Stubborn, I mean... Determined!

The boy's birthday is exactly one week after mine and since they both fall in the last part of April, that makes us both "Taurus'". Supposedly, one of the characteristics of people who fall under the Taurus astrological sign is stubbornness. This is definitely true of my son, but not of me - and you'll never convince me differently.

So, we've now got a nearly-three-year-old with a burning desire to express his will in any way possible and a 34-year-old who... well, let's just say, "isn't going to take it", living under the same roof.

This puts my husband in a kind of sticky situation most of the time. On the one hand, you've got me setting silly rules that I then feel obligated to make the boy comply with because "I'm the mommy, that's why!" and the little boy on the other hand throwing screaming temper tantrums, which I have no problem stubbornly ignoring.

Last night was one of those times we came to an impass. We were all upstairs "helping me change clothes" after I got home from work and then it was time to head downstairs to cook and eat dinner. We all headed down the stairs, but wait! The boy decides he's, in fact, not going downstairs. At this point, baby girl has already slithered her way most of the way down the stairs while I spotted her and gave her lots of encouragement about going down the stairs safely and properly.

So, the girls make it downstairs to the kitchen, while the boys are still stuck upstairs. At this point, I think my husband came downstairs for awhile, hoping the lack of company upstairs would force the boy to decide to come downstairs. Of course, this didn't work.

"Mommy, come get me!!!"
"You can come downstairs when you're ready."
"Mommy, I want you!!!"
"We're downstairs, come on down when you're ready."
"Mommy, come get me! Mommy, come get me! Mommy... Mommy.... MOMMMMMYYYYY!!!!!"

After about 5 minutes of this, my husband, sensing a complete standoff and wondering what kind of damage might be wrought by a frustrated 2.5-year-old upstairs by himself, decided it might be best to go up and talk to the boy.

Eventually, several minutes later, the boy comes running down the stairs and bursts into the kitchen yelling, "Surprise!!!" and gives me a big hug.

I exclaimed my delight at him showing up in the kitchen, hugged him back, and marveled at the husband's ability to make this scene play out. I sure hope he survives the both of us.