After I told him a pretty botched version of "Hansel and Gretel" where the only part I got correct was the part where the witch wants to eat Hansel and Gretel.
Rhett: Why does she want to eat them?
Me: Probably because she likes the taste of little kids. I like little kids. Maybe you'll be tomorrow's dinner and Ollie can be our lunch.
Rhett: No! That would bleed me! Don't you love me?
Chuck and I were channeling our ninth-grade selves and dancing in the kitchen while Rhett finished his third bowl of pasta. And just in case you were wondering, no, you couldn't have fit a Book of Mormon between us.
Rhett: Please stop dancing. It's really annoying.
Rhett: How much do you love Jesus, mom?
Me: Oh, Rhett, I love Him very much.
Rhett: I love Him more than you do.
Me: How do you know?
Rhett: Because He gave me [looking around...] that bucket.
This kid. This funny, energetic, forever-acting kid. While I am enjoying cuddling and snuggling with the small one, this big one sure keeps me laughing. For the first three weeks of Ollie's life, Rhett was fine because Chuck was home and we could play one-on-one defense. Then my parents came and the odds were even better if you were a little one! Rhett ate it up (although he did get a little too comfortable with them and started acting out just a tad before they left). But when it was just me with the two boys during the day...hoo boy. Rhett was not happy. Like five-or-more-time-outs-a-day not happy. It was not pretty. Was it because he was 3.5 or because he just had his world rocked with the arrival of Oliver? I'm sure both. We had some pretty rough nights where everyone in the house was in tears (well, maybe not Chuck).
But oh how much better it's gotten. Rhett still understand he can't really play with Ollie. But he's become so much more patient with us as we tend to Ollie's needs. And not only more patient, but it seems like he's grown up a lot too. Finally some of the things we've been teaching him have started to sink in.
For example, he's become a much more resilient boy. This quality is very important to me. I want Rhett to be able to rebound when he's disappointed. To hear him say, "That's okay, Mom" instead of having a tantrum on the floor just warms my heart.
He's still acting and it's still driving me crazy. But it's part of who he is and he loves it. He's especially into acting as Halloween characters: ghosts, vampires (good vampires who don't drink our blood and bad ones that do), whatever. He absolutely loves Halloween...and candy corns. Too bad his mom eats the whole bag before he gets a chance to have two.
He's becoming more and more independent: changing his clothes without help (sometimes) and going to the bathroom are his biggest accomplishments. But also helping with getting Bruno his breakfast and clearing his plate after dinner.
Oooh dinners. There's something that I could change. If it's not "noodles with white sauce" (pasta alfredo) or pizza or something with syrup, he immediately doesn't like it. He can eat three bowls of noodles or three tiny bites of pork chops and both fill him. And since I know he won't starve, sometimes all he gets is those three bites. But it's a struggle for all involved.
Overall, however, we've got one happy kid in our house. Because Maryland requires not only kindergarten, but full-day kindergarten, we think we'll need to put him in some sort of preschool next year. Registration for preschool starts in January, and it's already freaking me out. Who said my kid could be old enough to go to preschool? Who said my kid can turn four? Who said they wanted their kids to grow up? Oh right. Me. I guess I just don't always feel that way.
P.S. I just found out that sometime in 2013, there will be a Wal-Mart about 1.5 miles from my house. I don't know why, but I can't stop thinking about this. I'm not excited, but am so curious to know how it will change life in my small neck of Montgomery County. So weird.
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Really? A Walmart so near? That's interesting.
ReplyDeleteAnd such a great post. My goodness. He's really grown up. I think you know how much I echo the relief at having a resilient kid... not that I have one, but at least she also is progressing in that direction. My new favorite is clearing the table and getting stuff rinsed and in the dishwasher. It's the best! An oft repeated saying in our house is: When she is bad she is very bad, but when she is good she is amazingly adorable.
Lastly, I love that you said a BoM wouldn't fit between you and I love that Rhett said you were annoying! Ha!
i have no shame in admitting i am a full walmart convert. if you take the time to compare prices to those of where you normally shop, you'll convert too. i promise. besides that, they have almost everything. ribbon .47 or .97 a roll, a joann or michaels 50% off coupon can't even come close to that.
ReplyDeleteOh he is such a fun boy!! And yes, sounds like he is learning and figuring out about being a brother. It had to happen, right?! I love how funny he is!
ReplyDeleteI kind of don't like walmart myself. Yes, it has cheap prices, but I do try and avoid it at all costs. I prefer to go to Target on almost everything. And mine's not a full one. It's a small one and they just refinished it. So its still confusing where everything is.
I love how Jesus gave Rhett a bucket. awesome. today at bedtime Traci said to bless the food in her prayer.
ReplyDeleteman, that kid is really something. something wonderful, that is. you could make a hilarious book out of all that rhett says. i love reading them!
ReplyDeletewho knows about walmart. i hate the place, but do my big 2-week grocery shopping there b/c it really does save me money. then i come home all bummed - for some reason it just does that to me!