Monday..

Someone told me once that parenting is hard.

I never really believed it.

We've been lucky.

As an infant Daniel was really the perfect baby.

Woke up to nurse and then right back to sleep for the night...

At 1 yr old if it was 7:45, he would point and say "night night".

At 2, he was happy, healthy, potty trained and ready to conquer the world.

At 3, sweet, loving, fun..and still ready to conquer the world.
At 4- well, its been a week & 1/2..and its been BAD

Its like he woke up and became a different little boy.

We're really having a rough couple weeks here.

And as a parent I find myself thinking about the battles

we're choosing and how they will impact him as an adult.

He's still a great kid.. His teacher goes on and on about how well

behaved he is at school. 99% of the time, we're told by everyone what a great

little boy he is. Polite, nice, funny, adorable..

But lately at home..things aren't as great.

During the day today it was rough,

not listening..talking back..not listening some more.

Tonight at skating, not good.

He wasn't listening. At all.

Not to the instructors and not to us.

After being told 10 times, I took him off the ice.

Obviously, it wasn't our night.
He was MAD. and not just a little.

After we left, I found myself second guessing what I did.

Was I right to take him off? What did that help?
How could I have handled that different?

Who knows..and now, its done.

Parenting is tough. His heart was broke.

However, he needs to learn that listening is important.

I explained that if he couldn't listen, he'd go home.

But he's 4. and at 4..well, anyways

That's what we did.

Follow through..It's hammered into our heads as young parents.

Parenting is really tough.

Tonight..I came home, put him to bed

and wrote him a little note for his memo box.

I've wrote probably 10 of them..and tonight, I needed to write one..

-Dear Baby bear,

Today was hard. on both of us.

We had a hard time communicating.

We're both learning.

Learning what each other wants and how to deal with all situations.

Be patient with Mom.

You've only been 4 for a little over a week and really continue to search

for your independence. Wanting to do your own thing and be a big boy,

yet needing to be a baby at the same time.

It will be tough. We'll have our days..

But, we'll get through this phase and we'll work it out.

Together..

I Love you up to the moon and as big as the sky,

Mommy