It has been brought to my attention that my three year old boy is not a baby.
I had a hard time with this at first. He’s such a good little snuggler and he’s my youngest and he just LOOKS like a baby to me…but alas. He is a boy.
The thought occurred to me the other night when I scooped him up out of my bed to bring him back to his crib. His legs dangled down to my knees and I had to do some creative maneuvering to get him down the hall and into his room without knocking his head and/or legs on the threshold of the door.
The next morning I told my sister I thought maybe he’s bigger than I treat him and she was all, “yeah you talk to Kainoa different then you talked to either Maile or Laina at that same age.”
And I was all, “but he’s my widdle guy!!”
And she was all, “don’t ever say that again.”
And I was all, “Hmph.”
And she was all, “Kathy he’s a man child. He’s bigger than all of the other boy cousins and they’re a YEAR older than him!”
And I was all, “So what. He has the face of an angelic infant.”
But I started thinking about how I don’t think Kainoa understands the concept of cause and effect and yet I assign the other three years olds in daycare lists of algebraic expressions to be completed by lunch time lest they choose to suffer the consequences (otherwise known as timeout).
I decided to test the “This-baby-might-know-more-than-I-give-him-credit” theory. He began climbing the pantry for cookies while I was on the phone the other day…instead of swaddling him and stuffing a pacifier in his mouth to soothe his desire for sugar like I usually do, I simply explained to him that I was on the phone and that we could talk about a treat after lunch.
And guess what?
He walked away.
Satisfied with the answer and in full understanding of the cause and effect concept I laid out before him.
This weekend I took apart the crib he’s been climbing in and out of for the last year and a half and I put in the garage. My boy is starting the week in a brand new big boy bed and nine pairs of big boy underwear.
He will be sleeping through the night in his own room and potty trained by the end of the week.
I’d like for this to have been a post about how my widdle guy is growing up…but I think it’s a post about how I am.
I'm a full-time mummy says
Awwww… I think no matter what age they are at, they are still the little baby to us :)
Erin says
Hey next week can I send my 3 AND 2 year olds to you for potty training? I mean if it only takes a week….I can pay! =)
Mama Kat says
You may want to check up with me in a week before enrolling your kids in my potty training boot camp.
melissa aka equidae says
i do get a little bit saddened myself that my boy is growing you know and though i am having baby 2 in Jan…well….he is still my first baby and sometimes i do wish to keep him small- now potty training, i am gonna do that summer coming and well if you tell me how to potty train in a week i’d be grateful i dont even know where to start!
Canadian Blogger Girl says
I know its hard to let go, especially when you have more than one child. You probably want your “baby” to stay that way. I however have a giant of a child. She was in a toddler bed by the time she was 18 months, she hasn’t had a soother since 16 months and bottles were gone around the same time. She’s only 2.5 now and is 3 foot 3 inches tall! People think she’s 4 or 5 years old when they meeet her.
However for potty training, can I have your technique for getting the job done in a week?
Mama Kat says
She sounds like Maile. I don’t think she was ever a baby. ;)
kathy says
He’ll always be your “widdle guy.” The thing is, sometimes our little guys are physically bigger and people expect more from them for that reason. Obviously, you’ve found a good middle ground, here, and your guy is ready to take some big-boy responsibilities. Congratulations! To BOTH of you :-) and enjoy those snuggles while you can.
Mama Kat says
It’s true! I watch people talk to Kainoa like he’s a third grader and I’m like, dude he’s a BABY…he doesn’t understand a word you’re saying.
Shows what I know.
Mariposa says
Aww… he’s so cute!
Jennifer says
Ok, now I’m just sad. For reals. My little guy is in his big boy bed and last night he told his Daddy, “I love my bed.” And his daycare teacher asked me to only send underwear to school from now on. :(
But…. but…. but he’s just a baby.
Mama Kat says
It’s too much. It will be the first time this house hasn’t seen diapers in SEVEN years!
Eve@BeautifulSpitUp says
Great post, now I don’t feel so bad about not wanting to feed my son baby food just yet. He’ll be six months on Friday and I’m fighting with my husband about giving him baby food. That means he’s growing up and I don’t want that! I want him to stay my breastfeeding little snuggle monster forever!!!
Mama Kat says
My advice? Bottle feed him until he’s four. You’ll miss it when it’s over.
Raine says
I am going through the exact same thing with my three year old right now. He is constantly reminding me that he is a boy not a baby. Beautiful post :)
Jen says
Aww! That picture of him holding Thomas melts my heart.
And that first picture had me blowing coffee out my nose from laughing. So he’s a fan of Stieg’s eh?
Mama Kat says
Haha…he’s extremely bright for his age. ;)
Rachel @ Mothering Blindfolded says
I know what you mean! It’s a bittersweet thing to see a baby grow. But I think my baby girl will always be my baby girl to me! :D
Mama Kat says
When there’s not a new baby to kick the big baby out of his/her spot…they really do remain a baby forever.
liz says
what i wouldn’t give for a swaddle blanket that fits a 3 year old!
Mama Kat says
I’m going to start making them…I’ll open an Etsy shop.
Sasha says
Great goals for the week. After that you should think about throwing away the pacifier.
trash says
Hang on, now I am confused. Is he wearing ALL 9 pair of undies at the start of the week? What will he be in by Friday?
Joy says
Aww it is always the hardest with the youngest and last baby
Amy ~ Eat. Live. Laugh. Shop. says
So true. I baby my kids in an attempt to keep them little and sweet and innocent. It is much harder on us than them.
Cyrene says
Sigh. They grow up much too fast, don’t they? :( I love the last picture of you two. It’s so precious!
Scary Mommy says
I loved this post. I’m hanging onto a baby, too, who is more like a big boy. Sigh.
Kelly Deneen says
Best of luck with your endeavors this week!! :)
In all seriousness though, I have a feeling that with #2 (our last), it will be more difficult to let him/her grow up. *sniff*
S Club Mama says
I need to potty train. My goal is by Halloween :D
Losing Brownies says
If you can potty train in a week, you should write a book!
Good luck with the transistions!
Carrie says
I have an award for you on my site. Stop by when you get a chance!
(if you dont happen to see it right away, don’t worry.. I’m still finishing the post up!)
http://www.carriescache.blogspot.com
Congrats!
Kelly says
Awww… that is so sweet :-)
Jen says
Wow, you really but your big girl panties on for this one, didn’t you?
Allison @ Alli 'n Son says
You nailed it. I go through the same thing, with my first! I can’t imagine how bad it will be with other kids.
Eileen says
Aaaaaw, <3. Good luck to both of you as you grow up!
stephanie says
awww!!! so cute!
Carol says
They are always your babies. My babies are now somewhere around 40, + or -. So now the dogs and cat are my babies. And my neighbor’s beautiful mama cat had 4 kittens – their eyes are just starting to open! Oh, so cute. Real babies.
Just remember, when your babies start dating, don’t discuss how they’re your babies with their girl/boyfriends. They won’t like it.
June Freaking Cleaver says
I totally get it…and I did it too, way back when. I may still be babying The Boy now. My daughters? They did their own laundry at 12. The Boy? I’m happy if he puts his dirty clothes near the washer.
I put food on his plate – but really, that’s so there’s still food left for The Mister and I to eat.
There’s something about a mom and a son. And if that son is the baby in the family?
Then we set them up so that they’ll never find a woman as good as we are.
Thanks for this reminder that I need to let The Boy grow up (maybe I should stop calling him The Boy – he’s 15)…I’ll start calling him The Young Man.
Michelle says
Ohhhh what a cutie. I so understand the desire to baby him. I still carry my 5 year old around. As in pick her up and carry her for 20 minutes or more. Hmmm, maybe I need to stop that, too.
Cel says
Ahh! I’m right there with you, my fourth and last baby is 2 and a half and it is excruciating watching his babyness slip through my fingers. Definitely savouring all the smooches and snuggles I can get at the moment!