I met myself

I met myself this morning.  No, really, I did.  Before my collective family starts calling my husband and telling him to "keep an eye on me", let me explain...

I was putting Kale into his seat for our morning ride to school/work.  I plopped his bottom into the seat and put his cup aside so I could strap him into his seat.  In that mere nanosecond, two still chubby little hands went to work.  Ok, yes, my hands are still chubby too...but I am talking about Kale's little hands.  They reached for the straps and he very clearly said I DO IT! 

I should have known right then that I was meeting myself.  I didn't.  What I did know was that I had two options.  Remove my hands and let him try to do it while knowing that eventually he would get frustrated and let me do it for him OR keep my hands involved in the situation and risk losing a finger and eardrum.  I let him give it a try. 

As I moved back a little from his personal space...oh, wait, does he have personal space?  No, nor does he even acknowledge that such a thing exists for anyone else either.  So let me rephrase that, I moved back so I was out of the way when the frustration hit him.  Yep, thats better. 

So, as I am moving back a little, I emerged from his mouth in a little whisper.  As he intently stared down at the clasps and worked his little hands, he whispered "I do it myself".  Oh, hello little me.  Hello strong willed and stubborn and persistent little me. 

Right at this moment, if you listen closely enough, I am sure you can hear my mom laughing.  Later, when she reads this to my dad, you will be able to hear them laughing too.  Ah, the sweet revenge of grandparenthood.  Yes, I met myself.  I know, or at least think, I know what I am in for with this child and he is going to completley wear me out.  And I will love every stinking minute of it, if not in the moment, then later.  Because I am stubborn and strong willed and am determined to love every stinking minute of it.  

After I met myself and let him get frustrated with trying to connect the bottom clasps, I reminded him that those clasps can pinch him if he isn't careful.  He dropped the clasps and said "you fix it mommy".  Well, there must be some of his daddy in him after all!