A Three-Year-Old's Complexities

Caring for/managing/maintaining/supporting/attempting to understand a three-year-old is much more complex than the simple care of a newborn.  Finn is so full of contradictions lately it makes my brain hurt. Just in a four hour period, Finley had us frustrated, confused, and pondering:

-Why is he acting grouchy during the play date he had been excited about just moments before?

-How could we have declared potty training a success during the months of June, July, and August; completely reverted in September; and just now, months later, be reattempting the use of the toilet?

-Memorizing the book Polar Express is one thing, but if he loves it so much that he constantly plays imaginary "Polar Express" (and here it is late February), why can't he sit still while we read it with him?!

- First he refuses to change into his pjs, fighting Jason every step of the way as if he's being forced to submerge himself in a cauldron of boiling slime.  Then, he is proud and wanting to share the good news with me when he, finally, succeeds.  "Mommy, I put on my shirt myself, my underwear myself, my pants myself."  I am proud of you, Bud, but couldn't you skip the drama beforehand?

-Why can't we, intelligent adults, manage to squelch the bed-time stalling?  Really, no one has to "try" to go potty three times!

-What three-year-old invented whining and how can we pay him or her to stop perpetuating it!?

 Meanwhile, during those same four hours, Wylie was either eating or sleeping.  For a brief few moments, when we took Finn up to bed, I forgot Wylie was here.

Amateur Photo Shoot--Wylie at Three Weeks

Click to see more pictures of a cute naked baby at three weeks and one day old.

Adventure with Finn--The Sears Tower

The train ride into the city is as exciting, if not more so, than the destination itself.

Finn's telling himself, "This is not scary, this is not scary, this is not scary."

Papa did not actually stand on the glass to get this picture, he just peeked his head out.

Sleeping in

I drove Finn to school this morning and here is what I found when I returned!

(Although I have to admit Jason probably doesn't deserve this since he has been so wonderful to do most of the pick-ups and drop-offs since we've been home.)

Wylie's first "Walk a Block"

Woo hoo!  It feels like spring and we had to get out of the house, even just to take a lap around the block.  Finn showed off the fabulous pedaling skills he developed over the winter (much thanks to the Knupp family and the Smart Cycle they handed down to us!), and Wylie, well, Wylie slept.  That is, he slept until it dawned on him he hadn't eaten in a while, then he woke up looking for his next meal.

Wylie's first restaurant

On Wednesday, numerous forces collided--Spring Fever, our anniversary, Grandma day--and Wylie decided to leave the house for lunch.  We chose Bar Louie for his first leisure outing.  The little man slept through the entire meal, but Finn, Jason, Grandma, and I enjoyed ourselves.

Finn's post-partum comments

The morning after Wylie was born, Grandma told Finn that his little brother had arrived and they would go to the hospital to meet him.  When Grandma asked Finn if he wanted to know the baby's name, he said, "No, only my mom knows.  She'll tell me."

Finn also told Grandma that after they visited us in the hospital, "Mommy and Papa can stay there, but let's bring the baby back to your house in Schaumburg with us."

I greeted Finn at the door to our hospital room when he arrived to meet Wylie.  He breezed right by me with barely a hello, headed straight for the baby, in Jason's arms, and immediately said, "I want to hold my baby brother."

When Finn first saw me nursing Wylie, he was understandably curious.  Once he understood the gist of it, he asked, "Can I try some?"

When I asked Finn for help getting up from the floor he said, "You can do it yourself, Mommy, you don't have a baby in your belly anymore."

 

Love, love, love

Thank you, thank you, thank you for all the love you've been sending our way, helping us welcome Wylie to the world!  While you may not be able to tell from the expression on his face, I think he is taking this moment on Valentine's Day to ponder his many new friends and family members and to send his love right back out to you.

Wylie's First Bath

 I'm cold, I'm cold!  What are you people doing to me.  Get that water off of me.  Put my clothes back on!

My back, too?  Really?  Enough is enough.

 OK, this is getting better.  Thank you for saving me, Mommy.

Meanwhile, Big Brother Finn is oblivious to his brother's cries for help.  Bathing Lightning McQueen is his top priority.

Meeting the family

 So glad to finally meet you Grandma and Grampa!

 Thanks for the groundhog, Auntie Robyn and Uncle Joe!

Thanks for coming over to meet me, Aunt Kathy!

Wylie's gift to Finn

Wylie had the foresight to know:  his big brother Finley would need a special gift after his birth; Finn would also need a good distraction once Wylie arrived on the scene; and on-line shopping skills are an essential skill for life both in and out of the uterus!

Meanwhile Finley seems to be practicing his big brother skills on Calvert.

Time to Come Home

Time to check out this snow everyone's been talking about!

Announcing...

Wylie George Kovar Cascarino

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

9:31 pm

7 pounds, 15 ounces, 20.25 inches long

The end and the beginning

Jason took this picture on his phone as I was admitted to the hospital, three and a half hours before Wylie arrived.

Blizzard of the Century!

Last pics starring just Finley . . . coming (very) soon: 

Finley and his brother!  

(Posted on facebook from the hospital, just before the new arrival made his appearance.)