Do I Really Sound Like That?

So, it appears that Sawyer is in a phase. It is a relatively innocuous one as phases go, but perhaps still the type that gives me pause as those all-important words flash through my mind: "Pick your battles." Put simply, Sawyer wants to go first. I don't mean he wants to go first when we all want a drink at the water fountain at the same time; he doesn't want to go first when we play a game. He merely wants to go first when leaving his room or when going down the stairs. Sounds harmless, right? No reason he can't be accommodated, is there? Typically, when the two of us are leaving his room--let's say I've helped him into his p-jams and am now ready to help him brush his teeth--he'll say, "Get behind me, Mommy." No prob-lem-o. Time to head downstairs for the day? "Walk behind me, Mommy." I can do that. And I should add, he doesn't say this in a demanding or disrespectful tone; it's just one of his three-year-old quirks that makes him who he is--the routine is that he will take the lead and Mommy will follow. Ooh, how powerful he must feel!

Yesterday, however, he added a new twist to the routine, only he didn't tell anyone about the twist until it was too late. Upon arriving home from LIFE Group, the girls both dashed in and got down to the business of "being home," while the rest of us went at a more leisurely pace. Unfortunately, Sawyer wanted the girls to go in the house behind him, but he had neglected to share this desire with them. So he dawdled and dilly-dallied and fiddle-faddled (okay, it really only lasted about a minute) until I told him that the girls weren't coming back out and if he didn't hurry up he was going to get left in the garage. And now we arrive at the point of my post. HURRAY! If you could have heard the riot act that TYLER read me! Oh my word! I think he was ready to call Children's Services and report me for negligence!

I must say, Tyler has always been a worrier just like his dear old mom, and in the grand scheme of things I suppose I'm happy that this trait has made him generally alert and watchful and cautious, but sometimes I fear that he has taken too much responsibility on his ten-year-old shoulders. The reason he became incensed at my threatening to leave Sawyer in the garage (teasing, folks, I was teasing) was because "somebody could hop the fence in the backyard, break the glass in the back door and steal Sawyer! Then how would you feel??!" Yes, folks, my son shamed me!

Tyler can be as silly as the next kid but he does have a rather serious nature and for at least a year now he has been developing a very paternal, authoritative streak. Just this morning I thought to myself, "What do these kids need me for? Tyler's got this parenting thing down pat!" Here is a snippet of an exchange that I overheard today:

Tyler (to Peyton): "You'll get your turn--stop complaining."
Laughter and playing (Well, if you must know, the girls were at the top of the stairs and Tyler was at the bottom, and they were throwing a Floam ball back and forth--it seems Peyton wasn't catching her share and she was unhappy.)
Tyler: "If you complain one more time, . . ." (I couldn't hear the rest of the sentence).
Peyton: "Giggle giggle giggle!"
Tyler: "I told you you'd get your turn. Now stand back and try to catch this."
BAM!
Peyton: "Owwwwwwww!"
Tyler: "Peyton, are you okay? Peyton, Peyton, are you okay? Darcy, stop it, it's not funny! Peyton, are you alright?"

I also realized yesterday that I have been guilty of sending mixed messages to my kids. A half-hearted ice storm came through the area Saturday night so the parking lot at church was just a bit icy Sunday morning, and the air was quite nippy. Even though I never opened my mouth, I heard myself in the following exchange between my kids:

Darcy and Peyton to Sawyer: "Sawyer, run run run!" (Remember, it was cold, and I say that all the time in an effort to speed things along.)
And then what do I hear but good old reliable Tyler, saying, "Don't run in the parking lot!"

I think my job here is done.