Y5 - 16/365: Monkey Boy!

I managed to get to Kingswinford a bit earlier tonight, but only to find my number one son strapped in a push-chair watching a film. When I asked I was told it was because he just wouldn't stay still.

Great. He's having one of "those" days, I see.

Apparently this is the way time-outs are done as well because he won't stay in one spot.

Figures. Little monkey.

Once home we decided he had some energy to burn, so what better way than playing with Daddy. Wouldn't you know, bedtime worked a treat.

Y5 - 15/365: Poo Breakthrough

Last week we were left with a disappointment towards the end as Ryan, who has been pretty successful on his potty adventures, had several "rapid-fire" type, poo-related accidents at Nana's house resulting in a decision to place him back in nappies. He's excellent getting to the potty for a wee, but tends to hide when it's time for a poo or won't tell us he needs to go until he has already gone.

We aren't keen on the idea of Pull-Ups because we feel they send the wrong message and may confuse him since they pull up and down like pants...but to a potty-training toddler, they *feel* like nappies, taking away any awareness of an accident like pants would. But to my mother-in-law's defense, it was a lot to take on since I think he may have also had some tummy troubles, so we didn't hesitate.

We kept Ryan in nappies at the weekend although he protested and wanted to be in pants like a big boy. Then when at the childminder's yesterday, she said it was a shame that he's gotten so far with potty training and admitted to putting him in pants (that I kept in his changing bag) while they were at home just to see how he'd do and he stayed dry for her all day AND actually did a poo when she pushed him a bit to have a go! I wondered if it was him trying to show us he was ready so I asked this morning what he wanted and he insisted pants. I went with this because we didn't have plans to go anywhere since his preschool teacher was coming for a home visit.

When I left the room to do breakfast and returned, sure enough, there he was on his potty like a proper little man and his reading material! He wasn't ready to give up so I'm just going to cheer him on!

He stayed dry all morning and through his nap and then this afternoon went to the potty ALL ON HIS OWN to do a POO!! TWICE!!! He was so excited the first time, he wanted to keep it for Daddy to see. I explained it was too smelly so down to the toilet we went to send the poo off to the 'poo party.' Thankfully, he had another to do once Daddy was home, so he didn't have to miss out completely.

Fingers crossed that we're on our way!

Y5 - 14/365: After "Cool" Club

We had our first proper snow last night and this morning, but it was all washed away with rain before mid-day. Unfortunately I had forgotten my umbrella, which meant a very wet trek into Kingswinford from Smethwick to collect Ryan from St. Mary's afterschool club. His childminder has taken her afterschool session there, which will be convenient once Ryan starts school next Monday.

When I arrived, Ryan was none the wiser as I crept past and took a cheeky photo from behind. He was totally emersed in one of his favourites...Pingu.

The idea behind me using my daysaver bus fare to Kingswinford was that I would arrive just after 5 and collect Ryan so we could head home shortly after on the bus again and save Matt a trip from his new job in Halesowen. However, this forgetting the umbrella mess threw a spanner in the works because we stayed and waited for Matt instead, who arrived just before 6pm.

Still, Ryan was very excited to have been "at cool (school)" even if it wasn't properly in his own preschool class. but his teachers come for a home-visit tomorrow! He's really looking forward to it!

Y5 - 13/365: Wild Thing

The day Ryan wore his reindeer pyjamas and made mischief of one kind and another his mother called him "WILD THING" and Ryan said "Chee cry," and "For cryee out wow!" So he was sent to bed without any treat.

Then he slammed his bedroom door.

Repeatedly.

I'll tell you something, the "terrible twos" have nothing on the threes it seems. He is simply oppositional at every turn. It started very first thing in the morning. He came into our room swinging a ribbon around and around his head. I simply asked him calmly, "Ryan, give that to Mommy, please," and I was met with a defiant sounding, "NO!" as he carried on as if I didn't exist. So, I tried again and again, "Thank you, good boy. Put it in Mommy's hand."

Would you believe the little sh--, uhm, I mean "dear" looked RIGHT at me and continued to swing it around?!

Did I stutter?!

So I tried being firm.

"Ryan...put. it. in. Mommy's. hand. NOW. please."

Nope, didn't even phase him.

Then Daddy rolled to face our direction..."RYAN! Give that to MOMMY!" he demanded, the bass in his voice echoing.

Zilch.

The thing is, we KNOW he can hear us. And we know he's not being defiant, as such, but rather exerting a bit of independence. But boy did he manage to make it last ALL day, resulting in us staying home instead of our usual visit to Emma & Daz's for dinner. There was no way we were subjecting them and our niece to his antics.

He ate most of his dinner and gave little fuss at actually preparing for bed, so it was assumed it wouldn't be too difficult to get him down. Our "new/improved" routine is to aim to have him upstairs for 8 o'clock because we suspect sleep, or the lack of, to be the main culprit...along with his strong will, of course.

We did the usual after his bath. Got him dressed in PJs...cuddles for Daddy...story choice (tonight's was 'Birthday Soup' from the Little Bear series). Then 3 song requests from Mommy before I lie next to his bed...usually holding his hand or waiting for him to give me "knuckles" and then drifting off 5 minutes later.

Try SIXTY minutes on and he's WIDE AWAKE chattering to Teddy!! So, I calmly explained Mommy was going and I would be up to check on him later.

What's that? No more attention?

As soon as Matt and I were in the front room with season six of Dexter queued up on Netflix, he started in. First with just whinging at the top of the stairs. We called up to him that it was bedtime and although he would initially run with a guilty conscience back to his room. Matt even went up to try and coax him to lie his head down and stay in bed.

The last straw was when he morphed into a stroppy pre-teen and began slamming his bedroom door!

The battle line was officially drawn and Matt was the first to respond to Ryan's preliminary strike with me not far behind. A good old fashioned telling off left a young lad in fake little crocodile tears and a Mommy and Daddy at their wits end.

We thought that was all it would take...but still not. The "up and down" game of 'popcorn' continued for another 45 minutes before I went to check on him.

This is what I found. Finally, by half eleven, he waved his little white flag in defeat as he fell asleep on the floor next to his bed.

I don't know how I will cope with him some days because I love him more than that of my own life, but he is turning into quite the little button-pusher. In the meantime, I cannot wait until the circuit in his clever tot-brain completes and he gets that Mommy and Daddy are the boss for his own good.

Until then, he can roar his terrible roars and gnash his terrible teeth all he wants. Eventually, by the end of the night, he will have to step back onto his private boat (aka bed) and wave goodbye.

Y5 - 12/365: After Dark

Em and I decided to stay for the Bin-Glo session at Mecca Oldbury tonight. The big prizes were a 250G XBox 360 and a brand new HDTV.

Words can not measure my unhappiness when I came within only ONE number to win the XBox. I think my unlucky streak at bingo in general has surpassed a year so I'm questioning whether a break-up or at least a trial separation might be in order with Mecca...or maybe I won't go again until next Saturday.

Y5 - 11/365: Why Don't You...Stay and Play?

We headed back to St. Mary's today for our second and final 'Play and Stay' session for his Pre-School. Ryan was more that excited to go and made comments the whole way on the bus. When we arrived and he saw the big blue sign he began to chant, over and over: 'I'm going to go to school to-day, I'm go-ing to schoooooooooool.'

He didn't waste any time getting right in. One of the teachers, Mrs. Taylor, was happily playing with the 3D puzzle and it didn't take Ryan very long to go and have a gander.

The thing he was most looking forward to was playing on their playground. So, when the children began to filter outside to join the older Reception children, Ryan turned to me like he was instructed before our arrival and asked politely to go outside.

We popped into the corridor to get his coat and wellies and back through the classroom to the entrance to the playground. Just as Ryan slipped ahead of me through the door, I noticed all the children were returning inside with their parents. It was time to tidy up and prepare to go home and Ryan  did not like it, not one little bit.

He showed his displeasure by screaming at the top of his lungs and having a full-blown paddy!

I can't say I blamed him for being upset because I had no idea they would be ending things that soon. By the time I finally had him calm and on the carpet listening to a story, the other parents had disappeared with Mrs. Taylor for the school tour. Fortunately for my dignity, I wasn't the only parent playing damage control.

Ryan stuck around to sing songs at the end with Miss Oliver and the rest of the children, even suggesting the group sing 'Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,' just like he has been for every bedtime since before Christmas.

I still feel a bit to blame for the meltdown because otherwise he has been good as gold all day. Still, he cheerfully said goodbye to his teachers at home time and off we went!

We have a home-visit to look forward to next week and then he officially starts Pre-School on the 21st! My little boy is growing up!!

Y5 - 10/365: The Most Peaceful Time...

We were a bit off-kilter today and I'm feeling awful that Ryan's Nana has felt the brunt of it. This is one of the reasons my first opportunity for a photo wasn't until tiny terror was fast asleep.