My 3 yr Old Is Always Right

Terrible Twos?

If you were to ask me about the Terrible Twos ... I would say "it isn't." Two was a great age with Lachoneus and Tiberias.

When Luke turned 3 he hit his terrorizing stage. I'd say his whole 4th year on earth (after he turned 3) was hardest with him.

Tiberias is strong willed and wild so he's always been harder to handle. Now he is about to turn 4 and guess what...I think this next year is going to be the hardest of all.
He is changing his ways a lot and how I would describe it is "difficult." He is becoming so difficult!

Not only does he think he is right all the time but now I am finding it impossible not to argue with him every step in our day.
He will tell me what he wants. I give it to him. He then tells me that he did NOT ask for that and wants something else. If I give him his new request he says "No" and demands what I made him to begin with. It does not seem to me that he is having fun or that it's a game. He gets frustrated that I am not giving him exactly what he wants. But I don't understand what he wants.
He says he wants milk but when he takes a sip he is shocked to find it's not juice or water as he was hoping it would be. And I get blamed for it.

When this happens I tell him "no, you said you wanted milk. So you get milk."
But it doesn't end there. He has to disagree and argue with me. He wants to argue over everything! Because He is always right.

I looove Tiberias. I enjoy being his mom. I just wish I could understand him and know how to help him learn and grow. To help him to be successful in social situations. If he starts Kindergarten in 2015 and he thinks he is always right and argues with everyone then we will have a big problem.

Sterling thinks I should give Ty the initial choice (i.e.) "what would you like to eat?" and not let him change his mind. I am thinking that is the best thing to do as well.

My biggest concern is the arguing. On my part. How do I deal with these situations? Trying to correct him seems pointless because he is set in his thinking that he is right.
If he thinks the fruit he sees on the tree is an apple and I tell him "Ty, that is a pear." He will disagree and he won't let it go. He wants to argue until you tell him he is right. And that doesn't happen.

How can I correct him without arguing with him?!?

Wizard Of Oz Summer

 Every Monday night in Rapid City's downtown Main Square the city hosts a Movies Under the Stars. They play an outdoor film at dusk. Other festivities start at 7pm but the movie doesn't start until about 9. For this reason we have not gone to this event. However, when I learned they were doing the Wizard of Oz AND having a costume contest I couldn't help myself. Even though it was only three days before the event I committed to making costumes for the kids. While Ster and the boys were at the Father and Sons Campout I went shopping for fabric and sewed the whole time. When they came home from camp I worked less but still on the costumes. I finished just in time Monday evening to go to the event. Lachoneus was the Scarecrow, Tiberias the Tinman and Athena was Dorothy. Dorothy's dress I did not make. But her Cabbage Patch wig I did.

 

I expected a scorching hot evening with the kids sweating in their costumes. Luckily the clouds rolled in and it was raining a little when we arrived. It soon stopped and the evening was then cooled down. And, better still, a rainbow was in the sky! Perfectly matched with the night's theme.

There were free balloons and free lollipops for the kids!

 The only other people in costume were two Dorothies; a little girl and a grown woman. Everyone won a prize...a $10 gift card to a children's book store downtown.

We sat in camp chairs and watched the beginning of the film together. We had to atleast stay to see Dorothy meet the Scarecrow and the Tinman in the film. Once they met the Lion we packed up and headed home. Athena was done and needed to go to sleep. I had so much fun! Sterling did not have to come and be torchered...he was at work.

This month I am learning to make cards.

6 Months Old

Athena turns 6 months old in a few short days.

She's learning to eat baby food.

 Here are some pictures of her today.

Visit, 4th of July, Birthday & Rushmore

Star Wars, baby!

 Cutie in overalls

The first week in July Sterling was up at Scout Camp. Work gave him the time off without deducting it from his yearly days off. Plus, it counts at service hours and that is a lot of hours. Which is awesome because he needs service hours.

Unlike many military members Sterling would rather be hanging out with his family than out doing service and getting those hours. But he needs the service on his military record.

On July 4th he was at Scout Camp cleaning up and heading back. I took the kids up to see a parade in the morning before Sterling came home. I met a whole group from church at the parade. The Astons (Bishop and his family...our friends), Missy Davis and family (my Visiting Teaching Comp and now Pres of R.S.), Laura Smith and her kids (whose hubby is deployed. She is on the R.S. Presidency with me), the Reeds and Hatches who live in our neighborhood.

It was such a fun parade! I had only been to a parade maybe once in my life. So I was surprised to learn it was similar to Halloween as far as candy goes. We ended up with so much candy!

It was hot!

Independence day parade in Belle Fourche SD

The marching Cowboy band

 Luke and a clown on a bike

 Ty watching the clowns

 Athena and her friend Abi Sue

 After the parade we did  not go to the lake with our friends because Sterling was home from camp and we were eager to see him again. We enjoyed the afternoon together. Then in the late evening we went across the street to our friends' yard (the Nope family). They had a group of friends gathered to play with sparklers and watch thr fireworks.

Since our neighborhood is right outside the city limits fireworks are legal here. So there was an awesome fireworks show all night.

We stayed out for about an hour watching the fireworks before deciding the boys' had stayed up late enough.

Mom and Dad Boren came out to visit 4th of July weekend!

They were here for Luke's birthday on Monday the 7th. We had a birthday party in the morning. Then we spent the rest of the day out sight seeing. Mt Rushmore and then the Flintstones park.

 Angry Birds Party

All of Luke's friends! Bruce & Lillian, Tiberias, Luke, Braden & Brycen, Logan

 Since Prince Fluff was Luke's wish and nobody sells Prince Fluff toys ...I had to make one.

 Luke had the best birthday and got the best gifts! Star Wards Legos (3 sets), Star Wards Angry Bird toys, Prince Fluff for his Kirby and more!

Lachoneus was having so much fun with his new toys after the party that he did not want to go to Mt Rushmore and the Flintstones park. 

In the evening he stayed home playing while Ty went to Mcdonald's with grandma.

 

 Another day with my parents Ster and Dad stayed home planting an apricot tree and a grape vine in the backyard. Mom, the kids and I went to Storybook Island. We met up with friends there. Braden is seen in this pic with us while Luke hides behind the lion.

 Cinderella's carriage

 Eating ice cream