19 months going on 30

Pres is growing up so fast. Some days are so much fun and others are just plain awful! He is the most strong willed toddler I have ever come in contact with (I was a preschool teacher and nanny for over 5 years, so there have been a lot!). He wants everything on his own terms and some days that can be exhausting. It can also be such joy because he is independent and spunky!

We have finally conquered the word "please". I was thinking it was just never going to happen-you see, this is where his strong will comes in. Rather than have the treat by saying please, my son will do WITHOUT and not say please. Rather than getting up from the table, my son will just sit there in complete silence refusing to give in! I can't tell you how many times I would be in the kitchen after he had asked for a snack asking him to say please before I gave it to him, only to have him refuse and WALK away leaving me flabbergasted while standing there holding the food; or how many times he would sit in his high chair for 20 and 30 minutes refusing to say please to be excused! As most of you moms can imagine, this would infuriate me! The whole "you will not have it until you say please" bit just didn't work. He wouldn't even cry or pitch a temper tantrum. Simply give me this look and then walk out of the kitchen or if he was in his chair he would just settle in like sitting in his chair was exactly what he wanted to be doing. In my pregnant state this sometimes would just bring me to tears. The temper tantrum and fits I can deal with, but complete silence and then a dismissal was something I was not ready for! Who expects that from a 1 year old?! I finally came to the conclusion that I would just have to pluck on and not give in until he said please. It took about two months, but we have now officially ended the battle of the word "please". I am aware that it is probably only over because he now likes to say the word and have no delusions that it comes from me breaking his will (not even possible). I will, however, take this victory and keep it with me as we are now tackling "thank you", and "no and yes ma'am/sir". Wish me luck!

Despite or perhaps because of this will, I am so in love with my beautiful baby boy that my heart overflows! Even while he is wearing me down with his stubbornness, I am so proud of this little trait of his and I know that the Lord can use it to do some wonderful things for His kingdom. Imagine that will going about the world spreading the gospel! That is my daily prayer for my son that I can raise him up to use his natural gifts to glorify his Savior (even the gifts that make parenting him a nightmare at times!).

Pres is really into sports. He loves them all. Anything that involves a ball and running is something that he will play with full gusto. He's extremely athletic (I know my family and friends are going, "he didn't get that from you!" and they would be correct!) He can dribble a soccer ball better than kids double his age. That could come from all of the soccer games of his cousin Dyer that he went to. He's also really into baseball(YAWN). I can not stand the silly game but Pres brings me his bat and asks to go outside so we can play. We put the ball on the T and he hits the heck out of it. He's got the stance and swing correct (certainly not from watching me) but we can't seem to get him to understand the concept of running the bases. Right now after every hit, he comes and gives me a big hug (I'm not complaining about that one because it is the only interesting part of playing baseball with him!)

All of these traits are so amazing because they are completely opposite of what I thought my child would have. I'm a book reading, bike riding, and piano playing kind of gal (notice all solitary activities)and Pete is a guitar playing, runner that isn't that into cars or sports. We are both pretty laid back and tend to go with the flow...BUT...somehow this made a car loving (I mean LOVING), athletic fanatic that likes to get his own way at all times and did I mention there is NO going with the flow unless it is Preston's flow! God has an ironic sense of humor!

Here are some current pictures of the little monkey from the past week.

Trying to change his diaper...notice the big blur...this is pretty much all that I see to as he wiggles and fights having to stop running for 5 seconds!



After bath and getting ready for bed (Chrissy notice the t-shirt? It's the ones we made years ago during the hurricane in NC)



Loving on our "baby". We are using this bear to help him get used to the idea of a baby in the house. We hold it, feed it, and love on it. So far...Pres will be a great big brother...as long as Ashlyn doesn't mind being mercilessly tossed on the floor when he is bored with her!






The back on the couch is his new favorite place. He will sit or stand up there for long periods at a time just singing and blowing kisses! Not the best thing to allow but given all I've shared about the other battles, this is one I choose not to fight. We did after all buy this couch because we thought it would be good with kids (we were right too!).



Pres in his favorite place, the backyard, playing soccer and running around with daddy!