Collin, The Cool Dude

Daddy and I find ourselves looking at Collin and saying what a cool dude or how awesome he is.  We love having him in our lives and watching him grow up.  It's been too long since I have posted an update about a day in the life of Collin. 

• He loves to watch his movies.  Right now, his favorites are Cars (or any short movie with the Cars characters in it), Monster's Inc., Rudolph (even after Christmas), and The Wild.  When he watches The Wild, he likes to tell me that he is one of the characters and I am the other.  He has been picking the squirrel lately for him and I am the Koala. 
• Breakfast is still his biggest meal.  He can put away some cereal (sometimes three bowls at one sitting) or 12 donut holes on "Donut Friday" with Daddy.  This might explain why he does not eat much lunch, if he eats at all.  He does eat his snacks and snacks for dinner more than sits and eats dinner.  Even when we are sitting as a family for dinner, he would prefer to get up, walk around or do something else rather than eat.  He does prefer eating lots of different foods but not in large quantities for dinner such as applesauce, fruit, crackers, cheese, sandwich meat, hot dog, etc.  Unlike other kids his age, he does not care for macaroni and cheese, french fries, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, grilled cheese, most veggies (except for green beans and broccoli).
• He wants to pick his clothes out.  He still does not wearing his uniform but does because he knows he has to.  When he can wear non-uniform clothes, he wants to wear shirts that "have writing on them".  This means shirts with pictures or words on them such as Spider Man or other pictures.  Forget him wearing colors or shirts with buttons.  I guess this reminds him of his uniform shirts.  He likes jeans this year.  He did not last year.  He prefers to wear his "tie" shoes over wearing the ones with Velcro.  He works really hard to make the knot in the laces before we help him tie them. 
• He will make a good negotiator some day.....or at least he is now.  If he does not get his way...and he is not tired...he negotiates his way until he comes to a compromise that he can accept.  Tonight is a great example.  He wanted to eat Nilla Wafers after dinner.  I said he could have three. He said, "I have a good idea.  How about I have five and then don't ask you anymore".  I then said "I said you can have three and not five.  I appreciate your idea but you can have three tonight".  He pulled out three wafers, ate them and then looked at me with a look that said "are you sure I cannot have one more?".  I know every night, he will negotiate how many books we read when he knows that my answer is typically three....unless he is getting to bed later because he fought taking a bath and brushing his teeth.
• He is doing great going to the bathroom during the day.  He goes by himself in the stall of the public restroom as I stand outside the door.  He still does not like to wash his hands and let's me know he does not need to because he did not touch anything.  He demonstrates this by holding his arms up in the air to not touch anything.  We are still working on keeping dry at night.  He is asking again lately to wear underwear at night.  This week, we are talking more about diapers, underwear and keeping dry.  Maybe he is ready this time.  Unlike his guy friends, he is not messy in the bathroom which I appreciate.  He does not want to wipe if he knows that someone else is there to help him....something else we are working on.
• We should buy stock in pillows and blankets...he LOVES them.  This morning while I was getting ready for work, he greeted me in the bathroom with a pillow and blanket from his bed.  He expected that he would lay in the closet floor while watching me get ready.  Anytime he is on the couch, he cannot sit there without having at least a pillow and blanket near or on him.  He prefers "soft covers" and has stolen mine many times. 
• He is an affectionate little boy. I regularly receive hugs and kisses without me asking for them.  This weekend when he was riding his bike, he road over to me, stopped and held his arms out.  I thought he wanted help off his bike.  He just wanted a hug....and then road back off.  He is a little jokester while being affectionate.  He gives me kisses and then wipes them off while laughing.
• He is still shy when meeting new kids.  However, he starts talking to them or trying to get involved with what they are doing quicker than before.  He does still observe first and play later.
• He loves to help me in the kitchen...especially when making his "Mommy bread" = banana bread.  I measure the ingredients, he pours them and then stirs.  He wants to know the temperature on the oven an dhow long it will take to cook.  He also wants to cut the slices of the bread he eats.  He even likes to help me clean up by rinsing the dishes.
• He sleeps well at night....so well that he snores loudly.  Daddy and I love listening to him snore and breathe through the monitor in our bedroom.  He does not typically get up at night.  When he does, he comes to get one of us to either find Monkey or "will you sleep with me".  Once we walk back in his room and he crawls to the top bunk, he is asleep within 5 minutes.  I try not to lay in the bottom bunk because I will fall asleep and be there for a few hours before I figure out where I am.  Don't want to miss the morning alarm!  He generally goes to bed by 9pm and is up after 7am.  At times, he will get up in the morning before 7am and greet me in the bathroom.  This happens once a week or even less. I enjoy those times even though I am rushing to get out of the house.  He either hangs out in the bathroom, wants to play in his playroom or wants to watch one of his movies.

I am sure there are many other observations or comments I am forgetting to make.  In summary, I love being Collin's Mommy even when he is grouchy or in the best of moods.  Every day is different and a joy with him in my life.