Here's to the Growing Grey Bear

Sometimes it seems as if Grey has stopped growing simply because Tucker is growing so fast and developing so quickly physically. When in reality, Grey is still growing and learning just as much, just in a different way. He is “grabbing life by the horns” while his mind ever expanding.

After we get both boys to bed, Matthew and I sometimes get the opportunity to sit and talk. I often find myself recounting the events of the day whether it be when Grey decided to dump his yogurt on the table and finger paint with it (note: I am not ok with this. He is beginning to suffer consequences for purposeful messiness) or recalling the fun and interesting conversations I have with him. It has been brought to my attention in the practice of recalling our days that Grey is indeed, growing.

I just want to bottle some moments up to keep forever. I don’t document the way he growing enough. So here’s to the Growing Grey Bear!

His language comprehension and execution is unreal to me. Sometimes it’s like I’m conversing with a five year old. He is very intuitive, asking questions all the time. Sort of like these, “Mommy, do you like _____?” or “hmmm, what’s that smell?” or “Daddy, do you have to go to work now?” or “hmm, what’s that word? I don’t know that word.” I love watching his little mind work and process and hearing what he is processing. When we go outside he will say “It’s so nice out here.” Or “Mommy, let’s go sit down and talk about things.” Hey legitimately says "O-Tay."

Speaking of Grey speaking, he is having a little trouble pronouncing the combination of “s” with any other consonant directly after it. Instead, he chooses to use the “f” sound. This results in some extremely funny words such as “finkle” for “sprinkle”, “foon” for “spoon”, “ficey” for “spicey.” Our all time favorite is when you ask him what his favorite candy is, he replies very enthusiastically “FARTIES!” In other words “Smarties!”

Regardless of normal two year old tantrums and executing his own will, we have one very sweet natured child. He is extremely loving. He enjoys cuddling (when he’s not in GO mode). He willingly will apologize, frequently comes to tell me he loves me for no reason, nuzzles up to us on his terms, hugs and kisses with the best of them. He is very sympathetic to others feelings. When we read books to him and someone cries in the book, he cries too, like REALLY cries. It always makes us laugh.

He loves his brother. Thank goodness! He regularly comes to me and lets me know that when Tucker is big like him, he will teach Tucker how to hop like a frog, sleep in a big boy bed, eat a cheese stick, pray to God, color with markers, drink from a cup, sing songs, wear frog boots, tee tee in the potty, play with trains, dig with a shovel, etc. He apparently is going to teach Tucker all things Grey. Matthew was telling me of an incident last Wednesday night while I was at Bible study. He had to leave the room for a minute and Tucker was crying. When he came back in, Grey was standing beside Tucker singing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star to calm him down. He is already taking care of the little tuck!

Grey is a drama king to the max. He often times is falling and consistently has a line of bruises down his shins. Now, I do know it hurts to fall (I am just as clumsy as a two year old) but the show he puts on is entertaining to say the least. Just the other day he pinched his thumb somehow and when I placed a Band-Aid on his finger, he proceeded to LIMP away saying “mommy, I need to lay on the couch.”

He wants the real deal. He wants to do everything just like daddy. He goes into the garage, puts on Matthew’s yard shoes, grabs a shovel and starts digging in the yard. Matthew took him to Lowe’s to buy his own toolbox, a real toolbox. Every time they go to Lowe’s together, he will get one real tool to put in his toolbox. Plastic tools don’t cut it with him anymore.

He is carefree and full of life and energy. He loves to sing. He loves to listen to music. He loves to dance. He loves to be a part of everything. He loves to be silly. He loves to jump and run. He loves to play outside. He loves his friends. He loves to play hide and seek. He loves his grandparents. He loves to read. He loves his blankets. He loves to help in the kitchen.

He is beginning to use his imagination more and more. This makes his toys fairly obsolete. If he’s using his imagination, I don’t mind.

He is extremely attentive and never misses a beat. It’s scary really. He remembers everything. I am constantly trying to have to figure out the connection he is making. I am beginning to work on scripture memory with him. He can memorize the books we read at bedtime, so it’s certainly time for him to memorize scripture. I want it in his mind and in his heart as early as it can get there. If he doesn’t know the truth, he will never be able to make the right decisions.

I think the fact that he comprehends so much and can communicate so well drives us to give him more responsibility. Yes, he is only 2, but the things he is capable of are really great! He clears the table all by himself after he eats and has to wipe up his messes. He puts his own clothes in the laundry basket. He dusts. He carries the mail in to the table. These are just a few small things here and there, but I believe it is giving him confidence to do bigger things in the future.

We are enjoying every minute (well, most minutes) with Grey and are so thankful for him!