A few weeks ago, Reed started waking up in the morning and coming into our room to climb into bed with us. Julie and I both grew up doing the same thing with our parents. In fact, we each have very distinct memories of either nuzzling in between our parents, or just talking an goofing around in their bed. (Most of the time, for me at least, it was on a lazy Saturday morning when my parents were trying to sleep-in.)

So, for the longest time, we had tried to pull Reed into our bed to just hang out and play or talk when he would get up a little too early for us, or we just were not ready to get on our feet and get him some breakfast. He would simply kick and whine when we pulled him up and insist on getting up (bossy!). Needless to say when he actually brought his blanket into our room and wanted to lay on our pillows, we were ecstatic (that might be overstating, but you get the idea). We might be able to actually trace the change of mind to a few weekend naps with Mommy in our bed… he got a taste of the Tempur-pedic and realized what he was missing.

Now, pretty much every morning for the last week, he will come into our room (usually while Julie is getting ready for work) and take Mommy’s place in our bed. He insists on having his own blanket cover him, and won’t have anything to do with our comforter. Then, when Ali wakes up, we go get her and add her to the mix. On the mornings that we do have the time to play around, we have some all-out rumbles with lots of giggling. (It usually ends with Julie or myself getting head-butted or punched in the eye by Reed.)

We are certainly okay with this behavior because Reed still sleeps a full night in his own bed and then comes to our room when he would normally be getting up for the day. He has always been a good sleeper, so it really doesn’t worry me too much that he would shun his own bed for ours. For now, we are enjoying that he wants to be with us because we know those days are numbered.

Reed Matthew you are 3 years old today.  I think every year on March 3rd I will start thinking about the day/night you were born.  I will remember the excitement and sheer terror I felt when the doctor told me to go next door and check in to the hospital.  As we were going to sleep last night Randy and I were reminiscing about your birth and that night.  Since you decided I needed a c-section none of your siblings will ever have the birth story you have. 

As for you.  You are quite a fireball.  You dad says that it seems like you have skipped right over being 3 and have gone right to 4 and it is true.  I’m not one to overly brag about you…but you really are smart.  Your teachers have always bragged to us about how intelligent you are and I will take their word for it because they know toddlers much better than I do.  Your vocabulary and sentence structure is incredible.  You also have an incredible memory.  Sometimes you will start recalling a memory out of the blue.  Not only does it crack me up, but it impresses me the things you file away and choose to remember.

I was kind of sad when we took you to the rodeo this year because as we were packing things up I realized the only special thing you need is a car seat.  You don’t need diapers, or sippy-cups, or snacks, or toys, or even a stroller.  All you need is a car seat.  I love this independence but it is a little sad. 

You are also becoming so much more affectionate.  You are in a huge mommy phase (which is probably related to how attached Alison is to me).  You get jealous if she is in my lap reading a book or playing with a toy.  You will immediately grab a book and shove your way into my lap too.  It is sort of inconvenient, but I would be lying if I said I didn’t completely love it.  Speaking of your sister you are so sweet with her.  At time you rip toys out of her hand and we are still working on that, but for the most part you take it as your personal mission to ‘keep Ali safe’.  There are times that you will pick something off the floor and bring it to me.  When you hand it to me you say, ‘this is not a good toy for Ali.  Reed keep her safe’.  I just love how thoughtful you are and how much you love her.

You are totally into “Stoy Story” right now and ask to watch it every.single.day.  Literally.  That is not an exaggeration.  You also love horses and love talking about cowboys.  (However we tried to buy you cowboy boots like 3 times and you won’t even touch them).  Your other favorite past time these days is ‘working on stuff’.  You have a Jeep in the garage.  You refuse to drive it.  Instead, you get in daddy’s toolbox and get ‘tools’.  Then you turn your Aggie hat backwards and tell me you are ‘working on your jeep’.  You get down on the ground and reach under the jeep and mess with everything you can find.  It is truly hilarious.  Maybe I need to find a few projects around the house for you to help Daddy with…

You still take a nap EVERY day.  You are the best sleeper and I just wish Ali was a little more like you in that way.  You love your bed and your room and you usually go to bed without a fight.

You are 100% potty trained and have been for a long time.  Now you use the big potty and can go all by yourself.

Your best friend is Caleb, but you ask about Kate ALL THE TIME!  Randomly when we are driving down the road you will declare that we are ‘going to Kate’s house’.  Cracks me up every time.  I always tell you “soon Reed, soon.”

Your favorite books are the Moon book that Caleb gave you on your first birthday and your bible.  I have been reading the bible this year and mine is literally always with me.  I think that has helped you to want to read your bible every night too. 

It’s hilarious because you know the stories so well that you finish my sentences when I read it to you.  If I try to skip a page you yell at me to go back.  You also have a pattern that you follow when we read the bible.  When I turn a page you put your finger over my mouth and say ‘stop talking mommy’.  Then you point out all the animals etc on the page that you always point out.  (and on the Adam and Eve page you call the giraffe a zebra and then laugh hysterically like its the funniest joke).  Then once you are done with your part you put your hands on my face and say ‘start reading mommy’.  This ritual is one of my favorite parts of my day.  Then you ask me to sing the moon song and twinkle, twinkle.  On a good day we also sing 2 rounds of Jesus Loves Me.  Never one round, always two.

Ah Reed Matthew I think I could write funny stories about you forever.  I wish I could remember every funny thing that happens, but we sure do enjoy them when they do.  I love you sweet boy!

I know what you are thinking…huh?  Our thoughts exactly.

Reed is hilarious.  Strong-willed, obstinant, borderline defiant at times…but hilarious.  His latest word jumble is above.  Let me illustrate.

Reed: Mommy, I missed-a-got to wash my hands.

Mommy: Reed, do you mean you ‘for-got’ to wash your hands?

Reed: No Mommy, I missed-a-got.

Mommy: Whatever you say sweet boy.

Our two other favorite Reed-isms are – kerrshomal break (commercial break) and maz-a-gine. 

Why does he say the word ‘maza-gine’ you ask?  Well, when Reed first started using the potty it was Thanksgiving/Christmas time.  During this time we get like 100,000 toy catalogs.  One day Reed was taking a long time on the potty so Randy offered him a magazine while he sat.  And now we know why men read ‘maz-a-gines’ on the toilet…because their fathers taught them to do it!!!

One other unrelated thing I feel needs to be mentioned is that Reed is very opinionated (go figure) about his music selections.  His #1 choice?…Pink.  That’s right, Pink.  I got the greatest hits album in my stocking and he L-O-V-E-S when I turn it on in the car.  He gets this big goofy smile and it totally cracks me up. 

Reed is now proud to announce, “No More Diapers!” He is proud to proclaim that to anyone, and then follow up by telling everyone that, “Reed is choo-choo potty.”

Huh?

It took us a second to figure out…. Reed is potty trained!

That’s right, over the last few weeks it has been a progression of milestones with very little setbacks, and now Reed out of diapers completely.

Nothing like a little peer pressure to get the ball rolling, but in mid-Fall, Reed’s friend Caleb had made the move to underwear, and we made a big deal of it when his mom told us. From that point Reed finally wanted to try the little potty we had bought several months earlier.

We had tried a few days of underwear when we got home at night, but he always had accidents. We couldn’t get him to go sit on the potty, even if he didn’t have to go, so it was going to be up to him to make the move. Then one night after bath, he was running around butt-naked (which seems to happen regularly after bath time), and he announced he had to go potty. We got all excited and ran with him to the bathroom and had to pull the potty out for him to use. Success!! We of course made a big deal of it like you are supposed to do, and thought we had turned a corner.

We tried the next weekend with just underwear and added the reward of candy (since Halloween had just passed and we had a stockpile). He still was late in telling us and went through several pairs of underwear. We realized our best success was with him butt-naked. Why? I suppose he didn’t feel that safety net and knew he had to do something about it.

So, Thanksgiving weekend, we were home for the extended time with not much going on. We decided to let Reed run around the house naked from the waist down, and focus on going to the potty. Sure enough he started to learn the sensation and could tell us ahead of time, every time. We added underwear as reward after a period of time, and by then he figured out what was going on. He was very persistent about the candy as well.

At this point, he was in underwear all day, and would change to a diaper for naps and bed time. There were many times that he woke up dry, and only after getting up and walking around did he use his diaper. He had a few accidents at school, so we would pack a few changes of clothes for him every day.

Then the accidents seemed to stop and one weekend he gave us a hard time about putting a diaper on for his nap. We let him sleep without one, and sure enough, he woke up dry and went potty shortly after getting up. Success!! We got more persistent about going potty before getting in bed, and now after starting the whole process just weeks ago, he is sleeping through the night completely dry, and has never wet the bed.

He is still using his little potty at home, but he is not scared to sit on a regular toilet at someone else’ house, or even in a public restroom. He is pretty much independent when we are home, except if the light is off. He will make the move to a regular toilet in is his own time… as we have learned with so many other things about Reed.

-RB