Tuesday, August 31, 2010

My favorite

I've read a couple of articles in parenting magazines talking about the hidden truth of parenting: that you'll probably have a favorite kid. But the good part is, your favorite child will be in constant rotation. I've found this to be so completely accurate in my short year of parenting two.
When Dawson was born, he was such an easy newborn. I LOVED his first 8 weeks (probably more so because of the hell I went through during Bennett's first 8 weeks). He pretty much never cried and nursed better and slept longer than Bennett did. At that time, it seemed so overwhelming to parent Bennett. I didn't want to be his mom at the moment. He was at the peak of terrible twos and would start bawling his eyes out if I looked at him wrong. Dawson was by far my favorite.
Then Bennett mellowed out...and Dawson UN-mellowed. He started teething at 5 months and turned into a very difficult baby. He cried constantly and wanted to be held constantly. And he would scream relentlessly if he had to wait in his chair for food. He was so not my favorite for at least 3 or 4 months.
Now the tables are turning again. After Dawson cut his first 6 teeth, he was back to his happy baby self. He loves to wrestle with Bennett and climb on furniture and feed himself and dance to music. And he gloriously naps for a combined 4 hours every day. Bennett however is in a funk. I don't know what his deal is these days but I find myself losing patience with him so quickly. He's driving me crazy. He's a terrible listener right now, and he's not a people-pleaser (aka: pushover) with his friends anymore. He hits and bites when somebody takes something from him. He desperately needs a nap during the day but if he sleeps for even 20 minutes, he'll take an extra hour or more to fall asleep at night and the cycle worsens. Needless to say, he's not my favorite at the moment.
I have no real point to all this ranting, but its nice to remind myself that childhood phases are SO short-lived. Before you know it, they've moved beyond whatever miserable phase they're in and morph back into the child you know and love (and secretly call your favorite).


But...despite not being my favorite at the moment, Bennett's finally entered the phase of hilarious one-liners. I've always loved hearing the goofy stuff other 3 and 4 year olds come up with but its so much funnier from the mouth of your own :)
A couple of his best ones lately:
  • When my mom was watching him one day, they were both going to eat a popsicle together. Bennett tells her, "You have to take your shirt off first, Nonny."
  • One day he had to do his business in the potty. I was in there with him and as he's sitting there he says, "Oh boy. This is gonna be a quick one!"
  • Then yesterday my mom calls me laughing because she took him potty the other day and he's sitting there and tells her, "This is gonna be a long one, Nonny." It cracked me up that he can tell that already. Maybe he'll learn to be prepared for the "long ones" and bring a book with him.

6 comments:

  1. I love this post, because I also am a mom of a 3 year old and a baby. It is so true that they each have their own moments. My 3 year old is also driving me nuts...I think it is the age. As you sid though, sometimes the things she says cracks me up so much that I can no longer be annoyed with her.
    Good to hear I am not the only one out there! :)

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  2. The joys of parenting!!! Something to look back on and laugh, and maybe cry.....because you wish even the "bad" days were here again. They are gone so quickly!

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  3. Oh, how I can relate! We've hit a rough patch with both kids right now. So, I hate to say it, but neither of them are my favorite right now! LOL! I know it will get better, but it's so exhausting! You're doing great, and don't those hilarious one liners make it better sometimes? Bennett is so funny! You've got a witty one on your hands!

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  4. Thanks for your honesty! I feel that way a lot, but have never been brave enough to say it out loud-but it's SO true!
    .....and then they go off to kindergarten and absence definitely makes the heart grow fonder! ;) Hang in there. And I've definitely found that it's not the terrible 2's but the absolutely terrible, horrible
    3's.

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  5. I love the one liners!!! You have a funny little man on your hands.

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  6. Those little Bennett sayings made me laugh out loud! Especially the one about telling your mom to take her shirt off to eat a popsicle- that is so funny!!!

    I love your post! I have read so many parenting books but I have never heard that about having a favorite child. I am SO glad I read this because lately I've been feeling guilty because I DO go through phases of having favorites- depending on the stages my kids are in. I'm so glad it's normal! :)

    Jennifer

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