Just lately we seemed to have turned a corner and I am really enjoying being with my son. I didn’t believe it at the time, but I think the baby’s arrival was a huge disruption for him. Actually, it was more like a hurricane as we endured stormy tantrum after stormy tantrum. The days seemed endless and they were punctuated with screams of NO! and even the odd smack (by him, not us) at the dinner table. And as for dinner, well forget it. It wasn’t eaten, it was thrown. The only saving grace was watching him evolve as a big brother.

I think the baby has helped my son to grow that little bit better. It was hard, but he soon had to learn that the baby’s nappy change was not the best time to practise kart wheels in her vicinty. He also had to learn that she was not a doll and sitting on her head was not a wise move. It took time, but he learned.

We watched him go from total denial to demanding kisses and cuddles from his “cute princess”. We watched him giggle with glee when she smiled at him and we watched him tell complete strangers that he was a big brother.

And we watched the tantrums dwindle.

I’m not going to shoot myself in the  foot now and tell you that the terrible twos are over. I’m not that gullible. But we seem to have entered some kind of growing independence phase that is suiting me a lot better than the whiny, screaming phase we just left. And I’m really really enjoying time with my son.

We go for walks and he is so grown up that he holds the side of the pram rather than needing a carry ( cue another blog post to come on my ridiculous attachment to prams and new obsession). We read books and he recites well loved tales to me. We colour and he sits for longer periods of time, concentrating hard. We go to the park and have real conversations and you know what? He is funny. We laugh. A lot.

My son is such a special little boy and yes, he still prefers daddy. But I get him to myself all day, which makes it so much easier to share him when daddy comes home. And of course, nothing beats watching him grow into a fabulous big (and little) brother.