Pig and Rabbit

Greyson has proven lately to be a spirited and strong-willed child. He's getting bad reports almost daily in school, and I was even called one day at work because he was so "out of control." I've checked out books on setting limits and discipline and parenting, and we're having some luck at home with his behavior, but he doesn't seem to be phased by the consequenses of misbehaving at school. He hasn't had candy or seen tv during the week in quite a while, so I guess the bonus is that he's healthier for all of his transgressions because I have no qualms about taking away those kinds of privileges.

So what else do you take away from a 3-year-old? It's very frustrating to try to discipline him for behavior that I don't see in person. We talk daily about being nice to his friends, respecting his teachers, and the consequenses and loss of privileges that result from bad behavior at school. And each day he promises to "try to have a good day tomorrow" but it has yet to materialize. I'm thinking of setting up a reward system for good behavior, maybe like a chore chart with rewards. But I also don't want to reward expected behavior... he should behave because he's a good boy, not because he wants a treat!

Argh, I see now why they say Three is the new Two. We've got our hands full, but he is still one of the cutest, smartest, funniest, sweetest love bugs around.

I was chatting with a friend at work who is Chinese. We often talk about the Chinese zodiac and lucky dates to travel, get married, etc. When Greyson was born, she told me it was great that he was born in the year of the Pig. Pigs are good boys, I guess!

We also discussed a book I heard about recently, from a woman born in the year of the Tiger (like I was). She mentioned that it's not necessarily great to have a Tiger daughter, because Tigers are ambitious and headstrong, not always good traits in a Chinese woman. Ying confirmed that a Tiger woman is kind of like saying "Dragon Lady". [The book is A Tiger in the Kitchen by Cheryl Tan]

Having recently celebrated the New Year, we're now in the year of the Rabbit, so New Baby will be a Rabbit. After our Tiger Woman conversation, Ying mentioned that it's not so desirable to have a Rabbit boy. I wondered aloud if that meant he would be sensitive and feminine, but she assured me that wasn't the case, that actually Rabbit Boys are quite the handful and not necessarily well behaved. To call someone a "little rabbit" is akin to saying "you little brat!" so that has become our new turn of phrase for G, regardless of his true pig sign.

So we're a little worried, here we are expecting our second baby to be a breeze - but what if he's worse than G?!

Old Baby, New Baby

It's no big secret, but I guess I haven't really mentioned New Baby here on the blog. Mostly because I haven't really posted in ages, but here I am. New Baby is less than three months from arriving, and I have yet to diary, blog, or photographically document his impending arrival. Yes, HIS impending arrival. I was sad for about a week that I won't have a daughter, but I have now come to accept being a "mom of boys" and I'm looking forward to seeing the bond between brothers develop. The boys will be 3 1/2 years apart, so I don't expect them to be the best of friends, but I hope they will be close.

Greyson asks often when the new baby will arrive, he has finally come to understand it won't be soon, but now that the belly is large he is wondering more. Last night he asked if the baby was coming in "35 minutes?" I guess this would all be easier if he had a better concept of time. To distract him, we looked at photobooks from when G was a baby. He liked to see my big belly with HIM inside. Guess I'd better get busy documenting this pregnancy so New Baby won't feel left out!!

Mikey got me a beautiful new rocking chair for our 5th anniversary last week (wood is the traditional gift for the 5th), so we also played baby last night. G curled up in my lap and I promised him he would always be my baby. He played along until bed time, although he usually denies being a baby. I guess he's smart enough to relish the last few months of being my one and only.

New Baby is due to arrive at the end of May, 2011.

Conversation over breakfast

Me: Do you want some Rice Krispies?

Greyson: Yes! Crack Snapple Pop!

Me (showing him the trio on the back of the box): That's Snap, that's Crackle, and that's Pop!

G: Crack Snapple and Pop!

Me: Snap

G: Snap

Me: Crackle

G: Crackle

Me: Pop!

G: Pop!

Me: Snap, Crackle, Pop!

G: Crack, Snapple, Pop!


Close enough.