Like Mother.... Like Daug...No, Like Son

Ok, I'll admit it.... I can be rather stubborn. In some things, and not all the time, though. See, I'm even stubbornly agreeing that I'm stubborn! Apparently this trait was passed directly through the umbilical cord to Alexandar.

Let me describe my son to you.... from birth, he was very demanding about his eating. He wouldn't nurse in the delivery room, so the nurse asked if we'd like to try a little formula. Well, he went right for that and guzzled all 2 ounces down. Only later did we learn that newborns only need about that much in the first 2 days, not 2 hours! He refused to nurse and decided he loved his bottles instead. Eating that way was faster and he didn't have to work as much. As he became aware of where his food came from, you couldn't even shake it up near him without him screaming. His pacifier had to be handy, so you could quickly exchange it when the bottle was removed from his mouth. When he moved on to solids, he was hollering for his next bite before you could get the spoon out of his mouth. And if you showed him his bottle before he ate his squash and bananas, you can forget eating, he only wanted the bottle. I believe I had successfully established that he is stubborn concerning his nutritional intake. =)

He is into this thing right now where he throws his pacifier if he is not happy with his current situation. This can include anything from saying it's time for bed giving him the wrong sippy cup. Granted, my son is NOT a morning person. We have to follow his very usual routine (turning off the stereo, unplugging the nightlight, getting his blanket, and now he likes to close the door.) or the crankiness is in full effect. We have to gently ease into the morning. Yes, I have thought ahead and do dread the school days to come.

Taken when we went to the apple orchard... a split second beforehand, he had his hand also up in protest of me taking his picture.

He does not give in easily and wants it to be his way or the highway. Case in point, two days ago I tried to put him down for a nap. He was very tired, but didn't think he should have to go down for a nap. I kept coming in to try and sooth him, but I was not going to give in and pick him up and rock him or let him come out and lay by me on the couch. This went on for 2 and a half hours. Not once did he decide to keep his pacifier instead of throwing it outside his crib and just take the nap he desperately needed!

If he is not in the right mind to stop doing something, he will continue to do so even though you keep saying no. For instance, yesterday I was putting Benjamin down for a nap, which all and all, did not take too long. Apparently, I left the salt too close to the edge of the counter after using it to prepare dinner, and he decided it would be fun to see what this does. I didn't realize the forecast had called for snow... inside my house.... because that is what it looked like. We had a large pile on the kitchen floor.... another on the rug between the kitchen and the living room, and a third on a file box I have in the living room, with trails between. As I was walking down the hall, I could see him shaking salt and said "Stop!." He said "uh oh, uh oh, uh oh...." and continued to dump out more salt. If you haven't had this experience, keep the salt and pepper shakers high because it is like sand and pine needles.... you never think you are going to get rid of it!

He did not like the way I did his cereal that morning.... not sure what was wrong with milk and cereal in a bowl and a spoon with which to eat it, but somehow that wasn't right.

Apparently the bowl and the spoon were the problem....

we'll just dump it on the tray next time.

Wow Mom, look at the mess on this tray..... guess who's gonna have to clean it up!!

This is not to say Alexandar is not a very loving, sweet, and intelligent little boy. But all of that is for another blog, another day. Now if I can only channel his strong willed spirit into the right things as he gets older, I'll consider it a job well done!