He likes to play ball these days. But he doesn't quite know how to throw to someone or how to catch. Instead, he likes people to throw the ball at him. The ball hits him in the chest and he giggles. I think dodge ball is not the game for him...
He says "mom" or "mama" on a daily basis. He says "up" regularly. He answers questions with gestures, nods, and shakes of his head.
Kiddo's bottom molars are basically out. We're just waiting on the top ones to come through. I hope the sharp bottom molars will help this process be a little faster than his earlier molar acquisition, but so far it's hard to tell.
We regularly use "1-2-3." It helps Kiddo understand transitions are occurring as well as preventing tantrums when he isn't following directions.
Chase is a favorite game. The park is a favorite place. Peek is another favorite game. Blowing bubbles is a favorite outside activity.
He stacks blocks and attaches MegaBlox with ease. He makes figures and animals talk to one another during play. He pretends to cook and eat food, which he likes to share with anyone nearby.
He runs around, but also walks with his legs wide apart as though he's some crazy bowlegged sheriff. He also marches and stomps. He even does a kind of crazy kick-out-Russian-military-march-walk. And of course, he dances.
Every week brings changes, but they are more subtle than they used to be. It is probably more subtle to me because I see him every day. To the casual observer, I'm sure he's still growing and changing by leaps, if not bounds.
No matter how obvious, it is clear Kiddo continues his steady march through childhood. It's weird, marvelous, scary, joyful, and sad all at once. Even when someone hints at parenthood being that way, you can't know until you're in the middle of it. Once you're in the middle of it, you feel it all, in every fiber of your being with every passing glance and goofy face. It's hard. It's a hard thing to do, but not in the way everyone says. Not in the "I'm-so-sleep-deprived-and-the-kids-are-screaming-I-can't-poop-in-peace" way (though there may be a little of that too).
No. Watching it unfold is much harder. Watching every new discovery, holding my breath during every bump, biting my lip off as you comfort through every fever, and nightmare is the hard part. It's hard because somewhere deep down I know, even years before it happens, this will end. He will make his own choices. Life will happen around him. And I am powerless to stop it.
All I can do is watch. Is it special? Is it miraculous? Is it just the daily grind? Yes. Yes it is. Kiddo just smiled at me. It is all that and so much more.
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