Holy cats, there have been some “interesting” and adventurous days around here. A blog reader told me on Miles’ birthday that three is a trip. She wasn’t kidding! Here he is, summoning his inner Max.

I’ve been really struggling lately. I’ve lost my crap on more occasions than I care to count and I’ve gone from being the patient and fun mom to the frantic, yelling mom. I’ve never wanted to be a yelling mom, so I have just felt really sad lately that I haven’t been rockin the two kid dynamic very well. I’m really working on being more patient though. I love Miles so much and it breaks my heart to be out of control and stressed. However, when I’m standing in a parking lot in the freezing cold (no time to grab a coat for myself) and I’m waiting for Miles to get in his carseat and he’s crawled into the front seat to get a penny off the floor, then as I open the front passenger door to get him and a clean baby blanket, diaper and my cell phone drop in the dirty parking lot slush, I LOSE MY CRAP. Yep, I’m THAT mom in the preschool parking lot yelling at her kid to GET IN THE CARSEAT NOW! Sigh…. I wish I could have all the patience in the world, but there is something about getting that boy in the carseat that makes me want to explode. And in public no less. Feel free to submit your advice on how to get a kid in their carseat without dawdling or how to deal with their antics. Either that, or I’m going to start carrying around wine in a Starbucks cup to keep me sane.

Looking at the photos that I posted here tonight (and the video in the previous post) reminds me of how innocent he is though and makes me really want to somehow chill out. So wish me luck on getting a grip. I actually had a much better day today, it’s just the past month or so has been a bumpy ride with Miles and I still working out our new world with our new baby. I’m working on remembering that he is three and still working so much out in that little mind and soul of his. Sometimes I think I expect too much of him. He’s such a mature little guy with what seems like the verbal skills of a sixth grader so I forget how little he still is.

So here’s some photos of Miles and his world right now:

As much as we are hoping he considers the pugs to be his best friends, I think he still views them as rival siblings. We used to have nightmarish loud barking dogs next door who I think gave him a fear of dogs early on, which really stinks. Bless them, they are eternally patient and we do see glimmers of his love for the pugs, though he still can’t tell them apart. (We think they look TOTALLY different, despite how many think they are identical.)

LOOK at that little Whisper look adoringly up at Miles.

Miles is so obsessed with crafts that he can’t help but plow through them as fast as he can. This foam gingerbread house bought me an hour of quiet time and then he took it apart and rebuilt it a few times. He seriously spent an entire morning making “scenes” with foam stickers the other day. I can’t wait to see where this desire to create things leads him.

John has been dying to go nuts on the front yard with holiday lights for years. I never wanted all the junky looking extension cords outside, but this year I relented. Miles and John were thrilled.

Christmas is such a magical time for kids. It’s so much fun to experience the holiday through his eyes.

Yep, we are an inflatable holiday balloon yard thingy family now. It’s crazy what you do for kids.

He is such a little smartie. He plays Uno like a champ and even called me out on Uno during our family Uno game at Thanksgiving.

We had some wonderful friends over during Thanksgiving weekend and their son, Evan, who is the same age as Miles, came to play as well. There was a moment when we were all hanging out that we realized the boys were upstairs. John peeked his head in Miles’ room and saw that Miles was reading to Evan. AWWWWWWW! Evan’s mom has been friends with me since we were toddlers, so this made my heart explode. (Jen, next time we are together, we are getting a group photo!) We all snuck up there to watch how cute they were and of course, me and my loud camera had to ruin the moment. Oh well. It was cute while it lasted.

Last but not least is a rare moment captured between Miles and Joss. (That blanket Joss is snuggled up in was John’s when he was a baby!) Of course, when this was happening the room was super dark, but I’m trying to get over photos having to be perfect and just get the shot.

Speaking of shots of the kiddos together. I’m always trying, it’s easier said than done, but even the out takes are sweet.

Oh and a post about Miles wouldn’t be complete without talking about DADDY! John and I are kind of single parenting it up right now as we tag team the kids, me with the baby and John with Miles most of the time. Also, at the end of the day Miles and I are both counting down to 5:30 when DADDY’S HOME! Here I caught Miles in mid welcome home hug.

So that’s a bit of Miles’ world right now. He’s such a sweet punkin and really such a good, good boy. Here’s hoping I can remember that and get through tomorrow without yelling. Nighty night!