There’s one thing about our youngest youngster’s birthday that brings a few swirl of reflective feelings. Has it actually been three years since I’ve held a new child in my arms? Are we actually three years faraway from the child days? Is my child actually not a child anymore!? The entire above solutions are true however, on the identical time, my infants will all the time be my infants.
As a baby and as I grew up, my dad would all the time say to me, “You’ll all the time be my little woman.” The sentiment behind these phrases felt stronger to me than I believe he realized. Now, as an grownup, I really feel a brand new sense of depth behind his phrases. Whereas on the floor they appear like a father assuring his daughter she’ll all the time have her dad, now that I’m a mom, I really feel the depth of what he might have been making an attempt to convey. I really feel it fiercely for my sons. They’ll all the time be my infants. They’ll all the time have their mom behind them, cheering them on, loving them unconditionally, supporting them, encouraging them, studying from them, rising with them, praying for them and wanting the best possible for them.
Rhett is three years outdated and whereas three appears so outdated in comparison with the gurgly child days, on the identical time, it appears so very younger. Although we’re satisfied Rhett thinks he’s each bit as huge and succesful as his huge brothers, moments pop up each single day that make us understand our little man continues to be simply that… little.
He nonetheless wants and desires Mother 1,000,000 occasions a day for love and luxury. His playful persona will activate a dime if one thing tragic occurs… ya know like a granola bar breaking in half. He’s exploring his independence with a ferocity he exclaims in a yell-scream — “I do it myself!” (And will your persistence attain new heights in the event you don’t let him strive.)
Rhett’s vocabulary exploded proper after his second birthday and it’s been so enjoyable to have the ability to speak to him and watch him study and develop and talk in new methods. Rhett says the cutest issues from the second he wakes up and I all the time look ahead to going into his room within the morning as a result of I by no means know what he’s going to say. Plenty of the time he’ll start his day by telling me, “I really like Peppy” (our canine), reminding me, “Moon goes down, solar comes up! It’s morning time!” or asking in regards to the climate. “It wet as we speak? A pleasant day? It sunny today?”
Ryan and I joke that the amount at which our youngsters talk appears to have solely elevated with every youngster we’ve had. I’ve little doubt start order performs an enormous position on this as a result of the squeaky wheel will get the grease and all that however daaang does Rhett love yell-talk.
Rhett is fascinated by his huge brothers, animals, cooking and baking with me within the kitchen, automobiles and vehicles (particularly rubbish vehicles, fireplace vehicles, Jeeps, Porches and Mini Coopers aka “Mini Groupers”), books, Picasso Tiles, trains, Pepper, puzzles, Biggie Beads, coloring, dancing, slicing paper, swimming, water slides, “serving to” Mother and blowing off the driveway with Dad. Speaking with Rhett, studying with Rhett, taking part in with Rhett… it’s all simply so yummy at this age. Peak cuteness for certain!
Rhett additionally loves college and talks lots about his preschool lecturers and buddies. His wonderful lecturers have praised Rhett’s listening expertise, willingness to assist, kindness towards his classmates and his skill to self-entertain at preschool and I can’t watch for Rhett to fall in love with preschool much more now that he’ll be going 4 mornings per week this fall! He’s a social child whose curiosity is immediately piqued by making an attempt new issues and preschool has been probably the most unbelievable factor for him. He nonetheless doesn’t love separating from me at drop-offs (I blame Covid for this as he wasn’t separated from me as early or as usually as his huge brothers) however Rhett rallies shortly and his lecturers guarantee me his fussiness stops inside a minute of me leaving. He simply desires to ensure I get hit with a little bit mom-guilt at drop-offs.
Three-12 months-Previous Challenges
Ryan and I usually joke that Rhett didn’t get the “chill child” memo that usually appears to come back together with having a 3rd youngster. From day one, Rhett has stored us on our toes and isn’t the laidback third youngster you hear a lot about. He performs onerous, laughs onerous, screams onerous, resists onerous and loves onerous which makes him so splendidly enjoyable however so intensely exhausting generally, too. Please know I share this from a spot of overwhelming love for our big-hearted, big-feeling little man.
If one thing units Rhett off it may be onerous for him to come back round and discover his calm once more. I shortly discovered that when Rhett has these moments of intense feelings, the easiest way to assist him relax is to drop all the things, maintain him, love on him after which distract him with a narrative, one thing foolish, and so forth. Whereas this appears like a fool-proof plan, it may be difficult once you’re alone with three youngsters, dashing out the door on a busy morning or making an attempt to get principally something finished round the home. I’ve all the time mentioned mothering Rhett is straightforward if all I’ve to do is mom Rhett. Isn’t that the reality about parenting younger youngsters basically although? It’s usually all of the different stuff that makes parenting really feel onerous whereas after we’re capable of drop all the things and focus solely on our youngsters, it feels so purely fantastic.
Considered one of our different newer challenges we’ve had is Rhett’s nap time. Oh my gosh you guys, Rhett fights his naps with such depth. He screams his little face off when he sees me coming his strategy to scoop him up for nap time and whereas I can all the time get him to relax and settle with a couple of tales earlier than placing him in his crib, he not often sleeps lately. Rhett will fortunately stay in his crib for greater than an hour quietly taking part in however I really feel like a baby this younger nonetheless wants a nap, proper!? Chase and Ryder napped till they have been virtually 4 so that is blowing my thoughts. Rhett actually doesn’t appear drained in any respect when it’s nap time however then round 4:30 p.m. day by day the fussiness and neediness kicks in and I can inform he wants extra sleep. It’s a problem I don’t anticipate ending quickly as Rhett shall be in preschool till 1 p.m. and Chase’s college pickup is round 2:40 p.m. so when is that this child presupposed to nap throughout the college yr?! One blessing of Covid for our household was having Ryan working from house so he might stick with the monitor whereas Rhett slept so it is a new(ish) problem for us. Final yr I sometimes paid a neighbor to take a seat in our home for one hour within the afternoon when she was out there so I might do Chase’s college pick-up whereas Rhett slept however she’s not out there usually so it’s difficult enterprise. Proper now early mattress occasions for Rhett are the reply to our no-nap dilemma however man oh man I want I might depend on common naps for our little man.
Little Brother Life
We like little brother Rhett! He thinks Chase and Ryder are the COOLEST and once they’re all taking part in collectively, Rhett fuses his huge brothers collectively and refers to them as “Chase-Ryder.” He observes them in a approach that makes it so apparent he’s absorbing all the things they do and committing it to reminiscence so he can attempt to do all of it, too.
He’s courageous and adventurous and by no means shies away from making an attempt one thing his huge brothers are doing, even when the ability or exercise is properly out of his (virtually) three-year-old wheelhouse. That is wonderful as a result of Rhett is all the time studying and rising and tackling new expertise however it may also be difficult. We don’t need Rhett to really feel like we’re holding him again however there’s that entire “holding you protected” factor that may make Mother and Dad really feel like a moist blanket to Rhett generally.
We’ve discovered to let Rhett strive what he desires to strive (when it’s protected) and he’ll usually shock us together with his skills and willpower. Living proof: Rhett’s swimming! His swimming expertise completely skyrocketed this summer time. Although we nonetheless require him to put on a life jacket within the lake and ocean, within the pool he’s life jacket-free and may bounce in and swim to us and bounce off the facet of the pool and swim to the ladder. When peak restrictions don’t restrict him, he’ll go on any waterslide he can and smile so huge the entire approach down. It’s so enjoyable to look at and after I put on goggles and watch Rhett swim underwater, it’s much more enjoyable as a result of the child actually grins from ear to ear when he swims underwater. We name him our little guppy and he’s definitely taken to the pool in a brand new and crazy-fun approach this summer time!
So far as Rhett’s relationship together with his huge brothers, it’s totally different relying on the brother and what number of brothers he’s taking part in with without delay. When it comes to one-on-one play, the five-year age hole between Rhett and Chase signifies that Rhett appears to Chase for assist and safety a little bit bit extra. Chase is affected person and inclusive with Rhett and likes exhibiting him new expertise and video games. Rhett additionally loves bringing books to Chase for Chase to learn to him which by no means ceases to soften my mama coronary heart.
The 2-year age hole between Rhett and Ryder means there’s much more ardour concerned of their dynamic. This ardour may be fantastic — they giggle so onerous and play so creatively collectively — however it may also be difficult as nobody elicits intense screams from Rhett greater than Ryder. This usually boils all the way down to Rhett interrupting no matter Ryder is doing and Ryder telling him “no” which, at virtually three-years-old, is principally the worst phrase in the whole world to Rhett. (Their dynamic jogs my memory a lot of Chase and Ryder’s dynamic at this age when Ryder was in Rhett’s footwear.)
Rhett copies Ryder all day lengthy and has picked up on a number of Ryder’s pursuits, making them his personal. Rhett observed Ryder’s love for puzzling and shortly discovered to fly via Melissa & Doug puzzles beside Ryder whereas his huge brother tackles greater puzzles. When Chase is at college and Rhett has Ryder to himself, he follows Ryder in every single place. They’ve the loudest and cutest dance events collectively and can line up automobiles and trains and provide you with probably the most artistic video games to play. Rhett is commonly pleased to take heed to Ryder’s concepts and I’ve discovered myself telling Ryder to offer Rhett a “job” once they play as a result of Rhett does rather well with listening to Ryder’s recommendations and it appears to forestall fights once they have separate roles of their playtime. (Fights over coveted toys are nonetheless probably the most intense fights they’ve round right here.)
Having three boys, three brothers, is really one of many absolute largest blessings in my life. I pray so onerous that the closeness they share proper now lasts a lifetime and watching their relationships develop and strengthen brings me a lot pleasure. Whereas Rhett is simply too younger to totally grasp the idea of gratitude, he doesn’t appear to be too younger to understand his huge brothers are his favourite playmates and clearly loves them so, a lot. It’s a sense that’s 100% reciprocated.
Random Issues to Keep in mind
- Favourite Meals: Yogurt, pouches, cucumbers, carrots, ice cream, hen nuggets, toast with butter and honey, contemporary or dried mango, Easy Mills almond flour crackers, Bobo’s chocolate chip bites, lollipops
- Favourite Shade: Inexperienced
- Favourite Books: Little Excavator, Pete the Cat Books, any seek-and-find books, Little Blue Truck Leads the Way (he cracks up on the line, “Higher transfer it Little Beeper!”)
- Favourite Tune: “This Little Mild of Mine”
- Favourite Present: Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Octonauts
- Favourite Animal: Canine
- Wake Up Time/Mattress Time: Bedtime is true round 7:30 p.m. however when he doesn’t nap, he’ll go to mattress as early as 6:15 p.m. Get up time is round 7 a.m.
Likes
- His huge brothers
- Pepper (aka “Peppy”)
- Automobiles, vehicles and trains
- Out of doors adventures
- Using his bike
- Books
- Constructing with magnetic tiles and blocks
- Creativeness video games
- Lining up varied little toys
- Puzzles
- Coloring, portray and craft tasks
- Cooking and baking with Mother
- Biggie Beads
- Dancing
Dislikes
- Preliminary separation from Mother
- Being advised “no”
- When his huge brothers have one thing he desires
- Naps
Three-12 months-Previous Favorites
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