There’s one thing about our youngest youngster’s birthday that brings a couple of 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!? All the above solutions are true however, on the similar time, my infants will at all times be my infants.
As a toddler and as I grew up, my dad would at all times say to me, “You’ll at all times be my little woman.” The sentiment behind these phrases felt stronger to me than I feel 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 at all times 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 at all times be my infants. They’ll at all times 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 previous and whereas three appears so previous in comparison with the gurgly child days, on the similar 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 needs 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 when 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 at all times stay up for going into his room within the morning as a result of I by no means know what he’s going to say. Loads of the time he’ll start his day by telling me, “I like Peppy” (our canine), reminding me, “Moon goes down, solar comes up! It’s morning time!” or asking concerning the climate. “It wet at present? A pleasant day? It sunny at the present time?”
Ryan and I joke that the amount at which our kids talk appears to have solely elevated with every youngster we’ve had. I’ve little question 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, vehicles and vans (particularly rubbish vans, hearth vans, Jeeps, Porches and Mini Coopers aka “Mini Groupers”), books, Picasso Tiles, trains, Pepper, puzzles, Biggie Beads, coloring, dancing, chopping 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 faculty and talks loads about his preschool academics and associates. His wonderful academics have praised Rhett’s listening abilities, willingness to assist, kindness towards his classmates and his capability to self-entertain at preschool and I can not look ahead to Rhett to fall in love with preschool much more now that he’ll be going 4 mornings every week this fall! He’s a social child whose curiosity is immediately piqued by making an attempt new issues and preschool has been essentially the most unimaginable 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 academics guarantee me his fussiness stops inside a minute of me leaving. He simply needs to verify I get hit with a bit of mom-guilt at drop-offs.
Three-Yr-Previous Challenges
Ryan and I usually joke that Rhett didn’t get the “chill child” memo that always appears to return 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 arduous, laughs arduous, screams arduous, resists arduous and loves arduous 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 arduous for him to return round and discover his calm once more. I shortly realized that when Rhett has these moments of intense feelings, one of the simplest ways to assist him settle down is to drop the whole lot, maintain him, love on him after which distract him with a narrative, one thing foolish, and many others. Whereas this seems 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 carried out round the home. I’ve at all times stated 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 arduous whereas after we’re capable of drop the whole lot and focus solely on our kids, it feels so purely great.
One among 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 at all times get him to settle down and settle with a couple of tales earlier than placing him in his crib, he hardly ever sleeps as of late. Rhett will fortunately stay in his crib for greater than an hour quietly taking part in however I really feel like a toddler this younger nonetheless wants a nap, proper!? Chase and Ryder napped till they had 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. on daily basis 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 will probably be in preschool till 1 p.m. and Chase’s faculty pickup is round 2:40 p.m. so when is that this child purported to nap throughout the faculty 12 months?! One blessing of Covid for our household was having Ryan working from residence so he might stick with the monitor whereas Rhett slept so this can be a new(ish) problem for us. Final 12 months I often paid a neighbor to take a seat in our home for one hour within the afternoon when she was obtainable so I might do Chase’s faculty pick-up whereas Rhett slept however she’s not obtainable usually so it’s tough 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 love 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 manner that makes it so apparent he’s absorbing the whole lot 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 nicely out of his (virtually) three-year-old wheelhouse. That is wonderful as a result of Rhett is at all times studying and rising and tackling new abilities 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 “protecting you protected” factor that may make Mother and Dad really feel like a moist blanket to Rhett generally.
We’ve realized to let Rhett strive what he needs to strive (when it’s protected) and he’ll usually shock us together with his talents and dedication. Living proof: Rhett’s swimming! His swimming abilities 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 might soar in and swim to us and soar off the facet of the pool and swim to the ladder. When top restrictions don’t restrict him, he’ll go on any waterslide he can and smile so huge the entire manner 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 actually taken to the pool in a brand new and crazy-fun manner 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. By way of one-on-one play, the five-year age hole between Rhett and Chase implies that Rhett appears to Chase for assist and safety a bit of bit extra. Chase is affected person and inclusive with Rhett and likes displaying him new abilities 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 could be great — they snort so arduous 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 your entire 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 sneakers.)
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 realized to fly by means of Melissa & Doug puzzles beside Ryder whereas his huge brother tackles greater puzzles. When Chase is in school and Rhett has Ryder to himself, he follows Ryder all over the place. They’ve the loudest and cutest dance events collectively and can line up vehicles and trains and give you essentially the most artistic video games to play. Rhett is commonly comfortable to take heed to Ryder’s concepts and I’ve discovered myself telling Ryder to provide Rhett a “job” once they play as a result of Rhett does very 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 essentially the most intense fights they’ve round right here.)
Having three boys, three brothers, is actually one of many absolute greatest blessings in my life. I pray so arduous 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 just too younger to totally grasp the idea of gratitude, he doesn’t appear to be too younger to appreciate 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 Bear in mind
- Favourite Meals: Yogurt, pouches, cucumbers, carrots, ice cream, rooster nuggets, toast with butter and honey, recent or dried mango, Easy Mills almond flour crackers, Bobo’s chocolate chip bites, lollipops
- Favourite Coloration: 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 Gentle of Mine”
- Favourite Present: Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Octonauts
- Favourite Animal: Canines
- Wake Up Time/Mattress Time: Bedtime is correct 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”)
- Vehicles, vans 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 needs
- Naps
Three-Yr-Previous Favorites
Previous Rhett/Child #3 Updates