Think on the positive

After a very difficult drop off at preschool today that ended with punishment, I have done nothing but think about where in the world I could have gone wrong with this one! What could we have done to cause this child to have the tantrums that he has, that talks back the way he does, to have the anger he displays...all at almost 4 years old? Then it came to my mind (oh, God's little reminders) that we are not causing these (thank you Adam and Eve) but we are responsible for teaching him that these things are not pleasing to us or God and that evidently is going to take a little time with this little fellow! Then I was also reminded that it is not always difficult and he has his wonderfully hilarious moments! So, here's to the good side of my oldest son. Enjoy the "Bryce stories."

First, since bringing Collin home from the hospital we have changed his diaper mostly in the living room. After finding out that his little brother can "shoot" pee when he is not diapered Bryce has not wanted to have much to do with the process. But Sunday evening he happened to be karate chopping his way through the room while Collin was getting a changing. While going by he looked down at his baby brother and said "Whoa, his pee pee guy is SMASHED!" Anyone who has changed a baby boy's diaper completely gets what he was referring to.

Lately Bryce has wanted to expand his horizons a little when it comes to TV shows and reluctantly we allow him to watch some "older kid" cartoons as long as an adult we trust is watching with him. Last night he had watched something that used the words "shut up", "stupid", and "hate" all of which he is not supposed to use. Well, while riding in the car he said "Mommy, can I tell you the bad words I heard on TV?", which he loves to do. Since I knew what had been said and knew that they were not really BAD words I told him he could. He then said, "Hmmm...what was it that they called Shhh?....Oh, yeah, they said shut up!"

And finally this one happened awhile back but I love it! We got a video baby monitor before Collin was born (Thanks Nana!) and had been trying it out in Bryce's room. He knew that we could watch him from the living room. One night as I was putting him to bed we were talking about how Jesus is everywhere all at the same time and Bryce was of course confused by this (aren't we all?) and earlier in the day he had gotten in trouble at Bob Evans, after the "wheel" turned in his head for awhile he said "I think Jesus might not know the way, he is walking to Bob Evans right now." Then, we talked about how God can see us even when no one else can and I told Bryce that God could see him even when I walked out of his room and shut the door and he very seriously looked at me and said, "He can see me on His monitor?", I tried to explain that God didn't need monitors to see us but, when a 3 year old comes to a "logical" conclusion, there is no arguing! So, in Bryce's mind Heaven is full of baby monitors for God to watch us all!

Here is too Bryce and to hoping and praying that school gets easier and we can figure out a way to make him understand the importance of good behavior!!