Junior spent the past year being a threenager. For those unfamiliar with the term, this is when a three-year-old acts difficult, i.e. by not listening, being inappropriately loud, swinging wildly between two extremes, or all of the above, whilst powered by some inexhaustible energy source. In short, it's been quite a year.
For reference, his previous reports are here, here, and here. Having re-read them, I realize that these notes ooze with delighted smugness. This report...does not.
1. So Much Talking
Junior talks nonstop. He is now completely capable of expressing his wants, needs, and opinions. He demands a “special treat” or something sugary very, very frequently. His vocabulary is expansive, and he uses nouns and descriptive terms correctly.
Meanwhile, thanks to Mamala’s three-month visit, Junior’s Tagalog skills have accelerated, to the point of his speaking it exclusively when talking to her. In fact, at one point she forgot the word for “wings” (“pakpak”), and he helpfully supplied it; from then on, he became convinced he could speak better Tagalog than her.
One caveat to this talent: his volume seems to be stuck at "Maximum." The silver lining is that it is impossible to lose him in a crowded area because he can be heard wherever he is, even on a different floor. The parental units are working on his inside voice.
2. Can't Stop, Won't Stop
Junior also moves nonstop. He is constitutionally incapable of standing still; when forced to stay in one spot, he will hop on one leg, or dance, shouting, "Look at me!" Per last year's recommendation, he enrolled in a ballet class, which he enjoyed immensely and apparently wants to do again.
He has also moved on from his balance bike (no pedals) to a bicycle with training wheels. Since he is outgrowing his child seat on mommy’s bicycle, the plan is to start him biking to daycare on the sidewalk. He has proven to be very good at braking at intersections and driveways, but vigilance is always key.
3. Drama
Junior's performances are award-worthy. When denied something, he moans, "Oh, man!" and either flings himself despondently to the floor, or works himself up to crocodile tears. There are many instances of the parental units utterly failing to keep a straight face when Junior turns on the waterworks and pouty lips, because they are so, so extremely fake.
He is also terrific at mimicking his mother's exasperation, see all the eyerolling below:
Only time will tell if this phase leads to a future in theater.
4. Peer Pressure
Junior now says things like, "I want to wear a jacket like [REDACTED] does!" and "But [REDACTED] brings his trucks to school!" He will also break for water/snacks if other kids do so. So far, the parental units have exploited this new development by praising peers' good behaviors and ignoring undesired ones.
An unexpected effect of peer pressure is Junior's reduced bossiness; he seems more inclined to play with other kids rather than order them around, which was his wont for a while. He is also a very good sharer of his snacks.
5. Independence
Junior has been yelling, "I CAN DO IT!" all year, and indeed, he can, for the most part. He removes his shoes and puts them in the cubby upon reaching home, and he can also strip naked (still some difficulty with shirts) for pajama time. He can put on undies and shorts (again, shirts take longer), and even shoes, but socks-independence remains a goal. Surprisingly, he is also very good at cleaning up his room when incentivized (e.g. with TV or iPad time), but this process does end up with some surprises, like a bunch of underwear stuffed inside a race car kit.
6. Responsibility and Maturity (?)
Junior has turned out to be an excellent kuya/big brother. He adores his new baby sister and can be depended upon to watch her for up to 10 seconds. For example, when she is left in the middle of the bed, he will further ensure her safety by propping more pillows around her. He constantly affirms his love for her, hugs her at every opportunity, and likes to inform strangers on the street that he has a baby of his very own. His affection is very touching.
Junior has also overcome his aversion to vegetables, which he developed as an early threenager. He now eats broccoli again, albeit in the tiniest quantities possible. He reasons that, as a big boy, he should enjoy veggies, and has bravely nibbled on celery sticks to prove himself.
Conclusion
Everyone survived Junior’s threenage year. We hope you agree that this in itself is impressive. As always, your support for Junior makes his continued growth possible. Thank you.
Sincerely,
The Fragrant Elephant Committee on I’m So Tired
---
This post brought to you by pistachios!
For reference, his previous reports are here, here, and here. Having re-read them, I realize that these notes ooze with delighted smugness. This report...does not.
1. So Much Talking
Junior talks nonstop. He is now completely capable of expressing his wants, needs, and opinions. He demands a “special treat” or something sugary very, very frequently. His vocabulary is expansive, and he uses nouns and descriptive terms correctly.
 |
| "More sugar!" |
Meanwhile, thanks to Mamala’s three-month visit, Junior’s Tagalog skills have accelerated, to the point of his speaking it exclusively when talking to her. In fact, at one point she forgot the word for “wings” (“pakpak”), and he helpfully supplied it; from then on, he became convinced he could speak better Tagalog than her.
One caveat to this talent: his volume seems to be stuck at "Maximum." The silver lining is that it is impossible to lose him in a crowded area because he can be heard wherever he is, even on a different floor. The parental units are working on his inside voice.
2. Can't Stop, Won't Stop
Junior also moves nonstop. He is constitutionally incapable of standing still; when forced to stay in one spot, he will hop on one leg, or dance, shouting, "Look at me!" Per last year's recommendation, he enrolled in a ballet class, which he enjoyed immensely and apparently wants to do again.
He has also moved on from his balance bike (no pedals) to a bicycle with training wheels. Since he is outgrowing his child seat on mommy’s bicycle, the plan is to start him biking to daycare on the sidewalk. He has proven to be very good at braking at intersections and driveways, but vigilance is always key.
3. Drama
Junior's performances are award-worthy. When denied something, he moans, "Oh, man!" and either flings himself despondently to the floor, or works himself up to crocodile tears. There are many instances of the parental units utterly failing to keep a straight face when Junior turns on the waterworks and pouty lips, because they are so, so extremely fake.
He is also terrific at mimicking his mother's exasperation, see all the eyerolling below:
Only time will tell if this phase leads to a future in theater.
4. Peer Pressure
Junior now says things like, "I want to wear a jacket like [REDACTED] does!" and "But [REDACTED] brings his trucks to school!" He will also break for water/snacks if other kids do so. So far, the parental units have exploited this new development by praising peers' good behaviors and ignoring undesired ones.
An unexpected effect of peer pressure is Junior's reduced bossiness; he seems more inclined to play with other kids rather than order them around, which was his wont for a while. He is also a very good sharer of his snacks.
5. Independence
Junior has been yelling, "I CAN DO IT!" all year, and indeed, he can, for the most part. He removes his shoes and puts them in the cubby upon reaching home, and he can also strip naked (still some difficulty with shirts) for pajama time. He can put on undies and shorts (again, shirts take longer), and even shoes, but socks-independence remains a goal. Surprisingly, he is also very good at cleaning up his room when incentivized (e.g. with TV or iPad time), but this process does end up with some surprises, like a bunch of underwear stuffed inside a race car kit.
 |
| Big boys are great at dentist visits! |
6. Responsibility and Maturity (?)
Junior has turned out to be an excellent kuya/big brother. He adores his new baby sister and can be depended upon to watch her for up to 10 seconds. For example, when she is left in the middle of the bed, he will further ensure her safety by propping more pillows around her. He constantly affirms his love for her, hugs her at every opportunity, and likes to inform strangers on the street that he has a baby of his very own. His affection is very touching.
Junior has also overcome his aversion to vegetables, which he developed as an early threenager. He now eats broccoli again, albeit in the tiniest quantities possible. He reasons that, as a big boy, he should enjoy veggies, and has bravely nibbled on celery sticks to prove himself.
Conclusion
Everyone survived Junior’s threenage year. We hope you agree that this in itself is impressive. As always, your support for Junior makes his continued growth possible. Thank you.
Sincerely,
The Fragrant Elephant Committee on I’m So Tired
---
This post brought to you by pistachios!
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