He's a Maniac

Flashdance? - Watch This!

The Nature of Carson

The A-B's

"Our son is a deviant," said my husband earlier today as he told me of their adventures outside. "He waited until I wasn't looking to eat a shovel full of sand!" he explained, exasperatedly.

"He is NOT!" my motherly defense kicked in, even though as I held him he had started beating on my head with a stick he had picked up from the ground earlier. I flinched and defended him, and smiled like having my head serve as a drum was perfectly acceptable. And in the back of my mind a thought flickered and froze me in my tracks, "Am I going to be one of those moms!"

Everyone knows this mom. Everything her baby does is right or just misunderstood. He is always perfect to her and always dreaded by every teacher, coach, lifeguard, fellow classmate, and anyone who is forced to work with him. "He just has his own style," this mother explains to excuse rude and obnoxious behavior.

Yes, I know, he's only 1 and 1/2 years old, so I am jumping the gun here. He's too young to really, truly understand right from wrong. Even though he says "No, No, No" as he is breaking past barriers we put up for his safety around the fireplace and as he is sneakily grabbing a sharp knife from the dishwasher while I am emptying it, it doesn't mean he knows it's wrong or dangerous and is doing it anyway. He is just repeating what we have said. I would like to know at what age does this sense or "common sense" kick in? And how long will I have to tell him "No" for those situations we have deemed more harmful than the use of that word (No) before he has learned.

At the same time, I have many examples of how this kid is his own person and does his own thing, no matter what we say. The latest examples are that he made up his own word for pumpkins (mock-o's), and instead of saying his A-B-C's, he points to the letters and calls them the "A-B's". Also, it's not "Twinkle, Twinkle" little star, it's "Tickle, Tickle." He is so cute! And now I'm back to adoring mother mode. I can't help it. Maybe I can blame it on brain damage suffered from blows to the head. He is perfect to me. I just hope he continues to be nice to the outside world too.