Three: On trials and triumphs

Trials- So far "three" has proven to be pretty tough.  I now understand the phrase "threenager" in a whole new way.  Anderson is still usually nice, sweet, and delightful.  But absolutely not always.  The one thing in particular that is so hard for me is the.... hitting.  The summer he turned two, some hitting started.  Mainly hitting me or someone else who was trying to change his diaper, for example.  But one time he did hit his cousin Will over a bubble gun. :(  Right about that time he had a bad habit of pulling his BFF's hair (during the day at the babysitter.)  So we tried to be super consistent with timeouts and lots of positive attention other times (there was a new baby in his life by now).  And it worked!  He outgrew those behaviors and 2-year-old Anderson was really easy.

But now, he's three- almost three and a half- and he's pushing a lot of boundaries.  There's the arguing with Ryan or me, the running away (like out of a park into a parking lot) that lasted for less than a week but scared me to death, and now the hitting has re-emerged.  It's really just been bad this past month.  Of course, poor Brady was the first recipient, but he's started hitting other kids sometimes, too.  Not usually, but enough that I totally have my guard up.  He does it with the attitude of "What happens if I...".  It's frustrating because we are still trying really hard to be consistent and give him tons of positive attention for good behavior, but we haven't gotten through this phase yet.

He's really aware of his behavior now, and he will tell us that hitting is "not nice" and if he hits he'll get a "HUGE timeout."  He'll also talk about times that he has hit.  Like at lunch today, he started talking about hitting the waitress (cringe), which he did do about 3 weeks ago right in the middle of the worst weekend to date behavior-wise.  He wasn't acting proud or sad or anything, really.  Just telling me that he hit her and then he threw his grilled cheese, and Mommy said, "NO movie tonight!" (The movie was attempted bribery... like I said it had been a rough weekend!).  It's just interesting to me that he remembers the event with a lot of detail.  I reiterated with him that it did happen, but it will not happen again.  We do not hit.  He agreed that it is not nice.  I hope that as he processes all of this, he starts to internalize the rules and self-regulate his behavior more consistently.

Then during our otherwise wonderful vacation to AZ this past week, after a day of riding in the car, upon entering a house full of family, Anderson pushes the (almost) littlest, sweetest, kindest little cousin Reed.  And he made Reed cry. :(  After a timeout, Anderson could talk about it, and then throughout the trip, he would tell me, "On the first day, I pushed Reed.  It was NOT nice."  I try to talk all of that through with him, and he seems to get it.  But so far it is still something he is (we are) working through.

Also, potty training will never, ever, really end.

Triumphs-
90% of the time he is sweet and wonderful and delightful.  He is so interested in music and instruments these days, and it's so cool to see more and more of his own unique little self emerge.  He is doing great in preschool, and all of his little friends seem to like him.  I get nervous that he will act out in preschool like he's doing with me, but so far he hasn't (I've asked.)

He is so sweet talking about our new little baby, and he asks to see my belly and rubs it and kisses it and gives the baby hugs.  Lots of heart-melting still going on.

Transitioning Anderson to his toddler bed was smoother than expected.  He wandered around his room/ the hallway days 4,5,6 of the transition, but now if he gets out of his bed he just grabs something and hops back in.  And he almost always naps still.  Hooray!  An added bonus is laying down with him for prayers and songs, which he insists on.  He always tells me to "lay in the bed", but a few times lately, he has said, "Lay on my Anderson," and tapped on his chest, for my head.  I think I'm a little heavier than he plans on, but it is such a sweet gesture. :)

And to summarize, a little anecdote yesterday that made me smile:
(He was still dressed in his Thanksgiving attire from preschool's feast that day, pictured below...)

Me to Anderson: "You are sooo cute (kiss on the cheek)."

Anderson:  "No.  I'm not cute.  I'm wonderful.  I'm wonderful now......  And so cute."