Austin's four year old ways!!

Austin is my middle child through and through.  He can be the most confusing child at times.  One minute he is very sweet and silly and the next minute he can have a complete end of the world tantrum.  From 1-3 years old was really his worst time.  He was just hard to please and easily upset.  We all learned to walk on eggshells around him..  We came to except that as his personality.  It was a difficult couple of years.

This was Austin at almost 2 years old. This was a very familiar face at the time.

Most of our frustration and his, came from his language delay. He struggled to communicate.  He has continually stayed about a year to six months behind as far as language and comprehension.  He has had some speech therapy and will most  likely continue in pre-k next year. 

He is four years old now and is really much better, thank God.  For the most part he is happy and silly and loves to play with everybody and their phones. 

  He will still have an occasionally fit or meltdown, but what four year old doesn't.  He is also very particular about so many things.  For example, he won't drink out of a regular cup.  It must be a sippy cup or a cup with a straw.  Our church has a program for kids on Wednesday nights called Awanas, which he loves, but they thought he didn't like red juice because he never would drink it.  We finally figured out that it was because he won't drink out of a regular cup.  I think he would die from dehydration before he would drink without a straw. 

He also gets very attached to particular things.  He has had the same blanket since he was a few months old.  We used to have to take it everywhere, but now days it just has to be in his bed.  When he is sick or grumpy it really soothes him.  He also usually has a toy that he gets very attached to for a certain period of time, usually just a couple weeks, or until he gets something new and better.  If he can't find this toy, which happens often, he acts like it is the end of the world.  Right now he is very attached to his ''packjet man'', a little man with a jetpack on his back.  So far this morning he has misplaced it about four times and it is a big ordeal each time we go searching for it. 

Austin is probably the most hard headed person, not kid, but person I know.  We have to be careful how  we threaten him.  Sometimes at bedtime we will say "lets go to bed or get a spanking" and he will say "ok I take a spankin".  At Christmas he was getting mad and screaming at a new toy that he couldn't quite figure out, so we asked him if he wanted us to send all his toys back to Santa, and he said yes.  When he get's frustrated with someone or something he can just lose and start screaming.  The picture below is of him sitting in timeout on Christmas morning. 

I don't want all this to sound really negative.  Although he is frustrating at times and very hard headed, I know that God made him that way for a reason.  In his future he might go through something or become something that requires him to stand strong and hold tough to what he wants or believes in.  I thank God everyday for letting me raise Austin for Him.  Sometimes I worry I am not doing a good enough job and that I let my frustrations show too much when it comes to Austin.  I am constantly praying for patience and calmness when dealing with him, although those prayers often come after I have already lost it with him. 

He is really a funny silly boy lately.  Here is a list of some of the funny things he is saying right now that I want to remember.

• When he is asked a question he will respond with "of course" or "of course not"
• When someone has a good idea or fixes something for him he will say "that's perfect"
• He is always coming up to me when I am holding Jackson and says "Jackson is a very cute baby"
• He pronounces his r's like w's, so that makes everything he says a little cuter.
• He is always telling his PawPaw Terry that he has a baby in his belly, since it sticks out so much. 

He is very smart.  He knows all his ABC's and can count to 20.  He can recognize some numbers and letters on paper.  He can't wait to start school next year.  He loves to come visit me at school.  He always has to wear his little backpack. 

Austin and Abigail can fight pretty good, but most the time they are best friends.  They will play together for hours.  I know this will not last too much longer since Abigail is getting older, which makes me sad to think about.  Austin is a really good big brother to Jackson.  He has always been really gentle and sweet to him. 

Austin is also very attached to his Nana (my mom) and his MeMe (Brent's mom).  He spends a lot of time with them both and never usually wants to come home.  Below is a picture of Austin and Nana.  MeMe doesn't like to be in pictures, so I couldn't find one. 

I could write all day about the things I love about Austin, but I won't.  I'm sure that as soon as I post this I will think of something else I would have like to remember about him at this age.  Most of all I want to remember his sweet voice and caring nature.  He always wants everyone to be happy. 

I love my bubba and can't imagine my life without him!!