Saturday, February 12, 2011

Just Too Damn Smart

In lieu of a picture this week, I would like to post a video that I took a while ago... like in September hence the limited clothing.   It is such a great example of how grown up he is now.  Of how he is a sponge for information.  I will translate below, in case you don't speak toddler.  Although he's pretty clear...
Wyatt: Garbage trucks....no!  No!  (He hates being taped sometimes)
Me: Can you try to say that again?
Wyatt: No doubt about it.  
Me: No doubt about it.
Wyatt: (on the Fire Truck page) Someone needs me!  Someone needs me!  Get a helicopter. (the Car Transporter page) We can carry all your cars, red, blue, red, blue.  (Moving Van) I'll carry all your furniture away.  (Delivery Truck) I'm a delivery van.  I deliver all your stuff and leave a box for you at home.  (turning pages)  I get cement made, cement made.
Gammy: Here's a little strawberry shortcake surprise!  (God, I love Gammy and her mid-afternoon deserts!).
Wyatt:  All trucks, trucks.  That was silly.  Strawberry Shortcake!  (seeing the camera again...) No!

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

36 Months - 3 Years!!

Goose,

This morning I asked what you wanted for breakfast and you say "Let's celebrate first."  And so we celebrated with a game called whatever Wyatt says goes.  Its your favorite game.  But I kept on getting distracted by just staring at you wondering how you got to be this grown-up boy in front of me.  It is totally beyond my comprehension that you are 3 years old.   For some reason, when I was pregnant and had these elaborate daydreams about you, you were either a baby or about 7.  I really never had interaction with children in those in-between ages.  (Well, I guess Lizzy counts but I seem to have blocked those years from my memory.)  So, I guess I haven't be able to envision what you would be like at 3 or 4 or 5.  And here you are.  An age which I really adore.  Your intelligent, imaginative, and funny while still allowing me to have time with the incredibly loving baby you were.  It feels like this breaking age between you being a baby and becoming a child.  I think as I am preparing you for your growing childhood, you are also preparing me for your growing independence.  It is a time that is the best of both worlds.

When you were sick this month (all month between the flu and double ear infections), all you wanted to do was lay on my lap and cuddle.  You reverted to this child who needed me so badly.  I was reminded all over again of your first few months on this earth and how far we have come.  How much you have grown and how much you have learned.  How independent you now are, that the small baby you once were is barely recognizable.  Sometimes I feel like you have learned more in your three years then I have in the last 10.  You have taken over my life so completely and I have so willingly given you control, something I have never done before.  I had thought that by now, I would have wanted to regain some of my independence.  But I find you so unequivocally interesting and amazing that I haven't really thought about it.  My life revolves around you.  I make no apologies for it.  In fact, I am a more confident, grounded person because it revolves around you.

I got you your first big boy bike for your birthday.  It took me about a hour at Toy R Us to find this bright yellow Schwin that reminded me of summer sunshine.  I actually tried out a few of them until some lady caught me and made me feel ridiculous.  Maybe in older years, you can pick your own bike out but I wanted to surprise you this time.  I can't wait to chase after you on the side streets.  To take on the next phase of your mobility.  As I pulled out the bike, and you smiled, then jumped on.  It took my breath away.  How did you get so big?  How did this time go by so fast?  It feels like you have been in my life forever and suddenly 3 years all at the same time.  And now when the weather changes, you will be riding up and down the street on your new bike just as I did decades ago.  Wow.  Just wow.

Sometimes, when you are scared, we hold hands because I have told you that together we can be braver then if we were by ourselves.  "Momma, I am making you brave." you say.  You don't just make me brave, love.  You make me proud.  I am proud of you.  In everything that you do.  Proud of the amazing boy you have become.  How compassionate you are.  How well-adjusted and adventurous.  How self-assured and adaptable.  Hell, I am proud of me.  Proud that I have surpassed my wildest expectations of the kind of mother I thought I would be.  Proud that I have had some part in making you as amazing as you are. You are and always will be my greatest accomplishment and my greatest source of joy and pride.  I hope you always remember, that you always know, how brave and proud and happy and loved you make me feel.  And I hope you always know how incredibly loved you are.

I love you everyday,
Your Momma

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

A Place Between Sheer Glee and Sheer Panic

One of my best friends from 3.
The Playgroup at St. John's is a weird enigma of a place for me.  Wyatt LOVES it there but sometimes I think that he would love school anywhere.  He is a very social person.  A kid that wants to play all the time and has an elaborate imagination that only other kids can follow.  But for me, I can't really shake the assumption that I am the hired help.  I work there.  So, while the other parents are caught up talking and making connections with each other, I am talking to the teachers about whichever new problem has arose.  It has made it hard for me to make connections and establish some kind of social circle for Wyatt.  I know he's only 3 (!!) but some of my best friends were made at 3.  After making my bold New Years resolution, I decided to just go for it.

Wyatt has several boys that he speaks of fairly often from school (and one girl, Davis.  It might be love.  Or it might be because she has got that devilish twinkle in her eye and gets scolded a lot).  So, I sought out Chases' mom and asked to get the boys together.  When she said yes and to come over to their house after class, I had two distinct reactions.  Sheer glee and sheer panic.  I was so excited for Wyatt and just mildly terrified that I was going to muck up some play-date protocol that I am utterly unfamiliar with.  Do I just drop him off?  Do I stay?  Do I pack snacks?  Of course, Wyatt has had friends over but these are friends that I am also friends with, no panic involved.  Actually, it is a lot of fun because I get girl catch-up time while Wy plays.  But I don't know Chases' mom.
Wyatt's other friend William

So, we go over to Chases' house and I am asked to take off our shoes.  So I decided we were staying.  Within 3 minutes Wyatt and Chase are upstairs playing and Valerie, her 8 month old daughter, and I are chatting happily in the kitchen.  At one point Chase ran downstairs without pants on and she explained that they were potty training.  Nothing breaks the ice more then a naked 3 year old. I think I might have had just as much fun as Wyatt.  The boys got along great and after 3 hours Wyatt still didn't want to leave.  And dare I say, that I got a new friend as well?!  Wyatt loved the play-date so much that he asks to go over Chases' house and eat french fries for lunch all the time.  Whenever he doesn't want to do something, he says he is going over Chases' house.  Unfortunately, the next time we planned on getting together (with Peter and Peters' mom at the library... a triple date!!) Wyatt got sick and we couldn't go.  I have to admit, I am looking forward to our next play-date.  I think Wyatt is too!