It's the thought that really does count...

Noah totally melted my heart today, and cracked me up!

I told him it was my birthday tomorrow and that we are going to go out for breakfast.  I told him all I want for my birthday is pancakes and he immediately said, "No!  That's junk food!  You can't have that! You'll get sick."  I reminded him that we can have treats once in awhile, like on our birthdays or other special occasions but he was still adamant about my not having pancakes.  I then realized that he was worried about me, that I might get sick and that the real reason he didn't want me to have pancakes was because he was afraid I might get sick.  I asked him if that was the case, and he responded "yes" right away.  I assured him that I am really healthy and that I only eat junk food once in awhile so that I stay healthy.  He was then OK with my having pancakes :)

Then he said it was silly that I want pancakes for my birthday because that's not a present.  I told him that I don't want any presents, but he was once again adamant that he needed to get me a present LOL.  So I asked him what he would get me if he could go buy a present and he said "a bunny!" and then he said, "No Hello Kitty!  A Hello Kitty doll!  Yeah! That's what you would like!"

The fact that my four year old could come up with something I would like so quickly (he knows I love anything Hello Kitty) totally melted my heart.  It truly was the thought that counted :)

Social Butterfly / Sewing Superhero

Lately I am in awe at how friendly and sociable Noah is.  Everywhere we go, he seeks out friends and wins them over so easily.  He loves, loves interacting with other kids and adults of all ages and gender.  It's amazing how when kids are ready to socialize, they let you know.  "Mommy, where are the kids?"  is a common question I hear when we go to a park and there aren't any other kids to play with.  If there is only one other child, whether 18 months old or eight years old, he *will* befriend them.  And if they ignore his request for friendship, his little heart is broken and torn in pieces.  In preschool, his teacher says he is friends with *everyone*.  It's so fun to watch his social skills develop!

Just last week, we were at a birthday party and one of Noah's favorite friends was there.  Noah and this friend are both very spirited and their moods, whether up or down, can be very synergistic.  We're talking either full on belly laughs or full-on playground brawling.  So this little boy kept hitting Noah and normally Noah would fight back furiously, but on that day, something beautiful happened.  Noah said, "_____ why are you hitting me?  I'm your friend."  This is something we've been working on for quite some time...learning to calm down and use our words instead of being reactive with our bodies.  I think (hope) we've entered a new frontier. 

On another note, I love natural consequences...we as adults can talk about sharing until we're blue in the face with a child, but the best lessons come from other children, right?  Noah was playing with another friend and didn't want to share his toy.  I don't make him share, but usually just gently coax him into it by pointing out how it makes the other child feel when he does or doesn't share,  and reminding him of how good we feel when other people share with us.  So back to the story...Noah was adamant about not sharing a brand new toy he just received (understandably) and the other little boy said, "I don't want to play with you."  Noah, now that friendship is more valuable than "things", was heartbroken and said tearfully, "Why not! Why don't you want to play with me?" and the other little boy said, "Because you won't share with me."  So what did Noah do?  He said Oh!  and immediately gave the other boy his toy.  I didn't even have to get involved...love those natural consequences :)

Oh and yes, Noah is still obsessed with superheros.  He wears his costumes (yes, costume(s).  He got some birthday money and decided to spend it on more superhero costumes.)  He was wearing his spiderman costume so much that I was having to sew it daily.  It was actually turning into an annoyance because he would examine the costume every morning upon rising and before I could even open my eyes, he would demand I sew any slight holes he found.  But anyway, on the positive side, somehow his costumes have led to an unexpected hobby - sewing!  Who would have thought?  Noah knows how to sew now because he gained an interest by watching me sew his costume day after day.  He wanted to sew it on his own, so I let him and he did alright!  I decided to take him to Joann's fabric store to get some kid sewing supplies and projects.  Of course he scoffed at the kid section and immediately found an adult sewing starter kit.  He clenched it closely to his chest (while donning his spiderman costume) and we picked out some scrap fabric and buttons. 

When we got home, I just gave him all the supplies (including a very sharp needle which he quickly mastered without any finger pricks...you can't say I don't let that kid take risks LOL!).  I threaded the needle and let him go to town.  I was curious to see what he would come up with all on his own, without my input.  He cut out lots of pieces of scrap fabric and sewed them to a larger piece of fabric.  Then he decided it was going to be a jacket.  He showed me where to cut the arm holes and then with my gentle guidance, he sewed four buttons on it after which I cut button holes.  He made his own little jacket at four years old.  Watch out, Project Runway!  My little sewing superhero.  Dang I need a camera so I can upload pictures of all this good stuff!

Buttons, Bows and Belts

Those are the things Noah is into right now:)  He is *very* determined.  Did I mention he's determined?  And persistent?  And a perfectionist?  If it is not perfectly perfect the way he wants something, he WILL keep doing whatever he's doing over and over again until it is just right.  Simon calls it "stick-to-it-iveness".  Their little catch phrase is "If you stick to it, you can do it."  I like it! 

Except on those mornings when we really need to be somewhere on time and Noah takes a good 5-10 minutes extra getting ready because the velcro was not lined up perfectly on his shoes.  Actually, as I'm typing this, maybe it doesn't really make us that late, it just feels like an eternity when you're sitting there, tight-lipped, allowing your child the time to work through his own frustrations and not just rushing in to fix it for him.  I try so hard not to rush him and to respect his wishes, but sometimes I just want to scream, "Just put on your dang shoes and let's go!"  Patience is a virtue...and I have to constantly remind myself to practice what I preach.  If I expect him to be patient and tolerant, I have to model it. 

Attempting to tie bows is another biggie around here (he can do the first criss-cross step, but is still working on the "bunny ears"). 

Buttoning the tiniest of buttons has been a huge, frustration-provoking breakthrough!  Talk about fine motor skills!  He "helps"  daddy get ready in the morning by buttoning all the tiny buttons on his work shirt and pants, then fastens his belt for him.  What would Simon do without him???!!  I've even had to put on one of daddy's shirts to let Noah button it up in the morning because Simon had to leave in a rush and Noah was super bummed out that he didn't get to button his buttons. 
And wearing a belt, just like daddy is a huge thrill :)  Even to bed...how many people do you know that sleep in jeans and a belt?  His "skinny jeans", which he picked out all on his own (which is fascinating to me because I always buy him loose, comfy clothes so he can move about freely) and his big boy belt are the new "pajamas"  apparently LOL!  It looks so uncomfortable, but hey, it's his body!

Oh and his spiderman costume came and he wears it every single day.  I've already had to sew it three times.  (And I'm not a very good sewer LOL).  He is so proud of that costume.  I wonder how long before my little spiderman retires and moves on to something else?  So far his obsessions have gone from hot wheels cars, to Cars movie cars, to Cat in the Hat, and now Spiderman.  I can't wait to see what other phases lie ahead of us!

Superheroes

I wondered when and if the time would come, and now it has.  I officially have a superhero fanatic on my hands.  Noah saw "Spiderman" at grandma's and is now hooked.  It's all about Spiderman...wanting to watch the movie over and over again, acting out spiderman wherever he goes, finding spiderman-ish things everywhere (like at twirly park, all the ropes to climb on are now "spiderwebs").  He even got a blow-up spiderman doll at the fair, who slept with us last night in our bed LOL.  I use to be so worried about movies and characters, but it's actually pretty cool to see how he incorporates different aspects of the movie and character into all his play.  He is inspired by the superhero and uses scenarios from the movie as a jumping off point for more imaginative play. 

Also, one of Noah's favorite things to do these days is play dress up, so we are eagerly awating his spiderman costume to come in the mail.  He asks constantly when it will come.  If he approaches this like his Cat in the Hat costume, I have a feeling I won't have to worry about buying clothes for awhile!  He wore the Cat costume *everywhere* to the point where I forgot he was wearing it unless a stranger commented on it.  The other day, in burning hot weather, Noah wore his Tigger costume to the mall to buy new shoes.  I wish I had a picture of him skipping through the mall in his too-small Tigger costume, hiked up his crotch and bum bum and ready for a flood, with light-up green tennis shoes.  WOW. 

I love this independent, creative stage of his life.  It's really neat to just sit back and let his own "fashion sense" and personal identity evolve.  I don't ever want to be one of those moms who tells her child what to wear or how to wear their hair, etc.  I love to see him blossom and develop all on his own, according to his own tastes and preferences.  I think that's so important.  Hehe last week he wore his too-small, tight-in-the-crotch favorite monster shorts pajamas, flip-open monkey sunglasses, my old pastel flower purse, and his fake ugg boots to the library.  He was so confident and thought he looked so cool (he really did;) and couldn't give a hoot about what other people thought of him.  Oh yeah, and his red painted nails.  I hope he always thinks for himself and marches to the beat of his own drum. 

Thoughts on Cats... and Death

Today's scrumptious visit to Sprinkle's led to an unexpected converstation regarding death between Noah and Grandma.  Lately I've been in awe over how much Noah's mind seems to be expanding and his ability to communicate complex thoughts with such enthusiasm and articulation. 

The converstation went somewhat like this:

Noah:  (making a strange whining sound)

Grandma:  You sound like a cat.

N:  I am a cat.

Me:  What's your name?

N:  Lucy.  (My mom's cat is named Lucy)  But Prissy is gone forever.  She is dead.  (Prissy is my mom's cat who recently passed).  Otis misses her because she was his mommy.  And now he doesn't get to see her anymore.  Never again.  (Otis is Prissy's kitten).

G:  Oh yes.  I miss her too. 

N:  Where did she go?

G:  I'm not really sure.  She's somewhere in the universe.  I think that maybe one day when I die I will get to see her again.

Me:  That's what some people think, Noah.  Some people think that when you die you will get to see all the loved ones who also died.

N:  Maybe she went to a place where all cats who die go.  That would be so cool.  If they went to a place where they are normal again.  What did she look like when she died?

G:  She looked like she was sleeping.

N:  Why did she die?

G:  She was very old and tired.  She didn't want to eat or move anymore.  She was ready to let her body rest.

N:  I think they should have a store where the man keeps all the cats who died and he makes them normal again so we can go see them.  That would be really really cool. 

G & Me:  That would be cool, wouldn't it.



So that's the gist of it.  I felt like time stood still.  Noah has been asking a lot of questions about death lately, which makes me think I should buy a book about all the different things people think happen to you when you die so that he can form his own opinions.  I don't want to give him some standard answer...I want him to know there are many different viewpoints in the world. 

One night a few weeks ago, he put it together that I might die one day.  His voice cracked and he sounded like he was going to freak out and cry about it.  I had to be honest and tell him that everybody dies and that one day mommy was going to die too, that it's just what happens.  But that we are alive right now and can enjoy each other right now.  He understood and quickly got over it.  Then today, he said that it would be OK if I died because daddy would take good care of him.  I was kind of surprised and at the same time relieved that he felt like it would be OK and that he would be in good hands if something were to happen to me:)

this book sounds like a good one.  Especially since it covers all living things, not just people.  Because Noah is also very concerned about dying flowers.  Whenever I have some in a vase and they start to die, he is very concerned and almost upset that someone cut the flowers, since he knows that once you cut flowers, they begin dying. 

Anyway, this is just one of those deep conversations I just had to record.  I'm thinking of taking him to a cemetary as well because whenever we drive by one, it spurs a conversation about death and burying the body, and he seems very interested.  Maybe I will take him to my Grandma's grave.  Hmmm. 

First Baby Gift

Our first gift to the baby was chosen by Noah.  So sweet.  We were at Target, passing by the baby section, not even looking or shopping for baby stuff, and Noah randomly picked up a tiny onesie, asking what it was.  When I told him, he said, "Oh!  I think the baby will really like that.  We should get it for him." And he put in in the cart.  Luckily it is gender-neutral, as we won't find out the sex until next week.  Little things like that just melt my heart :)

New Pet

Noah has a new pet.  We went for a walk yesterday and he spotted a huge, hairy caterpillar on the sidewalk.  It looked like a feather to me.  He immediately had to pick the creature up, ever so gently, and let him crawl up and down his arm, around on his back, up on his neck, up and over his head!  It was amazing!  Of course it was now his pet.  He had to take him home.  Daddy would want to see it.  What will we name him?  "Charris" Noah replied.  His name is Charris.  "I want him to sleep with me in my bed.  I think he will like my bed, do you mommy?  And he'll want to jump on the trampoline with me."

So we took him home, looked on the internet to find out how to build a caterpillar habitat, and Noah played with him for two hours straight.  I remembered we had a butterfly habitat from my mom.  Perfect!  We made it nice and homey and caterpillar-friendly.  The only problem was getting Noah to part with Charris.  We had to remind him that Charris's job is to become a butterfly, and that he will need to stay in his home to do so.  He will need to be left alone so that he can build his cocoon.  So we went on You Tube and looked at tons of videos on how caterpillars build cocoons, and the whole process of metamorphosis.  He was so excited! 

So today we woke up and couldn't find Charris.  Oh, there he is!  He's already building his cocoon under one of the flowers we placed in his home :)

Birthday Boy

I can't believe my little baby is already four...I look at him and think, wow, he's a little boy now...there's nothing baby about him anymore.  It's bittersweet...each stage brings new fun adventures and experiences (and challenges of course) but each exciting milestone also reminds me of how far he's come from that little guy I first locked eyes with four years ago:)  It makes me happy and sad at the same time...we can never get that time back and I am reminded to live fully in each fleeting moment.

Just Saturday, I went shopping for new clothes for Noah, and I was in total denial about how big he's grown.  I would look at smaller sizes and think, that's his size.  But it wasn't!  And when I looked at the size he now wears, my eyes welled up with tears.  I asked my mom if she thought it was just pregnancy hormones and she said - no, that sometimes she looks at me or my brother and feels the same way - that was my little baby!

Speaking of pregnancy, I'm pregnant!  Since this blog is about Noah, I'll talk a little about how he feels about the pregnancy.  It's all super sweet and heartwarming.  I'm really glad we waited this long to have another one because I feel in my heart that he is fully open to sharing me now (at least as much as a four year old can tolerate!)  He talks about how my belly is growing and lifts up my shirt to gently rub my tummy (with his soft little hands, so sweet).  He tells people that he's going to have a baby.  He's convinced it's going to be a "brother baby" and I asked him how he would feel about having a sister.  He said the funniest thing the other night while we were having pillow talk.  He said, "No mommy.  It certainly isn't dignified."  I cracked up!  I have a feeling he will welcome a boy or girl, though.  Randomly while we are doing something together like playing on a slide or counting, he tells me he will teach the baby those things.  He talks about sharing nummies with the baby.  Even though he barely nurses since I became pregnant, he is sure that one side will be his and the other will be the baby's when the baby comes.  Tandem nursing might be in our future, who knows!

Noah requested not to have a party for his fourth birthday because he didn't want to share his cupcakes or cake with any other kids (speaking of sharing LOL).  He gave me very specific instructions regarding the decor and flavors of his cupcakes and cake.  "Vanilla cake with white frosting with M & M's, cars, Cat in the Hat, candles, and Hershey's kisses."  He said all he wanted for his birthday was to be able to eat cupcakes and cake all day...he asked, I delivered.  He did not have one bite of real food from the moment he woke up.  And I didn't make the healthy version either!  Surprisingly, he didn't have one meltdown the whole day.  Grandma got him a huge trampoline for his birthday (a godsend while I'm pregnant and have little energy to walk to the park twice a day, thanks Grandma!!!).  Keeping with tradition, we had a fun bonfire at the beach with Grandma, Grandpa, Uncle John and Cynthia.  I love our family!

Oh yeah, when he woke up the day of his birthday, I had to tell Noah that it was indeed his birthday.  He was so excited and said, "I'm four??  Right now?  Like Roman? It's my birthday!"  Now all he talks about is turning five.  He is so eager to grow up.  I remember feeling like that.  He wants to be a big boy.  Slow down little one!  I need you to stay little for at least a little while longer!!!!

xoxoxoxo precious boy...

First Train Ride, Trip to Zoomar's

Yesterday we went on a fun little adventure with a few friends from our homeschool group.  Noah rode a real train for the first time and it was so much fun watching his eyes sparkle with excitement.  Sharing firsts with children is definitely one of the best parts of parenting.  You get to experience something that by now, as an adult, you have taken for granted, all over again through your child's fresh, innocent eyes. 

The reason we decided on a trip to Zoomar's petting zoo is because Noah is really intrigued lately with animals, especially little ones he can hold and touch.  Boy did he get his fill yesterday!  It was really weird because the night before, he asked me to tell him a story and I happened to make one up about a little bunny who was so hungry, looking for food, when a little boy found him and took him home.  Little did I know, Noah would find a bunny house at Zoomar's and spend 45 minutes gently petting, holding, and feeding bunnies.  That was all he really wanted to do there.  That, and ride on a cool oldschool teeter totter with a bunch of sweet kids.  I think I'm clairvoyant or something, in regards to the bunny story, because I had no idea they would have bunnies at Zoomar's!

I was secretly really proud of how gentle Noah is with little animals.  Some of the other kids were really rough with the bunnies and treated them like objects.  Noah was really gentle the whole time and very concerned about the bunnies' well-being.  Not that I'm taking credit for his actions or anything, but I do feel like we try to instill and model a certain level of respect for all living creatures.  So it was heartwarming to see that yesterday. 

I love our little family adventures! 

Christmas in Mammoth

We just spent nine days in Mammoth, enjoying a white Christmas and many fun activities!  We bought Noah a cool new sled and had lots of fun in the meadow pulling him around and we all, including Noah, attempted snowboarding on the sled.  We spent way too much money at Sledz, where Noah and Simon shot down the mountain on an inner tube together.  They both had a blast:)  Mammoth got about a foot of snow while we were there, so Simon enjoyed some fresh powder on his snowboard.  I stayed behind this trip as funds were low.  I did, however, try cross country skiing, which was a ton of fun and a really good workout. 

We also rented a little snowboard (so cute!) and took Noah up to the mountain, found a small hill, and let him go at it.  He rocked on the snowboard!  He was totally fearless and really wanted to feel it out on his own.  We're going to get him a lesson next time we're up there to teach him some basics.  It was a lot of fun watching him tear it up on his little snowboard.  We also did the usual gondola ride and ice cream at the village.  Simon and I also had some alone time, enjoying crisp winter walks together and indulging in Irish faire at the Auld Dubliner, our favorite restaurant in Mammoth.  We were lucky to have Uncle John's girlfriend Cynthia come up on Christmas Day.  Noah loves her and loved bugging her and Uncle with endless requests to play with him (which they thankfully welcomed and accommodated:)

All in all a pretty fun trip as usual!  We're so lucky to be able to spend time in Mammoth with our family.