Little Things

Samantha is currently fascinated with good guys, bad guys, and policemen.  The other day, we saw a policeman and Sam said:

MOMMY, IS THAT A POLICEMAN?
Yes.
AND POLICEMEN LOCK UP BAD GUYS AND NEVER LET THEM OUT?
Well, yes, sometimes they lock up bad guys to keep the good people safe.
AND THEY LOCK THEM IN A ROOM.
They lock them in jail, or prison.
NO, MOMMY, NOT JAIL. THEY LOCK THEM IN NEW JERSEY.

We’ve made no real effort to teach Samantha to share or to be giving.  She has discovered the joy of sharing and giving on her own, probably just by watching us.  Quite often, when she is enjoying a particular food, she’ll offer a bite to me or to her dad.  In fact, sometimes she excitedly insists that we try the tasty morsel! But sometimes if we ask for a bite she says no, and we respect that too.

It works that way on the playground, too.  Sometimes she enjoys sharing her toys and using others’ toys, but sometimes she just wants to play with her own stuff and not share it at all.  We’ve taught her how to use her “firm voice” to say no when other children grab or pester her.  (She’s not very good at distinguishing her “firm voice” from her whines or her screams, but she is working on it!)

When we go grocery shopping, I allow Sam to pick out one item, at four dollars or less.  She can pick anything she wants.  She’s picked candy a few times, but she has also picked scented pinecones, a little cactus in a vase, and Gatorade.  Last time we went shopping, she picked out a treat for Toby – Beggin’ Strips.  I thought that was just so sweet!  And when we got home I got a wonderful reminder of the benevolence of rational selfishness when I saw the look on her face as she gave him one of those treats.   I think she got more pleasure from it than from any of her other picks.  Except for maybe the M&Ms.

Sam was reaching up, stretching her arms to the sky.  I didn’t know her purpose so I asked:

“What are you doing, Sam?”

She said:

I WAS JUST TOUCHING THE WEATHER.

Sam and I were at the grocery store and I picked up a jar of olives.  She asked:

WHAT ARE THOSE, MOMMY?
They’re olives.
WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO MAKE WITH THEM, MOMMY?
Chicken with olives and cheese and lemon.
THAT’S NOT RIGHT, MOMMY.  OLIVES ARE FOR DRINKS.

Since my parents live in their motorhome, when they come to visit they often bring laundry–a cute reversal of the usual parent/child relationship.  My mom brought a couple of loads the other day, and not only did she do all of my laundry along with her own, but she folded my underwear!  Before I was a mom, I would have thought this behavior crazy, but now I get it.  I hope that I will have occasional opportunities to take care of Sammy when she is all grown up, too.

We had another napping milestone this week.  I had slept terribly the night before, and by 10am I could barely keep my eyes open.  I set Sammy up on my computer to play Starfall and collapsed on the couch.  But the bed called.  I told Sammy I was going upstairs to lie down and that she could come up and wake me if she needed anything.  I have never napped before with Sammy awake in another room; when it has been necessary for me to nap while she is awake, I’ve set her up to watch TV on the bed with me.  This time, I didn’t really think about it – I was just that tired.

I fell into a light doze immediately, but I kept my mommy senses about me.  In my sleep, I kept track of the sounds of Starfall, knowing that if they stopped, I might have to check on Sam.  But when the sounds did stop, I heard something else: the sounds of Sam doing something in the kitchen.  As long as I heard noises like that, I figured she was fine.

When I came down about 45 minutes later, Sam told me that she had gotten herself a bowl of cereal with milk, all by herself.  She was so proud!  She has never done the whole process by herself before, but obviously, she is capable.

Why is this such a big deal?  It is yet another step towards the day when Adam and I can sleep in while Sammy gets up and takes care of herself.  Sometimes I think we’re crazy to be trying to have another child, just when we’re reaching that point!

On Sunday, Samantha did the most amazing thing.  I was in bed in a Benadryl-induced coma when Sam and her dad came home from the playground, around noon.  I vaguely recall Sam crawling into bed with me, and then hearing her leave a few moments later.  I heard her bathroom door shut, then I fell back asleep.  When I woke up, I went downstairs and asked Adam where she was.  He said he thought she was with me.  I realized that she had just put herself down for a nap, completely of her own free will, without anyone to tuck her in or read her a story.

And she remembered to use the potty first!

I seem to have infected Sam with my own love for taking off in an airplane, but she does still hate loud noise:

My 3-year-old is a well-seasoned traveler.  On the airplane returning from Florida, as we were taxiing back to the gate, Sam looked up at the ceiling of the airplane.  I wondered what she was looking at until she said, DING!  Then she looked at me with a sly smile and said, THE SEATBELT LIGHT JUST WENT OFF…JUST PRETENDING!

Me:  Sammy, where do you want your tattoo?
Sammy:  ON MY HAND.
Me [teasing]:  On your arm?
Sammy:  NO.
Me:  On your leg?
Sammy: NO.
Me:  On your belly?
Sammy:  NO.
Me:  On your butt?
Sammy [in an exasperated tone, as if I were a dimwit]:  NO, MOMMY, BECAUSE I COULDN’T SEE IT THERE.

I love that she’s concerned with what she can see, and not what others can!

This was supposed to be a picture of Sam playing in the car, but I think her parents’ reflection in the window is what makes it a great shot:

No words necessary:

Sam and I were sharing a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup.  As I was unwrapping it Sam said, MOMMY, MAY I FINISH IT?  I said, “I’ll tell you what.  I’ll take all of my bites and when I’m done I’ll give it to you and you can finish it.  OK?”  She agreed.  But just as I was about to peel away the little muffin tin liner thingy, she said, MOMMY, MAY I HAVE IT?  So I reminded her that I was going to take my bites first.  She said, NO. MOMMY, MAY I UNWRAP IT FOR YOU AND HAND IT BACK TO YOU?

Since I trust her on issues like this, I handed it over.  As she was unwrapping it, she “accidentally” rubbed her fingers in the chocolate and licked them off.  Then she handed it back to me, and licked the wrapper.

I love that crafty thinking!

My little problem solver strikes again.

In the airport on the way to Florida, we stopped at Five Guys for lunch.  Sammy got very upset when Adam cut her hamburger in half.  She began to whine:  I WANT A BIG HAMBURGER LIKE MOMMY.  I DON’T WANT IT CUT UP.  I WANT IT WHOLE.  We pretty much ignored her since she was whining, but eventually she turned to me directly and said in a sad but much nicer voice: MOMMY?  I WANTED A BIG HAMBURGER.

I said, “Your daddy didn’t realize that you wanted it whole.  I wish I could put it back together for you but I can’t.  But here’s the best I can do.”  And I kind of squished the two halves together and made a funny face like it was a silly thing to try. 

Sam giggled, but then got a serious look on her face.  She picked up the two halves, carefully held them squished together, and took a bite.  She was so proud, and so was I!

I started setting up our “summer school” yesterday and when Sammy saw all of the Montessori materials she beamed and said, THANK YOU MOMMY, FOR GETTING ME SUMMER SCHOOL!