Caleb is 3-years-and-11-months-old today, and overall, it has been a very good month. He has matured a lot this month. Some frustrating behaviors like name-calling and deliberately irritating his friends and his brother have subsided quite a bit this month. He is more and more interested in accomplishing new things and getting stronger and bigger. He has also been very sweet with Ethan lately. Anytime he gets a treat, he saves the last bite for Ethan, even at school or in Bible class. The last four or five times I've picked him up from one of those, he has had a piece of cookie or a marshmellow or a almost-gone packet of M&Ms clutched in his hand "for Ethan." He has developed a nurturing, paternal attitude with Ethan. He shows him how to do things with a more patient voice than in the past. He will give Ethan a piece of the puzzle he is doing, show Ethan where it goes, and then applaud him for placing it correctly. They still have plenty of conflict, but Caleb's attitude as a big brother is definitely maturing.
Caleb has also been enjoying going to school more than in the past. He is not a big fan of school in general, being an introverted child and preferring to follow his own agenda rather than a group's, but the last couple of weeks he has had a better attitude and had more positive stories to share. He is very excited about his upcoming birthday, since most of his classmates have already turned four, and apparently some are reminding him that he is still only three. He keeps asking me questions about his birthday party that I can't answer because I haven't made any plans yet (it is still four weeks away!).
Caleb has been a little fixated on "the truth" of late. I started talking to him about telling the truth and explaining what a lie is many months ago, but it seems to have really sunk in recently. The problem is, like any moral parameter, he has been very quick to apply it across the board, particularly with Ethan. Ethan is not even two, and his M.O. is to lie to get out of trouble. I ask Ethan, "Did you throw that truck?" and he of course says, "NOOOO! Bubba throw the truck!" Caleb immediately erupts with, "Mama he's telling a lie! He's telling a lie! Spank him! He threw the truck! Spank him for telling a lie!" The good side of Caleb's interest in the truth is that, right now, I can almost always count on him to tell me the truth. If he does attempt to mislead me, the struggle is so obvious on his face, so his lie is very unconvincing.
He actually tells on himself without me even asking on a regular basis. About a week ago, I came downstairs in the morning to find a guilty Caleb with the open M&M jar and chocolate all over his teeth. I said, "Caleb! Did you eat M&Ms without asking?" Caleb's little jaw drops and he sits there frozen, saying nothing. I proceed with, "Well, I can see that you ate the M&Ms because there is chocolate all over your teeth." He closes his mouth, I explain his consequences, and we go on with our day. A few days later, also first thing in the morning, Caleb pokes his head up over the side of our bed and says:
"Mommy, I have to tell you something."
"Yes, Caleb?"
"When I woke up and you were still sleeping, I went downstairs and ate some M&Ms from the treat jar. And then I went to the bathroom and brushed all the chocolate off my teeth, so you wouldn't see it. [solemn pause] Sorry for making all those bad choices. Do you forgive me?"
It was all I could do not to burst all laughing.
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