Reed Says Fall 2015 Edition

So Reed turning four didn't mean a flip of the switch and perfect behavior all of the time but I do have to say there has been a noticeable decrease in the amount of discipline at home the last few months. Overall he's been really patient and kind with Kieran lately and does a great job listening at school. Now that he only occasionally takes an afternoon nap we do run into some afternoons/evenings where he is overtired and having a hard time coping, but for the most part he's handling the transition pretty well and sleeping great at night. He falls asleep almost as soon as he goes to bed and regularly sleeps 11-12 hours straight. He wakes in the middle of the night needing to pee, having had a bad dream, or needing the covers put back on his bed about twice a week, but I'll definitely take that over what I've gone through with him over the last four years of sleep (or lack there of).

Jon and I are constantly looking at Reed and commenting to each other how we have a "kid" or a "boy" now, it really is amazing to see the transformation. The social aspect of preschool has been great for him and it is so neat to see him interact with others in such a positive way, it definitely makes me a proud Mom. Reed also is learning to be an advocate for himself regarding his allergies. His teachers are great about it, but he also is amazing at asking for a seat away from someone who is obviously eating something he is allergic to. At Halloween, Reed was pretty much on his own and I guess Clara kept trying to share her pizza with him and he told her no and how he was allergic and when she didn't understand he sought out C to help with the problem. At four that is superstar status in the allergy world!!! Of course Reedster has had a lot more to say over the last few months so here are a few I want to always remember:

One night Jon was trying to help Reed into his pajamas and he was being completely unhelpful. Frustrated, Jon asked "why aren't you helping me get you dressed?" to which Reed replied "I'm trying to stay away from that stuff (pointing to Jon's stubble)!!!"

Apparently on one of Nonna's babysitting days her and Reed were making drawings for different people and Nonna said something about who the first, second, and third drawings had been for. When Reedster finished the next one she asked what number it was to which he replied "say it in that language you were speaking" meaning he wanted her to say "fourth."

I was helping load up Hunky Kevin's car after Melissa's baby shower and Reed was following me around. Apparently my hair was fluttering a bit because he ran up to me and asked "Mom, why do you look so beautiful when the wind blows?"

This one is a bit heartbreaking but still shows how he internalizes certain things and so I want to document it. The Monkey has definitely been going through a bad dream phase and one morning told me how he "had a dream where he woke up and thought it was going to be a good day but he ate something he was allergic to and died." Yes, I broke down in tears but we were able to have a really good conversation about what we do to keep him safe and how he doesn't need to worry about that.

For some reason Reedcito was struggling with turning four this year, anytime we brought it up he would tell us how he didn't want to be four yet. I referred to it as his mid-toddler crisis. Anyway I asked him why he didn't want to be four and he told me "it's a pain to get older Mom, cause it stuns you in the butt!!!"

Reed is still very inquisitive and one day was relentless with questions about babies "popping" from their moms. This is a term he came up with before I had Kieran and that we have just continued to use for the last couple of years. Apparently he caught on to the fact that there might be a bit more to the story and that he needed details. Finally Jon decided it was time for complete honesty and explained that "babies are supposed to come out of the Mom's vagina." Reed's eyes immediately got so big and he said "that would be so owwie!!!"

Reedster loves holding Dodger's leash but at 105 lbs he can be a lot to handle. One day Reed requested to walk him and I said he could but he needed to put the stick he was holding down first (it was like 3 feet long). He then informed that "Mom, I do have two hands" in the most dismissive tone.

I discovered this Summer that Starbucks has coconut milk so sometimes I will surprise Reed with one when I pick him up from school. He absolutely loves it and one day took a big drink and then said "it's so good, it's like the flavor covers my whole body when I drink it."

Reedcito was out of control with our shopping cart toy in the house so Jon had a conversation with him on how it needed to be used correctly. Very solemnly Reed said "okay, I will not do it anymore . . . until I forget."

When we are in the car driving I try to come up with games to play. A favorite lately is to spot a vehicle for each color of the rainbow. We drove by a truck yard that had a whole slew of colors and I starting yelling them out thinking Reed would be super excited to get so many at once. Instead he told me "Mom, take it down a notch." Hmmm, I wonder where he's heard that before?