3

Such a short post title but filled with so much…what’s the word? CHAOS. 3 has hit are house for about 4 months now. The limit pushing, the yelling, the violence…the RAGE. Oh boy it is strong. The toy throwing, the hitting, the screaming, the “no”s. It is constant. Transitions from one activity to another suck. We plan ahead as much as we can but it is still touch and go. We set timers. We compromise. It.is.exhausting. It doesn’t help that I haven’t slept more than 5 hours in a row…in say…um…maybe 6 months?

If that wasn’t enough, the lying has started. “Mommy Oliver woke me up”. Nice try kid, Oliver didn’t cry out and each time he was up, I checked on you and you were OUT. LIES! This was the most recent one where we realized we are screwed:

Landon: “Mommy I go potty so I get candy?”
Me: “When?”
Landon: “Right now with Daddy upstairs”
Daddy:”Nice try buddy. You didn’t go potty”

Innocent enough but SO SCARY. I had no idea it started so early. WHY YA GOTTA BE SO SMART, KID?!

Now before I get the “well it is because of Oliver” remarks, I need to point out I know I am not alone. Other friends with 3 year olds? Without siblings? SAME THING. TERROR! So while I think Oliver might have a bit to do with it, I don’t think that has hit its peak yet. Oliver is still very little threat. He sleeps most of the time and doesn’t take toys. Since we work all day, they only interact for maybe 2 hours a day tops. A little time in the morning when we are having breakfast and Ollie plays on his mat, the drive to and from school and then while we play in the evenings before dinner. I try and just strap Ollie on me or Kevin and we play as usual. Everybody together. He still wants to play with him because he is “soooo cute”. He hasn’t asked to send him back or even put him down to attend to him. So far, so good. I know this will end at some point šŸ™‚

But I guess to flip it around, 3 is kinda awesome. The learning. The communication. The ability to do something for himself. Like this weekend, he woke up saying “my throat and ear hurts”. We walked into the doctor and I didn’t even have to speak. He told them and sure enough, ear infection. He is starting to GET TV shows. He has always loved Blue’s Clues but now he knows what is going on. Trying to figure out the puzzle. Talking to the TV. It is really neat to see. He loves recognizing letters and practicing them. The independence is nice too. Knowing he can go upstairs and get him clothes and come back down alone, priceless. While I am feeding the dog and Oliver is crying and chaos is at hand, I can ask him to help…and he usually can. He can feed the dog. Let him out. Go to the potty. Wash his hands. Pick out clothes. I keep thinking if he was 2 and I had a baby, I would be screwed. I couldn’t watch him as much and who knows what would happen.

So yeah…3 is full force here and we are bunkered down for the storm. When does it get better? College?

19 thoughts on “3

  • October 30, 2012 at 9:21 am
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    If you get the magic answer I want it. The highs are so high, so awesome and make the lows, which are so low, worth it. But honestly, I am a level, middle ground girl so the up and down is baffling to me.

    One minute you are laughing the next you are screaming. One minute you love pizza the next minute you are throwing it saying you hate pizza.

    I have heard over time that boys are easier in the long run if that is any consolation.

    I do think the sibling thing may have a teeny tiny piece of it. With B, he has reverted to wanting to be carried, needing milk at night, needing a hug etc… and I really think it is because he sees C and her needs and wants that attention too… not that it makes the yelling okay!

    Reply
  • October 30, 2012 at 9:33 am
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    Three is simultaneously the most amazing and awful age. There are moments where I just scoop her up and kiss her because she’s so sweet and smart and hilarious. And then in the blink of an eye she’s kicking her sister which is ya know, awesome.

    The hardest part for us now is Hannah IS very annoying to her. She takes her toys, is constantly in her face and is a general nuisance. But it’s very hard to explain to Madison that while I know she is annoyed, Hannah is still a baby and we have to be super nice to our baby sister. Because I can’t keep Hannah from taking the toy or yelling no matter how much I try. So they scream and yell over toys and I want to pull my hair out.

    And then I catch them sitting next to each other in the toy room while Maddie helps Hannah put a tutu and my high heels on and calls her a princess and I die.

    See? Amazing and Awful and Amazing again. šŸ™‚

    Reply
  • October 30, 2012 at 12:59 pm
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    E turned three T the end of July, before A’s arrival and we are experiencing the same attitude changes. So I agree, it is age-related and not sibling related. It is very tough with no sleep, a crying baby, and trying to compromise. I’m not proud of this, but the ‘Santa card’ was pulled the other day after a trying morning. I hope it gets better soon!

    Reply
    • November 1, 2012 at 2:51 pm
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      Oh Halloween was the perfect Santa Card. He was an angel. Need to harness this power.

      Reply
  • October 30, 2012 at 2:43 pm
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    3 year olds suck. I was really ready to give both of the boys away at age 3. At age 3, they fight because they LIKE to fight. Awesome.

    Things were pretty smooth sailing in the 4s. All rainbows and unicorns.

    6 is the next serious dick age. All sassy and defiant and know it all. At least at age 6, you can tell them they have to stop acting like an asshole, tell them they are in trouble if they use the word asshole, and take away privileges. Or you can yell at them until you get strep.

    Reply
  • October 30, 2012 at 4:07 pm
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    Okay, now you have me very, very scared. The three year old stuff I hear from many other moms but it was your comment at the very end… “I keep thinking if he was 2 and I had a baby, I would be screwed.” My son will be 21 months when my daughter is born. {gulp} Hold me.

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    • November 1, 2012 at 2:49 pm
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      Screwed in a different way. You don’t have rage yet…just uncoordinated šŸ™‚

      Reply
  • October 30, 2012 at 4:15 pm
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    I am going to have baby #2 a month after my boy turns 3. This post makes me want to cry.

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    • November 1, 2012 at 2:48 pm
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      I’m sorry. Better to be pregnant now and get it over with. If you waited until 3, I bet you would be leaving your husband high and dry šŸ™‚

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  • October 30, 2012 at 4:20 pm
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    3 and a half is marginally better than regular 3, at least around here but a huge part of that was learning to manage MY reaction and MY expectations. Which is way, way harder than I ever thought. Now that he’s a little person and can communicate I expect him to act like a littler person all the time. And when he doesn’t….I do not handle it well. Yesterday I pulled out a new pack of Play-doh (12 colors!!!11!1) as a mid-hurricane amusement. Within 10 minutes he had ruined three colors by smashing them into brown. I tried explaining why that ruined the fun, how he needed to keep them separate, how I would be happy to help him make things if he wanted. He promised he got it and wouldn’t do it anymore. GUESS HOW LONG THAT LASTED?! I ended up throwing it all away, despite much wailing and gnashing of teeth from the children because it was a SIMPLE INSTRUCTION FTLOG WHY IS IT SO HARD?!

    I realized today I was being a little unreasonable. It doesn’t hurt anything if they “ruin” the play-doh. If Evan wants to make brown, that’s fine. But the NOT LISTENING even though I explained it and he looked me in the eyes and said he WOULD listen kills me. Today we’re playing trains and there have been no arguments at all, except for one about eating Doritos for breakfast.

    Reply
    • November 1, 2012 at 2:23 pm
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      Yeah we had that issue with coloring and drawing and it screwed us over. We were “helping” too much and then it turned into a battle. He wouldn’t color, draw or anything on his own anymore. Lesson learned. I wish those were the arguments sometimes…instead of why you need to brush your teeth, eat your dinner faster than an hour, pick up your toys, SIT on the couch. Are we asking too much? No…you, kid, are just a dick.

      Reply
  • October 30, 2012 at 11:44 pm
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    Lol, your comment about if he were two. Yep you would be screwed. That’s how I feel most days. But alas we are moms and we always manage, somehow.

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    • November 1, 2012 at 2:22 pm
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      I mean you don’t have as much rage…just more hand holding.

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  • October 31, 2012 at 9:07 pm
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    Posts about the rage, now that’s good reading. I’m curious to know what you go thru with your 3 year old because mine is a screaming, yelling, crying PITA these days!!

    Reply
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