Tyler absolutely loves Mr. Potato Head. He is aware of body parts and laughs when I protest, in role as Mr. PH, at the snatching & chewing of my nose. I buy him a set with one oversized Mr PH which contains a Ms, two smaller, dog, and cat. Body parts are strewn on the bedroom floor. The ears are gathered up one at a time, and then all the eyes...
I put a face together with the sticking-out tongue, and he mirrors the expression, blowing raspberries.
It's a slippery slope, to buy toys that you know will help your child learn, and make him laugh. A teacher friend and I had a play date with our kids at a toy & book sale, and we supported each other's book purchases. She has the provincial curriculum standards from kindergarten to grade 12 on the top shelf of a bookcase in her 6 month old's room. I had been planning on buying only storybooks or picture books with artistic value but seeing him flip pages and name objects I've started buying picture/word books. I still resolve not to do flash cards with him...
I've chosen my 'last day of work' before the next period off. It will be the Friday before March Break, enough time ahead of the due date for nesting, daily walks, Tyler time, eating healthy, and family & friend time before things change again.
I'm recognizing that Tyler is an adaptable, accommodating individual. I'd noticed it from te beginning, when he rarely cried and could be easily soothed. A few months ago he walked slowly behind his great-grandmother while she used a walker, smiling up at her. I see too how he adapts his expectations for different people, and accepts limitations. I get up more slowly now, and he waits, holding my hand, before proceeding to lead me somewhere. He doesn't protest as I've held him for less and less periods of time. When daddy is playing with him and I'm lying down, drifting off to sleep, he checks in periodically, leaning down to make eye contact and touch foreheads. He pats my leg as he walks by, just as I might rub his back as he backs into me to sit on my lap, letting me know he's there.
When I weaned him (while pregnant), I thought, if I only have one child, he's enough, all the sweetness of him.
We love the word books. Kind of like flash cards but baby-led really, and so much fun.
ReplyDeleteI feel like the end bit of this I could have written myself about Sebastian. I'm not pregnant again with another but the SWEETNESS of this boy is palpable. And it always blows my mind, how he is just *naturally* so sweet with no prompting. Some things he picks up from us of course, but others are mannerisms all his own.
Totally going to get Bas a Mr. PT - He'd love that!