What I Learned this Week

This was a very big week for learning, and here are just a few of the things I learned:

1. The biggest? A two-year-old can be thrown out of daycare for attacking a parent. No, not my child, another one who had been constantly biting my son. Yes, he attacked me, trying to scratch me, spit on me, and kick me, then threw things at me. Well, this wasn't the first incident, that that doesn't count at THE only thing he got thrown out for, but wow...that was a shocker. I learned crazy two-year-olds can take you by surprise.

2. Red is a difficult color to make with food coloring. At least my son didn't really realize his cupcakes were more pink than red for his birthday at school. I heard red is hard. Any suggestions?

3. A 6' 6" man can throw his back out and become quite unmovable. But I also learned he can heal a lot faster than expected. That's been a big plus.

4. When asking your newly three-year-old son what he'd like to be when he grows up, he can answer, "A flower." I hope that isn't the case, for numerous reasons. I hope he doesn't hate me later in life, for putting that on my blog too!

5. Three can be more challenging than two. The age that is. I've been told by three people anyway. I might be in for a rough year.

6. When you realize you've hit 55:00 on your microwave timerfor your lasagna, realize at 53:00 that you've actually turned ON the microwave, not the timer, and go to reset it. Be cautious you are paying close attention, because you might actually, in also turning on the microwave light, get a little crazy and turn off your oven that was once cooking your lasagna, and be terribly disappointed, once the timer does go off, that the oven is not as hot as you expected, and your lasagna, which you were anticipating for dinner, now STILL has to be cooked, and you have to now make something else, while it cooks.

7. It IS possible to successfully take a three-year-old grocery shopping and actually have a good time. It just takes some prep work.

8. You can warn your child all you want, that he better get wherever he's supposed to be by the countdown of 5-4-3-2-1, then be prepared to follow through with the consequence you threatened, as he WILL test you, you WILL have to follow-through, and he WILL pitch a hissy fit.

9. It can feel like your house will truly never be clean, or picked up, or that you'll have the time (or energy) to do so.

10. Fall asleep as soon as your head hits the pillow, even if it is at 9:15 PM.

For more, see Julie's blog.