one shoes.”
Before the baby came, I was afraid for her life because he had become so extremely hard, busy, naughty . . . call it what you want.
(I went with “Satan’s offspring” on most occasions.)
Undeterred by any punishment, he was “that kid” who hit babies, pulled hair, ruined everything and threw things at people from point blank range.
I basically avoided taking him out in public, and he spent most of his days in the corner or his room.
Yet tell him he was in trouble and he would fall apart and say “Don’t want it twouble!!” or “I not in twouble!!”
I had visions of putting a lock on the baby girl’s room and keeping her there most of the time.
The first time she was accidentally left unattended and he made it over to her, I cried harder than she did.
But then something amazing happened.
His -out of control difficult phase- sort of phased out and he grew up a little.
His ability to be reasoned with increased.
And, he loved her.
Whenever I have a new baby, I sometimes feel guilty on behalf of my current baby because I feel like I am betraying them.
With him it was no different.
However, each time we add to our family, our others are so filled with love for him or her that there has never been a moment of jealousy.
In fact, my kids keep asking if we can have 6+ kids.
(I don’t tell them yes- you have to stop somewhere!)
But it is such a natural relationship that it reminds me one of the reasons that we keep having babies is so they have each other!
It’s what life is all about.
Anyway, although I still do not trust him alone with the baby, my fear is gone because he is so good to her.
He loves fetching and throwing away diapers and I’ve seen him wipe the drool off her face.
He calls them “blow ups” and “spit outs.”
And every night he wants to kiss “her’s head.”
And though I toyed with the idea of sending him to preschool this year, things are going well and I am enjoying him so much!
(It helps to have D here so that we can keep him occupied and take turns taking him places)
He is such a cute little blessing in my life and I’m so proud of that one too!
