This kid does my head in sometimes. I honestly thought I was a great parent...okay slightly better than mediocre parent, until he came along. This well thought out, considered and prayed about third and last child keeps us on our toes. The twos and its reputation of being terrible have been with us and all its glory.
When other parents would tell me of their two year old's behaviour I would nod with empathy all the while judging them quietly in my head. Giving my self a little metaphorical pat on the back. My first two had their moments but they never seemed that bad.
And then along came Zak zak. I loved having a newborn baby. The night time wakes to breast feed were lovely in comparison to the previous time with Joe. I really loved it. But when he hit one we began to brace our selves. The tantys began. At first we could soothe it with the dummy but since getting rid of it the tantys escalated. Anywhere, anytime. I want it and I want it NOW!
Oh little fire cracker, who and what will you become?
Out of our three kids, he has been the only one to need pediatrician visits. Born with three knots in his umbilical cord after doing somersaults in the womb and possibly too much coffee on my part (who knows!), we keep an eye on an ASD, which is a small hole that is between the left and right atria of his heart. He is developing fine and shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon. Routine echo-cardiograms keep an eye on it which is getting smaller as he grows, hallelujah.
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| twisties after starving all day! |
Last year he underwent a small operation at Starship hospital for a urology issue. It was a rough day for hubby. The anesthetist was a lovely youngish mum who immediately put my mind at ease. I took my first knitting project and prayed that all would be well. We were last on the list that day, so it was a long day of starving after traveling from Whangarei to Auckland that morning.
When Zak zak came out of his anesthetic he was beside himself, and would not stop crying. The recovery nurse said this was quite normal but we were really feeling it after 5 minutes of it. I got out my Ipod and played
the song, Come to me, by Jenn Johnson. Zakzak heard the the first line of the music and immediately calmed down and stopped crying and even went back to sleep. I can't explain the amazing sense of Gods peace that filled that place, but it was very cool.
He continues to challenge and amaze us. Desperate to catch up with his older siblings who on the one hand will fight for him and on the other hand get annoyed when he breaks their stuff. He certainly adds a dynamic to the house hold that we love. The neighbours certainly hear it! Our three kids sound like 10 kids!
Usually affectionate, and up for a cuddle, he can melt your heart with a "soweee" or a "tickle me mummy". We are fascinated at how much he looks like his father and nothing like me. A real life mini me. There are only four more months of the twos, and I am going to (force my self ) to make the most of it. The toilet training, pointing out every helicopter in the sky, or diggers or the cranes . The board books, Mickey mouse club house and Mr potato head, the everyday new words and sayings. All these things will soon be distant memories.
I will not forget the well rounded parenting experience I am receiving, in fact I am grateful. No more metaphorical patting my self on the back, more empathetic to the parent of supermarket tanty toddler now more than ever. No more quietly judging. Because if there's one thing I learned on this 10 year parenting journey is...these little beings have a mind of their own.
