Mr. Independent wears "Surf Pants'

I'm struggling to get through the mornings these days! (No...I'm not pregnant!ha) I remember this feeling all too well from a couple of years ago when Chasey was about 3 1/2 or 4 years old. I was a frazzled mess walking in to work at least 2 or 3 days out of the week. Since I've been off work, things have been a lot less stressful and getting Chasey to school by 8am each morning is not so bad...we rush out the door EVERY morning regardless of whether we have 90 minutes to get ready...or 30! Doesn't matter...somehow we are always rushing at 7:50am!

Well...Cash has recently found his streak of independence! He can do EVERYTHING himself! Although I think it's great that he's growing and changing, there are some things that mom should just do for you at this age!

Number 1...getting dressed in the morning when you have to do it quickly!
Cash REFUSES to let me dress him! I learned this the hard way the other morning when he ran and ran and ran from me and Chasey was over 10 minutes late for school and got a "tardy." UGH! It's kindergarten...but still...no reason she should have been late. I almost took him to school naked...but it's a little chilly outside! The past 3 mornings I lay his clothes out at 7am and tell him he can do it himself. 10, 20, 30 minutes go by and he hasn't done it and he still refuses to let me. It's a battle that I'm losing and it's driving me up a wall! Bribery is the only thing that works these days...but candy is the last thing he needs that early in the morning!
Number 2....he hates to let me wipe him! This one is REALLY bad! I have to physically restrain him so that I can wipe him. He tried to do it himself the other day and got it all over his hands! Then....came up to me and grabbed my face! Blech...i want to throw up just thinking about it! He was being sweet and trying to kiss me, but still...blech!
Number 3....If I tell him he can't have something...or do something...he does (or at least attempts) it himself! Example below...I REFUSED to put batteries in this train because I was warned by the friend that handed it down to NOT put batteries in it because it is so obnoxious.....he decided he was going to do it himself! I thought it was cute enough to take a picture of it...but I still didn't put batteries in it. Well...he sweet-talked James into that very night! Now we have an obnoxious train that makes annoying animal sounds AND train sounds roaming around our floors all day!


All this is just "growing pains"....Growing pains for mommy that is...Cash is cool with it all! But as much as I want to strangle a 3 year old some days....I want to hug and kiss and squeeze him tight the minute that he says "I love you so much mommy!" over...and over...and over! It's music to my ears and makes my everyday struggles disappear into thin air!

and....Mr. Independent wears "Surf Pants"....because he now refers to his swim trunks as his "Surf Pants"....because he surfs in them...so he says! If given the choice each day to pick out his own clothes...he will most likely put on his "Surf Pants!" Thank God we live in Southern California where our "cold" days are in the 60's!

just a random picture from last week of an everyday Cash antic! The boy can really make me laugh!