Random stories

I haven't been keeping up with my postings lately so I have a backlog of random stories that I find entertaining....

Geoff recently hung Liam's swing from the tree in our yard and he LOVES it! I mean seriously has an obsession with swinging. He loves to "swing high!" Apparently only Daddy can swing him high enough. Whenever I take him out to swing he always says, "Get Daddy, swing high!"

Liam has been fighting getting dressed lately so I started a silly ritual of pretending not to know which body part to put his clothes on...pants on his head, shirts on his elbow, etc. He thinks it's hilarious and explains to me where things go, always ending with, "silly Mommy!"

In Liam's class at school, he's now one of the oldest children in the room and has begun to take on a leadership role. Last week, Liam located a can of Pringles that his teachers had set aside for their personal snack. While the teachers were busy changing diapers and preparing children for the next activity, Liam grabbed the can from the counter. He then proceeded to pass out a chip to every kid in the room!

It's funny when I realize there are certain things I haven't thought to introduce Liam to or teach him. Just recently I realized he didn't know how to give kisses! Whenever anyone asks for a kiss he sticks his cheek out and waits to receive. I've been trying to teach him how to give a kiss. At first he would go in for a big open mouth smooch. Now he purses his lips together, places them on your cheek and then makes a little smacking sound when he pulls away.

Just tonight, I was watching Liam play in his sandbox when he said, "Mommy sandbox." I told him that I couldn't fit in the sandbox. He thought about it for a minute, then got up, removed all the toys from the box and stepped out himself. He then took my hand and said, "here [you] go Mommy." So sweet! When I got in the sandbox he proceeded to hand me all his toys back saying "here go" each time.

Temperment

It's so facinating to watch Liam's personality develop, especially when I see other children around his age. Tonight, we went to a church fish fry and happened to meet up with another family with a son about Liam's age. After the boys ate, they both got down to explore. Liam ran right up to a group of other children (a girl about 10 and a boy about 3). The kids were all sitting on the steps to a short stage. Liam positioned himself on the steps right next to them and closely observed their interactions. He chased the 3 year old around the stage and gave the 10 year old girl a big hug, sitting himself on her lap. He then proceeded to make a circuit which entailed climbing the stairs and then hopping off the edge of the 1.5ft stage. At first he tried to step off of it (yikes!) but after a fall, he decided to scoot off on his rear. The 10 year old then invited another girl over and Liam positioned himself between the two of them, listening to their conversation and checking out their food. He also made sure to point out Momma and Dadda to them.

All this behavior I saw in contrast to the other almost-2 year old boy. He slowly approached the stage, careful to stick close to his mom. He eventually made it up on the stage but kept close to the wall, watching everyone carefully. He didn't stay up there long until he went to find his mom again.

All this just reinforced previous observations (my own as well as others, even complete strangers!) of Liam's outgoing, fearless, friendly, opinionated, curious, fun-loving personality.