Scene: (All of us playing happily in the sun)
Me : “Joseph, about 5 more minutes and then we are going to go back inside!”
Joseph: “Why?”
Me: “Because Daddy is going to be home soon and I need to start dinner”
Joseph: '”How about 19 minutes?” (He always asks for 19. Twenty seems to be beyond him)
Me: “No, 5.”
Joseph: “NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!”
Me: “Joseph! That’s enough or we are going in right now!”
And I pause from taking pictures of Isaac playing with a ball and swing my camera around to face him, capturing this beauty:
The look I get several times a day.
Yesterday, in fact, I got this look along with “Stop arguing with me, Mama!”
Today it was accompanied with “Don’t take my picture!!!”
And about 3 seconds later he is all sweetness and charm.
“Take a picture of me with my spaceman, Mama!”
“Mama, THANK YOU for this spaceman! (which I got him weeks ago) I LOOOOOVE it!”
“Mama, aren’t I a lucky boy to have this space man?” etc.
The mood swings, I tell you, they are giving me whiplash!
Three is a tough age for me.
The teenage year of early childhood- half toddler, half kid, testing, testing, testing.
“No! I’m not doing it!”
“I don’t think so.”
“That’s a bad idea, Mama.”
Strong willed, smart smart smart, and stubborn, he pretty much makes me crazy every day.
But thank goodness there is still sweetness thrown in to the sour.
Kisses, hugs, and head scratches (his signature combo)
“How you doing, Mama?” asked every hour of the day.
And the rare acts of kindness towards his brother (even if they are just to earn a sticker. Mostly.)
These are the things that get me through the day with a moody, challenging, adorable 3 year old.
Also:
Dear Joseph,
Karma is a b*!#$, baby!! And I can’t WAIT to meet my 3 year old grandkids!
Love!
Mama
6 comments:
I want to meet his three year old kids, too! Lovely and well stated, Caitlin.
T Rex is just now learning to say, "I don't want to" or "I don't like this" but other than that the mood swings haven't hit too bad. Guess it's coming, huh?
I've met mine, and he resembles his Daddy in MANY ways - maybe not looks, but certainly in some of his "particulars!" LOVE HIM TO PIECES!!! Hang in there Momma :)
I think 3 is a terrible age. So much worse than 2.
Oh man ... that LOOK!!!!!!!! It is the cuteness and sweetness that saves them .. otherwise I suspect no child would live past 3! HAHA!
I love the look on his face in the first pic. haha
I love the fact that you can go to the park that close to New York City and find....nobody there but YOU and your children. How cool is that?!!
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