My Funny Champ

I'm back in love with my eldest son. Anyone with children understands that you go through phases with your kids. This is not to say that I didn't love Champ (don't be absurd), I just wasn't into him, so much. The Terrible 2's had stretched long into his 3's (I'm told this is common), and we butted heads on everything. But lately, we've really turned things around. Champ still has his moments (and I'm sure I do too), but things are getting so much better.

One of the things that I love about Champ right now is his obsession with turning 4. His birthday cake, his balloons, the presents, the things he'll be able to do when he's big... and to Champ, 4 is big. I'm scared he'll be disappointed that his world hasn't magically changed on the morning of his 4th birthday. Some one has very high expectations, and this Mom is scared she won't be able to do it all.

I'm also really loving his infatuation with babies, specifically his baby cousin, Boof. He talks about "my cousin" all day long. He's even started telling people that he's having a baby very soon. People always look at me like "Reeeally?" with a sly little smile. I had to take matters into my own hands, and when I saw these little baby dolls at Target for only $3, I had to get one for each of the boys. And let me tell you it was the best thing I ever did. Champ LOVES this doll in a way I couldn't have envisioned. He shushed me when his baby doll, Danny, was sleeping. He wrapped Danny up in his special blankie (his blankie is, by the way, a girl and called Baby). Champ is very sweet and gentle, and what mother wouldn't fall in love with that?

And baby-doll Danny, brings me to my next favorite thing about Champ, and that is all the funny little things he has to say. This afternoon while we were watching Cinderella (for the 5th time this week... he just loves Gus the mouse), he looked over at me and said, "Mommy, can we talk about this baby I'm growing in my belly?" I hadn't noticed, but he had put baby-doll Danny under his shirt. Seriously, it was everything I could do not to laugh at him, because he was very serious. Can we talk about it? Why, of course we can!

So, I guess Champ is back on my list of favorite things, and I'm sure I'll have plenty more funny little things about him to share... unless turning 4 is as difficult as I'm told it will be.