A random post.

People tell me all the time, how much Owen and Nathan look alike. I don't see it. They look related, for certain, but I'm never blown away by their similarities. Way more often it's by their differences that stand out.

A simple size comparison; at 18 months Nathan is wearing 2T, weighs 26lbs and has a HUGE noggin. At 18 months, Owen was wearing 9 months, weighed 18lbs and his head was and is tiny. Nathan is wearing clothes that Owen wore LESS than one year ago.

Owen is a negotiator, a leader, crafty, clever, smart, mischievous, easily frustrated, a homebody, a one friend at a time kind of kid. Nathan is loud, funny, happy, athletic, will hug any stranger with jeans on, loves to wear a hat, loves to go places, a bit of a perfectionist, and pretty independent. Personality-wise they look nothing alike to me. But they're both so great and when you play into their positives you get a great day.

However, Owen is going through a bit of a phase right now, that I hope passes quickly. Everything is an argument and the back talk and the attitude are in full four-year-old swing. A typical conversation goes something like this:

ME: Owen?

OWEN: (screaming from his room) NOOOO! Don't talk to me!

ME: Okay, I was going to ask if you wanted to meet Jacob at the park, but never mind.

OWEN: (cue full meltdown with tears and slobber, the works) Ask me! Ask me!

We've also been in "time-out" overload for just overall rude behavior. Saying things like "I hate Nathan" or telling other friends "you can't play with us" or just getting in someone's face. It's a bit exhausting, but I'm hoping our consistency will pay off. It's tough to tell though since when he pretend plays....he's always the bad guy. Our work has been cut out for us. That's for sure.

To play into his positives, I have to be silly, quite literally sing my requests to him (Toni and I did this one time as a punishment to the 8th graders in Boston, it was very effective) however Owen breaks out in song right with me and I can get a lot done this way, minus the fight.

-I can't call him from another room because for whatever reason, he becomes defensive and assumes he's in trouble. I have to go to him and start with the good such as, "want to go do something fun?".

That's not to say that he's not full of love, sweetness and funny moments, because he is.

Nathan is gaining language momentum like no other. One of my favorite conversations that Nate and I have several times a day, goes precisely like this:

NATHAN: Momma, Momma

ME: Nathan?

NATHAN: I wub you.

ME: I love you.

Repeat that 20 times in a row and you have a feel for my day. Makes a momma feel pretty darn good about herself, that's for sure.

He also says "mornin" when you get him out of his crib everyday. Which makes me giggle, every time. He yells "BYE" so loudly and so happily anytime we leave anywhere and it makes every giggle, every time.

To play into Nathan's positives give him a ball. Let him help. Take him somewhere. Give him a snack. He's a pretty open book right now.

That's not to say the kid doesn't have his fair share of tantrums, attitude and feet stomping. Because he does.

Well that's my random post of the year, I don't how that happened, I came to post Easter pictures and apparently got sidetracked with my own thoughts. Strange.