The week you turned 3, I panicked. I don't know why, but quite literally the day after you turned three-years-old, your behavior quickly spiraled downhill. All of a sudden, my sweet boy who seemed to dodge the "terrible twos" was a typical "threenager." I'm all about being honest, so you should know I cried a lot this past summer - starting that week you turned 3. You stopped listening to me, completely ignored my requests and my questions, started treating Quinn with some animosity, had a very difficult time sharing with your friends or even wanting to have friends over, and seemed so angry at the world. I worried you were regressing big time: you started hating swim lessons and crying during them, you even stopped listening to Grandma! I had heard that 3 was rough, but this? This was awful, and I felt like I had lost my boy.
I'm not sure where all the behavior stemmed from, but Daddy and I thought maybe it was a new camp environment (where many teenagers were in charge and didn't uphold the same standards your classroom teachers had at school), maybe it was because Quinn was more and more mobile and brotherhood was really getting to you, maybe it was that you had stopped napping by late June? Who knows? We will never have the answer, but the good news is that these behaviors began to subside slowly over the coming months. Once you started back to school in late August, you seemed to have adjusted to whatever the issue was. And, through it all, I kept remembering what Aunt Kira told me she tells the parents in her "3's" class who often complain about the very things I would: my job is to be your constant, to never let you push me away, to show up and keep showing up as your mommy. I listened to that, and I kept playing my part, and sure enough, you and I are closer than ever. I'm not saying you're perfect, sweet Angel. You definitely have your bad days and your "threenage" moments, but I have seen great strides and major maturity going on in you these past 6 months:
-You use your words in times of distress. Sometimes when you get really angry, you yell in frustration, and sometimes you cry when you don't get your way. But, with patience on your part and good listening on mine, we work it out okay. You are very particular about the way you describe your feelings. If I say, "Why are you so upset?" You might reply, "I'm not upset, I'm ANGRY!"
-You are definitely your mommy's son. You want to know what the daily plans are all the time. Your first words in the morning are usually, "What are we going to do today?" followed by "And, what am I going to do after that?" You enjoy a play-by-play of what your day is going to look like. I have been subbing all semester as a part-time school counselor, so each day of the week IS different, and it HAS been hard to remember who picks you up which day. So, I don't blame you. For Hanukkah, you can expect a calendar to help you with this. Welcome to our family. We LOVE calendars!
-You have learned to play
-You are more independent. You use the potty so well. You aren't afraid of the doctor or dentist (you went to Dr. R by yourself in September and were excited to tell him about giving up your pacis), you're doing well in swim lessons again, you love carpool at school, you ask to be excused at the dinner table, you clear your place nicely, you are our "trash collector" and you help with laundry, too. You handle no naps very well - you just recently started insisting it be called "Turtle Time" because Avery used to call it that when she was your age. It's become your iPad time while Quinn naps (it was rough for a while and evenings were awful for a while, but by now we've all learned how to ward off meltdowns). Your cooperative play has improved, as well. It's fun to listen to you play with your friends!
My time with you is so special to me. I can't tell you the number of times I will just stop whatever I'm doing to watch you with such joy. You truly make me so happy, and you light up my life in ways I'll never be able to describe. I am so overjoyed to be your mommy, Banner. You are beyond smart. You're so creative and have a memory of steel. In fact, we had your parent-teacher conference today, and your teachers have nothing but amazing things to say about you: they said you are always well-behaved and play nicely with the other children. They are impressed with your language skills and conversation ability, as well as your deep thought process. They know you are a thinker and are always asking why. Your "report card" shows that you have mastered so many skills already, but we will continue working on your writing skills (using your fingers properly to hold the pencil/crayon), sequencing with pictures, and standing on one foot for 5 seconds or longer. Your teachers also say your "mischievous smile and twinkly eyes light up the classroom as he enters the room each morning. His positive energy and spunk are contagious and one can't help but feel happy when he is around. Banner has a wonderful sense of humor and really enjoys it when his teachers act silly." They commented on how you will take questions a step further and want to find out more. They say you are "outgoing and show compassion and empathy towards others." Ms. Hedy says she wishes she had a grandson just like you! In a nutshell, Daddy and I left feeling pretty proud of you and how well you are doing in school!
Here are some other things that I want you to know about you at 3 and a half:
-You are a country boy! You LOVE country music. Some of your favorites are "Would You Go With Me?" (a song you call "Uncle Brock's song" probably because you think that's him singing), "Deeper Than the Holler," and any song that has a fiddle. You pick up on lyrics quickly and love to sing along. You can't help but dance to these country songs. In fact, one day we were leaving a restaurant (Mooyah), and you heard the speakers outside playing a country song. We could not get you to get in the car, and Daddy and I both admitted to tearing up watching you dance your heart out on the restaurant walkway. We just let you do your thing, and man, did you do your thing!
-Speaking of lyrics, you know your Hebrew songs very well, too. I LOVE listening to you sing "Ma Tovu" or "Modeh Ani" while in the car. You even let me sing with you. One of my favorite memories is singing "Oseh Shalom" with you one night in the car. And, just last night, we got ready for bed while singing all kinds of songs you learned at school. You're also very aware of the words you are singing and want to know why the singer says it like that: "Mommy, why did he say, 'sun came crashing in'?"
-Some of my favorite/notable quotations from the past 6 months:
- "Mommy, am I older today?" (September)
- When you almost ate a boogar, and I told you I'd leave your room if you did it... you pulled your finger out of your mouth and said, "That was a close one!" (September)
- When you try a new food, you are polite and extremely fake and say, "Mmmm, Mommy, that's so good. I like it! But, I don't want anymore." (such a little gentleman)
- "Am I a big kid now?"
- "Why did Bubbie die? When am I going to die?"
- "It's ridiculous how much I miss my Mommy!" said to Ms. Florence and Ms. Hedy at school one day -- but I pretty much love any time you use the word "ridiculous"
- "Tell me a story about the Hook." I had NO idea what you were talking about but you said it was green, and a couple days later, we finally figured out you were trying to say "Hulk."
- The funny things you say right before you go to sleep. I know you're about to crash when you start saying things like, "If we put the trash in the street, Daddy will be scared. The elephant might get it. If we put all our stuff outside and then someone tried to take it, we will not let them." I've learned to just say, "Oh. Okay." Within minutes, you're out.
- When I picked you up from school one day, Ms. Hedy asked you to tell me about all the names of the baby animals. She would point to a cat, and you'd say "kitten." A dog, you'd say, "Puppy." Then, she pointed to a cow, and you said, "Cough." I thought it was so funny because Ms. Hedy has a South African accent. You were saying "calf" the way she says it.
- You still say "hostipal,"rensrant,""jajamas," and "slanwich." But you have perfected "lellow" to yellow and "shank you" to thank you. The /th/ sound is still hard for you, but you are able to correct it if we ask: "fumb," "togever," "free years old," "over dere," "brover." I want you to be able to say these sounds, but at the same time, I love how cute it is when you say them incorrectly!
-You are still very active and still have a tendency to run off. I still hate how you do this, especially at a busy place like the Arboretum or the mall.
-I see you becoming more and more aware of others. You don't like it when people look at you when you're upset, or when you're singing, or when you're hurt. "Don't LOOK AT ME!" you will yell to me or Daddy when we are just trying to help. But, I also know your triggers in public, and I like being your anchor when I can sweep you away to give you the privacy you desire in these situations. Sometimes you don't want people to talk to you when you're upset, and I can 100% understand this; we are just working on your tone and how to ask for privacy and distance with grace and respect. :)
-You love: lollipops, giving a thumbs-up and a wink to Aunt Kira at school, the iPad, spending time with your cousins, being outside, building with Legos, helping Daddy build things or watching repairmen fix things, baking with me, sweeping/mopping, Mighty Machines and Rescue Bots (and singing the lyrics to the theme songs), Ninja Turtles, pretending to be Batman, shows like Super Why, Daniel Tiger, and Letter Factory (which you know thrill my teacher heart!), dancing, being at Grandma & Papa's house, playing in Zaide's truck and "driving pretend," playing in sandboxes, donuts and kolaches, and putting on costumes.
 |
| Iron Man on Thanksgiving Day at Grandma & Papa's |
Banner, my favorite days with you are when you don't have to go to school - when I know what you've done all day long, and your behavior is usually best on the days we have spent our entire day together. I just love, love, love my time with you when we get to play and chat and spend time together. I am very much embracing these young years with you, because I so realize how fast they go. There's a day that sticks out in my head when I watched you at Ms. Patty's pool: you did NOT want to be there, you cried and kept telling me and Ms. Patty that you didn't want to jump in to her like she has you do each lesson. You expressed your fears but we kept telling you that you could do it. Finally, you jumped, and you were so proud of yourself. You smiled and seemed pleased. I teared up watching because I was so very proud of you. I love watching you light up at your successes, and I'm so very grateful that I get to be in that front row seat to watch you experience so many wondrous things throughout your life. Thank you for allowing me to play this important, special role.
I love you, Angel Baby!
Happy Half-Birthday! :)
Love,
Mommy
No comments:
Post a Comment