Dear Mack-a-licious,
I had thought I would not be writing another one of these until around 2 and 1/2, but I find with each passing day you keep growing and changing so fast that I just wanted make sure I could log in the details before you change again and the details are gone forever. I am finding it hard to remember what you were like even a couple of months ago so I knew it was time to check in with you once again and make note of the wonderful thing that are making you who you are.
The big trend of the last few months is that You are a Big Boy. You Want to Do it Yourself. You actually say this quite frequently except no one would ever know because you pronounce it "I dit". From what I can tell, all this means you are right where you should be developmentally, and that is good. I want you to learn new things. You have a pretty independent personality even if this were not the phase you would be in by default right now, so it is not really a surprise. But that does not mean it isnt so totally and completely frustrating at times.
You see, learning to do things means doing them really, really, reeeeaaaalllly slowly. And sometimes we are in a hurry. Sometimes we actually have somewhere to be at a certain time. I know this means nothing to you. You still want to put on your own shoes and it. takes. forever. I am practicing taking a lot of deep breaths these days. I also count to ten quite a lot. I try to leave plenty of time for you to do things and hope I don't actually develop an eye twitch from the patience it requires to let you do "it" and still get to where we are supposed to be when we are supposed to be there.
Your other most noticeable attribute of the last few months is: Everything is Mine. And you let everyone within earshot know that everything you wish to touch, hold, do, play with, eat, look at is MINE!!!! I hear this often used word to be loud (very loud) and clear frequently in our world. From breakfast to getting dressed to all your toys...mine, mine, mine. I know this comes from the new mobility of your little brother and the shock and awe you have on your face when you realize he is perfectly capable of going where he wishes (to your toys) and holding toys and basically following you around wherever you go smiling at you like crazy in the hopes you will throw him a bone of approval, love or even just a basic "hey, bro". He is quickly becoming a worthy adversary, rather than a lump of baby. I see you trying to process that in your sweet little brain and the perplexed look you have at times is quite amusing. You are getting pretty good at giving him a little interaction and he just lights up when you take time out of your busy toddler lifestyle for a little baby play time. In the meantime I spend a lot of time talking to you about sharing and asking for things when Radley is done with them. It is slow going. You don't want anything to do with it. Here is Radley giving chase for the scooter car...
It also means your momma is getting better at anticipating possible conflict between you two and nipping it in the bud before anyone feels slighted...(Note the arrival of a 2nd water cup to the standoff...)
But while the conflict level is definitely up in our house this spring, so is how much real communication we can have because you are talking so much. You have gotten to where you never stop. Even when I am not in the room. You putter along having conversations with your brother, your toys, your trucks, imaginary people about all sorts of things. And in those unguarded moments it has been funny to me to hear my own verbal tendencies parrotted from your mouth. Apparently when I talk to you, I end with the word OK a lot. As in "We are going to go to the park, OK?" I never realized I do this, but now I know I do because now you end most of your sentences with "OK?". I also must say sorry alot because if you bump into anything or drop anything you are quick to say "sorry". Sometimes you say it out of context of anything which can be quite amusing.
Another thing I can see coming out in you that is ALL me is the fact you are pretty bossy. Yes. I said it. It was probably your lot in life anyway, since you are the oldest in birth order and I think it inherently predisposes a person to an overpowering urge to tell people what to do. But there is no denying that you got that from me.
Since I have spent so much time talking about how you are being difficult in several areas, I should probably be fair and mention an area of your life that you are wonderfully un-difficult about. Bedtime. You are so good at night when it is time to go to sleep. We have also started reading books every night before you go to bed. You seem to look forward to this evening ritual so much too. All l I have to do is ask you is if you are ready for story time and you jump up from whatever you are doing and run full speed into your room (never once looking back to make sure I am following), climb up on your bed and snuggle under your "bank" and start deciding which books in the pile by your bed we will be reading tonight. I, of course, follow and snuggle up in the bed with you and we talk about our day and read about adventures of Max, King of the Wild Things, Elmo, Mickey and a host of other characters. I love this time with you so much. I love when your eyelids get heavy and we snuggle up and just be still and silent. A few times you have rolled over and said "night-night mama" and that is my cue that you would now like your bed to yourself and I am free to go.
As I drift down the hall I reflect on you and our little family and I just want you to know that I think you are the funniest , most adorable and best kid I could ever have hoped for. I marvel at the amazing little individual you are becoming. You have such a special place in my heart, my firstborn, and I will love you more than you could possibly imagine always and forever.
I love you,
Mommy
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment