Ethan has always been my sweet, happy, easy going boy who is so much fun to have around. Really I have been thoroughly spoiled with this boy. Something has happened to that angel child, and he has been replaced with a not so angelic impostor.
Example A:
Two weeks ago: Tell him is was nap time. He would happily go upstairs of his own free will, happily get his blanket and dog,and read one story with me on his bed. I would leave him with one last book to read by himself and tell him to lay down when he was done. He would say "okay." I would leave the room, and check on him 20 minutes later. The book would be on the shelf, and he would be peacefully asleep on his bed.
This last week: Tell him it is naptime. He screams, cries, and waves his arms saying "Don't want nap. Don't want bed!" I try to convince him otherwise. Finally carry a screaming child up the stairs. I try to get him to pick out a book. He is still screaming and crying and repeating the same phrases. I finally give up, tell him to stay in bed, leave the room. He comes immediately to the door, wanting to come out. I put him back in bed, tell him to stay. Go out, he comes back to the door and opens it again. We continue this for quite a while. At some point he calms down and wants to read a book. We read one. He wants another, I try to convince him to read it himself and go to bed, but he can't handle it, so I tell him one last one. We read it, he wants another, I tell him no. He falls apart. I leave the room. We repeat the process of putting in bed, leaving room, door opening, back to bed, etc. Finally I try holding the door shut. He screams and cries and eventually pushes the book he wanted under the door. Continues to cry, scream. I finally tell him he can go read the book by himself in bed. I push the book back under the door. He stops crying, and takes the book, climbs in bed, reads it, and finally finally goes to sleep. Whew!
Example B:
Two weeks ago: Sleeps till about 7 am. Quietly sits on his bed reading books until I open his door, leaving the sleeping Jayden alone so he can get the sleep he needs.
This last week: Wakes up at 5:45. Wakes up Jayden. Makes a ruckus, and the whole house is awake by 6.
Example C:
Two weeks ago: Shares toys really well with brothers and cousins. If they ask for a turn, gives them a turn. If they have a toy he previously used, he asks for a turn when they are done (with a little prompting from Mom).
This last week: Doesn't want to share, even if asked nice. Any toy he has touched in the last 3 days is permanently his, and if anyone even looks at them, he screams at the top of his lungs "my (insert toy name)."
If these were just single occurances, it wouldn't be so bad, but unfortuntely they are pretty much daily occurrances now, as well as plenty more other unpleasant situations not listed because I could go on and on.
If anyone knows where MY Ethan has gone, please let me know so I can retrieve him before the baby comes. That would be nice.
Example A:
Two weeks ago: Tell him is was nap time. He would happily go upstairs of his own free will, happily get his blanket and dog,and read one story with me on his bed. I would leave him with one last book to read by himself and tell him to lay down when he was done. He would say "okay." I would leave the room, and check on him 20 minutes later. The book would be on the shelf, and he would be peacefully asleep on his bed.
This last week: Tell him it is naptime. He screams, cries, and waves his arms saying "Don't want nap. Don't want bed!" I try to convince him otherwise. Finally carry a screaming child up the stairs. I try to get him to pick out a book. He is still screaming and crying and repeating the same phrases. I finally give up, tell him to stay in bed, leave the room. He comes immediately to the door, wanting to come out. I put him back in bed, tell him to stay. Go out, he comes back to the door and opens it again. We continue this for quite a while. At some point he calms down and wants to read a book. We read one. He wants another, I try to convince him to read it himself and go to bed, but he can't handle it, so I tell him one last one. We read it, he wants another, I tell him no. He falls apart. I leave the room. We repeat the process of putting in bed, leaving room, door opening, back to bed, etc. Finally I try holding the door shut. He screams and cries and eventually pushes the book he wanted under the door. Continues to cry, scream. I finally tell him he can go read the book by himself in bed. I push the book back under the door. He stops crying, and takes the book, climbs in bed, reads it, and finally finally goes to sleep. Whew!
Example B:
Two weeks ago: Sleeps till about 7 am. Quietly sits on his bed reading books until I open his door, leaving the sleeping Jayden alone so he can get the sleep he needs.
This last week: Wakes up at 5:45. Wakes up Jayden. Makes a ruckus, and the whole house is awake by 6.
Example C:
Two weeks ago: Shares toys really well with brothers and cousins. If they ask for a turn, gives them a turn. If they have a toy he previously used, he asks for a turn when they are done (with a little prompting from Mom).
This last week: Doesn't want to share, even if asked nice. Any toy he has touched in the last 3 days is permanently his, and if anyone even looks at them, he screams at the top of his lungs "my (insert toy name)."
If these were just single occurances, it wouldn't be so bad, but unfortuntely they are pretty much daily occurrances now, as well as plenty more other unpleasant situations not listed because I could go on and on.
If anyone knows where MY Ethan has gone, please let me know so I can retrieve him before the baby comes. That would be nice.
5 comments:
I wonder if he went to the same place that my sweet Spencer went to! He's refusing to nap, refusing to go to bed and stay asleep during the night, refusing to take baths, refusing to get in his car seat... He's had that "by myself!" attitude for a while, but it's much worse this past week or two. Doesn't it makes you sad?
This is Rachel, not David, by the way. I'm too lazy to sign David out.
I know it's not funny to you, but this blog post had me laughing out loud. Poor you. I'm so sorry. I hope Ethan returns before the baby gets here. If not, send him my way and I can take care of him for a few hours (or days, if needed) to give you a break. Nate has had similar issues. Except mine have been a little more gradual. Have you ever read the book "The Changeling?" Maybe our children are changelings.
I'm so sorry! At times like these, I hope that my child is hurting or something (teething, growing, etc.). Not that I want my child to be hurting, but at least then I know there is an explanation and he/she will be back to normal soon :-).
I always call my girls "Sally from the mountains" when they seem to disappear and a not so nice imposter-as you said-is in their place. Now that I have a boy I will have to think of a boys name-hummm...what could we call them?
That sounds like Logan...he has been that way since birth :)
He has been my hard child.
Raylie was really good until she turned two and now she is almost three and it isn't getting better, so I hope I can make it through this yr quick with her!
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