Not a Baby, Not a Big Kid

Post-Vaccination Sundae

Nick had his two-year check-up last week. We have a happy, healthy boy on our hands! Height and weight are both at 75% (30 pounds and 2' 11.5"), so big, but not too big! He received his final vaccine until age five and didn't so much as frown. Tough kid! The biggest trauma of the day was taking off his coat. Nick loves his outerwear and was not down with shedding it. We had a little wrestling match, and he threw a tantrum, but at least we were able to get it out of the way before the doctor came in.

While I could do without the tantrums, I love this age! Nick's language skills are taking off quickly and pretty much everything he says is adorable. I love having little conversations with him. A favorite from the weekend was:

Me: Are you a baby?
N: No!
Me: Are you a big kid?
N: No!
Me: Well, what are you then?
N: I'm Nick! (said with a look and tone of -- why are you asking me these stupid questions?)

But, really, could there be a better answer for that line of questioning? He’s not a baby or a big kid. He’s in that perfectly wonderful middle zone that is toddlerhood and I want to soak it all up!

He's really getting his independent streak; these days we're getting a lot of  "me do it" or "No, Mommy/Daddy! Myself!" He can climb both up and down the stairs by himself and can almost jump, but not quite. That's okay--I love his little gallop as he tries.

Nick's still very much his Daddy's boy, especially when he's tired. Just this morning, I tried to take him from Mark's arms, so he could start getting ready for work and Nick wailed and screamed as if I were a stranger. This happens a lot. I do not care for it.  Usually, Lainey will comfort me and say, "I want you Mommy," and give me a hug, but she was still snoozing this morning.

Nick is an ornery little boy and gets into his share of mischief. He likes to test the limits, just like his big sister. But, where Lainey has always been stubborn and outright defiant, Nick is a little more playful in his trouble-making, so sometimes I am a little too lenient with discipline. He definitely gets away with some behavior that would have sent Lainey straight to the thinking chair. What can I say? He's my baby!

One piece of behavior that we aren't tolerating (and is making me a little nervous) is biting. There have been several instances where he's tried biting Lainey, but usually it was in retaliation to her being overly rough with him or restraining him. While this still earned him a time out, I didn't worry about it too much given the circumstances. But, last Friday he bit another kid at school who simply took his toy away. YIKES!!!  The teachers said they were very surprised and had never seen behavior like that from him before, so I really, really, really hope it's a one-time thing. Maybe I jinxed us, because the night before Nick had tried to bite Lainey and I said to Mark, "at least he hasn't bitten any of the kids at school."  Or perhaps, Lianey didn't appreciate my cavalier attitude to Nick's attack and planted the seed in his head to start using this tactic on others (I wouldn't put it past her).

The biting aside, I have few complaints about my boy. He's generally a very easy kid. He's happy, eats well, goes to bed easily, and sleeps through the night (even if he does rise a tad on the early side). Fingers crossed he stays this agreeable (and keeps his teeth to himself)!!!