Turning 3

Mason officially turned three this weekend even though we already celebrated his birthday. Our experience with the three's so far has instilled a deep and penetrating fear into both Dave and I. We had always heard that two's were the hard age. The terrible two's, ya know. But his two's weren't that bad. But toward the end and now the beginning of the three's...oh my! If this is only the beginning, I am afraid. There are temper tantrums, talking back and complete refusal to listen or do anything we ask. Now if I just had to deal with him and these behaviors that would be one thing. But it is much harder with a six month screaming every time I put her down to go deal with him. So some days, I have both kids screaming at the same time for various reasons. After talking to a friend of mine with some kids a little bit older than ours, she said, "Oh yeah, haven't you heard of the tantrum three's?" No, no I hadn't. But I understand now. In Mason's quest for independence, autonomy and control, parenting becomes even more delicate and important. Dave and I certainly don't want to "break his will" or his spirit but also want to set clear limits and boundaries to keep him safe and keep us sane! Hey, being a stay at home parent is not an easy job...and certainly doesn't pay monetarily. DOn't get me wrong, I love staying home with my kids and am so thankful that I am able to do so. But it is challenging and only getting more challenging. I'm already praying for this year and for my patience and Mason's good attitude! We'll see how it all turns out!