June was so incredibly excited to turn 3. We talked about it, picked out his gift, and had a small family party all prior to his actual birthday. He was ecstatic. When a stranger in a store or church would stop to talk to him and ask him his name, June would reply with "I'm THREE." Three fingers proudly displayed. He was excited.
I don't think June could have been looking more forward to his birthday.
So the day arrives. March 2, 2010... a Tuesday. The day my first born turns three. Surreal that three years has passed. Surreal that my BABY is three. I've been a mother for three whole years. 36 months. 156 weeks. 1,095 days. It's amazing. And three year olds aren't little. They have mastered their many gross motor skills, they talk in conversations, they eat their food without a bib or sippy cup... they are well on their way to being big kids! In the midst of my motherly haze of nostalgia, a crisis hit.
It started at about 8:00am on March 2nd, June's birthday. I was drying my hair and June had been dowstair playing. I hear (over the blow dryer) him tromp up the steps and start crying. I find June, on the steps, holding up 2 fingers, wailing, "I'M TWO. I'M TWO. I WANT TO BE TWO."
Yup. Childhood age denial. Plain and simple.
After talking with him and realizing that my best course of action is to further indulge in June's denial, I call my mom warning her not to make his birthday a big deal (she was spending the day with us to celebrate). June went through the day only admitting he is 2 and getting rather upset if you tried to correct him... legitimately upset. We also were not even allowed to acknowledge his birthday or that any of the days' special events were birthday related. No ice cream cake and birthday song at Friendly's. Nope. Just another day. June is two.
In fact, 3 days after his birthday we had his well check (3 feet, 1 inch - 35 lbs). A 3 year question (among many) is "How old are you?" June of course, told Dr. Jan he was two. I tried explaining the situation but I think she thought I was covering for my not-so-on-the-mark child. It's childhood-age-denial, I swear. My kid isn't a moron. ::sigh::
So... like I said, I'm late in getting June's "HAPPY BIRTHDAY" post in. It's been two weeks. There has been progress. Now when you ask June how old he is, he replies with "I like being two." If you press further, he only gets mildly huffy and admits that, yes, on his birthday he turned three, but he still likes being two.
I have a two year old, three year old and I'm ok with that. It's all part of the process, I suppose.
Here's to being
1 comment:
That is so stinkin' cute!! I don't blame him, sometimes I wish I was 2!
Post a Comment