When Jake was born I knew he was going to be a bruiser… in the sense that he was a big boy! 10lbs 14.7 oz at birth is a good start to life. He’s nearly 2 now and that word is taking on a whole new meaning. Now I am a woman of Faith and I know to watch my confession and I’ve never ever ever said it over my other 3 children when they reached this magical age but…. he is definitely 2. It’s a TERRIFIC 2!

It’s hard to believe this little boy can be such a bully – especially when it comes to his older brother Li Li. As soon as Li comes into the room — Jake makes a beeline to him, to either swat at him or try to take him down to the mat. I think my hubby’s wrestled one too many times with the boys!! He literally chases the older boys around – knowing he’s going to eventually make contact.

Last night while the boys were all in the bath (and I should have known not to put Jake in there with the others…) and sure enough – I was summoned by the shrill of my oldest son screaming and screaming and screaming. Jake had thrown a hard plastic toy at Q’s head and yes he was aiming! I tried to get Q to calm down while I could check out his noggin. The toy had broken the skin. It was just a small area but the memories of having had stitches above his right eye only a few years ago came flooding back. Not to mention the two times we’ve been to the hospital since to stitch up Li Li’s head… BOYS! He was no longer screaming from pain – he was now screaming out of fear of possibly having to return there once again. I assured him it wasn’t bad – just a little nick and that after I cleaned it he needed to get into his pj’s and get into bed – and sleep on his belly – with a towel under his head just in case. Blood’s hard to get out of fabric… (the blonde handsome man to the right is Li Li).

This morning he was not up for going to school (I’m sure my sleeping in didn’t help…). He couldn’t brush his mop of a head of hair (that boy needs a haircut, I can’t stand the mop top but that’s what’s in – don’tcha know). I went off to work and he stayed home with Daddy.

Now back to Jake. He has a real fondness for the word, “NO!” and even yells it at me in sign language. He gets those fingers a snapp’n. And of course I get the crossed arms and hands in the face drama when I say no back to him. Did I mention that he’ll be 2 in August?! I’m not one to allow the kids to get away with such behaviour. We were very strict with our first child… why does it tend to go downhill from there? Maybe it’s old age… He tried to bite me tonight when I was trying to pull him from out of the neighbours garden while he was throwing dirt into her water feature and scaring all her fish… I’ve never had a child SCREAM bloody murder as much as he does. I think I’ll have to start carrying “the spatula” again with me where ever I go. The neighbours must just love us… My hubby reminds me to close the windows often!!!

Now he’s sleeping peacefully next to my daughter on the bed behind me and you’d never know that just a few hours ago he was karate chopping his older brother and flinging food at me at the dinner table and trying to grab the spoon to sp#nk me with…

Raising boys is a whole new ballgame for me – the only male figure in our home was my father and then my older sister’s boyfriends…. After nearly 9 years of doing this – you’d think I would have learned how to deal with stuff like this! Oi!

God grant me the strength it’s going to take to raise these children!! 🙂