This is 4...

So. Four years old.

So.
Handsome.
Adorable.
Inquisitive.
Energetic.
Talkative.
Knowledgeable.
Moody.

Let's talk about that last one, there. Moody. I swear, this kid's mood swings can rival a pregnant mommy school teacher right before state testing. Who's hungry. And sleep-deprived.

One minute, he's sweet and lovable. Laughing and playing along nicely with others. The next, everyone's a "meanie!" and you "better stop it" before he punches you with his fist and growls at you. Or stomps off to some other spot in the house after throwing whatever he was working on. Then, he moves right into crying about how things are "too hard" and nobody "helps him".

I swear, it's enough to make me turn into Mr. Hyde or some similar facsimile thereof. Mrs. Hyde--the Insane Mommy. I read somewhere that we all have a part to play in the little dramas that affect us. You know, "What was my role in creating this situation?"

Well, I know good and well what my role was in creating the "Jaxuation", but in each of the situations where he flies off the handle, it is not always easy for me to see my role. I need to get better at catching myself in the moment so I can see where the switch is flipped--though, truth be told, I'm not always involved in these moody Jax moments.

Something to work on this year...and all the years to come, I guess.

For now, here's a little something I like to call "a perfect representation of life with a 4yo":

Stewie Griffin pesters his mamma