Reflection on the Almost-Three-Year-Old

In two months' time, David will be three. THREE!! Many have mentioned lately that he is really growing up, and it's so true. He's getting longer and leaner and SO talkative. He picks up language from Katy and uses it, whether he understands it's meaning or not.

On one of the rare mornings in which we were able to sneak David out of the room without waking Katy (he always wakes up first), he was lying in bed with me while I hemmed and hawed about getting up. All the sudden he said, "Mommy, I need to wook in the mirror," and he hopped up and went to look. "Mommy! I don't have eyebrows!" he claimed as he laid back down. I laughed and said, "Yes you do, Buddy, they're just so light you can hardly see them." I ran my finger across his eyebrows and he said, "Don't touch them, Mommy, they're reedee reedee fragile."

Another phrase that he picked up somewhere is to exclaim, "THAT'S interesting!" after everything we say. "What are we having for dinner, Mommy?" "Spaghetti." "Spaghetti?! THAT'S interesting!" Is it really? I'm pretty sure we have that every week, Bubs.

This week he uttered the words, "I have to go to the baffroom," which I took as my signal that it is Time to Train. But we're taking a different approach than we did with Katy. I just don't have the time/energy/motivation to do No Diaper Boot Camp. So we're working on it when we're home, but wearing diapers when we go out (still trying to stop and go potty every 30-60 minutes as it's possible). I'm sure it will take longer overall, but I kept putting if off because I thought it had to be all or nothing. We've tried this for a few days and it seems to be working ok so far. He's been good at staying dry, but we haven't had any poopy successes yet.

On Thursday mornings, I go to a mom's group/Bible study at my church, and he and Luke stay in the childcare area (the same rooms where they stay during weekend services). I think David thinks it's his preschool. He is so excited, asking, "Are we going to church today? I'm going to play with cars, and go to the big play gym and have a snack. Will Frank be there?" He and Frank (my friend Kate's son) like to wrestle and be boys.

So I was just thinking that we're approaching the halfway mark on that Difficult Year that we always talk about from 2.5 to 3.5. But maybe David's time frame will be different, because so far? Things are going well for my middle child. Of course, he has emotional meltdowns every. single. time we go outside about how cold his hands are (yet takes off his gloves).  But overall, it's not the consuming stress that I remember from last time. But perhaps that because he's still sleeping in a crib and we just started potty training. Perhaps there are many new challenges to come in the next year. Who knows. But he's a good kid, my David. A sweet boy.