Ever since Calvin turned 3, we have noticed some significant changes in him. Some good and some not so.
He has become quite sensitive to his baby brother’s needs. For example, he will go fetch a toy for Athan at playtime when he realises that the baby is not able to play with his toys, he comforts his brother by stroking his head gently or he’ll call out for me when Athan keeps crying despite all his efforts. That’s a really beautiful relationship, I say. Of course, Calvin can be rough at times, snatching his brother’s toys and screaming for attention when I really need him to be patient. He still has a lot to learn as a big brother.
Calvin is also quite sensitive towards me. I am a hayfever sufferer, and at every spring I sneeze continuously and my eyes are always teary. Whenever Calvin see me blow my nose, he would come up to me and say “it’s OK ma ma, don’t cry”! 🙂
I might not have mentioned this before, but Calvin is now toilet trained during the day. He is off nappies except at nap time and bedtime. HOWEVER. He is quite reluctant to go to public toilets for reasons I am not quite sure. Perhaps there’s no stool for him to stand on or perhaps he is not used to it or ….. Well, I think practice makes perfect, and practice is what he needs. He still can have an accident now and then especially when he is having a ball with his playmates, but I have to say he has been quite good so far. Big savings on nappies for us! 🙂
He basically talks non-stop throughout the day when he is awake. He says whatever he sees. And, he asks a lot of questions. He loves to ask “ni zai zhuo shen me?” (what are you doing?) and “na shi shen me shen yin?” (what’s that sound?) and “zhe shi shen me?” (what’s this?) He can go on and on until you give him an answer.
He has quite an interesting imagination. I can see it through his pretend play as well as his fears. Yup, my boy has some fears. He is afraid of darkness and being alone in an empty room. We have to keep his door ajar and keep a small light on for him at the hallway outside his room at night else he would scream his head off if all he sees is darkness when he awakes briefly during at midnight or at dawn. He is also beginning to imagine that there are *things* outside the window. He is especially fearful if he sees a shadow of an object (happens when neighbour’s sensor light comes on) casts on the roman blinds of the window. He is also worried if he hears some unusual sounds outside his window. We have been reassuring him that there’s NOTHING scary outside his window and that God is with him and we are very near him and that his papa will get rid of whatever *monster* there is. *sigh*
He has been fighting his tiredness so as to stay awake just for a bit longer. The minute we have tucked him in bed and left the room, he calls for my attention. He used to scream real loud and I thought he was in some sort of trouble until I realised that he was just procrastinating to fall asleep. He has a hundred and one reasons why he should be awake — he hears something or sees something outside his window or he wants to pee or he wants a drink of water etc. The more I go in to check on him, the more he calls for me. These days I simply tell him he is to close his eyes and go to sleep and NOT to call for my attention because I will not go in, and if he comes out, I’ll lock his door. Of course he challenges me and I just carry out what I have said. He seems to have learnt the lesson well — for now.
He has been having separation anxiety again when we dropped him off at childcare for the past few weeks. He screams his head off and is inconsolable for a good 20-30 minutes before he begins to calm down. I have no idea why he is behaving this way because he was enjoying childcare a lot before he turned 3. It is probably a phase he is going through. I have spoken to his carers and we have decided to persevere on and hopefully he will get over it soon.
He loves cars. He has been asking us to play the “Cars” DVD for him everyday. He doesn’t finish the whole film, he only likes to watch the racing parts. He has so many toy cars at home now — most of them are presents. He likes to run the cars along the wall, along the table and on the floor, he likes to push the cars really hard and watch them crash into each other. Is this a boy thing?
His favourite colour is white — for now. He only wants to wear white t-shirt even if the shirt is too small for him. He even wants to wear white shorts if there’s any. Such behaviour is a first for me because he has never protested what clothes I have chosen for him. The only other shirt that I might manage to get him wear is if it has a picture of a car on it. This is possibly another phase he is going through. *sigh*
Robin always tell me “don’t worry too much, just enjoy him as he is.” I really should because he is reaching school age soon and all these *cuteness* will be gone.