The little boy is now 15 months old. He's
learned to crawl and walk, and with each physical achievement, there
are parallel advances in his mental prowess.
Were my children as clever, perceptive,
bold, or curious as this little one is? Why do I not recall the moments
of their childhood accomplishments?
First he crawled and then he walked. Each milestone predictable. But I am awed as I have watched Brandon's face when he realizes what he's accomplished. His eyes grow big and his little mouth forms a tight O. And then he seems to think
and he does it again. And again. Over a period of time he perfected
crawling forward and suddenly crawled backward, giggling at the
experience. After weeks of struggling to walk forward, he discovered he
could walk backward, not yet knowing that he must look over his
shoulder to see where he was going. Once again, big eyes and tight O as
he bumped into the wall. Now he's learning to march, but it's really
more of a foot stomp, for he raises only his left knee.
Until this past week our northern winter
has kept us isolated indoors. Recently on a sunny day we went outdoors
for a walk. Almost running as toddlers do, he refused my hand. I
wanted to go this way; he wanted to go that. And so we
did. Brandon spied his shadow and squatted to touch it, a puzzled
expression on his face when he couldn't pick it up. He found a sloping
driveway and insisted on walking up it. Half way, he turned around and,
with his little feet struggling to keep him upright, Brandon discovered
the sensation of coming down a hill. Repeatedly, he went up the
pavement, turned round, and came down, chortling each time. But for my
eventual boredom, we could still be there.
There was a breeze that day and we faced
into it. Suddenly Brandon threw back his head, mouth agape. Pausing a
moment, he laughed as he felt the cool breeze rush into his warm little
mouth. We walked a few steps that way, his head tilted back while he
sampled the air.
Dawn, his mom, and I had read that the use
of sign language helps a child communicate before he's able to do so
verbally. Therefore, when he was about six months old and began eating
baby food, we began simultaneously signing and saying "drink," "eat" and
"more." Now he signs if he's thirsty or hungry. If we think he's
eaten enough but he disagrees, he signs "more." He's even begun signing
and speaking simultaneously as we do.
I'm beginning to feel as though we adults
are now walking in place and Brandon's running ahead. A few weeks ago,
he was sitting in the child's seat of the shopping cart as Dawn pushed
it down the aisle. When she looked away from the merchandise and down
at Brandon, he was rapping his fists together. Dawn thought this was
odd behavior until she realized they were passing the shoe department.
Brandon was signing "shoe."
Brandon signs and says Mommy and Daddy,
and he identifies Matt's parents, Pappap and Nana, saying their names
and signing (simplified by us to double "p" and double "n") at the same
time.
We've taught him to sign and say
"Kitty." However, I think he associates this with the two cats that
share this condo with me. It's likely that when Dawn tells Brandon
they're going to Grandma Kitty's, Brandon believes he's coming to see
the cats. He's gleeful when he spies them and he'll point, flick his
cheek with the sign for cat and say "key" (his spoken t's are silent!).
I look forward to the time when he understands there are THREE kitties
here. Oh well, at least he smiles when he sees me.
I logged in my children's baby books the
first day each sat up, rolled over, stood and walked. But I don't
recall an emotional reaction, merely the mechanical notation. I find
such joy in watching this little one grasp concepts and explore new
challenges. I am amazed and amused whenever we're together. Thank
heaven for a second chance.
No comments:
Post a Comment