Kitten lips

I know the time will come when my littlest one is, oh I dunno.. around 6, and won't let me kiss his sweet little kitten lips anymore. So, I'm soaking up as much loving affection as I can get right now.. which is about 100 kisses a day! Last night he was laying in bed whimpering so I asked what was wrong and he told me that A had stolen his kisses. A then acted as though he was coughing up a hairball and returned them to his younger brother. He then requested that I kiss him several times to make sure his lips were working again. :)

Besides his adoration, I am also loving his funny comebacks lately. The other day I warned him that if he sneaked any more Easter candy I was going to throw it all away. He then proceeded to laugh hysterically for about 5 minutes and then said, "Mommy.. you have the funniest ideas!!" Um, I do?

He also has some sort of mind control game going on. Today we were in Target and he nearly convinced me that I should buy this pretty floral blouse. The next thing I know I'm in the dressing room trying it on and into the cart it went. Later, after getting the few things I originally went there to buy, I came to my senses and said to him, "I'm not even sure if I like this and it costs way too much." He then replied, holding it close to his face and petting it as though it were a cat, "But mommy, I loooove it on you." Okay, now I've seen kids act like this about things they want for themselves.. but not for someone else. It was completely throwing me off. Then suddenly he finds this giant straw beach hat to go with the shirt and is forcing me to try it on. After putting both the blouse and the hat back on the racks, his pouty lower lip came out and he nearly burst into tears. "You're making me buy these things that I don't even want!" I finally said in exasperation. "Because I control you." was his nonchalant reply.

I am not even kidding. That's what he said! Who does he think he is Stacy London and Clinton Kelly combined?! And no, he did not get his way in the end.. but I have to admit that I'm daydreaming now about that pretty floral blouse.

I have said over and over that whoever thinks 2 year olds are terrible has yet to experience 3! In some ways they are still that sweet gentle baby who needs affection and love and at the same time they are constantly testing boundaries. It feels like a never-ending tug of war. And yet, I am fighting the battle right along side him, within myself. Not wanting to let go of my baby, while still allowing him a healthy small doses of independence.

And then there is my six year old who will only let me kiss the dimples on his cheeks but not his lips anymore, and only before bed. It's this small thing that reminds me not to get too caught up in the tantrums and mind games of my little one, but to focus instead on those sweet kisses of his. :)