Oh this boy...

We've had some challenging times with him lately- he's been pushing every button and I've gone as far as talking to his preschool teacher and pediatrician about his behavior. (Preschool teacher's assessment is that she'd like to clone him and have 23 more of him in the classroom b/c he is so sweet and a great listener...pediatrician commented how good he always is in the office and said that based on preschool teacher's assessment, she's not worried...he's just testing his limits at home.) Despite those challenging times, the last few days have been fantastic...now that we're not sick..we've just been having fun. We're digging into all the great gifts he and Juliet received in Indiana when we celebrated an early Christmas with my parents and brothers. I'm getting random, "I just LOVE you mommy"s on a regular basis and the snuggles are out of control wonderful =) A challenge that remains is that he never wants me to leave his room at night. It doesn't matter how many books are read and songs are sung, it's always, "just stay for one more minute". Tonight was no exception and he followed me out of his room. I told him I needed to go downstairs and finish getting things ready for the bday party tomorrow. He told me he was NOT going to go back in his room. I was in no mood to argue, so I said, "fine...I don't care..but you may NOT come downstairs."

About 2 hours later, I needed to run upstairs for something. I turned the corner, looked up and saw this:





What a stubborn, determined little boy!! I about died laughing and then grabbed my camera. I love this kid =)

A few aidricisms I've jotted down to remember.....

The other day we were outside cleaning up the garden and talking. I wish I could remember the exact conversation, but somehow we ended up talking about big girls/boys versus babies versus grown ups. Aidric wanted to be a grown up and I told him I would miss him. I explained how he wouldn't live with mommy anymore b/c he would have his own house, wife, kids, etc. He stopped digging for a minute, just looked up at me and said (exact words), "No thank you mommy. I would rather just stay here with you."

As I was getting Aidric and Jules into the bath Aidric told me to make sure Juliet did not poop. I reminded him that it had been a LONG time since she had done that and he didn't have to worry b/c she is a big girl now. He said he was a big boy and she was a big girl and that meant we didn't have any babies in our house anymore. He then said, "Mom, we NEED a baby. We just need one. Do you want to have another one just like Juliet? Can we do that mommy?"

Yesterday, we were talking about what he wanted for his snack and he asked for goldfish. I told him we didn't have any. I knew we did, but I was saving them for Juliet's birthday party, so I figured it was easiest to say we didn't have any. He walks over to the pantry, opens it, points at the goldfish and says, "We DO have some mommy, right here." As I was caught, I just said, "Oh, you're right honey, we do have some." I admitted that he was right. Was that enough for him?? Oh no..he had to go on with, "Yes mommy, I WAS right..and you were WRONG. But oh well mommy, maybe next time you will be right. Maybe tomorrow you will be right." Hmm, well, we all know that if I'm not, he'll definitely let me know!

Hide and seek is huge in this house right now. When it's our (mine or Chris's) turn to hide, he says, "OK, I will count...now, where are you going to hide?" And then he gets mad if we won't tell him!

The other day, he told me he had a secret and could not tell me what it was because it was a secret. I said something about how that was fine...and then he went on to say, "So mommy, I can not tell you that I am going to hide in my tent now, b/c that is my secret." I love 3 year old secrets.