He Talks Because I Talk To Him, Grows Because I Feed Him

Everyone always says how amazing the first year of a childs life is.  It is truly a marvel how they grow from a completely helpless little being to a little mini person.  But I have to say, I am even more fascinated by what comes next - the things we get to see our children do after we finish that first year of mommy boot camp.

I watch Lucas think every day.  I watch him get frustrated because he can't get the words out of his mouth quick enough.  I love to see how he learns, how he figures out how things work.  He watches everything I do, listens to everything I say, and he understands it.  I can reason with him now.  I can have a conversation with him.  He can tell me a story.  He can pretend.  He can joke.  He can understand when his baby brother is sad and give him a pat on the head or a kiss on the cheek to make him feel better.  He can use my cell phone, not just to make calls, but to watch home movies, play games, even control the computer.  And I didn't teach him to do those things.  He just watched, and repeated.  And he's just turned two. 

He is learning about making friends, he is learning how plants grow, where food comes from, and all about animals.  He is learning to count.  He is learning what it means to love.  He loves to dance, and he likes when we sing.  He jumps all day long.  Jumps down the hall, over curbs, off the couch, in the yard, out of the car.  He is busy, very busy all day long.  He never stops, except to give me a hug or a kiss or to ask me for something he wants.  He loves to play with his brother.  One of my favorite things to see is my two boys playing together.  Nathan watches Lucas in awe, always laughing and smiling at his antics.  

The older he gets, the more I realize how much every little thing that I do really impacts his development, his learning, and his life.  I realize, he talks because I talked to him.  All those months I babbled on about everything we were doing, seeing, thinking... when he was sitting there silently...  those moments mattered.  And every time I stayed calm when I got frustrated, I set a good example.  Every time I responded to his needs when he fussed or cried, that taught him that I am there for him.  Every single time I told him "I love you', he heard it, and now he tells me he loves me back.  He loves his daddy and his brother, and his Ruffy and his Gizmo.   He even loves his juice, as he told me today.  Watching this little boy become such a sweet and strong little person makes me so proud.  I helped make him.  Ryan and I made him.  How cool is that?