My Quirky Child: List 1

Quirky Developments of the Last Two Weeks:

1. Ryder now insists upon washing his hands before naptime or bedtime. He has a very good memory, and since he began insisting upon the hand washing, he has not forgotten once, even if we have just taken a bath. Someone said how sanitary it was as long as it didn't turn into a compulsive disorder. My professional opinion: It is neither an attempt at cleanliness or a compulsive disorder, but rather a delay-bedtime-for-a-little-longer-with-something-Mommy-can't-reasonably-object-to disorder.

2. Ryder now can climb out of the bed himself. He still sleeps in his sweet and nice pirate crib with his bumper pads, and he is so, so easy to put to bed now (assuming we have washed our hands properly :) In the morning, he wakes up sweet and happy, and I love to listen to his conversations with himself or the chorus of "Trust and Obey" or a song he has made up, such as the chart topping favorite "Sticker on the Door." I have been wary of the day when I would hear him climb out of bed, and be free from the cage of the crib. It came last week, but not as I expected. I went up to get Ryder after taking a shower while he talked and sang, and Ryder said "Ryder get you up. Mommy not get you up." I watched as Ryder puts one leg over the crib, balances on the top of the rail, says, "Ryder has to be very careful," lowers his legs to the mattress, and then lets himself out of bed. This is now how Ryder gets up, except today he said, "My get you up" in recognition of Oh Wow!'s speech patterns.

3. Ryder can now draw squiggly, wobbly, funny Ws. This would not be quirky, except for Ryder's history with the W. He now can identify all (uppercase) letters of the alphabet, and he knows all their sounds, however W is the only letter that consistently makes him laugh. I really wish that I had let him be a W for Halloween.

4. Ryder was so excited to go to Joe and Jonie's for our Thanksgiving dinner with our family. Cody got to come home from Indiana, and we weren't having to travel; it was really a pretty perfect day. Ryder asked if we were going to Joe and Jonie's and I told him we were going after naptime, so he says "I go night night," and he runs upstairs, climbs in his crib, and I hear him fake snoring over the monitor. A few seconds later, he says, "Mommy come get you up. We go to Joe and Jonie's." Of course I go up, and Ryder climbs out of bed, and we play some more before real naptime, then a wonderful evening at Joe and Jonie's with Mom and Dad, Granny, Papa Bear and Gigi, and our cousin Caitlin.

5. Ryder has changed his prayer stance. He now holds his arms above his head and clasps his hands. He is very committed to this new stance, so much that as he was praying in church last Sunday, he left one hand above his head, moved the other one to get a cracker, put the cracker in his mouth, and then returned his hand above his head. Of course, when Kyle and Kellee were with us at Joe and Jonies, we all prayed for dinner in Ryder stance :)

We've really been missing Cody, and we'll be so happy for him to be home. Ryder and I, and even Aprilia, have been well taken care of by family and friends since Cody has been gone, but now Ryder and I are waiting for Cody to get home with us!

(Photo by Denise Skelton-www.skeltonphotography.com-Ryder's previous prayer position.)

Conversations with Ryder

It's no secret that I prefer older kids to babies. Ryder and I (and Aprilia) are often alone at nights because of Cody's work schedule. We really miss Cody, but I don't really feel alone now that Ryder is getting older, and is no longer a little baby. I love sitting at the table with him while we eat supper and playing games and coloring together. Of course, these are things we also do throughout the day, but during the day when Cody is here, we are out a lot. Sometimes I feel that for a stay at home mom, I don't do very much staying at home!

Tonight Ryder was eating his blueberry applesauce (and it was almost finished), and he begins the following conversation:

Ryder: I don't like applesauce.
Mommy: Well, that is a surprise since you've eaten ALL of it.
Ryder: I like yogurt.
Mommy: I know you like yogurt, but we don't have any right now. It's all gone.
Ryder: I stay with Papa Bear and Gigi? (Seemingly changing the subject.....
Mommy: No, you're going to stay home and play with Mommy tonight.
Ryder: You go to the store.
Mommy: Why does Mommy need to go to the store?
Ryder: Get some yogurt. (The subject wasn't changed; I just didn't realize it was all a plan. I didn't know that two year olds made plans.)

Some of my favorite conversations come from asking about his day, whether I've been with him or he's been visiting grandparents or friends. I love seeing what he remembers and what he thinks is important about the day's events.

After quilting last week, I got in the car, and Ryder asked, "We going to Chat noo ga?"
I said, "No, we're going home." (I didn't even know he KNEW the word Chattanooga, much less would say it unprompted by anyone).

I rolled down my window and told Jonie what he just asked, and she said that Camden had just asked her the same thing.

I guess I should have been clued in then that my two year was quite ready to make plans, because apparently he and Camden had a discussion that Jonie and I were not aware of. I would guess the next part of the plan would be Toys R Us and ice cream :)

I love waitingforRyder to surprise me during our conversations. I always heard how amazing it is to watch children learn, but I never really got it until Ryder. But there is so much that I never really got until Ryder, and I realize that more and more each day.



(Pictures:
Top: Ryder loves putting his hands in his pockets. We were getting ready to go visit grandparents for Halloween, and Denise stopped by for a visit and short photo session. Thanks, Denise!
Picture by Denise Skelton (www.skeltonphotography.com)
Bottom: Ryder with his hands in his pockets at the pumpkin patch.

I Procrastinate by Making Lists

Things I'm Behind On:

• Laundry
• Dishes
• Dusting
• Vacuuming
• Replacing old pictures in frames with more recent ones
  
• Exercising (just ask Aprilia!)
• Dieting (ha!)
  
• Filing Coupons
• My quilt
• Organizing my closets and cabinets
  
• Christmas shopping (not that I'm actually behind yet, but I'm sure it still applies, and this way I won't be behind on adding to the list later :)
• My blog! However, I love my blog because I have no mandatory posts, no due dates, no grades, so I am only behind because I have so many things I want to write, but due to above considerations, I have not made it to the blog yet.

Things I'm not Behind On:

• Kisses from Ryder
• Stories from Ryder
• Hugs from Ryder.
  

I may spend some time waiting for Ryder that I could be spending on the never ending laundry pile or coupon clipping, but those smiles and laughs and Eskimo kisses are too precious to be put in the "things I'm behind on" lists, so other blog posts, I am thinking about you and will give you time soon!



Thanks for the picture, Denise! (www.skeltonphotography.com)