Matthew 'Say Cheese!', Photo Taken on Sept 11, 2009

'GOTCHA!' Photo taken Sept 23, 2009

Matthew has just turned 3 years old a month ago! If there’s is a peak in toddlerhood, I think he is in that stage! He’s such a talker now, with a few interpretation of course. A lot lot stronger, more persistent and just have the ability to drive me insane and make me sigh, make me smile and warm my heart at the same time.

He knows how to get out of trouble! I mean, when he knows that he is going to get scolded, he reasons out right away. Like when he grabs the cellphone or camera, he knows that he will get scolded for doing that, so as soon as I get his attention, he’ll give it right back and ask me to take a picture. At this point, he’ll step back, strike a pose, he would say ‘Cheese’ and smile for a picture taking. What can I do but to actually take a picture and totally forget scolding him.

Or when he climbs up the counter and open some cabinet doors. As soon as I call out his name, he’ll right away sit in the counter, opens the rice cooker and tell me “Eat rice, Mommy! Eat rice!”. Mind you, that he doesn’t really eat rice on regular mealtime. He just uses it as an excuse to be in the counters.

His favorite thing right now is the tall laundry basket. He would empty it and uses it to stand on so he can reach high places, the door locks and cabinets locks so he can open them. That tall laundry basket has been a source of frustration for me. He wouldn’t let me take it. He’ll hide inside it, put it sideways and just lie down inside it, so that I won’t be able to take it. As soon as he sees that I’ve given up on taking it, he’ll be right back to climbing on it. I have managed to hide it. So that means all our dirty clothes are temporarily stacked on the floor right now.

Who knows that bandaids can be such a treat! I use them as a reward to get him do stuffs like, take a bath, get out of the bath, pick up his toys, sit and behave.

He can recognize a few words and symbols now. He recognizes ‘Wallmart’ or ‘McDonalds’ from a far, and a few words. I got this ‘preschool’ DVD where he is learning some nursery rhymes and to read some short words. He is quite interested and he has been learning! But he hasn’t quite learned how to hold a crayon properly yet, but he is getting there. Oh, I’m so proud of him!