Cashinator

Why do I want to write about this little guy? I don't know. I just feel like it I guess. He's just changing soooo fast. My world is so different today than it was even a month ago. He was little Mr. cuddly for a whole year, and now....well, if he wrote me a letter, it would go a little like this.

Mom,

I just want you to know that I think you're great. I do. But, there's going to be a few changes from here-on out. You know how you like to hold and cuddle me? Well, now that I can walk WITH PROFICIENCY, that is no longer necessary. I no longer need any help with ANYTHING...EVER. Even though I am not even 15 months old yet, I would now prefer to walk in the grocery store instead of ride in the cart. At home, I will climb and descend the stairs at will. I will feed myself, PERIOD. When you futilely try to change my diaper, I will scream my head off and try with every ounce of my twenty pounds (which is actually quite strong if I do say so myself) to wriggle out of your control, and if I can, I will throw my dirty diaper at your face. I will also try to smack you in the face and laugh at it. Even though you are no longer allowed to assist me with anything anymore I would still like you to linger around in my presence enjoying all of the fancy things I have learned how to do. If you so much as attempt to sit down at the computer, open a book, talk on the phone, or walk into another room for any purpose, I will scream at you and come cry and try to climb in your lap until you come back and sit on the floor (definitely not allowed on the couch) and watch me do whatever it is I was doing. I want to make sure you see all of the adorable faces I make and hear my adorable laugh (one of my more redeeming qualities).

The only exceptions to these rules are if I am REALLY tired and am at church, you are then allowed to stand and rock me (sitting is not allowed in this type of situation), and if I am sick. If and when I am sick, I will cut you a break and allow you to change my diaper and rock me as much as possible, as I do not have the strength to do anything else. That is all.

Love, Cash

Ummmmm, that would be it! I'm hoping this might be a phase, but I have been through it all before. This "phase" lasted until Bryant was 3 and a half, gosh, maybe even four. I remember wistfully looking at the mom's in Target who's young children would simply walk next to them as they walked down an aisle. I had to ban Bryant from Wal mart for nearly a year. I wasn't even able to enter a library with him until he was 3, and we left in a tantrum. I don't want to have to do all that again, but I may. The funny thing is, is that Cash and Bryant have such different personalities, but somehow, they are both fiercely independent, and for some reason, they seem to be acting quite similarly (if you compare them at the same age). Luckily, along with the wiggles, and desire to be completely independent before the age of two, they have plenty of wonderful things that I love (like being adorable charmers), and honestly, I do love a good sense of independence, and I know it is a wonderful quality to have as an adult, it just sometimes make for a difficult road for the parent!

Even now, Bryant is a very demanding child, and will test me to my very limit, but he is SOOOO endearing. In his heart he is the very biggest momma's boy, and that is what keeps me wrapped around his little finger. It's almost like we have an understanding. He breaks some rule, I'll give him a consequence, and we always part as friends. He never gets mad at me for imparting a punishment, which is nice, because he does tend to break a lot of rules, and therefore gets a lot of consequences, so the fact that he doesn't think of me as a "mean mom" is nice. He just is usually willing to take the punishment. That's why I'm always tweaking my consequences and rewards to see what will motivate him...anyway, back to Cash. I'm not that certain of his being a mamma's boy yet, but luckily, he is very loving and so happy to be a part of our family, he is just trying to be an individual and figure out what he wants to do. So for now, I will continue trying to accommodate this tiny one-year old with a larger than life personality.