Jameson at 19 Months

Jameson is 19-months-old today. And somehow things aren’t exactly how I expected them to be. And all of you veteran parents out there are probably thinking, “Expectations about how your kids will be at a certain stage? Rookie mistake.”

When Jameson was around 15-months-old, I read something on the interwebs from a fellow mom about how when kids reach 18-months-old that they start to develop greater self-control.

I thought to myself, “Yes. Won’t you c’mon 18 months?!” Because some days, I felt like Jameson would literally do the opposite of everything I said. So yes, this hope for more self-control at 18-months was quite alluring.

But then 18 months came, and while I’m certain this month has brought Jameson a much greater ability to understand the words coming out of my mouth, it seems that his thinking often follows this path…

Mommy wants me to put on my shoes… I think I’ll run down the hallway instead. Mommy wants me to eat my food… I think I’ll casually grab a piece, move my hand over the edge of my high chair tray, and drop it on the floor — all while looking her dead in her eyes. Mommy wants me to say hello to my family… I think I’ll violently shake my head no and refuse to let these people get my cuteness. Mommy wants to keep me safe… I wish she would try to keep me from jumping on this furniture.

And so on. This past month has been this tiring mix of Jameson wanting to assert himself in many new ways while simultaneously being more attached to me. This equals an increase in tantrums, and it seems we’re all on a bit of an emotional rollercoaster. I’m telling you, God knew what He was doing when he made these kids so darn cute. (I mean, seriously, is this kid reading a toddler Highlights magazine?! And the fact that it’s upside down might just make this whole thing even cuter. Smh)Back to life with Jameson…

Of course, through all of the challenges, there are the oh so bright spots: that he’s loving his daycare, that his vocabulary is exploding, that he randomly gives me kisses, that he has a longer attention span, that he claps on beat, that he loves to be a “good helper,” that he sleeps great and we miss him like crazy, that he overuses the words “yaaaay,” “shoes,” and “buh byeee,” and that he disobeys with an absolute trust we’ll continue to adore him. This last photo is of him “asserting” himself and trying to take the camera.

Jameson, that face is joy personified.

You, my son, are joy personified.