May 27: While Sylvie is reaching out to touch the world in new ways, Andrew seems to be diving deep into a pool and coming out with some fascinating treasures. The things this kid says just amaze me. He’s so sweet and loving and opinionated and reticent and agreeable and single-minded and charming and tenacious. He’ll be three on June 22, and he already seems like he’s stepping out of the two’s of babyhood and into the three’s of a preschooler.
So here’s a few things that come to mind to summarize little Andrew at this precious stage of life.
- Occasionally I try counting to encourage Andrew to do what I want. (For example, “OK, hon, I’ll count to three, and then we’ll both jump up and bounce out the door like kangaroos.”) It doesn’t work. But Andrew seemed to note the technique, and the other day he said to me, “OK, Mommy, I’ll count to four, and then you’ll either blow bubbles or we’ll watch a show.”
- Since early March, we’ve been working on potty training. He figured out how to use the potty by late March, and by late April, he didn’t want to use either a little potty seat or the little donut you put on a big toilet to make it easier for kids to use. Until May, I had to remind him (read Make Him) use the toilet every two hours or else an accident ensued, but for the last several weeks, he seems to have it figured out. He’s even been wearing underpants at night for the last couple weeks. And (knock on wood) he has yet to have an accident. However, I know I’m tempting fate and need to buy a water-proof mattress pad STAT. It’s all gone pretty smoothly (other than the “NOOO I DON’T WANT TO USE THE POTTY” followed by very wet pants episode that occured in the library), and I feel good that it’s really all be led by him. He still wants me to dress and undress him, but he’s listening to his body, and I think we can put him firmly in the big boy camp now.
- Every morning, he crawls into bed to hug and kiss and snuggle Sylvie. I never knew that a little boy could loving doat on his baby sister so much.
- Sylvia’s crying (which at times has been frequent) seems to sedate Andrew. While she’s crying as we drive all the way across town, he falls asleep. Otherwise, he’s just half-lidded and kind of limp. I’m so glad that it doesn’t seem to agrevate him!
- We’ve been reading Farmer Boy by Laura Ingalls Wilder. He throws himself around the room while I read, but he remembers parts, and he asks for more and more. It makes me so happy to read a book that I really enjoy to him before bed at night!
- As the weather has warmed this spring, we’ve discovered that Andrew is quite a monkey. He’s amazingly physically aware and able when playing on the jungle gym. And he goes high and slides down poles and reaches out to step across big gaps. My philosophy is that if a kid feels comfortable, can do it themselves, and is using the equipment appropriately, then they’re probably alright. But it’s pretty nerve-wracking to watch him climb well over my head. He acts like he’s in his element.
- Many days, Andrew asks for a whole banana, un-peels it, has one bite, and wants nothing more to do with it.
- Andrew’s favorite foods are oatmeal, cottage cheese, grapes, blueberries, chicken (without anything funky or green on it), pretzels, yogurt, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, apple sauce, soybeans, cheeseburgers, grilled cheese sandwiches, popcorn, and oh, the list goes on. But nothing with fishy green things like parsley on it. Although he does love to help pick parsley from the garden as long as it doesn’t go on his food.
- Andrew loves to make up stories, and the imaginary world is very closely entwined with the real world. The best way I have of making him go along with something I want him to do is to tell him a story (jumping straight into the climax…”Suddenly a tiger jumped out of the bushes at little Andy…”) or asking him like he is a baby animal and I am the mommy animal.
- Andrew’s 2T clothes fit him, but 3T is fitting better, and I’m thinking I may jump ahead to 4Ts as I get him some summer PJs and t-shirts. He has a very long torso. Just like his daddy.
- In the evenings when we watch a “showie,” Andrew’s favorite these days is the David Attenborough Mammals documentaries. A boy after my own heart.
- Andrew has the alphabet mastered (lower case too now), and we’re starting to work on words. Just simple ones. He likes to try to make words out of his letters in the tub. “No,” I’ll say, “JKQZ is not a word.” He sometimes knows CAT, DOG, BOY, GIRL, and BOOK.
- He loves poems, and he often recites them at appropriate times. Like the other day when we came to the door, he said, “If you are a dreamer, come in.” That’s from Invitation from Shel Silverstein. Or he’ll mix up the starting letters and say, “Ittle Aaack Orner, At in a Orner, Eating is Ismas Eye.” snicker,snicker.
- And he’s sometimes still taking naps. Like today! Which allowed me to write these posts:)
So that’s my little guy in brief. He’s pretty fun these days!