Watching and wishing...We walked through a park the other day on our way to the zoo, and Nathan was taken with the paddle boats (available for rent) on the park's lake. I made a comment about how much Nathan would like to ride on one of those little boats. Nick wasn't sure they allowed children as young as Nath to ride. We didn't really look into it. But in this picture, Nathan is watching and wishing...wishing he were big enough...wishing he were old enough. But there is one other person watching and wishing...she just didn't make it into the picture.
I am watching and wishing. I am watching Nathan and wishing he could stay just the way he is. I'm wishing he would stay small...stay young. I'm wishing that his toddler humor, mannerisms, and charm would last a lifetime. Of course, I don't 'really' want Nathan to stay small and young, but I wish I could somehow savor this time a little longer...or wish I could keep it in a box to reopen and enjoy whenever I wanted. Some of the moments I would 'box up' and revisit:
-Nathan calling me by my first name. =)
-Nathan asking me what color something is. "What color truck, Rachel?" "I see a black truck," I reply. "Soooooo smart, Rachel!" Nathan says, imitating what I would say to him were the conversation reversed.
-Nathan requesting that Nick or I play cars with him. Really, it is less a question and more a command. "Alright. Play cars!"
-Nathan's excitement over even the blandest of outings. (Well, we're completely out of toilet paper...guess we'll be making a trip to Target. Nathan's response: "Yay! We go! Nay-Nay ride bus....Nay-Nay ride train....Where Boo? Carry you, Boo? Ready....GO!")
-Nathan trying to tell me a joke. "Rachel, truck eat pancakes?" I look at him totally baffled. "NO!" he says through hilarious laughter, "truck not eat pancakes!"
-Nathan squeezing into the La-Z-Boy with me...sitting side by side and reading books together.
-Nathan insisting on using one of Queen's spoons (I think he likes their soft rubber coating).
-Nathan's dramatic spirit. (okay, this is more charming when not applied directly to a temper tantrum.)
This list is by no means conclusive, just a handful of the things I love about Nathan at this age. But, before I sign off I will share a story from a day or two ago:
I had both the kids strapped into the double stroller. Queen couldn't have been happier (she loves taking walks) and Nathan was pretty content, too. Nathan was munching on an apple and jabbering. All the sudden Nathan starts choking. This is pretty rare, really...he usually doesn't have much trouble with this. But, the chunk of stuck apple was really stuck, and so I got Nathan out of the stroller and patted his back and encouraged him to keep coughing (he was panicking, but not dying!). After a little while we had success! Nathan took the remainder of his apple back from my possession, climbed into his stroller seat, looked at me and said, "Sooo much better!"
His comment and expression earned him a large kiss. So, I'm watching and wishing...
3 comments:
That is a wonderful picture of Nathan. It says so much all by itself.
While that's true, Mr. Jones, I would much rather read Rachel's commentary along WITH the picture! I agree about wishing perhaps time could stand still for just a little bit while the grandchildren are small and so full of wonder at the world around them ...
Love that picture and love reading your writing again Rachel. I am at a similar point as you, I am wishing I could just freeze my kids at their current ages since I am loving it right now. But no, they will grow up and all I can do is grow with them and love that stage too.
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