*
*
leo is going through bit of an “emotional pistol” period. not listening. running away. waking up mad. going to bed mad. hitting, kicking, biting, spitting. basically stomping around a good deal of the time mad at all of us and at the world.
oh, leo.
i need someone to remind me that this is just a stage and not who he will be and what he (and we) will face forever. cause that’s what it feels like. i mean, i know some of it is innate personality stuff; however, i hope it won’t be like this always. i just want him to be happy. for more than five minutes.
it’s the almost-three thing, where they’re trying to make their claim on their own life. they hate being told what to do. they want to make their own plans. and sadly, it seems, we don’t have a lot of extra time to let him make his own plans. his own life.
almost-three sucks. for him and us. i’ve got to find space for him to make some life of his own.
*
*
today is pretty 
I have found the entire year of three to be a challenge for both of my girls. They were both at their most adorable and most, um, spirited at three. It definitely mellows out as they near 4, just so you know. I did find that giving choices definitely helped with my girls and their tempers.
thanks, rachel. it helps to hear it will end and that it is a normal stage. i have been here before although i apparently blocked out how to cope so appreciate the feedback.
Lila’s totally coming into this phase. Naptime, mealtimes, bedtime – oh my lord. It isn’t surprising, really, that she’s got a will as unbend-able as titanium, but it’s gruesome to MY sense of well-being, much less hers, to be in battle with it. It is nice to be reminded that this is phase that will end (this particular expression of it, anyway).
Genevieve is exactly this way. She turned three a month ago, and has been this way for a year and a half. However, slooooowly I see it fading. Or at the very least decreasing a little bit in frequency. VERY SLOWLY.
It always seems like the weeks just before birthdays are the hardest for our kids. And almost 3 was really hard, especially for our second and third kids, who live life on others’ schedules most of the time.
I too am in that 3 period. Jazzy can be the sweetest guy one moment than he’s miserable. Reaffirming gentleness and breathing works amazingly. It does take time thiough. It does end. Time period changes depending on the child. I am a mom of 7 so I hae been there before too. Well, with 4 step- kids were past that age when we got together.
Austin is having a terrible time at two and a half. All of the aforementioned things Leo is doing. Going out to playgrounds and parks makes me a little anxious. I totally feel you — but I remind myself that when Eli was going through this stage I was in the last months of my pregnancy with Austin…and that was the worst!
These Scorpio boys… My patience is being tested on an hourly basis these days. Please make it stop.