Good Deeds

This weekend I went to a former student's graduation party, and in talking to the mother of one former male student, I really got to thinking about Zach (and Drew, but mostly Zach) growing up. There are things about Zach that I can't wait to change as he gets older. For example, his occasional need for me to help him wipe after he poops, needing me to tie his shoes, whining when it's time to stop playing to wash hands and eat dinner, etc. However, there are so many things about him that I wish would never, ever change, like his sunny disposition. We get so many comments on how Zach seems like such a happy kid, and he is. I love how outgoing he is, too. I am much more outgoing now than I was for the first 25 years of my life, so I hope Zach stays as outgoing as he is now.

Zach is often thoughtful and helpful. Today Drew didn't take a morning nap, so when we got back from our weekly Monday grocery store trip, I quickly put the cold items away and took Drew upstairs a little earlier than normal for his afternoon nap. I told Zach he still had some play time and that I'd be back downstairs in a little bit. While Drew and I were reading books and getting ready for his nap, I could hear Zach down in the living room playing his drum and then doing some other sort of banging around. I got Drew down and came downstairs, and Zach was in the kitchen with the pantry wide open and the grocery bags on the floor. He said, "Mom, I thought I would help by putting the rest of the groceries away so you wouldn't have to do it!" My heart just melted. How sweet is that? It was truly one of those moments where somebody does a small thing that means a lot. He had emptied a couple of bags and left out a few things which he didn't know where to put. I had a brief "uh-oh" moment when I realized he had discovered the M&Ms I snuck into the cart, but he never mentioned them to me, so I think I still got away with it. I just thought it was really sweet. Later tonight, while we were out on a walk, Zach realized that two of our neighbor's potted plants had blown over in the wind, so he got off his bike and went up on their porch to set them upright. He also picked up some trash he saw in another neighbor's yard. I don't think him doing these things is really all that unusual for a little kid, because most little kids like to help out. It just makes me wonder at what point do most people stop wanting to help so much, and why? And for parents more experienced than myself, is there a way I can keep Zach this way?

Just about 30 minutes ago, after Zach had been in bed for an hour, we heard him come down the stairs and into the living room. He was very calm and just walked up behind me and said, "Mom?" I said, "Yes, Zach?" He said, "Could you please have a banana and peanut butter ready for me in the morning?" I told him I'd try to. "Ok, thanks," he said, and he waved and smiled and walked back up to bed. It was kind of a funny exchange.

Drew seems to be struggling a little bit with sleeping the last few days. He's been waking up earlier and earlier. It used to be about 6:45/7:00 was his normal wake-up time, but on Saturday he was up at 6:15, Sunday it was 6:00, and today it was 5:20. Today for sure he got himself back to sleep after a little bit of fussing- not really crying, just sort of talking and whining a bit. Then I had to wake him up at 7:20 so we could get Maggie to the vet. Then, as I mentioned, he didn't sleep for his morning nap, and he took a short afternoon nap. Now he was just fussing a little bit just now, but seems to be back asleep again. I'm not sure what's going on. I'm worried that the sunlight in the morning is waking him up. His room faces east, but I just got new black-out shades in his room and Zach's, so I don't think that is the problem.

Tomorrow is Zach's last day of preschool. Really, it's just a picnic, so technically his last day already happened. Last week I went on a field trip with his class. Hopefully I'll post about that later this week. It's hard to believe his first whole year of preschool is done- it feels like we just started it!