Climbing

There's not much new to share, but for the sake of documenting Daniel's first year home I'm going to ramble on. :)

I try to hold just one of Daniel's hands for him to walk, but he won't have it. He motions for my other hand and that is how we walk. It's amazing how I want to rush things. Parenting Daniel is giving me a new perspective. I have to forget my timeline. I want him to learn to walk by his second birthday, but that's really forgetting the bigger picture: learning that I'm his mother. If he wants my hands to walk for another six months, what is that in the grand scheme of things. Nothing. He is, however, climbing steps now! I love watching him figure out new tasks. The first time I took him up steps he cried. By the third time he moved slowly but deliberately. Today he crawled up them like he'd seen them his whole life. He also loves a slide.

He's smiling more and more. He's happy for most of the day, but if he does get upset, there is no consoling him. He screams and flails and we just have to wade it out holding him. Yesterday I put him down for a nap. He was happy holding his little ducky when I laid him down (it's almost impossible for me to rock him to sleep anymore). Abby (our 4 pound dog) snuck in without me seeing her. I'm not sure what happened but evidently she scared him. He screamed! I held him for another 30 minutes with him just screaming. Finally, he smiled and I held him a little longer. Then I put him down again for a nap (laid him down awake) and he played happily for about 10 minutes until he fell asleep. These meltdowns have happened at least once daily. I'm not sure but I think this too is part of grieving. It's not all day. Today he didn't weep at all. He was very smiley. 

I thought, "all this could help Joshua learn compassion." The other day while sitting down for breakfast Daniel started crying while I fixed his food. Joshua said "HEY. HEY. AN-IEL. TOP IT. TOP." Really? Because that's what we've said to him for the past two years when he would whine for food! Haha...we talked to him about how he should handle those situations. I'm sure now he understands. 

I think I can say Daniel officially likes being outside. He still won't touch grass. He walks holding my hands, climbs up the slide, or crawls on his blanket. Today I looked over at him and he had his knee on the grass (but I don't think he realized it.)

Tomorrow my parents are coming to get Joshua for a visit. He's spending the night with them so I can take Daniel to the doctor Monday. He is so sweet talking about his grandparents (all four of them). Tonight I asked him, "Who is coming to see you tomorrow and take you back to their house?" Joshua replied, "Gu-gu and Oppa" "Gu-gu and Oppa will hug me and day will -ock me." 

Can you tell what he's liked lately. A little more hugging and rocking. But just a little. He wanted me to rock him tonight. So I did, three times back and forth and he was done. 

And speaking of climbing, Joshua will climb anything! He also loves to kick a ball. He started this in China with the World Cup playing in every lobby and on every corner. We kicked the ball for the longest time today. Daniel laughed from the swing. That makes me ready for Upward Soccer. I think our church starts Upward Soccer at three so maybe Fall 2015? He's such a little boy all of the sudden.