Stubborn

I think I've mentioned before that Marshall seems to act more like me.  Bishop definitely acts like John and as Marshall's personality emerges, I see myself in him.  At first it was adorable: hiding under pillows, grunting at things he didn't like, his love of stuffed animals.  Now it's apparent he also got my stubbornness.  It is very annoying.  Bishop was never this stubborn. 

It seems contradictory that a person like me with such an agreeable personality would be stubborn.  I guess it's good in a way.  I think it prevents me from getting walked all over.  And it takes a very specific circumstance for it to come out.  However, since Marshall is a toddler and just beginning to assert his own will, his stubbornness is out all the fucking time.  It goes something like this: you need me to sit on couch so you can put my socks on to leave? I've got a very important drawing to finish on this chalk board.  You need me to stand up to put my sweater on? I'm just gonna sit here until you mad.  You need 10 minutes alone to finish typing out your blog? I'm going to hang off your arm until you start blogging about how annoying I am and then put me on time-out.  That example isn't current.  Marshall's napping right now.  But Bishop was just over here asking me for food and leaning on me.  But he left when I told him I needed some space because he's not a stubborn jerk. 

That was mean.  Marshall's not a jerk.  Not all the time.  He's just a toddler.  I'm pretty sure the words 'toddler' and 'jerk' are interchangeable. 

My Daily Writing Partner

 

I know I usually leave pictures until the end but I thought it would be easier to show you than explain it.  Seriously, he's like one step away from laying on my keyboard... because HE'S A CAT!  I just had to tell him to get off the table.  If he was just a little less scared of me, I'm sure he would be laying on my keyboard.  He already can't stop playing with my mouse cord.  

I asked him what I should write about so he would at least be helping me.  He said something about crackers and then just kept saying Mommy.  Now he's playing with crayons so that should buy me like 5 minutes.  The most distracting thing about Marshall is that he's always trying to hand me things.  I don't know why he thinks I want all of his toys.  I guess I should be happy about his aggressive sharing.  He will make an excellent host someday.  Every time we leave, he brings me my shoes like a little gentleman.  But he also plays with them when we're just hanging out.  Why do toddlers love shoes so much?  I feel like this is universal.  I mean, I have 2 kids and they both played with shoes at this age so that means every kid must do it right?  Isn't that how it works?  

Well, my kitty needs lunch now. 

My Son is a Cat

The evidence has been mounting for years that my 2.5 year old, Marshall, is a cat in a human body.  It actually began almost 6 years ago when I first got pregnant with Bishop.  I had a dream that I gave birth to a half-kitten half-baby.  I told Kris about my weird dream and she told me she also had a dream that my baby was half kitten but the opposite half as my dream.  Then Bishop was born, very much human, and I kind of forgot about it for a while.  Then Marshall came around.  He came into this world feet first which stressed EVERYBODY out but, you know, a cat always lands on its feet.  And Marshall definitely landed on his feet.  He has always been the absolute cuddliest baby, like a kitten.  When he whines, it sounds like meowing.  And I'm not talking about all the times he actually pretends to be a cat.  Needless to say, he is very good at that. 

He has climbed into my clean basket of warm laundry a number of times.  He likes to stand in the doorway while he decides whether to go in or out so I can't close the door until he decides.  He is very stubborn.  He likes to hide under pillows.  He enjoys climbing.  The older he gets, the more cat-like he becomes.  He just tried to knock his bowl on the ground while I was typing this.  When I scold him, he looks adorable instead of ashamed because he knows exactly how cute he is. 

Yeah, I may be looking for clues that prove my point, but not always.  A lot of times these behaviors come out of nowhere.  He's mysterious like that. 

He's even cuddly in his sleep