Tidbits
We have long known Malcolm had most of his books memorized as he wouldn't hesitate to correct us on a missed word or a skipped page ("whoops! missed a page," he'd say generously assuming it was an honest mistake). His latest twist is to recite books and sing songs. This weekend he was sitting at the table and started singing "The hills are alive" from The Sound of Music. He especially loves it when we all sing together, and he'll orchestrate this with a "1, 2, 3...everybody sing." My favorite is his rendition of the Music Man's "76 Trombones led the big parade," in its entirety, including "copper bottom tympani and horse basoons...bu, bu, ba, bum...thundering, thundering louder than before." Today after singing the song a few times he told me he didn't know what a cornet is.
"Mama, I have to tell you something. I was just standing here and I heard a thump, (dramatic pause) and I looked and looked (pause) and there was a ladybug on the window sill!" Later, "I heard something. I stopped drinking my milk, and I listened, and listened, but no street sweeper, just a cactus sitting by the window."
Lately, when Malcolm is unsure about what is going on, instead of questioning my intents ("What are you doing, Mom???") he politely offers a plausible explanation. Such as when we were driving in the car and I tried to pull the old trick that used to work when he was younger: driving a round-about route home to encourage a nap. However, this time he knew we were starting not far from home, and was keeping himself awake waiting to get home. When it was clearly taking longer than anticipated, he offered "We're just doing a few errands before we go home." This was not so much a question as a thought that brought clarity to the fact that it was taking us so long to get home. Then yesterday as I was jogging him in the chariot I made a sudden U turn in the street when I saw three loose dogs ahead. I didn't want to alarm him by explaining so I didn't say anything. Right away I hear a little voice suggesting that maybe "Mama forgot her keys." I can't even remember when he heard of me forgetting my keys but it makes perfect sense that I would turn around to go get them (we were running to the track and he knew we needed a key to get in).
"Malcolm look, it is a lumber truck!"
"That is a logging truck, not a lumber truck. Mama, lumber is flat."
"Mama, I have to tell you something. I was just standing here and I heard a thump, (dramatic pause) and I looked and looked (pause) and there was a ladybug on the window sill!" Later, "I heard something. I stopped drinking my milk, and I listened, and listened, but no street sweeper, just a cactus sitting by the window."
Lately, when Malcolm is unsure about what is going on, instead of questioning my intents ("What are you doing, Mom???") he politely offers a plausible explanation. Such as when we were driving in the car and I tried to pull the old trick that used to work when he was younger: driving a round-about route home to encourage a nap. However, this time he knew we were starting not far from home, and was keeping himself awake waiting to get home. When it was clearly taking longer than anticipated, he offered "We're just doing a few errands before we go home." This was not so much a question as a thought that brought clarity to the fact that it was taking us so long to get home. Then yesterday as I was jogging him in the chariot I made a sudden U turn in the street when I saw three loose dogs ahead. I didn't want to alarm him by explaining so I didn't say anything. Right away I hear a little voice suggesting that maybe "Mama forgot her keys." I can't even remember when he heard of me forgetting my keys but it makes perfect sense that I would turn around to go get them (we were running to the track and he knew we needed a key to get in).
"Malcolm look, it is a lumber truck!"
"That is a logging truck, not a lumber truck. Mama, lumber is flat."
posted by Suzie at
8:01 PM
1 Comments:
WOW!! I knew I heard wheels spinning when we were visiting in Oct. Malcolm, you and Uncle Bill can have a "76 Trombone" sing-fest.
Love, Oma
By
Oma, At
9:29 AM
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