3 Times Lucky

'I'm sorry I hit you with a spoon', Z looks apologetic just seconds after banging a teaspoon on my knuckle as I take him out of his highchair and plop him on the floor.

My fingers are still smarting so I don't reply.

'I love mama and baba', he says a minute later, playing with his cars. He looks up at me: 'Please can I love mama and baba?'

I consent to the love and all is well again.

Every few months I think exactly the same thing: this boy is so smart! how did he learn to say so many things? ... every stage seems to outshine the last one (good thing I've got these blogs to refer back to!).

And truth be told, I always thought the chunky baby stage was the best but despite the terrifying meltdowns and infuriating battles over nappy changes and the NO WE DO NOT HIT mantra that keeps on going, I think almost 3 year olds are so amazing.

I can now actually take a quick shower while he plays independently - granted I'll keep the door open but STILL! The nights are suddenly much better as well (it ain't 8 straight hours but definitely an improvement over every two hours of unsettled crying and trying to figure out what it is this time that's upsetting the child...).

The level of independence, their focus and ability to play and create and imagine (where is my boat? Ah here it is *putting a blanket on the floor*, oh no, I'm floating away! The lava is erupting!) and joke, the conversations, the understanding (a hesitant new sense of caution and self-preservation - relative to a 2-year-old that is) and the silliness. 

Most of all the conversation - from the babbling to one and two words to now nonstop fluent conversation. And I am so proud that he talks in Urdu as well! Also love his monologues in what is supposed to be Urdu but often blends into adorable nonsense. 

One of my favourite things is Z's conversion of the 'awa' sound to 'alwa' so hawa (air) becomes halwa (pudding!) and even better, kawwa (crow) becomes kalwa (not an actual word but it should be!!). I just can't even.

He's got a great sense of humour, and has recently started copying what I say randomly in his monster voice. So far I gotta say it's pretty funny. He also does it during our reading sessions sometimes, leading to us both dissolving in giggling fits. 

He still loves all fans and fan-like things. Calls an exhaust fan an 'exhausted' fan.  

Cars, trucks and motorbikes though are at the top of his list. Every present he has gotten on his 3rd birthday he has looked at me in excitement shrieking: is it a car? Do you think it is a car?? And if it is indeed a vehicle, he just goes ballistic yelling in happiness, 'I told you it was a car!!!'

The energy levels, I gotta say, are pretty high. Like literally sometimes Z will be running from one end of the living room to the other and then randomly come ram his very hard head into whatever body part of mine happens to be at that height.

Our current challenges continue to be hitting and more recently throwing (again!? Did it ever end? I think so, perhaps for a few weeks... gulp.) 

We love going to our story classes and play groups and the library. He has become very good at helping me do grocery shopping as long as there is a trolley he can handle! We can walk a couple of miles as well ... as long as we've got loads of time on hand. 

I can still remember the days of doing everything in the pram, specially going into shops with aisles of colourful items waiting to be grabbed and toppled or looking at parents walking with their small toddlers either holding hands or moving along relatively safely/sanely and thinking: now when does that happen?

It's going by fast for sure but this is definitely a sweet spot (especially right now when Z is asleep after a very cute birthday celebration that had me overworked and tired for two days now) when I feel like I've got a small highstrung adventure buddy.

Especially during the mornings when he goes through a super polite mood, sitting in his highchair while I give him his breakfast: toast!? For me?! Oh thank you!!

I am thrilled to say we have done away with the dummy (September!) and the bottle which I thought was going to never happen but Z has been a champ about it, adapting within 3-4 days. The first night the bribe makes things better but the second night the anger is real. Z made me sit in a corner in his room, glaring at me and not even letting me glance at him (or leave the room in case you're wondering) till he finally fell asleep, still scowling.

He sleeps in his own room now but at any point at night, if it's post midnight and he calls for me, I just grab my pillow and go sleep next to him. I haven't heeded the health worker's advice on sleep training because I feel like if I were waking up in a room by myself at that age, I'd want my mum next to me too so for now that's just our balance.

(This is the improvement in confidence in your own decisions that a couple of years of parenting can make compared to those first few months of doubting every move!)

Although this means that I have to wake up the INSTANT Z wakes up.

'Is it morning time?' And he will look outside and I mean, it's England, it's always going to be dark when this critter wakes up... but the dark skies never faze him. 'It is!!! Wakey wakey!!!' ( I have never said that to him so I don't know where he's picked up on the worst phrase to use to wake someone up).

At times it's cute and we might cuddle and he will request for these very lame stories I tell him (about motorbikes and Goldilocks) but mostly he just wants me to instantly be out of bed. One time recently Z pushed me off the mattress and said: 'Sit there and be sad!!'

The emotional development is hilarious and tough (on all concerned parties) and Z will sometimes cry with very big real but not real tears, saying 'I'm crying because I was naughty to you and I hit you!!' 

Awww. A few cuddles and then we're okay. The harder meltdowns are when Z doesn't want to be hugged or even touched, and you just have to sit by while he bangs and cries and yells. Oooff.

Still. This boy is just special. He will check in with me to see if I'm happy or grumpy, and get super happy if I say I'm happy. He is so attuned to other people's emotions, it's amazing. I hope this empathy continues to develop and he grows into a kind, compassionate young man. 

He's taller now and already his hair is getting into his eyes again after his yearly haircut in Pakistan in December...

He loves hanging out with family and friends although also gets excruciatingly shy with new people or around too many people. He has this tongue sticking out expression when he's concentrating or feeling shy or being stubborn or in his 'I'm going to do something I shouldn't and I kind of feel guilty about it but I'm gonna do it anyways' mode.

And those apple cheeks. 

He gets about a million kisses from me a day and till he starts telling me off for it, Imma gonna keep smooching him endlessly.

Happy 3rd Birthday, Z. I can't imagine what I did in life before you came along.