A couple weeks ago Theo was recognized at his school for always putting in his best efforts. The school puts on a casual breakfast awards ceremony. Reed got some nice time with Grandma Kathy waiting for his breakfast pastries (which he did not eat).

Theo getting his award.

After we went to the awards ceremony Reed accompanied me to a nearby elementary school where the women's bar association was reading to classrooms. I ambitiously signed up for four different slots. Reed did great for the first two, then wet his pants while I was reading to this 5th grade class. Mostly I think he was bored because I read the Harriet Tubman book twice. He wanted me to read a different one. The teacher was kind and gave him crayons and paper while I read. After a change of pants he rallied for the last classroom, a pre-k room.

Reed is a goblin

My sweet, kind, generous, easygoing two year old has been replaced by a violent, namecalling sociopath. But only sometimes.

A few weeks ago Theo was going to win an award at his school. As I was getting ready to leave for school with Reed, I got him fully dressed upstairs and then came back down to grab a few things before getting in the car. Then down the stairs bounds Reed wearing nothing, grinning. I ask him where his clothes are, and he says, "upstairs! I took off my clothes!" Then without missing a beat, he stops where he is and starts picking up every car, truck, and piece of clothing within reach and starts chucking it at me while yelling "you dummy! I hate you, you dummy!" And let me say, he has incredible strength and aim for a two year old with no professional athletic training. I caught a huge plastic school bus before he was able to release it at my head. After I was able to wrestle his clothes on, I put him in the car and buckled him in so I could finish what I was doing inside before we left. When I got to the car ten minutes later with my stuff, he had calmed down and simply said, "what you do in the house, mama?" Often after his crazy rages, he asks for a hug or shyly hangs his head and says, "I sorry, mama."

A couple of days earlier, Reed asked me for a hug as we were finishing up breakfast. I picked him up and he wrapped his legs around my waist and his chubby arms around my shoulders, squeezing my neck with his tiny fingers. As he squeezed tightly he said, "I want you to hug me forever, mama." When he waddles into our room in the morning, sucking on his paci and trailing his blankie, and circles around to my side of the bed and asks to cuddle, I pull him up on the bed between me and Jeff. He lays his head on my pillow, face an inch from mine, and I hug him. He says, "I want to be closer, mama, I want to be closer to you."

This is our life now. Moments of absolute perfection, joy and beauty juxtaposed with moments of total crazy. It helps that there's only one nearly-three-year-old, rather than two, and it helps that we've been through it before, and it is amazing to be able to look at Theo or Beckett (more often Beckett) while Reed is going nuts, and share a giggle with them about whatever crazy thing Reed is doing. It's all part of the fun.

Developmental update--quickie

Reed: is potty trained, understands nearly everything said in his presence, and still reliably asks to go to sleep after lunch. He is still very attached to his pacifier and blanket. The pacifier will be moving on to bigger and better things come May 3, when Reed turns 3 and the paci fairy comes to take all of his pacis to new babies who need them. The paci fairy is also bringing presents for his birthday, which Reed sometimes thinks is a fair trade for taking away all his pacis. He reflexively says please, thank you, and "yeah, sure" when asked to do something.

Beckett: went to the library Saturday afternoon and took out a Captain Underpants chapter book which I vowed I would not read but that he could read to himself. Joke is on me because by Sunday afternoon he was on page 214. Several times on Saturday and Sunday he stopped playing with his brothers or toys to wander over to a couch or his bed to read a few more chapters. I am keeping an eye on his comprehension, because I know that he may be able to read more than he's able to simultaneously understand, but the questions that he's been asking along the way indicate to me that he's getting it, as do his chuckles and all-out bursts of laughter.

Theo: has been having a blast with Alexa and the Echo Dot Jeff got them for Christmas. He loves being able to put on music either in his bedroom or in the living room, and to choose what to play. The most commonly played songs are Coco soundtrack songs and the Lego Batman movie soundtrack.

The three boys have been playing all together a lot lately, which has been really fun to watch. I've been impressed as Theo and Beckett have gotten more and more comfortable letting Reed join their games, or even suggesting to Reed that he play with them, or each of them individually.

Playground

Aunt Teddy got serious with Sorry

Uncle Tom with the boys waiting to get into the Lighthouse Cafe

Dinner with cousin TJ, his girlfriend Georgia, and Teddy and Tom

The Gator talk at Ding Darling