November 18, 2007 - The Mimic

I was driving the other day, with the boys in the back in their car seats, and I was trying to get out of a parking lot, taking a left turn onto a major road. I was having a hard time finding an exit where I could cross the median. I ended up at a dead end in the parking lot and said "oh shoot". From the back seat, I hear little Nick saying "mommy?" "oh hoot", or something like that, but clearly trying his best to imitate what I had just said and wondering what it meant.

Isn't it funny that, of all the words you say that they don't imitate, that they somehow know when you have said something that you don't want them to imitate? Or maybe it is just that they are drawn to exclamations, since Nick seems to like to also imitate words like "wow!".

Regardless, it was a very funny, but also eye opening, moment:).

The same day, I was combing the boys' hair, as we were getting ready to go out and run our errands. As I was combing Nick's hair, he said "mommy?" "church?". It took me a minute to understand what he was saying, since it was a bit out of context (for me anyway). Fortunately (?) at this age they repeat everything until you acknowledge, in some way, what they are saying. I am quite surprised at how much he is understanding now, not just new words but really understanding more meaning behind the words.

Yesterday the boys spent a good deal of time outside with their dad. The dad was raking leaves and the boys were having fun, playing with leaves, sticks and rocks. I love watching little boys play outside, especially when there are no toys around and they invent their own play. Even though this was suppose to be some down time for me, I was drawn to the windows to watch them. At one point, Ben was ready to come inside but Nick clearly wanted to stay outside with dad. I think he would be out there all day, every day, if he could.

It's funny though. I watch them with their dad and they seem to be really good about playing while dad reads or works or whatever. With me, they are constantly saying "Mommy? Sit. Sit." They want me to see what they are doing, to play with them, to talk to them, to narrate what they are doing, etc. The dad plays with them and interacts with them too. But I am sure, since I am home with them all day, that I end up doing this more, so I suppose they have come to expect it more from me. I definitely talk to them A LOT and I think they like that too. I enjoy spending time with them and playing with them but, sometimes, when I see them playing so nicely, with the dad sitting nearby reading, I'm a bit jealous of that situation:). I suppose maybe I should make an effort to do that a bit here and there, so they might get used to it with me too sometimes.

In other news, Ben's face is healing very nicely. We put sunscreen on it every morning and wash it off every night, so that hopefully the scar will not be as prominent. Yesterday it looked as if the scab was starting to flake off in places. Little kids heal so fast; it is really amazing.

The dad took the boys shopping with him yesterday and they bought outside Christmas lights for the house and the bushes out front.  I am ready to start decorating. I think we should turn on our lights on Thanksgiving day night or the the night after, so we can enjoy them longer:).

The boys are awake now and the dad is at work, so I must run.