Small Rowdy Buddhist Masters: If At First You Don't Succeed...

Rowan has definitely gone through a shift recently. Perhaps it was the camping trip, perhaps it is settling into summer, I am not sure. But another layer seems to have been peeled away. Here are some things I've noticed:

He suddenly has been very aware of the presence of the "big kids" in the yard, and going out of his way to try to be included. He has been following them around, chasing them and copying their play. On that same note, we were at Aidan's soccer practice and Rowan really had to pee. He insisted on peeing on a tree. With no porta potties in sight, I brought him near this tree where the kids like to climb, out of sight. He started to go (splashing my shoe...thanks, little guy) and we heard kids coming. I told him to hurry up so the kids didn't see. They showed up as he was finishing. He looked at them, and in a very apologetic tone said, "Sorry, guys, I just had to pee on a tree. Sorry." It was so cute.

His own play is so imaginative. Today he and I were at the park and we drove a car to the digger dirt place, then had to go across the bridge to get to the dirt, then we had to pretend we were diggers and move the dirt into the dump truck. Then we found a puddle and pretended we saw all kinds of frogs in it and were discussing what they looked like. It was all led by him and his little imagination.

His language is awesome! So much expression, intonation, describing words and NONSTOP chatter. And cute chatter. He is so dramatic about everything. Everything is *gasp* "Look at that orange garbage truck." or *gasp* "It's a butterfly!" This funny little gasp precedes everything he says.

But the cherry on top of this big sundae was the experience I had outside with him drawing with chalk. His fine motor skills have always been a bit behind, plus his patience to work on it is nil. Not to mention, since he's been a baby he's always had a very low frustration level. I distinctly remember as a six month old, a toy wasn't working the way he wanted and he would scream and throw it. Up until recently, this is pretty much the way it would go if something frustrated him...screaming or tears.

So, back to the chalk. I drew a circle and he filled it in with eyes, nose and a mouth. Then I showed him how to put on a body, arms, and legs. I drew another circle and he drew the body. I then encouraged him to draw a circle. "I can't do it," he said. "Try!" I encouraged. He drew one. Then he drew another. Then another. "Bah!" he said in frustration, and drew another. I realized he was drawing them, but didn't like the way they looked, but he kept trying! "Bah!" he growled again after another. Then he drew one more, apparently satisfied, drew in the face and body. This was a BIG DEAL for this mom to see her little boy have patience and persevere through the frustration! I hope this a start of a new trend.