Today we enjoyed story time at the library. I was amazed as Nathan answered the questions for Story Time Lady and sang the songs. He's not much into acting them out. Is he already too cool? I think it just doesn't fit his personality. His sister, on the other hand, was having a good old time dancing to the music and squealing with delight. It was as if she had heard the songs a hundred times and she had been missing this. I was so impressed by how thrilled she was just watching the other children.
I was impressed once again with Nathan's computer skills. He's learned to use the mouse and play several of the games by himself. I can't believe that my little boy is old enough to sit at a computer and play by himself while I look at books.
Lately, I am taking the time to appreciate these kids and their personalities more than I ever have. During our walk yesterday evening, I watched Hannah playing and kicking her feet in the stroller. She was poking and prodding her sleeping brother for fun. I saw a twinkle in her eyes as she finally got a chance to pick on him for a change. I thought, What a cool little sister... She's just kind of happy go lucky and just really a neat person.
Nathan is developing more and more of a personality. He's crazy about our new neighbors, Kathleen and Liam. (Or Kaffine and Wiam as he calls them) Kathleen is in the 2nd grade so he waits anxiously for her to get home from school each day and can't wait to get outside and play with her. I have been explaining the difference between preschool and school like Kathleen goes to and he asked me the other day, "Mommy when can you take me to school and just leave me there like Kathleen's mommy does?" It makes me sad to think about how soon that will be. But I'm also excited for him because that is what he wants. He can't stay little forever. The other day on the way home from church he said, "I'm tired of sitting back here. I'm ready to get up there and drive". Joey and I both were cracking up. Boy are we in trouble if he's ready to drive at three!
Yesterday, Nathan wanted me to play Star Wars with him. I told him I would as soon as I started lunch and folded the laundry. He said, "If you do all of that you have to be really strong like Elastigirl". Can you believe my three-year-old son already has an appreciation for everything I do around here? Lucky girl who marries this kid. I don't think I was aware of all the work my mom did until, I don't know, about 3 years ago...
Lately Nathan's big thing is trying to figure out how I know what he's doing wrong if he is doing it out of my sight or behind my back. The current response I get when I say, "Nathan please stop doing _____", is "How did you see me?" Gotta love that. At least he isn't sneaky enough to start lying yet. He did, however, tell me that he "changed his mind" when I asked him why Liam was crying and he said, "because I pushed him". When I didn't like that answer, he promptly "changed his mind".
Another big part of Nathan's life right now is asserting his independence. He's dressing himself and trying to pick out his own clothes. I find stools everywhere that he has moved to reach some article of clothing. He has brought me a Power Ranger tank top every day this week. He is learning that in Michigan a tank top is not something you can wear in late September. He is also requesting certain meals now. Spaghetti with no sauce, mixed vegetables, grapes and chicken was the request yesterday. Today spaghetti with no sauce and tacos, no lettuce. Before we moved into our house and were eating out every day, he discovered he likes tacos from taco bell. The first few times he just picked the lettuce off and didn't say anything. Then he asked what it was. I told him lettuce and the next time we were in the drive-thru he called from the back seat, "Mom, I don't want any jealous on my tacos". We got a kick out of that one, but now he knows the correct word so when I made tacos today he requested no lettuce.
Another surprising association came today when we were dropping Max off at the groomer. We drove by a Chinese food restaurant with a yellow sign that reads, "Hunan Empire". We've never been there or talked about it before, but Nathan pointed it out and said, "That is where we went to eat with Kupa (Joey's aunt in Richardson). Hong Kong". I still can't believe he made that connection. I guess the signs of the two restaurants are very similar. I love watching him put things together.
Hannah, too, is putting things together. I swear she said, "Daddy", when Joey walked in the other evening. She did say "Bye-bye" plain as day to the check-out lady at Target the other day.
Amazing how quickly they grow and learn. I don't want to forget any of this. I want to remember how much they amaze me and how much fun it is to be a part of their journey through life.
I'm so blessed to be their mother.
"That energy which makes a child hard to manage is the energy which afterward makes him a manager of life".
Henry Ward Beecher
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