I have so many funny stories but I have not felt like writing them down. Here are the ones that I can remember.
You have a BIG mouth. You say what's on your mind and social niceties are something you're still learning.
We were in the waiting room in a car repair shop. A man came in who was very obese. You turn to me and say, "Mom! Look at that man's big belly!" I ignored you and crossed my fingers that the man is deaf. He sits down right by us.
Thinking perhaps I didn't hear you, you say louder, "Mom! Look at that man's big belly!" I continue to ignore you and you continue to say it. For MINUTES that feel like hours. I cover your mouth with my hand. You say it under my hand.
I feel so bad for the obese man but I hide my face in your neck because I'm starting to laugh at your persistence. I finally take you outside and scold you. We don't go in until you agree to stop. We come in right as the employee was about to come out. Our car had been inspected and he started telling me the diagnosis. In the middle of speaking, you start loudly whispering, "Look at his big belly!" You keep at it the entire time the employee talks to us. His professional demeanor breaks and cracks a smile.
I never addressed the obese man. I treated him how I would want to be treated--ignored and pretending the embarrassing moment didn't happen. I also understood that you wanted me to look and acknowledge what you said. The situation wasn't appropriate for that.
Literally the same week, you opened your big mouth again. There's some back story to this to give you credit. You often will tell me that I have a big belly. I work hard on body positivity and so I usually tell you, "Yes, I do." We move on. I give you no indication if its a good or bad thing to have a big belly and I don't scold you.
We were standing at the bus stop with our neighbor. She was leaning down to tell you something. All of the sudden you proclaim, " You have big boobs!" The best part of the interaction was that you tapped her boobs twice. She turned around and procaimed,
"What did you say?" as I wailed, "Creeeeeew!"
The other week we had a fake argument between you and me about who was cute. I argued that I was cuter and you thought that you were cuter. You won the argument when you proclaimed, "But I'm tiny!"
You have a new floor flop. Instead of flopping to the floor, you'll stomp out of a room when you're upset. You'll usually go upstairs and cry. The cutest was on Christmas. We were playing the game, Pretty Pretty Princess. You were decked out in jewels and having a great time.
The first piece of jewelry you had to give up was the cursed ring. Sweet! Right? Nope. The cursed ring is green (your favorite color) and you loved it. You exclaimed, "What?!" Then you proceeded to take off all of your jewelry and stomp upstairs. It was adorable. You were done playing the game to say the least.
When we were taking down the fake Christmas tree, you asked us why we were cutting down the tree.
One morning in December, you woke up in dad and my bed and innocently asked, "How did I get here?" You had no memory of walking to our room and were insistent that you didn't walk yourself. I suggested that maybe the elves carried you. You thought this was as likely as anything. Your bafflement was the most adorable thing.
One day in October, we went to Ross. TJ Maxx was right next door and you kept asking to go there and look at PJ Masks. I had no idea if TJ Maxx sold PJ Masks and had no idea where you got the idea from. Then I looked at the sign and realized how close the names were! I was super impressed by your "reading ability." I sure did take you to the TJ Maxx store and we couldn't find any PJ Masks. You were super disappointed.
One day at church in September we were sitting in the foyer. This is not unusual for you as you tend to be loud in Sacrament and then we have to take you out. You seem too old to be take out so often but there we are.
Anyway, I tend to try to distract you into holding still. I'll ask you about the pictures on the walls. One day I asked you to find Jesus. The picture on the wall was The Second Coming by Harry Anderson. You told me, "He looks like a butterfly!" I've never thought that before but now I can't help but see it. Jesus doesn't look like He has butterfly wings in the picture.
In July, you asked me to fix your toy. I was being truthful but mostly lazy when I replied that I didn't know how to fix it. You responded, "But Daddy always knows how to fix my toys." You bet I went over and figured out how to fix your toy. It did occur to me that I had been completely manipulated by a three year old.
A lot of those stories are thanks to me texting Nana about you! Otherwise, I would have long ago forgotten them. I like to text Nana pictures and silly stories about you and your siblings.
Crew, it seems like over night you turned into a kid! Everyone has commented on how big you are suddenly. I can't believe that you are only a few months away from four years old!
You transitioned to primary this month. After your first Sunday, the only thing you would comment on about your experience was that, "They don't have toys." That says everything. We were super nervous for you to go to primary due to your sacrament behavior. However, your nursery teachers said you were the most ready to go. God bless the sunbeam teachers!!!
I did hear a funny story from a parent. In the late summer/early fall, one of the moms said she was in nursery helping out. The teachers were teaching the lesson and asking questions. You said something to the effect, "They don't know! They're just babies!"
That reminds me. Whenever we see a baby at the store, we'll proclaim in goo goo gaa voices, "Ooooh! Look at the cute little baby!" It's hilarious.
You are officially potty trained. I don't remember where I left off on your saga of potty training. It was so hard! You had good weeks and bad week and good days and bad days. You rarely have accidents now. About a month or so ago, you had your first and only accident at the YMCA child watch. The ladies held out while I exercised and ended up fetching me the last ten minutes of class. You were devastated and bawled the whole time. I took a picture of you but it doesn't do justice to your tear stained face. It was pathetic.
We're still struggling because you'll go tiny bits of poop in your underwear. We are better at catching you doing it. You'll sit cross legged on the floor with your knees up. I'll put you on the pot. It sure is frustrating. So maybe you're not completely potty trained. You're definitely not night time potty trained. Dad and I meant to night train you over Christmas break but we didn't have the heart for it. You sleep with a sibling and we value our sleep. After dad's class we might try it again.
You are a headstrong child. Definitely not easy. You do have your cute redeemable moments though.
Okay, it is getting late! There's a reason why I've procrastinated this letter. I'm not proofreading. Just a warning. I'm proud of myself and happy I got these stories down.
Much love,
Mom
