Who can forget yesterday's playgroup? Austin was in rare form. When Sophie, Kylie, and their moms came over yesterday Austin got a little shy, for about 2 seconds. Then he started goofing off and was all over the place, laughing hysterically. He showed Kylie & Sophie how much fun it was hiding in the blinds, playing in the closet with the vacuum, and playing swords in his room. He had an infectious laugh and a penchant for getting reactions out of the girls. Of course, one hour after going to bed he was up crying out "Mom!" I brought him to bed with me and he passed out right away. In the middle of the night, I awoke to him laughing in his sleep. So cute.
He likes to hear baby stories. These are stories I tell him about when he was a baby. He really likes to hear about how when he was a baby he didn't eat food, just drank milk. And when I ask him where the milk came from he says "Mama's boob!" really loudly. Although I have told him where the milk came from, I certainly never told him to shout it. Very funny. Also, I tell him that when he was a baby he didn't brush him teeth, because he didn't have any teeth. Only gums. He got a little confused the other day and when I said he didn't have any teeth, he said "Only lips" (which he pronounces 'ips').
The morning of my birthday a few weeks ago, we started a few new things. I started letting him play on the computer, on an open spreadsheet. It helps him with his letters and numbers and engages him for a long time. That day while working on his spreadsheet he went and got his
calculator for maximum calculating ability. I swelled with pride. Just like mom, he loves to calculate. We also started dancing that morning. Until now, we couldn't really listen to music in the family room, because he would mess with the stereo and/or CD player, making it impossible to listen to music. Now we listen to music & dance all the time now. He's got the moves! I'm not sure who told him to scrunch up his face while dancing, but that's his trademark dance look. On my birthday, we calculated and danced at the same time. What a perfect birthday. I finally got the inspiration to began to rebuild my Itunes library. I got all emotional because while listening to music I also started looking at the pictures on my phone and I realized how many cool things have happened to me in the past couple years. Not just with Austin & Brian, but with my friends too.Usually at preschool he is very clingy, just as he often is anywhere but at home with just us. But last Friday he took baby steps toward being more independent. He goofed off with some other kids, being silly like he likes to be. Then he was upset because I wasn't right by his side watching him play, but I had a job to do. I was art sorter. His teacher was able to coax him over to the art table and he became interested in dumping glitter on glue. At first he wanted to wash his hands every time he got paint on his hands, but after a while realized that it was OK to have dirty hands. So, two small victories there. I will probably frame that particular painting. Then, when it was time to go outside & play, he took off without me and didn't even care that I wasn't right behind him. His desire to play trumped his separation anxiety. Baby steps! As I prepare to enroll him in a drop off class for fall, I feel optimistic that it may be OK. If he can be brave, so can I.
