Growing Up

We have now entered the world of no naps in the daytime. Always dreaded and never convenient when it arrives, it is a rite of passage that every toddler and mother will pass through. Oh, how I miss my 1 1/2 hour daily time to myself! But enough wallowing..... and onto more practical matters.

Having spent more time with Jonah over the last 2 weeks, I have actually discovered that I have a real little person on my hands. No longer the uncontainable, climbing up every shelf, emptying every cupboard, killing all the fish tiny toddler; he is now able to converse (ok, that may be taking it too far - witter is probably more accurate), follow instructions (as long as he approves them first) and concentrate for longer on planned activities. Far from being the nightmare that I expected, I have actually enjoyed my time with him in the afternoons. I have remembered all those little things that 2 and 3 year olds enjoy doing, and surprise surprise, he enjoys them! We have made cakes, put together puzzle after puzzle after puzzle after puzzle, played with water and been strawberry picking to name but a few activities. I have yet to get the paints out of the cupboard - I'm not ready for that!

I have realised that my baby is growing up, and I should treat him as an almost 3 year old instead of the 18 month old that I still think of him as. We have given the dummy away to the baby birds (yes, I know, I know, but he doesn't know that after he'd thrown it out of the window I quickly collected it and threw it in the bin. I doubt he will end up in therapy because of it.) and he is suddenly joining in more with family activities. He's not the 'add on' child anymore but he fully participates in the things we do. He 'helps' with jobs around the house and sometimes his help is actually helpful.

The last thing to tick off the list is potty training..... I cannot bear the thought of it. "Train a child in the way he should go and he will not depart from it" has not been too successful in the area of potty training and there has been alot of departing from where they should go. But my baby needs to grow up. (I really should stop calling him my baby, but I can't help it. He is so cute and winsome and cuddly and has lovely little bruise covered legs that poke out from the bottom of his shorts.)

Friendship

I am very blessed (I do find that word incredibly cheesy, but sometimes no other word will do. "Fortunate" isn't the truth, nor is "lucky", so "blessed" will have to suffice.) to have some incredible friends. Not only are they friends who I can have a good giggle with and be myself with, but they are friends who walk with me through every step of my journey in life.

A true friend is one who supports, sacrifices and tells the truth instead of paying lip service. Imagine going shopping with a friend who agrees with you and tells you that you look good in everything you try on. When you arrive home you try them on and your family laugh as you parade around the room giving a "fashion show" of your purchases (am I the only one who does this?). You discover that actually all your lumps and bumps are accentuated and really those skinny jeans were not your best ever buy. True friendship has to have honesty as it's hallmark. Consider this rather wise proverb:

"Wounds from a friend can be trusted but an enemy multiplies kisses." Proverbs 27 v 5-6

We do not usually expect our friends to be the ones who wound us, but actually, if they don't speak the truth to us ("Yes, I did mistake your bum for the elephant's bum" might perhaps be taking it too far) we will never learn, grow or change. I am so grateful for friends who love me so much that they will be honest with me and pinpoint areas in my life that need a bit of extra work. Not only do they pinpoint those areas, but they then will stick with me as I work through them.

If you are my friend, and you fit this bill, thank you. Thank you for your honesty. Thank you for your commitment. Thank you for walking with me. I am truly grateful.

Now, enough of the sentiment...... toilets need de-weeing, toys need putting away and tea needs to be cooked.

Mealtime Mantra

A very wise King, who had a good deal of children, once wrote:

"It is better to eat a dry crust of bread in peace than to have a feast where there is quarrelling."

Proverbs 17 v 1

Our lovely family mealtimes have recently transformed into a stage where the boys compete to be the funniest, say the rudest words, have the most food, have the ketchup / honey / brown sauce / mayonnaise first, be the loudest, talk the most, make the most mess or generally shout above others. Where we once had almost intelligent conversation at the table, we now have "Fartface" shouted from Jonah and uncontrollable giggles from Toby and Max. Where we once enjoyed learning about everyone's days at school and work, we now just hear the rude jokes they heard in the playground. Where we once listened politely to one another, we now just say the same things over and over:

"Use your knife and fork; don't lick the plate; mind you don't spill your drink; lean over the table; watch your sleeve in the sauce; that's enough ketchup....that's enough ketchup... THAT'S ENOUGH KETCHUP!; stop tapping the table; stop whistling; sit down on your bottom; don't put your hand in the yoghurt pot........ Does anyone else have these mealtime mantras or it is just our family who are growing up in a barn?

This weekend, thanks to some very very generous friends who are having all 3 of our boys, we are going away for a night to celebrate our anniversary. We will be able to have 2 whole meals in peace. Would I rather have a dry crust of bread in peace than a feast surrounded by quarrelling? Absolutely. Hopefully though Jared will take me somewhere where there will be more on the menu than dry crusts of bread.