I continue to be amazed at this thing called childhood. I watch as our children grow, develop and change right before my very eyes. What was new and uncharted territory yesterday is old hat today. Having mastered that skill, they move on to the next challenge.
The lightening speed that they observe, try, adapt and then master only became more apparent to me as Stella went off to kindergarten. (Preschool for us in America).
We are no longer the solitary teachers, exposing our child new things. Immersed in a new situation, full of stimulation, new ideas, new games and new experiences, she has become the teacher. Bringing home new words (some bad, mostly good), new songs, new games and new skills.
Her consciousness grows just the same. Drawing with determination, she explains exactly what she is doing. Proudly holding up her latest creation, “this is you daddy, this is mommy, there’s Opa. Here is an arm. This is a face, here the eyes, here the hair, mouth and ears.” “I drew this picture for Mommy, and this one is for Grandma.”
Her association of things outside our immediate circle continues to expand as she relates it to her world. The other day when mommy picked her up from kindergarten she wanted to play a game. “Mommy, when we get home let’s play family. You can be mommy, I’ll be the daughter, Emmet my brother and daddy can be daddy.”
And on another of the day she told me quite matter of factly “you are Daddy Tygielski”
These minds are such sponges, regurgitating information that you told her but thought she was oblivious too.
And what about her brother? He has been excelling at a lighting pace as well.
Shall we call him the Bulldozer? Nothing stands in his way. It’s very logical actually. Isn’t the shortest route from point A to point B a straight line? Who cares if there are obstacles blocking your way, just climb over or around them. When you’re a little munchkin however it can cause some problems. When we first started to crawl he wandered through a dining room chair. He gave a new meaning to suspended animation. Crawling over the leg supports, both arms and legs elevated his body to a point where neither could help the other and he hung puzzled to his lack of forward movement.
This too has passed and he crawls around with dexterity of an expert mountain climber, pulling himself up where ever he can, dangling from the high chair, trying to peer over his sister’s shoulder. Every day he tries anew to stand by himself. Pulling himself up and letting go only to plop to the ground. Sometimes not as quickly as the others though. Walking holding both hands securely to his parents, he’ll drop one to see if he can manage.
Maybe it’s the beer. He doesn’t have an aversion to beer like Stella does, gladly grabbing my bottle and sucking on it. Savoring that taste along with real food. Food that comes out of a jar is for, well babies. It is becoming increasingly difficult to get baby food down him. Instead, give him a bowl of noodles or a hot dog and he chows down. As he sits with his new assortment of food, he’ll even place small bytes on his spoon and try and feed himself. Most of it ends on his lap but he tries.
But once there she is full on involved in and willing not wanting to stay.
This was the first time that we have left our daughter anywhere not by a relative. And while this is the ultimate goal that they can grow up and handle themselves it was still a weird feeling.
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