Time for an update on our sweet Miles! I simply can’t believe how old he is! Seriously, when I went to title this post, I typed “19 months.” I was only one year off! And a few months ago, I pulled out winter clothes in size 18-24 months and kept wondering why they seemed so terribly familiar. Yep, he wore that size last winter! It’s not that he fails to act his age, but I think time really does accelerate with each new baby. I’d rather explain my lapses in those terms, rather than contemplate the idea that I might just be losing my mind!
So, here are a few traits that are emerging as Miles’ grows. (Please note: Whenever I compare the following to Ryan, it is not in terms of “better than/ worse than.” It’s always been fascinating to look at the stark differences between my brother and me: messy room vs. clean room, social butterfly vs. quiet observer, laid-back vs. planning ahead, etc. My parents were always wonderful about responding to us as individuals. May the words, “Why can’t you do/be ____ like your brother?” never come out of my mouth!)
He is a homebody. No doubt about it, this boy loves being home with his family. While he will happily play at a friend’s house, after an hour or two he will inevitably grab Puppy, crawl into my lap, and say, “I want to go home now.” It can be rather embarrassing when friends are over to play, and he claps and cheers when he sees them start packing up to leave. “Friends go home now? Yea!” Ouch. On the plus side, it means avoiding the dramatic temper tantrums Ryan used to have when it was time to go home. I don’t have to carry this guy out kicking and screaming – Miles leads the way!
He is cold-natured. Miles favorite thing to do after waking up is to go straight to this vent in the kitchen, which is frequently blasting hot air on these cold winter mornings. He will either stand looking outside or sit playing his guitar.
He is a procrastinator. Ryan is all loud drama when initially told what to do and then gets the unpleasantness over as quickly as possible. Miles comes to a standstill…literally. If we say, “Miles, it’s time to clean up the blocks.” He will stop, drop his head, shiver dramatically, and say, “I cold.” Since we are unimpressed by this, he will switch to, “I tired.” These announcements are made quietly and pitifully. When these methods fail, he might begin clean up under threat of discipline, but the cleaning will be agonizingly slow. Yesterday, he slid on his bottom from block to block. If we say, “Let’s go. It’s time to get in the car,” he will shuffle his feet at the slowest rate imaginable. (It’s actually pretty cute.)
He loves snuggles and downtime. It is not at all uncommon to find Miles laying on the couch in the playroom, Puppy in hand and thumb in mouth. He balances rest and play religiously and rarely fights naptime. In fact, he likes his crib so much, he will ask to go upstairs and lay down in it. If you find Ryan lying down in the middle of the day, you know a serious illness is brewing! Miles also loves to be held. He will come up and say, “I holda you, Mama?” I am thrilled to have a child who enjoys lots of holding time!
He is a helper. Miles continues to be my shadow, wanting to be involved in everything I do. This can be sweet, as long as it’s an activity for two. However, I believe he would be in full support of our purchasing a second vacuum cleaner just for him!
He is skeptical of change. Miles greets new experiences (new foods, using the potty, sleeping in a big boy bed, etc.) with suspicion. Remember his first haircut and first birthday? He will eventually dive in, but his first response is, “No, thank you.” I’ve learned the hard way that making a big deal about something will only cause him to dig in his heels even more. It’s best to either wait until he initiates or trick him into thinking it was all his idea in the first place!
We left the timing of the transition up to him – it’s been 3 nights now, and he’s doing great!
He has a sweet spirit. Miles really does exude joy as he goes about his day. As he descends the stairs in the morning, he will greet Ryan with a cheery, “Goo’ Morning, Wyan! I wake up!” He will look out the window and declare, “It’s a beautiful day!” He’ll sample food (especially desserts!) with an appreciative, “Oh, that weally yummy!” He’ll then savor each bite, rather than inhaling it like his brother. If Ryan shows Miles a finished drawing, Miles will take the time to look at it before declaring, “That weally beautiful!” Miles is extremely polite. He even apologized repeatedly (“I sorry, Mama. I so sorry.”) after he got sick all over the kitchen floor. We had to reassure him more than once that it was not his fault. Of course, he has his moments, but this underlying tenderness is such a blessing to our family.
Only time will tell how many of the above traits are here to stay. There are still so many things to discover about his personality! He really doesn’t have favorite toys or activities. He does a bit of everything from time to time. Miles does seem drawn to music and musical instruments and definitely has a sense of rhythm. He’s physically strong and loves playing outside, especially in the sandbox. His favorite books are anything Curious George and the Llama Llama Red Pajama series. We’ve read them over and over again.
What matters above all is that Miles comes to know Jesus as his Lord and Savior and that ultimately these traits will be used for His glory. I pray that we will come to understand his heart, so that we will be able to adapt our parenting to his unique needs.
“For the Lord gives wisdom;
from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.
He holds success in store for the upright,
he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless,
for he guards the course of the just
and protects the way of his faithful ones.”
Proverbs 2: 6-8
And speaking of prayer…here’s a video we put on Facebook and Flickr a few months ago. It gives you a glimpse into this precious and hilarious little boy!
Note: If you’re interested in a reminder of what Ryan was like at this age, you can check out this post.
1 comment:
I LOVE that video! How much fun. I love that little boy.
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