Going Postal

For many families, it can be quite an adjustment to siblings when mom brings home a new baby. My children have always done really well, I can't think of a time where we had a jealousy issue or where there were any problems. I have counted myself fortunate because I have heard so many stories and the problem seems quite common.

Well, exceptions exist everywhere. Nathan had a hard time. I have to have my first with everything. My dad came into town the night before I had Gavin to help with the kiddos. My dad is so good with my children and they were very excited to have him come. Spencer even told me that Grandpa is much more fun them I am. I glad he likes his grandpa. Well, I think the kids were all in bed when my dad got here and I left for the hospital before the kiddos left for school. They were all happy when I left and I know the little boys who stayed home all day with my dad had a really great time.

Around 5pm they all came up to the hospital to see me. Nathan had fallen asleep on the way over. When he awoke, he didn't want to have anything to do with me. I don't think he had even met Gavin yet. I don't think I will ever forget the scene, Nathan was up on Evan's shoulders. Nathan glared at me and then pointed his finger at me and proceeded to "shoot" me, sound effects and all, with his finger turned gun. He really caught me by surprise. It took me a second to think through how to handle the situation, and then I pulled out my finger gun and shot him back. We got into a gun fight right there in my hospital room. By the end Nathan was smiling and took to me again. I still couldn't believe he shot me! I don't like guns, I discourage gun use by my boys. And here were are, me going against all I have taught my boys, and shot Nathan back.

The gun shooting didn't stop there. The next day at church he was shooting people during Sacrament Meeting. He had a mean look on his face. Nathan was mad. I don't know if it was because I had left him for a few days. He was sweet as pie with Gavin. It was mostly directed at me. Evan took Nathan with him through the rest of church to avoid catching something in his nursery class. One really sweet lady was sitting behind them, playing with the cars with Nathan. All of a sudden, for no apparent reason, Nathan got that mean look on his face and started shooting her. Evan ended up taking Nathan out where they ran into Uncle Troy (Evan's brother) in the hall. Nathan glared at Troy and shot him too.

Another thing Nathan started doing about a week before Gavin was born was spitting. He would stick out his tongue and let the spit fly, zoober like. He only did it when he was really mad, but he was easy to set off. First he would try to hit, so I would grab his hands and then he would spit. It is one thing to have your own little boy spit at you. It is another thing when his spits at his Aunt who was only trying to play with him and be nice. And then it is even worse when he spits at Grandpa. I warned my dad before he got here. And gratefully my dad thought it was funny. I would have been so embarrassed if my dad had taken it any other way.

Now that I have been home for a while (it isn't like I was gone very long, either), Nathan has put his finger pistol away and nobody has been shot for almost a week now. He hasn't spit at anyone for just as long. It is just interesting how Nathan knew something was up and using his finger pistol and spitting was how he chose to cope with the situation. The mind of a 2-year-old is very interesting.