warm fuzzy Wednesday

5 things I'm feeling warm and fuzzy about today

1. Kid conversations....Driving our oldest to school and listening to our youngest dictate the drive there, pointing out landmarks regularly. "see cows eza?" (he calls our oldest "Eza") and big brother replies "yes, and what do the cow's say?" the little one then says "moooo - ah-ah-ah-choo!!" Why achoo?? Well, because that's what Clara the Cow says in this book that we read occasionally. Then the oldest says "see the firetruck over there? what does the firetruck say?".... and the little one says "weeeeee-ooooo, weee-oooooo, honk honk".


2. Holding hands.... sometimes on a long commute I will put a dvd movie on (gasp - TV - in the CAR???!!!??? it's about the only time he gets to see it, lol). The little one enjoys Finding Nemo and the part at the beginning where the mean shark takes the eggs away and leaves only little Nemo and his daddy behind seems to warrant hand holding between brothers. This is a silent gesture. So, the toddler senses it's a sad moment in the movie, and then reaches his hand out w/o saying a word - big brother follows through with hand holding and no complaints. Warms my heart. Unspoken reassurance is sometimes the best kind.


3. Teaching moments.... every afternoon after we get back from the school commute and return home, the boys play together for some one-on-one brother time. During this time, the little one plays parallel to his big brother. At random during this playtime, big brother introduces a new color, shape or sound - it doesn't seem to sink in at the moment. The paycheck on this quick lesson of teaching is usually at the most random times. Like when we're in a store, and we see a certain item or color or shape and it's pointed out by the toddler with excitement, and more importantly - the conversation is directed toward his big brother because he knows that he'll understand him!


4. Growth.... our oldest admitted something about 'girls' to me this week. I immediately called my hubby to tell him once I got a private moment - I had to share it. In respect of his privacy, I will not write about the details at all. He was reluctant to tell me - so I'm going to cherish that he shared it.... and realize that he's moving from being a 'little boy' to a young man quite quickly in many ways.


5. Lullaby's- The night of the ER visit, we got home and for the first time in the little one's life he slept in our bed. We've napped together before, but never an overnighter in the big bed. It was more about me, and my need for security then his. I wanted to somehow keep apologizing to him, let him know he was safe and I was there for him. He asked to go night night in his bed, but convinced him with a story or two. The next night, he asked me to 'rock rock' him in his room. I haven't really rocked him since he was a small baby. On occasion when he doesn't feel well, or during teething times, I'd rock him for a few moments to soothe him before bed. This time he wanted me to rock rock, it was so sweet... then he asked me 'mommy, sing?'. So I sang (poor him) and rocked. He's always been the baby I could walk to the crib, put in the crib, rub his back for a moment, kiss and walk away, literally 2 minutes or less. He never cries when he wakes, never has except for when he was an infant and hungry. He's a great self soother, and always has been, outside of not feeling good. That ER visit was a month ago, and we've been rock rock and singing for a month now. This little routine at bedtime lasts no longer then 5 minutes, but it's a moment of my day I look forward too. We have 3 special songs in a special order, sweet lullaby's, and then he's off to bed. Tonight, after I left the room, over the monitor - I heard him singing one of those songs to himself. Sweet little boy, growing so fast.

Both of our boys - growing so fast.