Because it was that sort of day.
Austin is cranky, and has been for the last week. Mostly because he won’t sleep. And because he is three and three year-olds tend towards emotional, but mostly because he won’t GO.TO.SLEEP.
At night, he finds every excuse in the book to come back downstairs.
“My finger hurts.”
“I lost my pillow.”
“I want a cuddle.”
Grrr….
How do you convince an active, creative little toddler to go to sleep?
Lyndon and I went to Colorado this weekend to visit my sister and brother. We had our typical travel luck crap happen, with flights cancelled and an unplanned overnight in Chicago. It was a blast, complete with 4-wheeling and a go at the Warrior Dash in Copper.
But I think it is quite possible that the boys had an even better weekend. Austin’s recap went something like this:
"While you were in Codagado, I got to see the big mowers, but I didn’t get to start them. I know how to start Papa’s wanmar (Yanmar – a tractor…). I saw the Bewarus, it was next to the skid steer. I roasted smarshmewwows. They were dewicious. Then I drove the gator with my sticky hands! "
Clearly the perfect weekend for a 3-year old.
Wes still doesn’t say much, but was a happy camper when we picked him up. He seems to have picked up a new trick over the weekend – dancing! He bounces while he sings his ABCs…surely a trick he got from his dancing-fool Granna.
A glimpse of our time in Colorado:
A while ago, I mentioned a friend had just found out she was having twins.
They are here!
At just under 7 lbs each, I would say she did well!
Rumor has it they are awesome at sleeping during they day. Not so much at night.
This was the best we could do at getting a picture of Wes next to the babies. My baby looked HUGE in comparison!
Wes was NOT into me holding another baby. He kept trying to push him out of my arms. Doesn’t like to share his mama!
How did you go from this?
To this?
and then just a few weeks later, this:
Your first year was such a whirlwind. You went camping for the first time,
and learned to love a kiddie pool.
and the beach,
You went to your first Rothbury festival,
and then, not so much later, turned one.
A bit later, you were blessed with a little brother.
Your second year of life came and went like a flash, and before we knew it, you could proudly tell us all you were “two.”
You even helped make your own cake:
Your brother became your partner in crime:
And your spirited little personality continued to develop.
You are all boy, all the time.
And are certainly not afraid of a challenge.
You are a handful. You are joy. You are our Austin.
We love you buddy. Happy birthday!
even if you do steal the camera and take really crappy photos of us at 6:00 a.m. on a Sunday.
I was cleaning out the memory card on the camera the other day, and I found this:
It cracks me up that his beloved dirt bike is sitting on an upside down 5 gallon bucket.
Wes isn’t a man of many words…yet. But the words he does have? Precious.
I’ll be entering him in the world corn hole championships for one-year-olds. I think we have a good shot.
Lately, when Austin is making his “I wanna watch a movie. I wanna ‘smarshmellow. I wanna I wanna I wanna….”
I’ve been taking the sarcastic route. “You want a ‘smarshmellow, do you? Well, I want a pony.”
I then launch into the whole “We can’t always get what we want…” spiel, which still ends in him throwing a toddler fit complete with crocodile tears. But at least I’m trying, right?
Yesterday, Lyndon went to pick Austin up from daycare. When he walked in, he told Austin “Come here, I want a hug.”
Austin’s response?
“And I want a pony.”
Austin loves his bedtime stories. Every night, he gets his three stories (these days mostly from Daddy, because I’m busy with the little one) and then promptly hits me up for a few more. I don’t mind indulging his love for books, so we cuddle and read a few more.
Notice that I had to stress books. Because, since we’ve come back from China, he has had a fixation with “Auction.” Auction is a pamphlet my parents got in the mail, covered in all sorts of farm equipment that is (duh) up for auction. You know, sometime in March.
Auction is still around. Despite months of reading and its inferior quality, it persists. And Austin has it memorized.
I refuse to read it – reading about theoretical farm auction equipment is a task that falls solidly on the father. But tonight Lyndon was out, and Austin really wanted to read Auction. He had been behaving fairly well considering, so I indulged him and read it to him.
Or, more accurately, he read it to me.
“Austin – what is that?” I say and point to what I assume he will call a tractor. Maybe a “red tractor” if he is feeling descriptive.
“That is a Massey Ferguson, mamma.”
Huh? What in the heck? I check the sidebar – sure enough, Massey Ferguson is the brand. He points out a few more “Massey Fergusons” – all red.
“How about that?” I ask, pointing to what I would describe as a lawnmower.
“A John Deer Riding Lawnmower, just like at Great Grannas.”
Ok….
“Mamma, that is a CAT loader.”
Yup.
Figuring I’m onto him, I point to another red tractor, and say “Look – another Massey Ferguson!”
His reply? “No mamma, that is a Case.”
Indeed it is little one. Indeed it is.
