“No. No. No. No. No.”
Any parent of a 2-year-old is probably familiar with that refrain at a high decibel. What’s puzzled Meg and I lately is we frequently hear it at dinner.
Jamie loves to eat, but he loves to eat on his terms. He takes two bites of what Meg and I want to feed him, and then exclaims “Bull Shish” (Goldfish) or asks for applesauce, or a banana. It can be a challenge to get him to eat something new or different, because of his stubborn personality. Luckily for him his parents are stubborn too. No DNA test necessary. He’s ours.
Lately when he exclaims “No. No. No. No. No,” he shakes his head with his hair whisping through the air behind him. It is most definitely a full-bodied answer.
When Mr. Personality stumbles onto a food he likes he becomes bird-like with an open mouth, anticipating more. What he likes one night, might be the food he says “no” to the next. It is a completely unpredictable endeavor.
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Luckily for us, Jamie also loves his baths. It does however mean that we can’t mention the bath too early in the meal, or he will lose focus on the food in front of him.
Once it is time for him to hop in, he’s always excited to play with the fishies, duck, turtle and the cups that go along with bath time. He’ll likely let you know that he doesn’t want to be removed from the tub after we’re done however.
“TOOOYYYS,” in a sad voice with a pouty lip is all he can muster.
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We also read him a book before he goes to bed.
Something tells me that Jamie is going to be an early reader, and it is not just his active interest. He insists on bringing a separate book onto your lap as you read.
Make no mistake – this book is for him to hold while we read to him. Should we try to read the book he is holding—be prepared to hear “No. No. No. No. No.” all over again. We have a budding DIYer on our hands.
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The passing theatrics make Jamie a sound sleeper, and for this we are lucky. I hear all the stories from parents about kids who failed to sleep through the night for the first year or longer, and I cringe. I can’t imagine the multiple wake ups and early mornings going on for that long.
He may talk for a little bit, but usually he is out cold immediately—something I wholeheartedly appreciate. Speaking of out cold immediately–his parents may have the best intentions on Fridays and Saturday night. But best intentions don’t carry the same kick as caffeine. It might be movie night, but one of us (*cough cough probably me) falls asleep before it is over. Like father, like son.
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