Challenging day

Nathan is being very challenging lately. Getting rigid again, trying so hard to hold onto his patterns. He's upstairs working with Liz, having a mini meltdown over a puzzle. And, I hear him calling MOMMY!! I just have to say, No. He wants his control back, and over different things trying to control his play, walking, even his therapy work. He's purposely leaving things out, acting his foolishness and being whiney, bossy and crying. None of us are having it, which is making him try the harder.

This morning he got very mad at me at a colouring page before Liz came over. Normally, when I don't colour the way he wants to, and gets mad at me I say, fine.. I dont' want to colour with you and pack it all up to put away. This morning, he said to me that he didn't want to colour with me, and went to get a toy to play with his cars. Of course, he demanded I play with him. I told him no, I am going to finish colouring this picture. I wouldn't play with him until I coloured the picture. And, if he continued to be bossy I won't play cars with him after. He focused up, and waited for me to finish, then I played with him.

All morning he's been challenging Liz.. she even confessed to me she's never seen him act like this. She also goes to his preschool, so has gotten to know him quite well. Now, I have to confess I like it when he acts like this infront of his workers, as he does this to me all the time. But, it is getting rather frusterating and hard. He got really upset the other day when I had a friend come over with her 2 girls and they coloured 'messy' in his book. So, I took the page out of the book and said they can colour how they want to. It will be OK, cause its not in your book. After, he got really upset cause the girls left toys on his chair in his room. No big.. just put them away. He's normally really good about things like this, which makes me wonder if I shouldn't just go in his room and totally rearrange his toys.

I think something is happening at preschool that is bringing out these behaviors. But, we don't know what. Something he sees or hears, that we aren't catching. I don't know. It's the only thing I can think of. For a good couple of weeks he wouldn't kiss his dad when he left or came home from work.. or before bed, a good morning.. etc. Boys don't kiss boys.. Hmmpfff. And attitude stance, oh my! We've been working on this that it's ok to kiss your daddies, grampa's, and hug your uncles and aunts. Expressing deeply how important his father is, and it's ok to show love with a kiss. And for friends, and at preschool a 'high five' is the cool way to show you like them. This upsets Jason greatly, but he won't let Nathan get away with it. Even if he has to hold him down.. he's getting his hello and good night kisses. We mentioned this to Laura, who chose her words similar to what we were saying and explained to him it's ok to kiss your daddies, etc. Yesterday, he gave Jason a big hug and kiss. Sometimes he just has to hear it from someone else.

I am SOOO proud of the way he handled a scuttle situation at preschool. One of the boys pinned Nathan against the wall with his throat. Nathan USED HIS WORDS!!!!! (WOW) and said Stop it! It hurts, Not nice!! No pushing!! The teachers seperated them, made the other boy not play with anything until he apologized to Nathan. Next they were playing fine with each other. But, I know it scared and hurt Nathan, he talked about it a couple of times. What do I say? I tell him how proud I am how he handled it so well, and that it was mean for him to do that, and to remember how that feels and not do it to anyone else.

I know things have been crazy here. And still getting into the swing of preschool and his workers, plus us, and company. The company and traveling are all done with for now, so I thought things would start acting normal again. We'll just have to wait and see. Maybe he is just still tired.