Tuesday, April 7, 2009

Dear Noah 35 Months

Dear Noah,
Literally every day you surprise me with something that comes out of your mouth. You say something that I didn't know you knew about, you say something really sweet, you remember something that I didn't expect you to remember because it happened a year or more in the past, etc. etc. It's amazing to think back to when we were feeling a little nervous because you weren't even signing while your peers were having oral conversations. And now... now- you seem to have caught up and it is funny to think of a time when we were worried. You now talk all.the.time. There are plenty of people who would fairly be able to say: "told you so!".... A good lesson in every child develops at their own rate... but they do develop. I'll remind you of our anxiety and then subsequent wondering why were ever nervous if and when you have a baby who isn't communicating.



You're sitting next to me right now concerned over hang nails. You want them to go away. I told you: "first they have to fall out" and you said: "maybe first they have to fall in" and then wrapped one arm around my shoulder. See- you say funny things.
Whenever we meet someone new and they ask how old you are I tell them and after a beat they say: "wow! he's tall!" It's gotten to where now if someone doesn't say their "line" I get all confused. I just agree but didn't really get it because you're you and I haven't really had anything to compare you to. Over the winter we've had playgroup indoors and so you're in closer proximity to other children who are around your age. Wow! You are tall! People always ask if Daddy is tall. And no, he's not. So it's never a quick explanation. I explain that Ugug (whom you've started calling "Uncle Douglas"- I don't know who told you "Ugug" wasn't right) and Grampy are both over 6feet- so height is in there- just didn't show up in myself or Daddy. We're waiting (cringing?) for the time when we have to look up to you and admonish you for something (late coming home? got a speeding ticket? ... I don't know- it's hard to imagine!).



You continue to grow into your role is a big brother. I recently left you and your sister upstairs while I ran downstairs to do something. I heard Del sound the alarm (indicating something was happening that she wasn't happy about). When I peaked around the corner at the two of you in your room you were saying: "I'm sorry....are you okay? do you feel better?" When the alarm sound stopped you grabbed Del on either side of her face and shook her head like you were trying to wriggle it off her neck. She sounded the alarm again. Funny to see you be such a sweet brother... and also the instigating brother.
This month you spent your longest time every away from Mommy and Daddy. On Thursday Nina watched you and Del while Mommy was at work and Daddy was away at a conference. After Mommy came home you left with Nina to go to "Poobah's house" and we didn't come to get you until Sunday. We missed you very very much and Nina and Poobah had a lot of fun with you. Ugug... sorry, Uncle Douglas, even had some quality time with you.
You started asking to go to bed for the night between 7-8. You only take a nap a couple times a week at the most so earlier bedtimes are a must. It's interesting having you determine when it's time to call it a day.



Whenever you want someone to do something for you you have a funny way of asking. You'll say something like: "You want to carry me up!" or "You want to do it!" even when the other person really doesn't want to do what you want them to do.
You also answer almost every question by saying "maaaayyybbbbeee..... this one! or... this one!"
Oh! Another fun Noah fact: you are not a fan of baths. So you take embarrassingly few. But you're only almost-three once, right?
You asked for knitting needles at the fabric store and in a moment of stress (weakness) I agreed. You've been begging to learn to knit and I agreed to teach you... as soon as I learn how. It's MUCH harder than I expected so we may need to wait on that for.... a decade or so.... in the mean time you've been waving the needles around saying: "You want to fight!" enthusiastically to anyone who you think will engage in a needle fight with you. I'm not sure what you're really expecting because you refuse to give the other person a needle to use. We weren't sure where you learned the word "fight". Finally you said something that made Daddy realize that it was from one of his video games. Not good. A giant evidently fights in the game. So we've been telling you that only giants fight.... not people. But then you say you are a giant....hmmm.



You are a big big fan of Daddy. In fact, several times you have said that he is your Dad and I am Del's Mom. You're very concerned about who is a boy and who is a girl (so the moth you saw is a boy, your baby doll is a boy, the stuffed animal puppy is a boy.... actually- if given the option everything is male). You've also started claiming us: "Where's MY Dad? Where's MY sister?" etc.
I can't believe you're going to be three next month! Three! That's crazy talk. There have been so many things, I feel like, that you couldn't do until you're three. One big thing is school! That's right- next year you're starting pre-school two mornings a week. We recently drove past my school so I told you that it was my school and said what it is called. Then you asked what Daddy's school is called. I said: "Brown" and you said: "Maybe my school is called 'Black'". Funny funny. You are very excited about school and almost daily say you want to go. I told you that you will go when the leaves turn orange and green and brown and start falling. So now after you say you want to go to school you say: "...first the leaves have to be red, then I can go".
I love you Big Boy!
Mommy

1 comment:

Ms. Jackson said...

Noah is such an amazing (and sometimes frustratingly smart) kid! Well spawned sister, well spawned.