Griffin - May Wk1

Griffin,

My little boy, you are fiercely determined and know what you want.  Nineteen-months going on 19-years.

What's Happening
Anytime someone is doing something you scoot a chair up to the counter or grab a spray bottle to assist.  Nine times out of ten you are destroying the already created mess.  Selfishly I have started saving some of those tasks such as washing dishes or cleaning a toilet as you believe that is a giant puddle to splash in for when you are sleeping.  Oy vey!  I pray you future wife realizes how awesome it was that I taught you how to clean.

Just like with cleaning you want to be included in anyway.  For example, you pucker up your lips and whine until Dad gives you chapstick.  This tends to become community chapstick as it soon travels to Briggs's lips and Dad's lips. Secretly I stash mine away :) Sorry guys!

Briggs has officially switched to his grey Jackrabbit baseball cap for summer.  While you want to wear a cap you insist it is your winter cap.  Basically you are looking like a hipster on Idaho Avenue by be-bopping with a stocking cap.  Grandma Amy sent you a blue Jackrabbit baseball hat.  While you wear it for a few minutes typically you will quickly toss it aside and ask again for the stocking cap.

We went to the Crystal bike rodeo as a family.  You were so excited to show off your moves.  I feel like perhaps you were the youngest kid at the event, but you owned it.  The obstacle course was no problem and you even got stopped by a police officer! Speed demon! You also got a little flasher light for the front of your bike from Three Rivers Park.  Now whenever you ride the bike the light needs to be blinking regardless if it is in the middle of the day.

Dad and I purchased bikes this week along with a bike trailer.  What does this mean?  Family time all the time :).  The day Dad purchased his bike he arrived home at bedtime.  Every bedtime ritual went out the window and you took off outside to ride with the 'big boys' in your footie pajamas! You have absolutely loved riding in the trailer.  A few times you have fallen asleep on Briggs's shoulder.  He is such an awesome big brother as he gently stroked your blonde hair and let you sleep on him.

Words now include: dump, bike, help, Briggs, hot, dog, George, uh-oh, water, apple, car. I fear you will not know how to count correctly since all you ever hear is 5, 4, 3, 2, 1... blast off or 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 ... timeout.  I have tried switching it to counting forward but you get mad or Briggs corrects me.  A parent always fears they mess up their child, and well this may be my area.  I'm sorry!

The day may be coming nearer to put the toilet paper back on the holder!  The little excitement of this should not be that thrilling, but this means you have stopped unravelling and stuffing it down the toilet.  It's the little things that we are making progress on :)

Working On
We are working on you saying please and thank you.  It doesn't seem to be sticking, but consistency will be key.  I'm just worried I may go crazy saying "Say please" or "Say thank you" over and over.

Oh man, when I see you share I get so giddy! Usually when we encounter a situation that both Briggs and you want something I need to talk the whole situation through and ask you to nicely share with him.  Slyly, you look at Briggs and tentatively hand over the object.  Those are the moments I feel like I'm winning.  Or the situation goes sour and the object is chucked across the room or at someone's head and bawling ensues. You are lucky you are cute!

Prayer
Dear Lord - In Luke 21:19, you say to stand firm and you will win in life. These words help ease the current trials.  Please provide the patience for us to understand Griff's needs and wants, but also provide him some room for compromise with his parents. Amen.