I have to say, I think I've got one one of the most challenging three-year-olds in the world. It just may have something to do with the color of his hair! However, I think he's also incredibly smart and imaginative. All of these traits working together make for an interesting (for lack of better words) day! Some days I want to just cry because I feel like I'm failing somehow miserably as a mom, and other days I beam with pride at his accomplishments. Today, he's been both a challenge and delight as usual!
He and Phillip got haircuts today, and he got a balloon from the barber. Phillip and I were in a different room, when I heard Bryson sobbing. It was an I'm-in-pain kind of cry, and I immediately ran down the hallway expecting to see blood or at least a bruise. The skin around Bryson's eyes was all red and spotted like it gets when he sheds real tears, not the crocodile ones he's learned to turn off and on. He was having a hard time catching his breath to even tell me what was wrong. Finally, I made out that his balloon was gone! When I saw the back sliding glass door was opened, I figured out pretty quickly just where it had gone. My heart started to beat normally as I realized the situation wasn't that serious, but Bryson wasn't slowing down on the tears. He stepped outside and stared up in the sky, and his wails grew louder. Phillip and I tried to calm him down by promising we'd find him another one soon, and reiterating the fact that that's why he shouldn't take his balloons outside. He eventually settled down.
Tonight after I put him to bed, he started yelling for me. I went to his room to see what the problem was expecting him to tell me he was scared or thirsty. Instead, he said, "Mommy, I'm upset." I had to smile since this is the first time he's ever said that. I of course asked him why. He said, "Because my balloon blew away." I reminded him again that we'd find him another one, which he then said should be pink instead of green. (Much to his father's dismay, pink is his favorite color!) I was surprised that the balloon was still on his mind, but I guess to him, it really was a major disappointment. I can't help but think that as he grows, he's going to encounter so many more disappointments that will be more difficult to deal with than losing a balloon. His childish innocence and freedom from the realities of life won't last forever, and that makes me sad!
Bryson also asked me to come play outside with him this evening. To be honest, I didn't want to. But he said, "Mommy, I want you play with me because you're my best friend in the best whole world." Now how could I resist that???
As we were getting ready for bed tonight, he brought me his new Children's Bible, which has become his favorite book. He asked me to read a bedtime story, which was of course, Jonah and the Whale. I said, let's go read it in your bed. He smiled and said, "What a great idea, Mommy!" Then he looked through his Bible at the pictures, and every story that showed animals, he would have the animals swallow up the character like the whale (big fish) did to Jonah. When he got to the story of Baby Jesus, he saw the farm animals in the stable and said, "Then they threw him to the very hungry pig." It's not exactly what I'd like him to learn, but I couldn't help but giggle.
I especially love it when he says, "Mommy, I'm you're little orange haired boy." Like I said, as much of a challenge as he is, Bryson makes me smile. I try to remind myself often to enjoy these times, because before I know it, he'll be all grown up.
On that note, I'm going to try to get some sleep. Good night!
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