Henry, My Resourceful Son

I'm not quite sure how to describe my oldest son Henry's (Rhee) personality. Sanguine to be sure but extremely meticulous also. It is so wonderful to see him grow up, learn and discover. He is a daddy's boy who cries hysterically any time daddy leaves. He loves to give kisses and charm people. He often plays shy and loves to play with other kiddos.

I feel like I'm going to really have to stay on my toes with this one though. I think I might have a bit of a trickster on my hands and he is so charming, I feel like he is going to get into some scrapes.

I have several examples that have arisen in the past several days that attest to this.

This week we made an unscheduled visit to our pediatrician. For Nick. We ended up with two prescriptions for Rhee. Don't ask. On the way out the door, in my frazzled state (normal state when I'm out in public with my 2 under 2), I ran back to the exam room, meanwhile Rhee grabs a sucker from a counter he is barely able to reach. I'm not even sure how he knew it was there. Maybe kids have a radar for candy, who knows?

I let him keep it thinking I would open it for him later and letting him hold it would deter the dreaded public meltdown. We made our way across the street in the car to our chiropractor's office, and in that duration, I begin to hear crunching come from the backseat. Rhee had circumvented the wrapper by chewing through it and when I parked, I looked back and him, defiant and satisfied. I felt those eyes telling me that he was smarter than mama and that he is going to give me a run for my money in this lifetime.

Also this week, I learned an important lesson. When all is quiet, all is not fine. We live in a two story home and all of our bedrooms are upstairs. We have begun a new independence (for both mama and Rhee) in letting him meander through out the house. He has full access to the downstairs and now his room upstairs also (all other doors upstairs closed, but that is a different lesson for a different day). He can freely move between floors and the toys therein. I do have a monitor on so I can keep an ear on him.

Sometimes the length of time in which I have heard a peep from him goes unnoticed. Then I start and realize, that more than likely, we have a problem with the lack of sound. This week, I ran upstairs, wondering what he was into and I wished I had a camera with me.

The scene that greeted me was my little resourceful almost 2 year old was the lowest level drawer of his dresser opened, him standing in it to reach the books on top of it. It's a wonder it did not break. I was equally proud and disturbed.

Proud that he is a thinker and smart, disturbed that he is a thinker and smart, how will I ever stay ahead of him?

Thankfully, raising children isn't a sprint, it is a marathon. I have time to work on molding him and it will be an adventure.

Love the quote I read yesterday, words to live by and I will leave you with them today as we both go out and raise our little Houdinis.

You have the exact qualities God knew your kids would need in a mother. So, each day, hold up your willingness and ask God to make you the best version of you that you can possibly be. ~ Lysa TerKuerst

Nose Carrots, Dirty Diapers and Other Last Laughs

Your kids will always win.

Okay, mine will. I'm conceding defeat. Even if I raise them to be the boys I want them to be, they will still win.

Case in point. I foolishly made fun of Rhee for being able to trick him into eating healthy food today. Usually I can get him to eat whatever we are eating because he has a paranoia of being left out. Because I value some sane time in my day, usually let him watch Disney Junior while eating breakfast and lunch (we do eat dinner as a family at the dining room table so hopefully I haven't ruined him completely). This can either add to my sanity or completely wipe it out, it's a gamble I'm willing to take.  So back to the taunting of my son.

Today was a robust lunch of frozen pizza and sugar snap peas & carrots. I think a nearly two year old could completely subsist on pizza but am not willing to put in the research to support it. Because of this, the peas & carrots. I'm hoping it balances it out somehow. Directly after publicly laughing at him on Facebook for my trickery, I hear a maniacal laugh come from his highchair (which is facing away from me).

As I turn to look, he is stretching his neck to peer around the back of the chair to find me. I immediately notice there is something amiss with his face. One nostril is abnormally large. As I run in for a closer inspection, I realized he has stuffed a carrot up his nose. I am also assaulted by a horrible stench, he has pooped his pants while eating (read: mama is also trying to eat). Guess I'll be losing that baby weight faster than I anticipated.

Well played sir.

You win. You always do.