I'm still breathing so, that's a good thing....

Wow, oh wow does pre-age 3 suck.  I do NOT want to wish away any of my days of pre-age 3, but I sort of do.  Already in the 3.5 hours Connor has been awake, he's had 3 time outs.  All 3 for hitting.  I know, it's a phase -- but it's an UGLY phase. As much as I'd like to say I'm keeping my cool and acting super mature- I'm not. I look like this:



Image borrowed from googling



Ok, my hair is a little darker, and I look a little less cartoonish, but not by much. It seems my patience prayer has worn off and God has decided I need to dig a little deeper to find some peace.  Oye Vey - see now I'm beginning to speak in tongues - this is what pre-3 has caused.

But, some days I feel I am beginning to stifle him.  For instance, when he hits with baseball bat , his hands are how he'd hold the bat left handed. I try to correct him, but I cannot decide if I should be pushing the "right way" or let him just enjoy hitting the ball? Consequently, in his mind he sees so many objects as "bats" and "ball" and it's super creative. BUT- we cannot play bat/ball in the house for obvious reasons ("mom says don't play ball in the house" so goes the old Brady Bunch quote).   Seriously, the objects he sees that can be used for a baseball bat are amazing- a crayon?! A fork and a pea?!

While I don't want to squash his spirit, I find myself wanting to squash his spiritedness to act like the perfect child.  You know, THAT CHILD, the quintessential perfect child I was going to have. Not the hitting, spitting, screaming, possibly possessed, near 3 year old I currently have. But, I love that little man.

Ugh, it's just a phase. All in all he is a good kind, bighearted, lovable little toddler.  I guess it's hard to live in his little body unable to really express how he feels. We have tried the books... so far, nothing. Yesterday, I was near the end of my rope and I told him I was gonna cut off his arm if he hit another thing.  He looked up at me with those beautiful hazel eyes said, "Momma cut off my arm? No Momma, no cut off my arm. Con-nr no hit."  Great parenting moment to offer to chop off his arm- which I would not do, but duct tape it to his side...maybe...

Is it a boy thing? Maybe it's a Connor thing. Heck, most likely it's a combination Connor and how his over reative-not so even tempered-Mother reacts thing. Once everything is all said and done, at the end of the day I have love. Unconditional love for that little man, that's the important part.

I guess we just keep breathing and keep remembering, "This too shall pass." Or maybe it's "Pass me the beer."  You know, whatever works.