When are they not babies anymore?



#5 is our youngest child. I have heard that "the baby" of a family can be a bit less mature than the other kids. In our case that is pretty true. #5 talks great, know how to work a computer mouse, can build with Legos (the small kind) and can color better than a lot of first or second graders. But he insists that he is still a baby. He just turned four and he refuses to potty train (although we are making some small progress there). He brings it up daily that he wants to be a baby, or asks when he will be a baby again.

I have explained to him that there are a LOT of things babies don't get to do, foods they can't eat, toys they can't play with and fun they don't get to have. But that big boys get to do all of those things plus big boys still get hugs and kisses and time with their Mommy. He still insists that he wants to be a baby. He has gotten to be very attached to being around me all the time and hates going to his classes at church unless I go and stay with him the whole time. He is due to start Kindergarten in a little over a year, and I am honestly not sure if he will be over this stage of life.

I can tell that its on his mind a lot because this morning he crawled into my bed and started asking me what he was going to look like when he grows up. He got pretty upset when I told him he would probably have to shave unless he wants a beard and mustache (he really freaked out at the idea of having facial hair).

So what am I doing wrong? He still gets to sit on my lap or next to me, and I still give him lots of hugs and kisses, so why is he so fixated on this? Any ideas out there? In some ways I feel like I should enjoy this time while I can because there may be a day when he doesn't want to snuggle with me or even sit next to me! Maybe he just needs more reassurance that I am always going to love him no matter how old he gets. And maybe he has just been sensing that I am getting a little bit baby hungry again after four years.



Comments

Tori :) said…
Taj (my 3.5 yr old) will crawl into Liv's crib and say "Whaa. Whaa. Whaa." for.ever. He did it for 20 minutes straight.
I don't know what my point was... Sorry.
I think you're doing an awesome job!!

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