Tuesday, April 15, 2008

24 Months


Twenty four months sounds like a lot, yet it doesn't. In the life of a child it's a mere pin prick of time. The changes made from baby to toddler are so amazing. I think time goes so quickly so parents aren't aware of how fast their little one is growing...I know I would cry everyday if I had time to think about how fast my kids have gone from needing my constant attention to needing me only when they can't figure it out for themselves. Victor has changed our family and he has changed me. I started out such a strict mama, with rigid rules and schedules to follow. When Alyssa was a baby, I actually kept a chart of her diaper changes...no joke. I have mellowed and become somewhat less rigid, although, my personality warrants some rigidity just to get through the day. But I am less concerned about issues that have no bearing on my children's happiness.
Taking on a third child was a huge challenge for me and I sort of retreated into my comfort zone. Gwen was 2 when Victor was born and she was having a great time reminding me that Alyssa's personality is what made Alyssa such an easy child to maintain, not necessarily my parenting skills! I was struggling with an independent 2 year old, a 6 year old that still needed me in many ways and an infant. I stayed home.


And then he was one year old. How did that happen? He seemed so big, yet so tiny. He turned into the family clown. Funny faces, funny noises, anything to make you laugh. We couldn't believe his comedic timing, not to mention his insight into what makes a person laugh. Surely mothers of famous comedians everywhere have said this for years. With two sisters who adore him, he will surely be a ladies man, constantly charming their friends with his wit and dimples.








Still the funny man, he has eye rolls and head tilts that will drop you to the floor laughing. Maybe these things are what have loosened me up as a mom, who could scold a child with such comedic timing? The family is constantly finding themselves laughing behind books, hands, anything to throw in front of their faces, while trying to be firm about whatever he's not supposed to be doing. He has taken a liking to a pair of blue rain boots that I purchased for Alyssa when she was about his age. They were in perfect condition when he confiscated them, but now, they are broken at the ankles and smell like we have kept garbage in them for the past 6 years. He LOVES these boots, first thing in the morning he puts them on and he reluctantly relinquishes them at night...he would sleep in them if I let him. You can literally smell them when he walks up to you. His Mimi and his Granny and Poppa have tried, in vain, to convince him he needs a new pair, but he has made it clear that there is no other pair of boots for him. He also has a cowboy hat that Alyssa gave him (more like gave up on ever getting it back) and he wears it regularly. It is made of plastic and has been stepped on so many times it's cracked and well worn. Again, not even a new, real cowboy hat would convince him to change over. He is clearly paving a fashion path all his own.


Some of the other things that he loves: Star Wars toys, particularly Storm Troopers, cars, all things Scooby-Doo, watching his sisters and daddy play video games (while holding his own Spiderman controller), all Superheroes and their villainous counterparts, reading books, scrambled eggs, playing outside, his double barrel shotgun (yes, it's a toy!) and poking people (he thinks this is hilarious). He can sit by the bookshelf for 30 minutes looking at various books and discussing them with himself. While playing in his room you can hear him have conversations with his toys and make up dialogue for his adventures, it's adorable. I am sure that it comes from being the third child but his vocabulary is large and he speaks in complete sentences when necessary. Both girls were not as verbal and spent some amount of time using baby signs to communicate. I never got a chance to teach him signs, as he was speaking before we ever thought he would. I am not at all trying to convince anyone (including myself) that he's some kind of genius, but we are all constantly amazed at his ability to carry on a conversation. He is also extremely adept at repeating what you have just said to him...sometimes this bites me in the butt...'nuff said.

And this is his smile.

Happy birthday buddy, we can't wait to see what you have accomplished next year!