Douglas Thomas the 1st

I always think it's funny when other moms tell me stories about their kids playing in the bathroom while they take a quick shower.  I remember the first time someone told me this and I thought, "Wow!  I can't imagine Douglas being able to do that without getting in trouble.  Maybe I just need to try it!"  I had visions of him breaking out of the bedroom while I was in the shower and ransacking the house.  He's a very sweet little guy - and he listens super well most of the time.  But he's busy.

Douglas and Cousin Brendan discovered that the dog door (we don't have a dog) to the garage was open, so I think they were pretty sure they had discovered some secret passageway...and, as evidenced by their faces, they thought they would get in trouble when found out.  

So, I have tried this whole shower while he's in the bathroom thing twice now.  When I had no other choice.  Both times have resulted in the bathroom looking like a complete disaster.  I ended up trying to direct his destruction through the shower door in an attempt to minimize the damage.  "Dougie, can you go find Mama's shoes?"  He obediently runs into the closet and starts carrying all of my shoes out into the bathroom.  "Can you put them into the bath tub?"  Hey, it's better than in the shower with me where he originally intended to put them all.  "Where are Daddy's shoes?"  At the end of the shower, my bath tub was filled with shoes, slippers, my phone charger, a bracelet, and some bath toys.  The floor was covered with hair clips, gel, lotion, brushes.  I laugh to think of those other kids, whoever they are, who apparently just play quietly by the shower until their mom gets out.  That is not who our little guy is.  He wasn't made that way.

Sometimes I find myself saying strange things as a mom that surprise me.  Like when he won't hurry enough to get out the door to leave the house and I have said a couple times, "Alright, bye bye!  I'm leaving."  I don't say it in anger, just in an attempt to hurry him up.  I have never liked it when parents say this.  It feels manipulative and kindof mean.  And it's a lie - you're not really going to leave your kid - who are you kidding?  (No offense to the millions of parents who have used this technique numerous times - I just don't personally like it).  Yet in spite of my distaste for this tactic, I've heard it come out of my mouth on accident a time or two.  The other day when I said this, Dougie totally called my bluff.  He just looked up and smiled an innocent smile at me, waved and said, "Bye, bye!" without a trace of fear or anxiety on his face.  He knew his mama wasn't going anywhere without him.  Busted!  I couldn't help but burst out laughing.  He totally had me.

Later that same day, I was holding him by his crib and singing him the lullaby that I always sing when it's time for sleep.  Usually at this point he starts snuggling in or lays his head down or gets quiet.  This time, he started to dance with a huge grin on his face.  Not slow, sleepy dancing that would be fitting of a lullaby.  He was channeling his inner hip hop dancer.  Raising his arms, lifting one shoulder at a time like the cool kid that he is. 

Douglas Thomas is totally his own man.  And I love this about him.  We believe strongly in discipline, and sometimes we have to remind him that he doesn't run the show around here.  But most of the time I just think it's hilarious that he thinks he does.  I appreciate it (most of the time) when he reminds me that he is a person, too, and that he is not just going to go along with everything that I do or say or expect of him.  Rock on, little man.  Be yourself.  Surprise me.  I love surprises.  And, when I don't, I'll apologize later for my temper.  And you'll show me that you forgive me by smiling and wrapping those little arms around my neck.  I'm so very glad that you were born and that I get to watch you grow up and become more of who you are.