The fingerpaints
Zachary painting
Caleb painting
On Wednesday, Caleb and Heather hung out with Grammy and Zachary went with Grandma to school. I got to have lunch with my Dad, which is something I hardly ever get to do. We went to our old favorite, Lasagna House. We've had the same waiter there forever -- Vinnie. Vinnie has been there since we started going to Lasagna House twenty plus years ago!
Today, Paul comes home. The boys are super excited! The boys have been having some major melt-downs this week. When Caleb was a little guy, we expected him to throw some intense fits because he has always had an intense personality. Even as a newborn, he would get so worked up he would flip over. However, we were a bit surprised when Zachary started throwing them. He was such a mild mannered, happy baby. As a toddler, he is much more demanding! If he doesn't get what he wants he screams, stamps his feet, flings his hands around and throws himself on the ground. To the best of Paul's memory, Heather didn't really start throwing fits until she was well into her 2's and then she only did it occasionally. Caleb and Zachary both started not too long after turning 1. Caleb goes through phases where he is really good for a while and then he'll hit a phase where he is prone to melt-downs. This week has been a week where both boys have been having quite a few. Caleb's fits have moved beyond the throwing himself around bit and now he has moved on to crying so hard that he chokes himself and even occasionally throws up. He gets himself so worked up that he no longer hears what you are saying to him and he is just lost in his emotions. I have to just put him in his room and wait for him to calm down before I try to talk to him. The WORST thing to do when Caleb is worked up is to try to butt heads. When he gets to where I can talk to him, I have to speak softly and calmly and explain what he did wrong, how he can act differently next time, what his consequences are and that I still love him very much.
Heather and Caleb are constantly fighting and butting heads. It kind of makes me laugh because Heather thinks she should be in charge because she is older than him. So, she criticizes every little thing he does. If Caleb makes a noise that Heather feels is too loud (though Paul and I will be in the room with them and neither of us are upset by what Caleb is doing), she tries to get on to him. Caleb, of course, is not going to do a thing his sister tells him, so he proceeds to make much louder noises. This makes Heather angrier and she tries even harder to assert her authority over him which he responds to by being as annoying as possible. At this point, both kids get in trouble and Heather thinks we are the most horrible parents ever! She doesn't understand that she started the whole thing. It really cracks me up, though I do feel sorry for her. Inevitably, about 5 minutes later, Caleb will get in Heather's face and start doing something to annoy her. It's like his way of getting back at her for getting him in trouble earlier. This goes on all the time! Paul and I have both tried discussing this with Heather, but it doesn't make a difference. She continues to think that she is in charge of Caleb and that it is her job (not Paul's and my job) to correct his behavior. It must be her age because she sometimes even tries to tell Paul and me how we should be acting or doing something. I do remember thinking that I was smarter than my parents, so I'm sure she is right in the middle of this stage.
Despite their occasional short-comings, all the kids are really awesome. Heather is a wonderful helper to me and she is perfectly willing to pitch in. She is smart and beautiful and a great kid! Caleb is so loving and I absolutely love how he goes at life with everything he has! Zachary is such a happy, easy-going kid. I am blessed to have these 3 great kids in my family.
I totally understand where you are coming from on the fits! Savannah didn't do it too often either until later- but Audrey does exactly what Zachary does and it drives us crazy! Savannah lets her emotions get the best of her too and gets upset very easily- it could be there age. I hear threes are harder than twos! It is all just different challenges if you ask me! Audrey was a very happy baby and most of the time a happy toddler, but she can get mad so easily when things don't go her way (i.e. doesn't get to play with the diaper cream) Motherhood is quite the ride- I sometimes ride it with my hands in the air having a blast and others times I am screaming for dear life!!
ReplyDelete