Play-Learn-Grow-Repeat

From Monday Mom – Neetika:
I thought the famously rough patch for preschoolers usually occurs when a child is two years old. Shows what I know! Apparently, most seasoned parents are perfectly aware that though two might not be easy, three can really throw you for a loop in terms of acting up.

Haley is nearly three now and lately she has shown a new level of defiance. I always appreciated the fact that she seemed like a very aware, savvy kid. Now, it’s working against me! I thought she was testing her limits a lot this past year, but that’s nothing compared to the stuff she pulls now. It’s harder to manipulate—excuse me—convince her of things. She can be unbelievably stubborn. Her emotions are all over the chart. As social media has taken note lately, the things that make a three-year-old cry are incredible. She wants a cheese stick, so she cries. You open it and give it to her, she cries. She didn’t want it opened! Silly mommy.

I am taking it all in stride, though. Haley has her moments, but she still makes me laugh. I love her interest in and enthusiasm for everything. I think her acting out is correlated with her taking in the world and understanding it at a new, deeper level. I can understand that. Sometimes I find life overwhelming, so I can only imagine how she feels. As for her occasional difficult disposition, I’m telling myself that this too, shall pass. It has to!

From Friday Mom – Jaime:
As you’re reading this, I’m in Colorado Springs. My boys were supposed to be in Maine, but the threat of the impending hurricane kept them in Jersey for the weekend. And I’m really hoping that I’ll actually be able to make it back into town on Saturday night (since that’s exactly when the hurricane is supposed to hit).

Andrew got to experience his first earthquake this week. Yeah, I know. Everyone who isn’t on the east coast is sick to death about us whining about a little earthquake. I slept through the last quake in Jersey and was more than a little freaked out when my office started swaying back and forth. But my next thought immediate went to whether Andrew was okay.

Before I could pick up the phone and call daycare to check on him, I had an email from them telling everyone not to panic. “Everything is fine. Actually, all the kids are still napping.”

So we’ve had lots of disasters this week. Both of the nature variety and the temper variety… My kid is three and has the attitude of a defiant teenager. He is convinced he knows it all and isn’t afraid to tell you that, at every single opportunity.

We’ve clashed pretty badly this week. Over bedtime. Over getting dressed in the morning. Over eating. (You know, us wanting him to, him not wanting to) It’s pretty stressful when everything becomes a battle. Then with absolutely no warning, he’ll slip back into his sweet, caring self.

Here’s hoping to a disaster free weekend…or at least keeping those disasters to a minimum!

The time has finally come… Jack is in his new big boy room!  Last week, Jack’s new bedroom furniture was delivered.  It took about a month to arrive, and Jack asked just about every day when his new “room” was going to come.  The delivery guys were very kind and patient.  Jack watched them carry in each piece and assemble everything.  Jack was even lucky enough to help drill in a bolt.

This was just as exciting for me, since I love to decorate. I have been buying new bedding and other odds and ends.  The décor of this room is trains, of course.  I couldn’t bring myself to making it a “Thomas the train” room since Thomas seems to be taking over our house.  I must draw the line here.  This is a vintage train inspired themed room.  With a few more items to add to the walls his room will be finished, and I can start decorating the new nursery.  We are down to 3 months before the baby arrives… YIKES!

Jack was so excited to sleep in his new bed.  He loved his striped sheets and couldn’t believe how BIG his bed seemed.  He has so much room to spread out.  He quickly realized what a great trampoline it made, too.  I thought for sure he would sleep in late every morning now that he has this nice comfortable bed, but I was wrong.  Undoubtedly, he is a morning person and I’m going to have to face that fact.

This new room marks yet another milestone.  My baby is growing up.  Soon he’ll be three and off to preschool and before I know it high school.  Time really does fly when you are having fun!

Seriously, today was one of those days that I literally felt like someone else invaded my son’s body and took over. Kind of like an “evil twin.” As much as I love the boy, today he even pushed his patient mama to the edge! There were several time-outs, trains taken away, many “talks,” and even one “please go sit in another room, mama feels like she might get very angry.” That was the FIRST time that I ever used that line! Anyone else ever feel like you are at your wits end training these little guys (and gals)?

Let’s see… today we threw play dough across the room, hit the dog, hit me, yelled, and the highlight….. dumped water out of the tub during bath. Now when I say “dumped water,” I am talking A LOT of water. Have you ever seen those large hair rinsing buckets for kids? Yes, Brady filled that entirely FULL and dropped it on the floor. Now, you are probably all thinking that I could have just soaked it up in towels and all would be fine. Yes, very true. Except for the fact that my parents live in an older home and the water QUICKLY ran through the floor, to the basement. There was a 3-foot circle of water on the basement floor. And this was after I soaked up the mess, right after it happened. I was amazed at the speed of the water.

I was warned about the Terrible Twos. I must admit that two was rather easy. Three isn’t that bad either (most days). But today was definitely a Terrible Three day. When we did our goodnight routine, I still gave the kisses and hugs and told him I loved him (of course). But I did mention that “boy, I hope my nice Brady is back tomorrow.” And my little guy looked at me and said “don’t worry mama, he will be back.”