Three

Wow, over a month since my last entry. I am so awful at this. Thanks to those of you who still check back periodically!

I want to discuss three year olds. N. is almost 3 1/2. I am really struggling with this age. I don't know how much of it is related to the fact that I'm also trying to take care of a baby, but I find her so frustrating.

This is what's aggravating:

1) the whining... dear lord the whining

2) extreme opinions on what she's going to wear, eat, do, etc. that result in freak outs if she's told no.

3) super independence - wanting to do everything by herself, even when she's not capabale, and... freak outs when some one helps her

4) alternately, wanting to pretend to be the "baby" - she gets a pacifier and pretends to cry and wants to be held. I was okay with this for a while, assuming that obviously this is a reaction to not being the baby anymore, but it is so annoying after 2 minutes.

5) constantly interferring with C. If C's standing, she'll knock him over. If he's crawling, she'll try to pick him up, if he's lying down she tries to flip him over. I believe I have uttered the words, "JUST LEAVE HIM ALONE" at various decibal levels several thousand times.

6) Not listening. I tell her to do something and she ambles along, often getting distracted by something else and 5 minutes later she still hasn't - gotten her shoes on, brushed her teeth, went to the bathroom, etc.

7) Throwing back one liners at me that I say to her all the time: Don't talk to me like that, Don't argue with me, That's rude!

Sigh. I feel badly because I'm not sure if I'm approaching all this correctly. Clearly, we have to set some boundries and make is known what kind of behavior is acceptable and what is not. At the same time, I feel like I am CONSTANTLY correcting her, and truth be told, yelling. Who knew I'd be a yeller?

Of course all of this is tempered by the adorable stories. The other day she was out on the porch and I told her she can't go outside unless she asks me first. Her response was, "But I was looking for Jesus." And all the "I love you, Mommy"'s. And all the hugs and kisses.

It's so worth it, and I just hope I'm doing it right... If you've had a 3 year old and have some tips, I'd love to hear them!