Kaden has entered into one of my favorite stages. He is a human sponge. There are so many things he says reminding me of Nicholas Lipnicky in “Jerry McGuire”. I am brought back to the scene when he tells Tom Cruise the human head weights x amount of pounds. Kaden is growing and learning so quickly. It seems every time he wakes he is a ‘bigger’ boy with more to say funnier expressions and goofier mannerisms.
He is a chatter box. He talks and talks. He is one heck of a funny kid. He can make me laugh wear my cheeks grow tired and tummy aches. I’d go as far as calling him the family clown. I don’t know where he comes up with the actions and sayings that he does.
He has his phrases that he will say in perfect time: Life isn’t fair. Sounds like a deal. You just need to calm down. The two phrases that are tied as my all-time favorite: You should probably tell me you are sorry (He will tell me this if he gets time out or a stern voice). The other favorite: I didn’t hear you tell me thank you very much, Mama. The phrase list goes on, but these are a few of my favs.
His interests at 2 ½ are very clear. He loves tools and to be in the garage. He enjoys tossing a ball, or rather throwing a ball. He has one strong left arm. Music automatically has him shaking and wiggling. He is especially fond of Francis Bedtime Stories, Spiderman, Thomas the Train, Blues Clues and Sesame Street. He will watch anything Christmas and loves his Bible Story DVD, which is song and dance.
His imagination is soaring. He will make pretend food in his kitchen. He will pretend to hand me something and we play make believe. For a few days I thought he was going to have an imaginary friend. One night in the garage he started playing with “What”. Yes, his make believe friend’s name is what who is a monkey without hands. Again, I don’t know where these ideas stem.
When he watches certain shows he insists on having the same prop.
Bedtime Stories with Francis require a flashlight.
When he watches Blue’s Clues it is a requirement that he has his ‘handy dandy notepad’ with the same spiral that is large enough to hold a crayon.
He has taken up singing. He loves to sing “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” with hand gestures; and often he will sing what is on the radio-- three lines behind. He has started his ABCs and will ramble letters off, although out of order, but in tune. He will sing along songs I am unaware he knows. He enjoys ‘Row Row Row Your Boat’ as we put him to bed. To hear him sing softens any mood. I stop what I am doing and secretly eavesdrop. A toddler’s voice is joy.
He knows all of his colors. He likes to play and start with every color as green and then red. The third color is correct. This has subsided and now he likes pointing out colors before I ask. He is learning shapes and doing well. He has a circle and triangle down. Counting has just happened. I think from Sesame Street and our constant counting. He is really absorbing information when I think he is side tracked.
He can count to 11. If I ask him to count he will count to six and begin mixing his numbers. If I listen to him count when he is playing he will count perfectly to 11. He must get performance anxiety. The first time I heard him count to 11 Adam and I were finishing dinner. He just counted away as he played. We were floored. I thought he only knew 1-4. He picked that up from “Kaden, you have to the count of three…” I get to three and he will say, “FOUR!”
Perhaps the sweetest part of this stage is the beginning of his understanding of relationships. He is starting to use the word friends for Bryson, Grayson, Bee and the neighborhood kids. He asks, “When will his fwends be over?” One evening he looked at Adam and asked, “Are you my best friend?” No one knew I overheard, so no one saw the tears. Adam asked him to repeat his question. I think he wanted to be certain he heard him correctly. They hugged.
A favorite part of my day is actually after Adam and I tuck him in and close the door at bedtime. We sit out of the door and have the same conversation almost every night. It goes something like this:
Kaden: “Goo night, Daddy. Sleep goo Mama.”
Us: “We will. You too, Kade. We love you!”
Kaden: “I love you, Mama.” He has to have a reply…
Me: “I love you, pal.”
Kade: “Daddy, I love you.” He has to hear a reply…
Adam: “I love you buddy.”
Kaden: “Work tomorrow, Daddy?”
Adam: “Yes Kade.”
Kaden: “Work tomorrow, Mommy?”
Me: “Nope. We will have a fun day!”
Kaden: “Okay. Goo night.”
Adam and I walk away. As if each night isn’t ritual, but the first time I find my hand resting over my heart. It touches my mommy bone every night.
I have wonderful memories with so many as I grew up. Just as we all do I had special relationships with different people. I can recall parts of my life simply because of the things or experiences we shared together. He is developing his own special relationships. He is very much GG’s boy. Papa Church is always a pleaser and asks to go the Church’s almost daily. When we go I think he finds great comfort in Grandma hugs and instant eating! He lights up at the name: Miss Bee. He has a real thing for Papa Ed and thinks Uncle Jake is a “cool guy.” He talks (on a play phone) to Uncle Jake several times a day. When too much time passes you will start asking for Ta-ta. When she is around it is always an adventure and expectatation we will be on the go! You have a friendship growing with Bryson and a respect for Kayla. I very much see your relationship with Kayla mirroring one I shared with Julie Herring or Toni Mekkers growing up. These women wear so important to me. We cannot forget the obsession I mean serious o-b-s-e-s-s-i-o-n with Robert and Dave. Both of the boys have such a circle surrounding them. I love being a witness to the difference of his unique relationships.
As I sit here and type this I am watching him open a child locked cabinet. This is a first. It looks like not only are there no verbal secrets there are no secret places in our home. Awesome.
We are slowly working on potty training. School is around the corner. Toilet training is required. He will do so well for days excited for school. He will recite what I have told him about school: I wiw paint, pay paydoh, pay piano, meet fwends, sing songs… Then we have ‘those’ days. “Mama you go school with me and pay?” I answer, “Kade, I will take you every day. You stay and get to do all that fun stuff while I take Ashton home to nap!” Kade screams, “I DON’T WANT TO GO TO SCHOOL. I DON’T WANT UNDERWEAR. I WANT DIAPER.” And he pees himself…
As we work towards new fall milestones I can’t help look at him and see a baby. Soon he will be three years old. I am not ready. I never will be. I dislike the red motorcycle rides in the house, but will miss the noise of the squeaky wheels. I can’t wait for him to zip his coat or tie his shoes, but once he does it is one more thing he won’t need my help. I love the gift of reading, but dread him reading as it means all the signs that I read to him as listing the ‘rules’ are no more: Listen to Mommy. No running. No whining. Big boys walk. Follow rules or go home. He starts to read and these signs will no longer exist. He will read: Welcome to the Oregon Zoo. As I wrote, I will never be ready!
My little boy is becoming a boy at a rapid rate. I hope I can keep up.
