Gametes In Love

You know what sucks? Tantrums. You know what sucks even more? Tantrums right before dinner. Or during dinner. Why? Because getting a cooperative kid eating, even when their favorite food is sitting at the table, just doesn’t happen when you have to put them in a timeout for hitting (during said tantrum).

I’m SO over it. Done!!!

I’ve been paranoid about G’s food consumption because he’s small and had given us a hard time about eating since he was an infant. However, I now realize that succumbing to his picky-ness just so that he would eat ‘something’ is not helping any of us out. It’s not enriching his palate, he’s not getting his nutritional needs met (when I offer him oatmeal 3 nights in a row to appease him), and his food consumption isn’t much different if he eats a miniscule sample of his requested item vs. what the rest of us eat. S and I not in control of our house at mealtime.

And I’m done with it.

So… new rules: food is placed on table. You are given a heads up it’s about to be served. You are given a notification when it is served. You are either there to eat it or you’re not. There are no special invitations or pleads. There are no special meals (unless you are under 18m, due to illness have different needs, or we are dining out). At a friend’s home, kids will eat what is prepared for kids, if done special. When the adults are done eating, and the baby is fed all plates leave the table, finished or unfinished. Exceptions are made if someone is still actively eating. Leaving the dining room table to return to play constitutes as being done with dinner. Treats (including toddler rice husk crackers) are available only after meal-time to those who have sufficiently eaten. Puffs are negotiable. Milk and water are the only things available on demand at any desired quantity. Past plates being taken away, meal-time concludes and there will be no make up meals until the next formal dining period. Snacks in between meals are just that. They will be provided only in snack-sized quantities.

That’s it! Yes, I’m writing this angry, and I may make some revisions as necessary, but this is it. Pre-schoolers will not rule meal-time!!!

… now… let’s see how long this lasts

This week daycare is talking about stranger danger. It was something I’m curious about because I wonder if Shane and I set a bad precedent to the kids if we engage people we don’t know in conversation while out. So yesterday I asked Ms. J how they are handling the talk and if there’s anything special they’d like us to enforce at home. G hears this and immediately interrupts:

G: We already talk about Stranger Danger!!!
Me: You did?
G: Yeah!
Me: Great! Are you supposed to talk to strangers?
G: No!
Me: And who is a stranger?
G: Nobody.
Me: Nobody is a stranger? Than that means you can talk to anyone.

Hmn… lesson lost. Clearly we have some work to do here.

This week’s Foto Friday is brought to you by Kelly M Photography. Kelly took photos for G’s 3rd birthday, and S2’s 9m. They were taken at a secret photo location I scoped out a few months ago. I was saving it for S2’s 1st birthday pics, but I was quite frankly at a draw for what to do for this session. I’m super thrilled we did it now though, because the weather was perfect for that spot, and the pictures came out great. Thank you, Kelly!

My father would be proud, for at the tender age of 3, G is well on his way of mastering the art of back-seat driving. Ever since we turned G’s seat around his skills of observation have extended themselves to ‘helpful’ driving suggestions.
For example, he likes to tell you when the light turns green, and insists that you “GO!!!!”… even if it’s not your light. He also likes to tell you where to turn (and gets mad when you don’t)… even if the direction he insist you go is the opposite way.

I think someone needs his very own backseat driver’s license.

I’m pretty sure that the smart parents keep their kids facing backward, not just for the impact safety aspect: it’s for their preservation from driving (no pun intended) mom and dad crazy.

Dear G,

Today you are 3.

This whole week I’ve found myself looking at you and thinking that just (about) 3 years ago your whole head fit in the palm of my hand. Now you sit at the foot of my bed, watching your favorite movie (more on this later) and you look so big! It’s amazing how little adults can change over the span of 3 years, yet 3 years for you have developed you into a little boy. That’s right, I said “little boy”! I struggle to call you a toddler because the way you carry yourself, talk and act is no longer the way of a toddler. We can carry on a conversation, and I can understand at least 75% of it 🙂 I find your insights surprising in their simplicity, humor, and honesty. I hope you keep that!

As of right now you are:
– Active. You don’t sit still for a minute. You’re running, twirling, (still tripping), and jumping ALL.THE.TIME. Your energy is exhausting just to watch, but also so endearing. You’re a very physical human being, and that is reflected in your favorite toys and even movies. I worry about the adrenaline-seeking man you might become, but I take solace seeing that even now you like to live life to it’s fullest.

By the way, hearing you say ‘Life is gooood!’ makes my heart swell.

– Mischievous. The way you look at me from the side of your squint-y eyes, turn your head, and grin just gives you away. I can see the little gears in your mind working. You have a nose for trouble and testing boundaries. I see you being the joker amongst your group of friends. Your jokes are well natured, but please don’t let my number be on speed dial at your school’s office!

– Funny. You have a great sense of humor. Please hold onto this. Right now you’re transitioning into potty humor, and you think the word “poop” is hilarious. Please get over this soon!

– A daddy’s boy. I know that bringing your brother home this past year changed the dynamics in our relationship a lot. I gave you a long hug before we sent you to daycare when my water broke, because I knew your life would never be the same after that moment. I didn’t think that our relationship would also not be the same. While I’m so grateful that you’ve understood that (right now) your brother needs me more, I miss our relationship and hope next year we’ll become closer again. I don’t push you when you ask that daddy helps you instead of me (except for moments when it can’t be avoided… like when daddy’s out of town… or driving). I know we’ll find our own groove again.

– Loving and gentle. You have a great deal of compassion and empathy. I love it when I see you unprompted, attend to your brother when he’s upset. My heart is filled with love, for you, when I see you hand over one of your loveys (your most valuable possessions) to S2 when he’s crying. I hope you take these traits with you into manhood, because I will be the proudest mom.

– An amazing big brother. I wanted to give this special attention from the above. I expected you to rebel against your little brother. You didn’t. I expected you to regress and tantrum more as he joined us, and became more mobile. You didn’t. I expected you to be jealous of our attention to S2’s development. You didn’t. Instead you cheered for him beside us. While I fully am ready for this to change as he continues to grow, I have admired you so much for helping us out. You bring me wipes, and bottles. You show your little brother how to play (sometimes albeit too rough for what he can handle). You make him laugh. He looks at you with adoration and appreciation and you fully deserve it.

– A hothead. Child, is your temper short!!! I suppose it’s part of your astrological sign, but I just don’t know how to tackle this one. I’ve learned patience since you’ve come into my life, but I don’t know how to teach it back to you.

– A shrimp. Yeah, you’re still a little guy for your age. I want you to never have to worry about being bullied for your size, so I keep hoping that Growth Hormone Faerie will stop by more often.

– A picky eater. Sigh! I wish you were more adventurous and willing to eat. You drive me nuts, still, to watch you go on for days on a fist-full of Puffs and a bowl of oatmeal. Negotiating over how much to eat has become an art-form in this house, and I gotta admit, I’m not winning as often as I’d like.

Today you:
– Weigh 30.6lb,
– are  35.5″ tall, and
– have dark blond with (amazing) highlights that some people spend hundreds of dollars to get.

Here’s what you have to say about yourself in your own words:

• What’s your name? Griiiifffiiiin
• Do you know your full name? [blank stare]
• How old are you? This many. I’m free!
• What’s your favorite color? Puh-ple
• Who are your best friends? Rhana and christopher
• What is your favourite book? How do dinosaurs go to school
• What is your favorite movie? Penguins. (aka Surfs Up!) I wanna watch it tonight
• What is your favourite TV show? Uhmn, Dinasor Train (you gonna riiiiide the Dinasor Train) (he actually sang the last part)
• What is your favourite animal? A Zebra!
• What’s your favorite food? Oapmeal!
• What is your favorite shirt? Monkey one. Monkey one? Yeah. Red one that says Silly Monkey? Yeah!
• What’s your greatest word of wisdom at age 3? (I’m cheating on this one, because he didn’t say it in direct response to this question) We don’t eat poop.
• What makes you mad? When someone takes away my Moonka
• What’s your favorite toy? A dinosaur. Which dinosaur? A T-Rex. The big T-Rex? Yeah

Happy birthday, kiddo!!!!

(a stroll down memory lane of the past year)
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbViPGzR1yo]