The ups and downs of the three year old,..Jayden Ryan and his trials

Jayden Ryan Gebers is a gift. Some people look at their child as something they paint and create into an image that they deem acceptable. Luckily I am not one of those people. I love helping my son create himself into the person god wants him to be. Sure I am not always appreciative of the molding and carving going on in the clay that is my son Jayden. But as I watch him grow into the young boy that he is, I do smile.

But sometimes their are ruts in the clay that need to be cut and remolded. This past month, those ruts have been huge gaps. Jayden had one of those days that can really make a parent go crazy. But I was amazed at well I had handled the situation that had happened at the school that day. What I was not prepared for was what was going to happen that night. Jayden was at a friends house and during that time he was playing around the dining room table and knocked off the glass top and it broke into many many pieces. I was crushed and was devastated. I knew that when I take my son places that I have to watch him because he is such a ball of energy that I try to keep him from doing something that can cause injury or breakage. He is not a mean kid nor is he deceptive or abusive... but he is so big and not always mindful of the surroundings.

I know all of this, but the biggest issue was that for the first time ever I felt ashamed of him. It lasted too long as I had what people like to call an episode.

The important thing to know is that I did not yell at him and everyone involved only showed love to my son and wanted to protect him. They see the sweetness and innocence and positive outlook that my son gives to people. I also know that my love for him never diminished or wavered.

What did happen is that my acceptance of what kind of person my son is. He is someone that believes that everything and I mean everything can be an adventure. We go to the car wash, adventure, we go to the dump adventure. No one is more excited to see his cousins then Jayden. No one makes instant friends everywhere he goes like Jayden. He is a ball of energy that makes me tired alot.... oh and very happy. I like staying home with him. I love that he still likes his binky's. That he still sleeps with the same blanket he loved as a child. That he has a train track that has at least 150 pieces set up on it in his bedroom. I love that his imagination allows him to play without anyone else. I love the fact that when he plays Hot Wheels with his mommy it is to set up the 60 plus cars in a color coordinated line. I love that he makes Grandma Gebers play Legos with him and Grandpa Lee has to chase him around the block on his bike.

I love that he wants to play computer games with Grandma Lee and he shares his candy with his chocolate hogging sister. And how he wants a sick bed at the end of ours so that he has someone to go when he is not feeling well.

I learned that even I sometimes want Jayden to be something that he is not, and I learned that I was wrong... what I want is not what is best for him. Alison and I love Jayden with unconditional love, which is good because he loves us more than maybe we deserve. Many people could learn a thing or two from Jayden; how to make friends, how to see the adventure in life, how to be excited about garbage and how to get rid of it..... He is not perfect by any means and he needs you to be ready to be on your feet... but he sees you as someone to love... and play with... trains are best... and he wants to let all of you know that he wants to see you at the beach this summer....