The Golden Age

As an update to my post a few weeks ago about Colby's naughty phase, I thought I'd share his recent behavior. This past week, he as been teasing us with what I imagined age 4 to be. Very polite, extremely helpful and so sweet. I say teasing because I don't want to get my hopes up...but I sure am enjoying it now. I'm not saying this is a complete 180 degree turn, because he still has his moments (like the other day when he screamed "no! " hit me and spit in my face all at the same time), and one of his favorite new sayings when he doesn't get his way is, "I'm not going to play with you ever again!" But overall, what an improvement I've seen!

Today during General Conference, C0lby decided he was going to clean the basement. And like most 3-year-olds, getting him to clean is usually a joke. He worked for a while and then came upstairs and excitedly told us to come downstairs to admire his work. And the basement was seriously clean. Seriously. And then he decided he wasn't done. He announced he was going to start the upstairs. He kept cracking me up with comments like, "Mom, you really need to vacuum down there," or, "Dad, are you done with that? (pointing to his glass of milk). 'Cause you need to put it away." And then grabbing Kara's book she had just put down and putting it in the drawer. I wonder who he learned that from. I'll be surprised if this cleaning spell persists, but I'm sure enjoying it now.

With Colby's improvement in behavior, there has a been a void in our home. A void that Kara felt should be filled immediately. Colby's naughtiness has been replaced by Kara completely refusing to sleep. She has slept through the night and gone down for naps with zero resistance since 4 or 5 weeks old. Oh... were we ever spoiled. In a matter of days, she no longer naps (even though she is dead tired), and will no longer go to bed. She cries and yells our names at night for up to 3 hours at a time. And then she wakes up another 1-2 times per night with the same routine. What to do? Colby has even worn earplugs so that he could at least get some rest. It's a phase, right? Yes, I'm sure it is, but I am surely not enjoying this now.