In the meantime, I have my Miles, who is becoming more and more amazing as the days go by. He can now dress himself from totally nude to fully ready for a snowstorm with very little help. He does require constant persuasion and reminders that yes, he does have to wear pants, but he's male, so I figure that's normal. ;)
He can - and does - play by himself for 30-45 minutes at a time, when he's in the mood. When he's not, he begins asking for things every 2.5 seconds. Usually things he knows he can't have, like more television or fruit snacks or candy. Sometimes, he giggles at his own silliness. Other times, he throws a tantrum because his mother is completely irrational for not letting him consume pounds of sugar while staring at the tube. 3-year-old logic at it's best.
His speech gets clearer and clearer, and it's obvious that the half-hour a week with a speech therapist is working wonders. Some of her methods seem so obvious once she suggests them, but I never would have thought of them on my own. Things like having him clap or tap out the syllables of a word as he says it to help him slow down and articulate. It's so simple, but the effect it has had is impressive. Plus, it's cute to watch him pat his belly as he says, "I.want.mc.don.alds.please."
He's started singing. Constantly. Sometimes, he sings his favorite songs - Wheels on the Bus, I Need a Hero, and the theme song to the the animated Avengers and Iron Man shows he found on Netflix. Other times, he sings a song of his own, describing everything he's doing, from the interesting to the mundane. Occasionally, he will dance as he sings, but just as often, he sings quietly to himself as he plays. Or loudly and suddenly after a long silence in the grocery store.
He plays pretend. Usually, he is a dog - always Lady from Lady and the Tramp. (I asked him once, "Not the Tramp?" and he said, "No. Lady. Lady a good dog.") Sometimes he's the voice of one of his toys - SpiderMan, an airplane, a train, or a t-rex. He voices entire conversations between his toys, and sometimes, just with himself. It's fascinating to watch, but a little unnerving to never know exactly who I'm talking to. :)
He is fascinated with superheroes, and dinosaurs - things that scare him a little. He loves watching the Avengers, even though "I scare [of] Hulk-Smash".* His favorite dinosaur is the tyrannosaurus rex, and he will proudly tell you that his teeth are "long like bananas!" He'll curl up in my lap to watch, occasionally burying his face in me. Those times, we turn off the television and talk about how Mommy and Daddy will keep him safe. Five minutes later, he's usually begging for more.
He is incredibly sensitive and empathetic. When he knows I'm having a rough day, he'll grab my hand and say, "Sit in Mommy's chair and cuddle?" When he wakes up from nap, and I'm still in bed, trying to wake up, he'll happily sit next to me, holding my hand. Today, he scratched and rubbed my back, asking if I was okay. I told him I was fine, just tired, and he cuddled in, rubbing my back for the next 45 minutes while watching Netflix on my phone.
He's beginning to understand that there's a baby coming soon. He proudly tells anyone who asks that "Baby Saman-tah in Mommy's tummy!" He loves to look at the 3D sonogram pictures and alternately says, "Aw, she cute," or "Looks like space cadet." (He's not wrong on either account - those pictures are a little freaky). He plays with his baby doll, and is obsessed with changing its diaper, announcing every minute or so, "Ooh! Baby stinky! Shooo-weee!" Once the baby stops serially crapping its pants, he gives it a binky and shushes it to sleep. Oh, and he prefers that the baby wear nothing but its diaper. Clothes are overrated, I guess.
Sure, he throws tantrums, and argues, and often flat-out refuses to acknowledge us when we tell him to do something. But overall, I am loving this age of independence and discovery that he is experiencing. It is fun to watch him becoming a little boy, where once there was a helpless baby. And he gives me confidence that we are doing something right as parents.
I love this kid. <3
*As far as Miles is concerned his name is Hulk-Smash. Not just Hulk.
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