What I Love About My Children, part 1: Nicholas

I love the way, when I threaten to “get” him, Nicholas decides I’m not getting around to it fast enough and runs toward me to speed things up.

I love the way he talks. “Tyoo, Mommy,” he says, patting his belly, and even now it takes me fifteen seconds of constant repetition before I figure out he’s asking me to chew on him. Chew, baby? I’m yours!

I love how he counts to three, and knows what it means, even though he can’t say the words properly. And how he tries to count backwards with me when I’m warning Julianna to comply with an instruction. (Oddly, he doesn’t do this when I’m counting him down. Hmmmmm…)

I love how he will try to say anything…unless we’re trying to get him to show off. And then he tips his head back and gives a wheezing laugh you hear no other time, and flings his body into whatever part of my body is most convenient for playing shy.

I love how complex his sentence thoughts are…four- and five- word sentence frames, most of his words lacking both center and ending consonants, and yet communicating very sophisticated thoughts.

I love his favorite phrase: “What doing, Mommy? What doing, Da-ee?” (Although being asked every five seconds for an hour does get wearisome!)*

I love the gleam in his eye when he knows he’s showing off.

I love that we’re making progress toward toilet training. (I know, no warm-fuzzies there, but it’s honest!)

I love how eager he is to help at this stage. He’s not very good at it, but it warms my heart to see his desire to be a big boy and do grown up things like set the table, make dinner, change the laundry. (How long can it last? Sigh…)

I love how much love he has for his siblings, his parents, grandparents, and even playmates. (Bigger playmates.)

I love it when he pats the baby.

I love hearing, “I yuh you…Mommy.”

I love you too, munchkin.

*(Note: I’m fully aware how heavily this post leans on speech. Bear in mind that I have a nonverbal four-year-old. I’ve been waiting a long time to hear speech attempts in this house again, and it’s just magical.)