Three

Three.

Three, so far, sucks.  It will be the death of me. Or maybe him. Or maybe both, I haven't decided yet.

Three actually had a head start back around the first of the year, about when Delaney had been around for 2-3 weeks, and it was obvious to Carter that she wasn't going anywhere. We started seeing tantrums, the attitude level of a preteen, and aggression towards other children, to name a few.  I thought it would get better when he went back to school and when we moved, so that he wasn't cooped up in a one bedroom apartment with all of us, but it really hasn't yet.

I always thought it was the terrible twos, and two was tough, but three year old Carter makes two year old Carter look like an angel from heaven.  Now everyone is saying oh yeah, its the terrible threes, not the terrible twos. And a friend recently wrote on Facebook that she is having the terribles sixes at her house?? Oh good gravy, I can't handle this again.

The most frustrating thing about it is that I literally don't know what else to do, and I am so tired of feeling like I am constantly reprimanding or spanking him. (Yes, we spank, deal with it) Now that I am back at work, I spend significantly less time with him, and I really don't want that time to be in a negative light. I am trying many different approaches, and have started trying to explain to him that his behavior and the way he talks to me make me very sad, but I am not sure he is getting that either. And he really only has this attitude with me, a bit with Christiaan, but mostly with me. 

From what I am being told of what happens at his school, he is quite the bully.  He has been hitting kids, either with his own hands or with toys, and even has begun to bite. BITE. I mean really. He wasn't really a biter per se back when it was age appropriate for him to be, but now all the sudden he is doing it. That is what makes it so disturbing. And even more disturbing, they are noticing that a lot of his aggression and lashing out is directed towards girls. I don't know if this has anything to do with having a new sister stealing his show, but from what I have always learned in psychology classes, he really isn't even at an age yet where he understands the gender difference. So I have no idea.

Most of the issues occur at school, he doesn't do this at church or with any other group of children. In fact, when we pick him up from Sunday school, we are told every time how wonderful and sweet he is. Are they lying to me?? And it really didn't start up until a few weeks after he moved up to the next class, where my aunt Karen is not the teacher, and there are several very physical kids that make for a volatile situation together. So I am wondering if he is seeing this behavior and learning from them, on top of having a hard time learning to be three and a big brother.

He's a great kid, hilarious, very verbal, chock full of energy, and we think he's a genius. So I would really love it if I could feel more like I am enjoying his presence.  I know as a mom that I have an obligation to raise upstanding citizens, and as a teacher I see example after example of how not to be a good parent. That along with seeing other kids his age behave better than that I guess put pressure on me to not back down in my disciplining. But I don't want him to resent me, or not want to spend time with me. He says he's Momma's boy, but does he really feel that way?? How do I know if I am being an effective parent?

I guess he will turn out okay, we will see. I really think this is just a phase, not how he will be for the rest of his life, because he hasn't always been this way. But I am more than ready for this phase to be over! I just want my sweet boy back.

Carter's Third Birthday

So I felt really bad because of course, our best option for moving day just so happened to be Carter's birthday. But I mean, he doesn't really understand how a calendar works just yet, to him his birthday is whenever his party is.  He had spent the first part of the week being spoiled by Nana in Waco so that we could get some packing done, and then she brought him home that morning.  I picked up some balloons at Party City before they got here, none of which I think lasted even to the end of the day. Which made me super glad that I didn't pay extra for the "special helium" or whatever the crap the girl tried to sell me with her pitch about it making the balloons stay inflated for longer. Clearly she hasn't met my child.

 

Carter had some very specific requests about his birthday....he asked for these tiny skateboards and a ramp for them, some boots, for his party to be at the bowling alley, and to have orange cupcakes. Let me just say that it blows my mind what these places charge to have a little kid's party.  $200+ for 2 hours for a bunch of three year olds?? Negative.  I discovered that for $99.50+tax we could have his party at the local bowling alley, 10 people could bowl for an hour and that included shoes, plus another 45 minutes in a party room with drinks provided, Carter would get a real bowling pin, and one of their reps would handle everything. Check please!  It worked out perfectly since we ended up moving that week, and my brain was so scattered that I didn't even order the requested orange cupcakes until 6:30 the night before. Best $100 I'll probably ever spend.

 

 

Opening his presents from us on his actual birthday

The ramp he asked for, and trying to skate on the mini skateboards. So far, only one has broken....

Party day!  He kept putting his hands in his pockets like this, which is not something he usual ever does.

Some of the party goers. Jason, Edna, and the kids were even able to come from Waco.

Brycen

Molly

Annabelle

Cole

That would be Brycen's "cheese" face. Also note the body length space between Molly and the boys, lol.

Birthday buddies. Someday they will appreciate these pictures!

Homeboy is serious about his bowling skills. Check out that spin at the end of his throw, and the tongue sticking out in concentration.

Rigg is OBSESSED with Christiaan, and would not let him put him down. As in, Christiaan bowled while holding him.

I don't even know

Those are some stellar scores for little kids!

And....Molly was done!

Everyone signed the bowling pin. It is now proudly displayed in his new room. 

Mom fail....All I had to bring(besides the birthday boy)was the cupcakes and candle, and I didn't get a candle. But the bowling alley was so awesome that they had one available for us!

Serious auntie fail....Rigg grabbed the cupcake by the icing before I could even reach down to move it. He had icing up his nose....how does that even happen?? Then while I was helping him eat it, he fell out of the chair with me standing right there. So sorry Melissa!

Holy mother of orange icing

D and KK got him a Rangers hat and ball, a bat bag, and this random baseball movie that they watch at school that he is apparently obsessed with.  Which we subsequently watch about 13 times in the next 2 days, all while he stuffed and unstuffed his bat bag repeatedly.

"Inja" Turtles stuff

Curious George book

And the most phenomenal family photo ever. He was pretty much on overload and in a sugar coma by this point.

Successful birthday party in the books!  I think my friends were a bit skeptical of having his party at a bowling alley, but the kids ended up loving it for never having done it before! If you live in our area, I would highly recommend you look into using them for a birthday party....they were awesome.

So now we have a three year old on our hands. Although he has been acting like one for a couple months now. More on my feelings about that another time.

Thanks to everyone for helping us celebrate!

Baby girl is 3 months!  Man, its going by fast.  She seems so ahead too, since she is holding her head up so well, and this week has started trying to lift it up when she is laying on her back.

 

She's had a big month, attending a wedding, another trip to Waco, celebrating her brother's birthday, getting her ears pierced, and the big move.

 

For my own journaling purposes, she has also started sleeping pretty much through the night every night, is drinking at least 3.5 oz every 4 hours, and is awake a lot more during the day.  Still wearing 0-3 month clothes, but some of them are starting to fit exactly, instead of having a little wiggle room. 

 

Monthly pics are getting more interesting!

 

Best smile I could get

 Some outtakes.....

What do you mean, say cheese?

Those weird noises are not amusing

I can't control my eyebrow all the time. I just can't!

The month in iPhone photos



We celebrated Nannie's 81st birthday just before she had hip replacement surgery. Obviously Delaney was excited for a birthday party....

Nana came to stay with us one weekend

Chelsea had these sweet matching gowns made for the girls and we were trying to get a picture of them together before they outgrew them, but they were not willing to participate. Drama queens.

These two are the very definition of trouble. But they love each other so.

Carter had the opportunity to get his face painted at a birthday party, and what else would he have chosen but a ball. He was most upset that we had to wash it off that night.

A perk to living in the country.... letting your kid drive around in the field.  He doesn't understand now why he can't pull the car into the driveway at our new house.

This kid.....he was trying to make his momma feel better when I had a nasty stomach virus.

When I picked out this new bouncer after ours died, I thought Delaney would be bored by the inanimate objects hanging on the bar, since the old one had running water and lights and fishies that moved. But no, she and this monkey have some pretty intense conversations.



My view from the couch....Carter watching the neighbor kids on their "jumping place" aka trampoline



He insisted on helping me cut avocados

Poor guy ended up with pneumonia. :( Breathing treatments around the clock every four hours do not make for fun nights.

We were watching Chicago Fire and little man dug out his fireman hat for the occasion

Jaden and Delaney are exactly 4 months apart, but he is closer to Carter's size than D's! We call him JJ....as in Jason Junior

Nana bought Carter a green "Ang-ee bird" blanket

We had to get creative sometimes to keep him entertained through breathing treatments

Christiaan was in a wedding in Waco, and Delaney and I got gussied up for it. She was so good the whole night. She threw less hissy fits than the bride.... umm I didn't say that. We got her ears pierced earlier that day, and although I was shaking like a leaf before hand, she handled it like a champ and I am so glad I went ahead and did it.



We went to visit Nannie in rehab.



Pretty girl

Carter got a big boy bed at our new house! We decided to make use of Christiaan's old bed and move him to a full size bed, which would also give us a place for guests to sleep. Nana bought Carter the new bedding for his birthday.

And he promptly filled it with all his blankets and animals that he sleeps with, but refused to sleep in it the first night.  He has since been sleeping in it all night by himself. It is so nice to not have him in our room anymore, but so weird to actually need to use a monitor at night!

Baby girl all ready for St. Patrick's Day