Good Boy
It seems I am often complaining about Erik and all his little stubborn quirks, so I want to make a special effort to record his good stuff too. Boring, I know, but if I ever get these journals all printed out and he reads them when I’m dead and gone I’d like him to know the good stuff too.
There’s a theory that kids go through periods of equilibrium and disequilibrium, meaning that for a few months everything goes well and then for a few months everything goes to hell in a hand basket. I’m sure you remember me moaning about how awful three was. Thus far three and a half has been a dream. He’s not perfect. No one is. But he’s been cheerful, he’s been cooperative, he’s been listening. Overall he’s a delight to be around. I know it won’t last, but I’m enjoying it.
He’s really coming into his own as the keeper of all things fair. My mom says he is exactly like I was when I was a kid–he wants everyone to play fair to the point of getting overly emotional if it isn’t fair. It’s really nice to be able to tell him to take turns and have him happily do so. It’s not so nice when the other kids don’t want to take turns and he doesn’t understand why his friends are betraying everything he holds sacred (friends being any person he meets).
He is also really good at trying to make everyone happy. If he sees other kids crying or upset, he goes to them and tries to comfort them. The flip side is, he doesn’t understand why other kids don’t want him to be happy. We were at the park with friends today when a horrible howling was heard throughout the land.
Erik was at the top of a metal tunnel slide, having a total meltdown right into the mouth of the slide. Those things echo all over the place, so it was quite the scene.
I couldn’t even tell where he was because the sounds was every where. I thought he must have seriously hurt himself, but when I finally found him he was upset because his friend was mad at him. My heart already hurts for the potential heartbreak Erik is going to face in his life.
Then there’s the talking.
What three year old doesn’t talk constantly? These days he is telling stories to himself and making connections, which is positively delightful to hear. We have a baby dogwood tree in our front yard that he’s obsessed with. All day long he talks about the tree. The tree is growing. The tree is sleeping. The tree needs energy. The tree. The tree! Very cute, but also very exhausting.
Then there was the major accomplishment today! I was trying to type a comment to Heather when he came over and said he was going to write. I haven’t taught him how to type his name, but he sat there and typed it out. I don’t know what the norm is for kids being able to type out their names since traditionally educators were more interesting in writing with pen and pencil, but I still reserve the right to be impressed. Later, he wanted me to tell him how to spell words so we had a little computer session. He picked a lot of normal words to spell like cat, dog and his names. The only weird one was “band.” I couldn’t figure that out. He wants to be a rock and roll star, so I guess that’s the connection.
Now that I’ve bored you all silly, I guess I’ll head up to bed. I just watched the season finale of Chuck and am happy that they wrapped things up. If the show is cancelled the fans won’t be left hanging. I hope it isn’t cancelled, but I like it so I doubt it will return. I’m also really liking The Unusuals, so I suppose it will be cancelled as well. I’m just surprised they renewed Ugly Betty.
What am I doing still up? I have to turn off the TV. I’m not learning anything new about the swine flu. Isn’t rest an important component of fighting off the flu? They’re making me stay up late, not sleeping, so I’ll be susceptible. It’s all an evil government plot.