Personality Type

Once I became a parent, I just figured I had to start reading non-fiction books. So along with my Jodi Picoult I have flipped through "What to expect the first year" "How to play with your Toddler" and "Christian Parenting of Toddlers", among others. I have concluded that authors of parenting books are one of two things: Incredibly dry and boring (Susie napped from 9am to 10:25 during her first year and then as she approached 37.5 months she began to nap between the hours of 1:27 and 2:50pm)...or super cheesy (One day my three-year old daughter was seen holding a ladybug in her fingers. In a flash, she popped it in her mouth, crunched it up and swallowed it. We think she thought it was an M&M...mmmm protein). But occassionally...I find something worth thinking about. Last night it was a section on your toddler's personality.

First of all its weird to think that Will is old enough to be called a toddler (but he definitely toddles ALL over the place). Secondly, it is weird to think of him as having a personality. Will is just Will to me. But as I think more closely about him as a little man...I realize what a fun and distinct personality he has.

He is definitely a flirt. I was at the grocery store on Saturday and Will was whining his way through the isles, tossing the occasional box of Macaroni out of the cart, that is until we got to the check out. He charmed the Stop & Shop worker like she was the only woman left on earth. He smiled and waved and clapped and made all his noises. It was funny...if you were anyone but me.

He has a temper. I was in Boston last week at a park with ten thousand nannies, waiting in line for one of two infant swings. When it was finally our turn, I let Will swing for 3 or 4 minutes thinking that was enough time. When I went to pull him out..he threw a fit! It was embarrassing for all of two seconds when he found the sandbox.

He is extremely friendly. He greets all the mommys and daddys at school with a small toy or a piece of his banana when they walk into the infant room. This makes the mommys and daddys really happy and their kids even more clingy.

And he can be very serious and task oriented. When he is reading a book, he gets really into the images and the textures. He also concentrates really hard on his puzzles and shapes. I think he's thinking beyond what is in front him him...to the massive skyscraper he might build one day.

I again find myself in a "tough mommy" spot, a place where I think a lot of mom's find themselves. I am dying to see who he is going to become and how his personality is going to develop. But as soon as I think of that, I think of how he will never have this moment again. He will never be 13 months and two weeks again. I can never have that moment back. Will graduated from his infant program last Tuesday and I took lots of pictures (as you can see above) but while it was happening, I couldn't help seeing him 18 years from now, walking across a stage in his real cap and gown. Exciting and depressing.

I think I'm going to stop reading non-fiction. It makes me think too much.