Tuesday, November 20, 2007

at 32 months

His smile is infectious and his enthusiasm unbridled. He is independent and wants to do everything all by himself: climb in the car, peel bananas, turn on lights, close doors. His words take my breath away on a daily basis:

“You’re my best friend, Mommy,” he said the other day, completely unprompted.

He answers “Of course!” when I ask him for a small favor.

And the other day at the pool, we got into the hot tub for a few minutes and he announced “It’s an octagon!” I counted up the sides and sure enough, it was.

It blew my mind. I know every mother must say this, but I am constantly amazed by his intelligence.

He speaks in full sentences, knows every letter of the alphabet, has memorized page after page of the books we read him at night. His dad takes him to Starbucks early Saturday mornings, and when he hears them call “Grande Americano,” he says, “Daddy, your coffee’s ready!”

Everything he observes is a cause for celebration. Seeing a crab at the beach, or a bird flying overhead, or an airplane taking off – he can't contain his excitement. He literally insists on stopping to smell the flowers on our way out to the preschool parking lot. “Should we smell the flowers, Mommy?” he asks. I know the right answer.

I’ve said it before, but I really never used to be much of a kid person. I’m converted. I’m a “my kid” person. But now, I’d probably really like your kids too, now that my eyes have been opened.

I wanted to write this because I felt like my last few posts were whiny and filled with complaints about tantrums and typical toddler disagreeable behavior. I felt like I really needed to set the record straight and talk about the positives.

When I think about all the changes that the last 32 months have brought, I almost panic. I think oh no, it’s been close to three years. A few more of those chunks of time and he’ll be learning to drive and graduating from high school, not just eating with an adult-sized fork. That’s when I know he’s got it right.

Stopping to smell the sweet white flowers outside preschool is always the right thing to do.

5 comments:

Janssen said...

What a beautiful post. It makes me excited to have a toddler sometime (I guess I should get myself a baby first).

karla said...

I love these same things about my son, who's almost three.

Sometimes I get frustrated with him and accidentally catch myself wishing he were a little older so he'd be able to master this or that skill that would make my life easier. But even so, every night before I go to bed, when I go into his room to take a quick peek at him while he's asleep, I whisper, "Don't grow," because I think this age--whatever age it is--is the best one and I don't want the daily awesomeness of him at this age to ever end.

whoorl said...

I love this post, especially on a day like today (crazed toddler making me feel like an unfit mother). ;)

little miss mel said...

so sweet.

love his perspective on life. need to take notes!

Emily said...

that is too endearing! Now I want kids. Ok, maybe I just want Evan :)

And, I'll be the first one to roll my eyes at a new mother who thinks her child is the world's first-ever genius, but a 2 year old identifying the spa as an octagon may actually be genius-level knowledge! :)

Happy thanksgiving!