Thursday, January 14, 2010

our muffin


Just when I think I understand how to deal with our small boy (our muffin), he changes on me. Lately he has been highly resistant to suggestions, usually responding “I decide” or “it’s my choice”. So we are having to be really clear about what is negotiable (what he wears, how much dinner he eats, what he plays with, etc) and what isn’t (bedtime, sitting down at the table for dinner, going to preschool and daycare, no hitting, etc).

T is also telling BIG fibs. And he’s really (no, really) bad at it. The other day he unraveled all the toilet paper in the downstairs bathroom. D asked him why he did it and T said over and over “I didn’t do it”. Poor little guy doesn’t even have a little brother or sister to blame it on like I did. I guess it’ll be a little while before he starts blaming the cat or “notme”. But really, he is so bad at lying it’s funny. And I’m thinking that someday I’ll wish he was still this easy to read.

When T wants to do something he knows he shouldn’t be doing – like say climb on the counter and sneak Smarties out of the Smartie jar – he tells me “don’t look”. Or he gets a look of pure, mischevious joy on his face, which prompts me to go looking for what he’s up to. I will find something - unraveled toilet paper, he’s kicking D under the table – something.

Some of the things he does are not so endearing, his current penchant for sticking his freezing cold hands up my shirt I’m not too wild about. Some are funny – his way of throwing his head back and doing a loud, fake sounding laugh when he tells a joke or funny story punctuated with his “it was sooooooo funny”. Or his twang. Everything is “cewel (cool)” at the moment. Or when he says “that’s a great idea” or “I have a great idea” usually about something routine and ordinary that has a way of making everyday things seem special. Or his way of dancing in his chair and running around in circles when he’s excited about something makes me smile. And when he’s scared or feeling lonely or sad, he comes to mummy for a huggie. And melts my heart all over again. Sometimes it is hard to stay tough with him, especially when he’s really sorry about something and his head is hanging down, his lip is quivering and big, big tears are rolling down his face, it just yanks at the old heart strings.

And he’s fascinated with his baby pictures. For the past few nights, one or more of his bedtime stories has been his baby and/or toddler scrapbook. He especially loves pictures of him with other babies and pictures with toys. Most of his baby toys have long since left the house, so I guess the pictures make him feel nostalgic for his old toys. And he’s not even 4 yet!

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