Milestones

          Ben is closing in on 3 years old and growing physically and mentally every day. My husband and I were watching him play in his Cowboy gear (boots, hat, Toy Story underwear, and his toy pistol, tucked in his underwear as if they were a holster) and reminiscing about his days as a baby. In my opinion, he was a baby until he got his first real haircut that changed him into a little man. He was such a lil chub-a-dub, always smiling until he didn’t get what he wanted, splashing in the tub and completely destroying the bathroom, learning to walk…he was so stinkin’ cute!

          Well…the cuteness seems to dwindle when everything I say, do, read, or even look at warrants a “Why?” from lil man. Last night for instance, as I was reading him a book, we heard a train on the tracks about a ½ mile from our house, the noise carried and made it sound as if it were next door and Ben noticed. He sat up in bed and our conversation was as follows:

Ben: What’s that?

Me: A train.

Ben: What color is it? Is it red?

Me: I don’t know what color it is.

Ben: Is it black?

Me: I don’t know buddy, maybe it is black.

Ben: Why?

Me: You tell me why.

Ben: Yeah, it’s black.

Me: You’re probably right bud! It probably is black.

And then we kept reading his Cowboy book. The book showed an illustration of the cartoon cowboy brushing his horse. Our next conversation was as follows:

Ben: Where’s that thing?

Me: What thing?

Ben: (pointing to the horse’s back) That thing that goes there.

Me: The saddle?

Ben: Yeah, saddle.

Me: I don’t know Bud. (trying to guide him back to listening rather than talking!)

Ben: Why? (keep in mind the question “why?” doesn’t even fit in the context of

   the conversation right now)

Me: Why do you think?

Ben: It’s over there. (pointing to the saddle on the ground in the illustration)

Me: You’re right!

And finally, the book is finished, it’s bed time. You guessed it, another conversation…

Me: Time to go to sleep buddy.

Ben: Why?

Me: Because it’s late and it’s way past your bedtime.

Ben: Why?

Right about now is when I lost all patience and became annoyed and sternly said….wait for it….wait for it…..

          “BECAUSE I SAID SO!”

Instantly, I felt bad, and guilty, and…like a real parent! That was the first time I had used that one single phrase that I had hated so unbelievably much as a child. I swore that I’d never use it and never, ever understood why my mom used it…UNTIL NOW! He stopped asking why and I was able to leave the room. It worked, it really worked! I completely understand now, I hate it, but I understand! Not only is Ben reaching those critical milestones as a child, I’m reaching them as a parent!